Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox) has been spending much of his time this season on a full-suspension Scott Spark 900.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The front derailleur mounts directly to the swingarm.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
A pair of wires coming out of the leg is the only visual cue that this Fox Float iCD fork is different from its mechanical brethren.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Fast rolling Maxxis MaxxLite tires are speedy but they're only to be used in the right conditions.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The seat tube is kinked to allow more room for the 100mm-travel single-pivot rear end.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The rear brake caliper is mounted to the chain stay, leaving the seat stays slender and slim.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Stages power meter barely adds any width to the standard crankarm.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Stages Cycling has provided Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox) with its new single-sided power meter.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Brass housing ferrules are used throughout.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
There's clean and then there's this kind of clean.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
175mm-long Shimano XTR crankarms with 38/26T chainrings for Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox).(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Shimano Di2 battery tucks in below the King bottle cage.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Standard name decals are so yesterday…(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Fox's new iCD rear shock and fork are equipped with electronically controlled dampers for near-instant valving changes.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Scott-3Rox team mechanic Scott Kelly has done an admirable job of hiding the Fox iCD wires. The one from the remote to the rear shock is routed through the top tube and the one from the shock to the battery is discreetly mounted on the front of the seat tube.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The tapered head tube is surrounded by several wires.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The front end is suspended by a 100mm-travel Fox Float iCD fork.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The downturned Syncros carbon-wrapped stem is offset by a low-rise Syncros carbon bar.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The tidy Fox iCD remote tucks neatly in between the grip collar and the brake lever clamp.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Geoff Kabush's (Scott-3Rox) Scott Spark 900 is pictured here with Syncros carbon wheels but the Canadian rider has frequently been seen racing on Stan's NoTubes aluminum hoops instead.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The port that is normally used for the rear shock remote is instead used for the Fox iCD control wire.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Not ready to accept electronics on your mountain bike? Well, you'd better get used to it, with more riders and companies taking the leap to battery augmented suspension. Scott-3Rox rider Geoff Kabush is one of the latest converts, using Fox's fast-acting iCD fork and rear shock on his Spark 900 Premium full-suspension 29er.
Unlike RockShox's Ei system, which was co-developed with French bicycle company Lapierre and auto-adjusts to the terrain as needed, the Fox iCD setup is more of a manual system. A tidy handlebar-mounted remote is conveniently positioned next to the grip and switches the fork and rear shock between open and locked modes in less than 0.45 seconds, according to Fox. Power comes from a Shimano Di2 battery on the down tube.
According to Scott-3Rox team head mechanic Scott Kelly, the quick response time is further blurring the lines when it comes to choosing between a hardtail and full-suspension machine for race day.
"It's getting harder and harder with the iCD, because it's just the flick of a switch, so you get all the benefits of a dually when you need it," he told BikeRadar. "But for a course like Val di Sole, where there's lots of climbing, he [Kabush] is still going to go with a hardtail just based on the weight.
"[The suspension] is based on the course, so it can change from race to race. When they do their pre-riding, the focus is on tires and on what suspension is going to optimize the bike for that race course."
Shimano is heavily featured elsewhere on Kabush's bike, which is built with a mix of XTR 'race' and 'trail' components. The hydraulic disc brakes come from the former parts bin, with more pared-down levers that omit the pad contact and tool-free reach adjustments, and lighter-weight pads that do without the 'trail's' heat-shedding backing plates.
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The drivetrain, on the other hand, takes from the 'trail' column, with the 175mm-long crank arms, slightly downsized 38/26T chainrings (Shimano's usual 'race' two-ring cranks more commonly come with 40/28T rings) and the clutch-equipped Shadow Plus rear derailleur for improved chain security and quieter running.
Scott parts brand Syncros fills out most of the rest of the build kit, including the carbon-wrapped FL1.0 stem and FL1.0 low-rise carbon bar, the FL1.0 carbon seatpost, and the XR1.0 saddle. Kabush's bike was also equipped with ultra-light and fast-rolling Maxxis MaxxLite 29 tires wrapped around Syncros "Carbon 29" wheels, although he's frequently seen on his tried-and-true Stan's NoTubes aluminum rims on race day.
Other details include a Stages Cycling power meter – which practically disappears into the non-driveside crankarm – a Garmin Edge computer, crankbrothers Eggbeater 11 pedals, a King stainless steel bottle cage, and Wheels Manufacturing brass derailleur housing ferrules for what Kelly describes as "stiffer" shifting.
"The majority of what Geoff does is pretty stock," Kelly said. "He's just really particular about getting his bikes all set up similarly, so we take into account sag when we're doing our fit and whatnot."
Part of that fit requirement is accommodating Kabush's long torso. Despite standing at a fairly tall 6ft 2in (1.88m), the Canadian rider rides an XL frame size to better suit his extended reach. Saddle height is a fairly modest 770mm and the saddle is perched rather far forward on a zero setback post, but the stem is still a generous 100mm long.
Total weight as pictured for this Scott is 10.8kg (23.8lb).
Kelly has done an admirable job of hiding the Fox iCD wires
Complete bike specifications
Frame: Scott Spark 900 Premium, XL Fork: Fox 32 Float 29 100 FIT iCD, 100mm travel Rear shock: Fox Float iCD Headset: Syncros press-fit, 1 1/8in to 1 1/2in tapered Cranks: Shimano XTR Trail FC-M980 with Stages Cycling power meter, 175mm, 38/26T Chain: Shimano XTR CN-M980 Cassette: Shimano XTR CS-M980, 11-36T Brakes: Shimano XTR Race BR-M985, 160mm rotor Brake levers: Shimano XTR Race BL-M985 Shift levers: Shimano XTR SL-M980-IL Front derailleur: Shimano XTR FD-M985-E2 Rear derailleur: Shimano XTR Trail Shadow Plus RD-M985 Wheelset: Syncros "Carbon 29" Tires: Maxxis MaxxLite 29, 29x2in, 23psi Saddle: Syncros XR1.0 Seatpost: Syncros FL1.0 Carbon Zero Stem: Syncros FL1.0, 100mm x -6 degrees Handlebar: Syncros FL1.0, 710mm wide, 15mm rise Grips: ODI Ruffian Lock-On Pedals: crankbrothers Eggbeater 11 Bottle cage: King stainless steel Computer: Garmin Edge
Critical measurements
Rider's height: 6ft 2in (1.88m) Rider's weight: 76kg (170lb) Saddle height, from BB (c-t): 770mm Saddle setback: 60mm Seat tube length (c-t): 481mm Seat tube length (c-c): 403mm Tip of saddle nose to c of bar: 605mm Saddle-to-bar drop (vertical): 60mm (to grip) Top tube length: 628mm (horizontal) Head tube length: 115mm Weight: 10.8kg (23.8lb)
