Anyone else popping scott spark 970 wheel spokes?

[wynandk]

I've popped 7 spokes now in total, and have heard of at least one other scott spark 970 (2019) owner that's had 4 spokes break too.

 

I get that spokes break, and that breaking one would cause more to get hurt, but after telling my long story to CWC, and them offering to have the wheel looked at, I barely got feedback from them when collecting my bike.  This is not a rant towards CWC, since I'm done with them. I just want feedback from other owners.

 

Regards.

Wynand.

[BaGearA]

How wide are your tyres?

How wide are your rims?

How heavy are you?

What type of riding do you do mostly?

 

Spokes shouldn't just break, unless they're bad quality or the wheel was built incorrectly

[Dexter-morgan]

I have a scott Genius 950 and had skokes break as well but I think it was abuse from my side, changed my wheels to Rapide, since then no issues

[wynandk]

How wide are your tyres?

How wide are your rims?

How heavy are you?

What type of riding do you do mostly?

 

Spokes shouldn't just break, unless they're bad quality or the wheel was built incorrectly

 

It's the tyres and rims that was put on by CWC, maxis 2.35 Forester

https://www.scott-sports.com/za/en/product/scott-spark-970-bike

 

I'm within the weight limit, CWC checked this before I even walked into the shop

Tygerberg trails is where I ride. I don't do big jumps and I've done 1000km on the bike so far.

 

I took the bike to Black Sheep bikes the first time I had 4 spokes that broke ( some of them while riding on tar road to work), and the mechanic there said that he had that exact same model bike there with 4 spokes that popped. Owner hadn't even ridden on the trails yet, just gravel roads.

 

I retrospect I should not have taken it to BSB, just because of warantee claims/investigation.

[wynandk]

I have a scott Genius 950 and had skokes break as well but I think it was abuse from my side, changed my wheels to Rapide, since then no issues

Thinking of going with a rapide hoop as well.

[Sllab]

I have had quite a bit of experience with new bike wheels breaking spokes. I am 105 kg, ex track rider, dont do a lot of highly technical riding or drop offs. Haven't yet ridden a factory wheel that hasn't popped spokes pretty quickly( Cannondale and Merida), certainly within the first 1000km or so I expect 2-3 broken spokes, mostly back wheel, some fronts too. Like you, I could not get a decent explanation but when I measured spoke tensions on the undamaged wheels, they were all over the place, as much as a 20kg pull difference from spoke to spoke. Long story short, spoke to the local wheelbuilders and their advice was that the spokes used in the factory build are not always brilliant and the wheels are machine built, so problems can and do happen, especially with riders near the weight limit of the wheel. I decided to put this to the test - rebuilt the wheels with the existing rims and hubs, but with double butted spokes from Rapide. Set the spoke tensions to manufacturers spec, about 120kg as I recall. Got to within 0.1mm runout radially and axially, measured with vernier. Then rode the wheels for 8 months over the same tracks with the same group - no problems. So my take on this is that factory wheels give problems, regardless of the make. This is only my experience and I am a heavy guy riding R30k range bikes, so I am sure that lots of lighter guys out there / people riding more expensive wheelsets have different experiences - this is my experience over 4 bikes in the last 6 odd years.

[wynandk]

I have had quite a bit of experience with new bike wheels breaking spokes. I am 105 kg, ex track rider, dont do a lot of highly technical riding or drop offs. Haven't yet ridden a factory wheel that hasn't popped spokes pretty quickly( Cannondale and Merida), certainly within the first 1000km or so I expect 2-3 broken spokes, mostly back wheel, some fronts too. Like you, I could not get a decent explanation but when I measured spoke tensions on the undamaged wheels, they were all over the place, as much as a 20kg pull difference from spoke to spoke. Long story short, spoke to the local wheelbuilders and their advice was that the spokes used in the factory build are not always brilliant and the wheels are machine built, so problems can and do happen, especially with riders near the weight limit of the wheel. I decided to put this to the test - rebuilt the wheels with the existing rims and hubs, but with double butted spokes from Rapide. Set the spoke tensions to manufacturers spec, about 120kg as I recall. Got to within 0.1mm runout radially and axially, measured with vernier. Then rode the wheels for 8 months over the same tracks with the same group - no problems. So my take on this is that factory wheels give problems, regardless of the make. This is only my experience and I am a heavy guy riding R30k range bikes, so I am sure that lots of lighter guys out there / people riding more expensive wheelsets have different experiences - this is my experience over 4 bikes in the last 6 odd years.

 

What you say here ties exactly in with what I feel, and what the Black sheeps wheel builder told me. The hoop quality wasnt the best. To be expected from the entry level model, so I'm not complaining. He also said, due to different strength spokes and a cheaper hoop getting the spoke tensions even was not possible. I've come accross a rapide hoop I'm going to buy and will be rebuilding the wheel with better spokes. Will get a matching hoop sometime for OCD matters and use these as "road" wheels for the argus sometime.

[ChrisF]

I had one spoke break on my Scott Spark 940 (original tires and rims).  Had about 1 000km on the bike at the time.

 

 

I took it to Mark's Workshop.  They fitted a new spoke and took time to properly check the wheel and all spokes.  They did point out the difference in spoke settings ..... 

 

No issues since - touch wood

 

 

 

 

I think it may be a good idea to take the bike in for a 500km service, checking the basic settings, bearings, AND spoke tension.

[RiverInTheRoad]

Once a single spoke goes you need to do a complete wheel rebuild/retensioning by a proper wheelbuilder.

[LouisHR]

Hi Wynand,

 

I also have the Scott Spark 970 2019 bike and have had the same issues. Broken spokes on my rear wheel on 3 or 4 occasions. The dealer I purchased my bike from has been very supportive and has replaced the spokes each time. They also rebuilt the rim but unfortunately same outcome - broken spokes. The rear rim has been replaced temporary, and have had no issues since.

[maranite@gmail.com]

Ive bougnt a spark 960 in late 2018 (it got stolen) and replace it with a spark 970 this year (2019) - and both have lost tons of spokes. The 960 required a wheel rebuild after 4 months, and the 970 is headed the same way.

 

HERE'S THE CLINCHER:

 

Ive never taken the 970 off road. Not once.

 

I live in Brisbane where there are dedicated commuter cycle paths everywhere, and so far ive only used the 970 to commute... I havent gone offroad with it yet. Sacrilage? Yup. ...But it also makes a point about the factory wheels. They fatigue and break even under light, infrequent use. Ive barely done 100km on the 970, and the spokes are already breaking!

[Eddy Gordo]

Why not just rebuild the wheel with a better quality spoke?

How many spokes on the wheel?

[Baracuda]

When I did a review for a mate two years ago on XC bikes, virtually all the Scott Spark 940 reviews had a similar message, "great bike, but crappy wheels" upgrade the wheels as soon as you get it and you'll have an amazing bike. My mate did and it has completely changed the bike

[dasilvarsa]

It's a Factory Defect.

Should be covered by Warranty.

Contact the Shop where the item was purchased.

[RobertWhitehead]

I think it's not just Scott, I've seen it happen on other brands as well. In fact I've seen wheels fold in half under normal single track riding. 

 

Is it not worth building rather than buying off the shelf? 

[ChrisF]

I think it's not just Scott, I've seen it happen on other brands as well. In fact I've seen wheels fold in half under normal single track riding. 

 

Is it not worth building rather than buying off the shelf? 

 

okayyyyy, let me put my foot in it side-ways ......

 

 

With my previous bike I could not afford  the "mid range" full suspension, and bought the entry level of that brand .... rear bearings collapsed, and due to their unique design the stuck outer race cant be removed, so they happily have stock of new hubs .... thankfully Louise at Knipe_Racing made a custom tool to extract the outer race     Couple of other niggly bits, and when you search you find more people with the same issues .....

 

 

When I bought my SCOTT I literally looked for the highest specced bike in the range - with an aluminium frame.  HOPING that by saving on the frame and spending more on components I wont have a repeat of my previous bike .... so far so good 

 

 

It would appear the 970 has also sacrificed in certain areas to achieve the lower shelf price ....

 

 

And by listening to friends with lower priced bikes of other brand names ..... the story repeats !!  

 

 

 

So I may well consider a custom build for my next bike .... the only problem being that you cant test ride before you buy ...     but sure one can find a way around this ....