I’ve always been put off by past reviews of slightly inhibited suspension, but now they are revised and with Fox, how are they?

Reason is, I’m considering purchasing this to replace my Anthem 29er, so would it be an upgrade? Fwiw I only have the one bike to ride and race on and that would be it.

Probably worth iterating that Anthem is upgraded to 24lb with 1×11 oval Carbon/kcnc kit and AC race wheels for comparison.

I have had one since Dec last year.
My other bike has fox 36’s and a CCDB coil on it (Transition Covert)

So far I cant stop riding it – fast, everywhere. Initially I was sceptical about its performance and the three position suspension settings. However I’m now quite impressed. I’ve thrashed it round trail centres, off piste in the FoD (jumps, gaps and dodgy trails) all manner of trails in Woburn / Swinley etc.

Seems very capable, I’ve not felt any flex from the front end. I’ve found myself benefitting a lot from being able to switch the suspension mid flow as I’m doing a trail. This I didn’t expect, but its made my riding faster and more efficient.

I spent an afternoon, after about two months, and adjusted the rebound on the rear. The range of adjustment was wide enough and it made a difference. Its now dialled to suit me. On the trails I could feel the difference improved the ride quality and performance. I’m now tweaking the front to the same effect.

In fully open mode its been fine on some of the more techy stuff in the FoD for example. In the low BB setting I’m not getting pedal strikes. I do notice its a tiny bit steeper than my Transition Covert, but not to the point it bothers me.

Im not going to take it to Bike Park Wales, but a thrash round Afan would be fine on it.

I swopped the long stem for a shorter one and it still climbs very well, the front does not float. Corners faster than my Covert.

I also changed the bars to wider ones to suit me and fitted a dropper and went 1×11. But that’s just personal preference, as standard its pretty good anyway.

Id say go for it and you will be impressed. Also I paid just under £2k for mine – at that price I’m very happy. I demoed a lot of bikes in the £4k to £5k price bracket – they were not better.

as above, they are a good ‘one bike solution’ the 2016 ones have the fox FIT4 damper (not sure how much difference that makes)

120mm 27.5 sounds slower regardless of suspension performance.

FWIW I don’t think you’ll get much gain until you go top end 29er eg SWorks Epic etc

What’s the problem with the Anthem?

Swingarm/linkages get full of crap in poor conditions.

Cheaper solution…?

Thought your thinner tyre solution was for this reason? Bit drastic otherwise.

edit- linkages. Anyway, they all fill up in filthy conditions to some extent.

Yak & Blobby yes and yes. Not sure what else to say!

FWIW I don’t think you’ll get much gain until you go top end 29er eg SWorks Epic etc

Hmm yes probably. Apart from the Alu vs carbon frame and XT vs SLX brakeset theres not much more for me to upgrade on the Anthem.

All bikes get muddy and full of crap in crap weather/conditions. Its got to be pretty extreme to affect your riding.

Don’t they do the Spark in 29er flavour ?

Oh, and don’t forget all new bikes make you 10% faster.

I’d stick with a 29er, spark frame only (good price)
https://www.bike-components.de/en/Scott/Spark-940-29-Rahmenset-Modell-2014-p44038/

That’s a very good price but I bet it’s nearly identical frame weight and my experience of cable operated lockouts in mud has been a nightmare. At least you can poke mud out of a swing arm with a stick.

The cable operated lock outs wont get muddy. If they do your probably up to your nuts in mud, so the lock out not working will be the least of your problems.

Reason is, I’m considering purchasing this to replace my Anthem 29er, so would it be an upgrade?

I had a Scott Spark for a weekend last year when my Anthem was having its bearings replaced. I found it pretty dull and uninspiring to ride, and was very happy to have my Anthem back.

Hmm. So the conclusion is stick with the Anthem, fabricate one of my disused mucky nutz fenders as above and carry a stick?

Its a bit low-tech even for STW, but I’ll roll with it.

Get a dedicated set of spare race wheels.

A “favourite” set with all the spangly kit and most likely race tyres.
And another set. Fitted with a back up set of mud tyres. Or at least “not as good weather tyres”. Can either do them tubed or tubeless, as there will be no need for last minute changes.

Yes I have that. Can’t mount Beavers tubless though which bis the issue. I’ll just stick tubes in them I guess.

Its a bit low-tech even for STW, but I’ll roll with it.

Umm ok, how about some mud repellant nano technology instead?

Why worry about tubeless? Bikes going to be clagged up 3 minutes after you start. Just get some decent latex tubes (and you probably can tubeless them. You Katy haven’t managed yet)

And furniture polish or gt85/wd40 will slow the collection of clag. (Frame. Not tyres.)

adsh – Member

120mm 27.5 sounds slower regardless of suspension performance.

FWIW I don’t think you’ll get much gain until you go top end 29er eg SWorks Epic etc

And as if by magic, lok what I spotted on xcracer, for te same price as the spark:
Specialized expert epic WC

THis is nothing to do with me, just saw it and thought of Krytons desire to spend money!

One of the things that put me off an Sworks Epic was some concern over failures – appreciate the above is cheap but personally I’d want a warranty which was valid (and reading the small print anyone building up a frame who is not Specialized voids the warranty….)

Luckily I’d need a Large. I think perhaps I’m not appreciating my Anthem enough due to the weekends frustration without bearing in mind that including 4 x stops I still came top 10 🙂

Damn it, does that mean there isn’t a Anthem going cheap any longer?

Kryton,

I bought a 930 in Jan a really like it. Used it on the HONC over the weekend and it performed well and have also used it in various Scottish trail centers and she was brilliant.

Dogsby