...I like the frame overall, but until they supply shocks with a workable fill port on the bottom trunnion, plus refine how you set the sag and what appears to be some bearing assembly problems, I will wait on being a Guinea pig.
Well, for all y'all waiting for that guy to take one for the team, you're in luck, I expect mine at the end of the month. It will be a 19" with the Deluxe Select + and that rather tasteful Spirit paint theme. Before ordering, I searched and translated the sparse user reviews and opinions, including from this forum. All the Scott Spark, and other Scott models employing the same shock arrangement are selling well, perhaps this is why Scott was not entertaining any requests from me to buy a Spark 910 frame only. What follows are the reasons I decided to toss the dice:
1) I will not be flogging the bike as hard as some. I'm going on 68, and mostly ride loamy forest singletracks, albeit briskly for me. Primary goal is to soften the shock loads to my feet and knees. I'm looking for a short to mid-travel, full-sprung frame upgrade over my Scott Scale 950 XC hardtail converted ebike.
2) The Spirit frame is the cats meow for DIY ebike builders as the frame has an open triangle which facilitates the easy installation of larger, all-day battery packs. This battery mounting issue is a major challenge for mid drive ebike builders, and leads to some real sh%tty looking builds with insufficient range.
3) The best review I found was a Brazilian YouTuber. He takes that thing on some pretty extreme tracks, and he seems pleased with revised shock linkage parts sent to him by Lexon. Shame on the manufacturer to release a damn useful frame but then use their customers for beta testing. In my eyes, supplying revised parts does wash away some of their shame and may keep the project a viable business venture for them. Or at least keep it alive to make it to the next design fiasco... or the possible patent infringement suit from Scott. I have some ideas on how to mitigate the shocks air fill port.
4) Thailand is on favored nation trading status with China, so low shipping and duty, I'm at USD 1,075 with shipping but before duty.
I'll be running the Ryet UD CF asymmetric rim 29er wheels with Schwalbe 2.4" Wicked Will's, definitely recommend these bargain wheels, been flogging a set hard daily for nearly a year, popped in one new rear bearing. $287.++ for the pair. Bike will likely be running the lightweight CYC Photon motor eventually, but will initially be built with a Bafang BBSHD. Wish me luck!
