LONG TERM REVIEW: TRANSITION SPUR

Established in the “creepy basement” of owner Kevin Menard’s house back in 2001, Transition is a bike company both proud of their roots and how far they’ve come as a bike maker. Despite their humble origins, Transition’s early bikes were ahead of their time in many regards and cemented Transition as a brand with some progressive ideas. Their gravity bikes have a well-deserved reputation for simple but effective suspension and brass-tack durability. This is the second-generation Spur, but the first time the MBA crew has ridden one for review.

FRAME

Transition gives the Spur a full carbon fiber frame. There is no in-frame storage, but it does come with a gear accessory mount on the top tube and clearance for a full-sized water bottle on the downtube. For ease of service, the frame uses external brake-hose routing and a threaded bottom bracket shell. There is also frame protection in the usual places, including the downtube and chainstay. This is the second-generation Spur frame and comes with an updated UDH derailleur hanger and new color options, but is otherwise unchanged from the first version. The frame also comes with a lifetime warranty for the original user and a solid crash-replacement program, should you ever need it.

Geometry is based on Transition’s SBG (Speed Balanced Geometry) concept, which utilizes a slacker head tube angle combined with a reduced offset fork standard to balance weight distribution between the wheels and keep the front end from getting too long. This was progressive thinning in 2017, but now it’s commonplace. They give our size-large test bike a 66-degree head tube angle, 75.9-degree seat tube angle and 480mm reach. The chainstay length is fixed at 435mm throughout the size range.

SUSPENSION

The Spur uses a flex-stay design Transition calls the GiddyUp system to achieve its 120mm of travel. This setup looks similar to Transition’s longer-travel bikes but without a pivot on the chainstay. By simplifying this design, Transition reduces complexity and weight while maintaining the desired ride characteristics. Its pivots use a collet design with Enduro Max sealed bearings for stiffness and durability.

Transition tunes their suspension with nearly 30 percent of progression to balance small-bump sensitivity and mid-travel support. Anti-squat is tuned to enhance pedaling, and riders are able to add or remove volume spacers in the rear shock to suit their individual riding style. During our testing, we found the range of adjustment to be very usable. For those looking for a shorter-travel experience, the Spur is also compatible with a shorter stroke shock to reduce the rear-wheel travel to 100mm.

COMPONENTS

Transition offers their bikes built with “good, better, best” kit options, which have retail prices from $4999 to $7899. There is a frame-only option for $3199. All of them come with a mix of SRAM drivetrains and brakes with Fox suspension.

Our test bike came equipped with the X0 AXS Transmission drivetrain, which provided ample gear range and the convenience of wireless, push-button shifting. The G2 RSC brakes offer excellent ergonomics to complete the cockpit, and provide plenty of stopping power and adjustability.

DT’s awesome XRC1501 Spline carbon wheels roll on the race-proven 240 hubs with the Ratchet EXP system and 10-degree engagement. The rims are 30mm wide and offer a nice profile to support wider, modern XC tires. Transition specs the front-friendly, taller-knobbed Dissector tread in front and a shorter-knobbed Rekon in the rear. This choice offers grip on rough trails without feeling too slow-rolling.

The cockpit is nicely spec’d with an 800mm-wide OneUp carbon bar with 35mm of rise and a relatively short 40mm ANVL stem. Riders looking to use the Spur as a trail bike will appreciate the shorter stem and higher-rise handlebar for a more upright position rather than a long stem and low bar that more XC-minded riders may prefer. The SDG Bel Air saddle is a smart spec and has a shape that fits a huge cross section of riders very well.

CLIMBING

The Spur impressed us right from the start in this regard, even before we got to the trail. The bike weighed in comfortably under 30 pounds, which is a welcome sight in a world where trail bikes feel heavier with every new version. We enjoyed this attribute throughout our testing.

The Spur handles seated climbing with aplomb, thanks to a steep seat angle and not-too-slack geometry, which puts the rider in a powerful pedaling position. The bike jumps forward when you stand to hit steep sections, and the large-volume tire provides plenty of grip to claw up loose, technical climbs. The bike would feel a bit too burly for shaving seconds off XC lap times, but shines in its ability to save your energy on the climbs, so you rail the descents.

DESCENDING

The Spur demonstrates that a lightweight design can descend a mountain fast and with confidence. The Spur feels like a trail bike, and we say this having tested plenty of downcountry bikes that feel like nothing more than an XC chassis with heavier parts bolted on.

This bike doesn’t skimp on frame stiffness, suspension performance or geometry responsiveness in order to make it more appealing on paper. We found ourselves using the Spur to access some of the more remote trails with excitement, knowing we’d have plenty in the tank for when the trail gets steep and demanding. That’s the beauty of a bike like this; the descents become more fun as a result of the energy saved on the climbs.

That said, there’s no replacement for travel when it comes to flat-out descending ability. We found the end of the travel several times with this bike, reminding us that your talent can run out soon after the travel does, and we don’t have much to spare in either category riding this machine. Enjoy the confidence, rail the descents, but know that the end of the travel can come up quicker than you’d expect. Shock volume spacers are helpful tuning end stroke and allow the rider to choose between a bike that resists bottoming on big hits, or digs deeper and uses travel more easily.

ASSEMBLY AND PACKAGING

If you order directly from Transition, the bike will be shipped to you with very little assembly required. If you order it through one of their local dealers, then the bike will come assembled and ready to ride.
Our test bike came well built and tuned for the most part. However, its X0 drivetrain came with the derailleur “setup key” in the A position, while the SRAM website recommends the B position. We made the key change, and the skipping-in-third-gear issue was improved.

A call to SRAM for help suggested we also check for a loose axle, an incorrect chain length or incorrectly installed cassette. After readjusting the system, our shifting improved; although, we never had a ride where we didn’t have to use the micro-adjust at some point. Later in the testing, we replaced the main components in the drivetrain through SRAM’s warranty process and everything worked as it should after that.

WHAT DID WE LOVE?

The Spur sparks confidence in a similar way trail bikes do, but in a more svelte package. This is achieved with a stiff and responsive frame, coupled with dialed geometry and suspension that’s effective and easy to use. The lightweight feel genuinely impressed us on long climbs and allowed us to keep enough in the tank to point the bike down some gnarly lines on the way home with confidence. This is a good example of a flex-stay bike with no compromise in the suspension or the confidence it inspires.

WHAT DID WE HATE?

SRAM’s G2 brake levers are rattly over rough terrain unless you’re using them. The OneUp dropper post also rattles at full extension. These two combined can make technical uphills a noisy affair.

BOTTOM LINE

The Spur is arguably the most versatile bike in the Transition lineup. As a trail bike, it feels confident, thanks to the stout frame, aggressive yet responsive geometry, and suspension that’s ready to get rowdy. Transition’s lightness, both in feel and on the scales, makes for a bike that can be pedaled farther and pointed down gnarly lines with fresh legs, thanks to the overall efficiency.

TRANSITION SPUR X0 AXS

www.transitionbikes.com

CATEGORY: Cross-country

SUSPENSION: 120mm (front/rear)

TIRE SIZE: 29″

Price: $7899
Weight: 27.5 pounds (without pedals)
Sizes: S, M, L (tested), XL
Frame tested: Carbon Fiber (120mm)
Shock: Fox Float DPS Factory three-position
Fork: Fox Float 34 Factory Fit 4 (120mm)
Wheelset: DT Swiss XRC 1501 Spline 30 carbon
Tires: Maxxis Dissector, Rekon 3C EXO (29″ x 2.4″)
Seatpost: OneUp dropper post; SM (150mm), MD (180mm), LG/XL (210mm)

Saddle: SDG Bel Air 3
Handlebar: OneUp carbon bar; SM/MD (800mm x 20mm), LG/XL (800mm x 35mm)

Stem: ANVL Swage (40mm)
Grips: ODI Elite Flow
Headset: FSA No. 57E
Brakes: SRAM G2 RSC
Rotors: SRAM HS2 (180mm)
Rear derailleur: SRAM X0 AXS Eagle Transmission
Shifters: SRAM POD Ultimate Bridge MMX
Crankset: SRAM XO Eagle DUB T-Type (170mm)
Cassette: SRAM XS 12-speed T-Type (10-52t)
Chain: SRAM XO Eagle Transmission
Chainrings: SRAM 32-tooth

GEOMETRY SIZE LARGE

Head tube angle: 66°
Effective seat tube angle: 75.6°
Reach: 480mm (18.9″)
Stack: 619mm (24.4″)
Bottom bracket height: 335mm (13.2″)
Chainstay length: 435mm (17.1″)
Wheelbase: 1219mm (48″)