Bike Check: Matt Wilson’s SCOTT Spark RC for Park City Point 2 Point
Life Time Grand Prix athlete and SCOTT rider Matt Wilson stopped by Contender Bicycles ahead of the Park City Point 2 Point with the bike he will be racing this weekend. Built from the frameset up, Matt’s SCOTT Spark RC is set up specifically for a long day of climbing and Park City singletrack.
Coming off a second-place finish at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB, Matt has carried much of that race setup into Park City, with a few course-specific tweaks. A 36-tooth chainring, 680mm bars, a fixed Syncros seatpost, added tire protection, and increased bottle capacity all point to the same goal: keeping the bike light and efficient for more than 10,000 feet of climbing without giving up too much on the rougher sections.
Want to hear more from Matt about Leadville, the Life Time Grand Prix, and racing in Park City? Check out our Conversation with Matt Wilson Ahead of Park City Point 2 Point.
A Setup Built for Park City Point 2 Point
Matt’s Spark RC is built around efficiency. With more than 10,000 feet of climbing on the menu, saving weight matters, but so does having enough bike underneath him for the faster and rockier sections later in the race.
Up front, Matt has stuck with the narrow cockpit he originally moved to for Leadville. His bars are cut down to 680mm, a setup he has grown to like over the past few weeks and one that should feel right at home on Park City’s tighter singletrack.
He has also downsized his gearing slightly from Leadville, opting for a 36-tooth chainring paired with 170mm cranks. With considerably more climbing ahead, the smaller ring gives him a little more range for the long day.
Another noticeable choice is the lack of a dropper post. Matt is running a fixed Syncros seatpost, explaining that there is not enough steep, chunky terrain on the course to justify the added weight. For a race this climbing-heavy, he would rather keep things simple and light.
Suspension is controlled through SCOTT’s TwinLoc system, something Matt has remained a fan of. Even with the race-focused configuration, he says one of the biggest things he has noticed after spending more time on the new Spark RC is the stiffness of the frame. Under power and through fast corners, the bike feels sharper and more responsive than what he was riding previously.
Tires are a familiar cross-country setup, with Pirelli Scorpion XC RC tires front and rear. Recent rain should mean good dirt on race day, but Matt is still adding extra tire protection at both ends for some insurance through the rockier sections of the course.
Hydration is another area where the new frame comes in handy. By sliding the rear bottle-cage mount down, Matt can fit one-liter bottles in both positions. That is particularly useful for someone who would much rather carry his hydration on the bike than race with a hydration pack.
The end result is a very deliberate XC race setup. Nothing is there just for the sake of it. The gearing, cockpit, seatpost, tires, and hydration strategy all point toward the same goal: stay light and efficient on the climbs while carrying enough capability to race Park City’s singletrack at full speed.
Big thanks to Matt Wilson for taking the time to walk us through his Park City Point 2 Point setup, and to SCOTT for helping make this one happen.
For a deeper look at Matt’s path into the Life Time Grand Prix, check out SCOTT’s Hunt for the Wildcard Season 2 below.
