Transition Spur Carbon X0 AXS review: incredible performance makes this the definitive downcountry bike

Transition’s Spur has set the benchmark for downcountry bikes since its release in 2020, with our technical editor-in-chief Robin Weaver giving it a rare 5/5 rating.

As the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke don’t fit it” and Transition appears to agree. It has wisely left what made the original Spur almost perfect – the geometry and suspension – well alone.

The only notable difference, as far as the frame goes, is the addition of SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger and a lick of fresh paint, with a revised spec list joining the changes.

Costing a hefty £7,999 / $7,899 / €6,999, this Carbon X0 AXS tops the three-bike range.

If you can afford it, you’ll have one of the fastest and most fun short-travel downcountry bikes at your disposal.

Transition Spur Carbon X0 AXS ride impressions

I tested the Spur around my local North Wales and Midlands trail centres, as well as on natural singletrack and moorland tracks.

Conditions varied from wet and muddy to dry and dusty.

Setup

Having ridden the previous-generation Spur for many years, setting up the latest version was easy.

Fork and shock pressures were set to 82psi and 205psi respectively. This gave 20 and 30 per cent sag, but take these measurements with a pinch of salt. Sag is difficult to measure consistently, because the bike can be weighted differently depending on your body position. These numbers are here purely as a rough guide.

I started with the rebound settings in the middle of the range for both units, but ended up going a little faster, removing two clicks of rebound damping.

For the duration of testing, I left the low-speed compression damping wide open on the fork. Moving back to the shock, I set the low-speed compression to setting 2 of 3 in the open mode.

Transition Spur Carbon X0 AXS climbing performance

Right from the off, the Spur means business.

It pedals keenly, and while not as ruthlessly efficient as similar-travel cross-country race bikes, it can still hustle on the climbs.

There is a small amount of pedal bob under power, but it still surges forward.

The Fox Float DPS Factory shock has tons of adjustment, with three positions for the pedal platform and a further three low-speed compression settings for the open mode.

I found the Spur felt best in the open mode and the middle of the three low-speed compression settings. This gives a slightly firmer feeling, while still being active enough to provide solid grip.

While not as hover-bike smooth as rivals with more complex suspension designs, such as Santa Cruz’s Tallboy, the Spur has plentiful traction on steeper and looser inclines.

The Maxxis Rekon out back digs in reasonably well, but still rolls quickly. It’s a great all-rounder that's well suited to the bike's 'do anything and do it quickly' persona.

The lightweight DT Swiss wheels feel lively and taut. The freehub engagement is not the fastest, but is plenty quick enough, even on technical climbs.

The ride position is incredibly comfortable, although I’d be intrigued to see the Spur with an even steeper seat angle.

It’s easy to move your weight around to balance traction and manage the handling as it is, but I slid the saddle rails forward and things only got better on the climbs.

Techy sections are easy to handle. The steering is stable yet precise, and combined with the short chainstays, it snaps around tight switchbacks well.

Transition Spur Carbon X0 AXS descending performance

Flipping things to the descents, the Spur truly comes to life.

The slack, long and low geometry, with the bottom bracket slung only 335mm from the ground, means the Spur loves to be thrown around.

It's an absolute hoot on smooth flow trails, where you can push the tyres as hard as you dare in corners and revel in the supportive suspension.

Pumping terrain to generate speed becomes the default.

It feels like a slalom bike with its super low-slung top tube and the long-travel OneUp post slammed to the bottom of its deep 210mm of drop.

While I’ve ridden poppier-feeling bikes that are more eager to get airborne, the Spur certainly encourages a lively riding style. It’s just more glued to the ground and serious than a jibby frequent flyer.

The tight 435mm chainstays, not overly slack head tube angle and wide OneUp bar combine to give an agile yet confidence-inspiring ride.

While the stack height is fairly low, the 35mm rise to the handlebar on the large bike gave me the confidence to push my limits in the corners and on steeper sections.

The Spur continues to impress in the rough stuff. With only 120mm of travel, you’d expect to have to treat it with respect for fear of getting quickly out of its depth.

However, it’s impressively smooth on choppy terrain, ironing out rocks, roots and braking bumps adeptly. I put this down to a combination of the smooth Fox suspension and forgiving carbon frame.

I’ve ridden stiffer bikes in the category, with a similar suspension setup, and they haven’t felt this composed when the going gets gnarly.

Of course, there are limits, but the Spur almost gives you a gentle nudge, asking you to calm it down a bit, rather than spitting you off into the undergrowth at a moment's notice.

Even when the suspension is running out of give, the geometry is still there to help you out.

It’s so capable, that while the Fox 34 FIT4 fork and G2 RSC brakes do their respective jobs admirably, it almost begs for the more adjustable GRIP X damper in the fork and SRAM’s beefier Code brakes.

Those are very minor footnotes on an otherwise incredibly impressive bike on the descents. I’ve ridden the previous Spur in the Alps for a week with no issues, highlighting its broad performance.