Pro Bike Check: Nino Schurter’s custom 9x World Champion Scott Spark RC

Nino Schurter is as close as it gets to a household name in mountain biking. The Swiss mountain biker continues to push the limits of what’s possible, earning his 9th Cross Country World Championship at 35 years old, and it looks like there are no signs of slowing down.

Schurter has won pretty much everything the mountain world has to offer; Olympic gold, the World Championships, European Championships, and 32 World Cups. With one more World Cup win, Nino will equal Frenchman Julien Absalon’s 33 victories, which he wanted to accomplish at the final UCI World Cup race at Snow Shoe WV, but a flat tire took him out of contention, still finishing a fantastic 4th place.

2021 started as a year of World Cup seconds, thirds, and lower for Schurter, many questioning if the Swiss star had his time at the front. As the season progressed, so did Schurter’s form, starting with a 4th place finish at the Tokyo Olympic Games and finishing with his 9th time adorning the rainbow jersey, taking the win in style in Val di Sole Italy.

“Earning myself the Rainbows for the 9th time still feels like a dream. Picking my favorite one is impossible, though, as each one holds many special memories. I’m really stoked that all of these titles found their way onto my new special edition Spark, so there is absolutely no need to choose a favorite at all.” — Nino Schurter

Ninos Schurter’s bikes have become as iconic as the rider, whether riding A. Dugast tubulars on DT Swiss 27.5″ wheels or 2.4″ Maxxis Aspens on full-carbon Syncros Silverton SLs — we love to see what the team at Scott SRAM cook up.

Nino’s bike for the 2022 season is the new Scott Spark RC released last year with World Champion special edition custom paint and upgrades that will make you drool.

When you’re the World Champ, you get the best, and Nino’s bike has some of the finest parts available — all playing a pivotal role in making the bike’s performance the best it can be.

Nino Schurter’s Scott Spark RC

Schurter’s Scott Spark RC comes with a very World Champ worthy setup featuring a RockShox SID Ultimate, SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS Drivetrain, the new wider Syncros Silverton SL (30mm) carbon wheels, Fraser iC SL one-piece bar stem combo, and even a lighter version of his Tofino saddle saving 50g.

One of the more extraordinary features is Schurter’s easily-identifiable Syncros Fraser bar. The World Champ opts for a super slammed -40°, 90mm stem on the integrated bar and stem combo with a narrow 700mm width. Nino has used this configuration for years and feels the 700mm width allows him to handle tight features on course and keep traction on the front wheel.

Looking closely at the grips, you notice that uber-clutch blip mounts for his 100mm travel Reverb AXS seatpost. All the mounting hardware is titanium, and the Scott SRAM team looks for any and all places to drop weight without compromising performance.

The Scott Spark RC custom World Champ frame is something that you can’t get at your local shop. The design team at Scott and Schurter worked together to come up with a classic, clean and beautiful homage to all nine of Schurter’s World Championship victories; 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021.

The color-changing elements reflect the rainbow stripes in striking effect, with other hidden aspects yet to be discovered.

Spec Highlights: Nino Schurter’s Custom World Champ Spark RC

Frame: SCOTT SPARK RC CARBON HMX SL CUSTOM
Fork: ROCKSHOX SID ULTIMATE RD3 AIR/ BLACKBOX RACE DAY DAMPER 3 MODE, 120MM TRAVEL, 44MM OFFSET
Rear Shock: ROCKSHOX NUDE 5 RLC3 TRUNNION
Remote: SCOTT TWINLOC 2 TECHNOLOGY, 3 SUSPENSION MODES
Handlebar: SYNCROS FRASER IC SL WC / -40° / 90MM / 700MM
Seatpost: ROCKSHOX REVERB AXS 100MM, TITANIUM BOLTS
Saddle: SYNCROS TOFINO REGULAR SL CHANNEL
Grip: SYNCROS FOAM
Pedals: HT COMPONENTS M2
Rear Derailleur: SRAM XX1 EAGLE AXS/ 12SPEED
Shifter: SRAM XX1 EAGLE AXS
Crank Set: SRAM XX1 EAGLE DUB POWER METER, 175MM/ 36T CHAINRING
Chain: SRAM XX1 EAGLE CHAIN
Cassette: SRAM XG-1299 EAGLE/ 10-50T
Brakes: SRAM LEVEL ULTIMATE
Wheels: SYNCROS SILVERTON SL2-30MM, 29″
Tires: MAXXIS ASPEN 29×2.40WT 170TPI EXO/TR
Bottle Cage: TOPEAK SHUTTLE CAGE CARBON
Computer: GARMIN EDGE 520
Tire- Sealant: OKO MAGIC MILK HIGH FIBRE

For more info on Nino and the Scott-SRAM team, check out: Scott-sram.com