I've been riding the Spark RC AXS Team Issue model for three years and am actually a Scott fan. Unfortunately, I have to say: Overall, I haven't been happy with the bike. Point 1: E-bike confusion. Many people assume there's a motor in the frame, and especially when you're riding fast, technical uphills, people tend to comment on the "e-bike." This gets incredibly annoying at some point (no offense to e-MTBs here). Point 2: Adjustment. The flap is easy to open (if it's not dirty), but you have to turn the bike upside down or hang it up in a complicated way to adjust the shock, and in muddy conditions, you don't really want to fiddle with the flap. The bottom line is that you don't adjust much on the suspension, which is a shame. Point 3: Maintenance: Brake pads can only be changed by removing the piston. This simply wastes unnecessary time and effort, and you also wonder: Who designs something like this? Point 4: Handling. I'm now also riding the Stumpjumper 15 (Pro), and when I see what a new-generation trail bike can do in terms of uphill agility and dynamics, I think the Spark RC is no longer top of its game. Point 5: Endless problems with the dropper post – probably because everything inside the frame is just somehow convoluted, making it very difficult to access the inner workings.
Once the bike is perfectly adjusted, it still rides really well.
Dear Scott family, don't get so caught up in your own head. Build bikes that are fun to ride again. A bike that you'll want to adjust from time to time. I'm not Nino Schurter with my own mechanic. I want a bike that doesn't seem like an e-bike; I want to be able to adjust it and maintain the most important components myself. I don't know anyone in our relatively large mountain bike scene who rides a Scott. Nobody wants such complex construction.
