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| The Scott Spark 29 Elite |
As a general rule, it isn't a good idea to chase freeride bikers on a 100mm cross country bike.
It was early on an August Friday morning and I had Burke Mountain to myself. I had climbed up the CCC Road to the entrance of Lower J-Bar without seeing another soul when I rolled up on four guys getting ready to drop in on the morning's first run. I was looking decidedly cross country while they looked like they had just stepped out of a game of Halo. The 100mm of travel on my 2012 Scott Spark 29 Elite was contrasted with the full 5+ inches of coiled suspension that adorned each of their rigs. We exchanged pleasantries as they adjusted their full face helmets and armor, and with a wave they dove down the trail catching air on the first drops. I rolled up to the edge of the CCC in my lycra shorts and flimsy powerdry t-shirt, as they hooted and hollered somewhere down the trail below. I gave them a good ten second head start before launching onto the hard packed dirt below. Cross country bike or not, I was determined to catch them.
