ORBEA OIZ vs SCOTT SPARK vs SANTA CRUZ BLUR TR | Riding & Reviewing XC Bikes | Contender Bicycles

[@slimjim4ever]

I bought the Blur CC then replaced the fork to 120mm & shock to 190x45mm with remote lockout. It’s true Blur does have more pedal bob so remote lockout function really helps.

[@TheChris917]

Thanks for the review guys. Would love to hear you thoughts on these bikes compared to the Epic Evo.

[@ContenderBicycles]

We are a Specialized dealer as of one week ago. Keep your eyes peeled for something in the future.😉

[@michiganstate149]

The 190x40 options all have a 5mm removable spacer to get the 45mm stroke and 115mm of travel on the Blur 4. I bought a take off Sidluxe Ultimate Remote and Sid Ultimate 120mm Remote so I've got a remote lockout TR version. Love it.

[@ContenderBicycles]

Very cool! Isaac here in this video ended up buying a Blur after testing it and did the same thing, put a remote lockout SID Luxe on a TR frame. He seems to like it!

[@rightcoastermtb2340]

great insight, just got a frameset on order, plan is to run it as a Blur TR option but with front rear lockout.

[@ContenderBicycles]

Great choice, a lockout would be a great upgrade on the TR!

[@basengelblik5199]

Use the squidlock, it's awesome

[@coreymclernon]

Nice! Thanks for the chat!

[@basengelblik5199]

On the OIZ you need to reduce the rebound on the rear compared to the Blur. They will feel the same in softness. You probably had both on the medium setting.

[@ContenderBicycles]

By turning the rebound low, the Oiz had a tendency to "stack up", which refers to getting multiple rear shock compressions in a row, (rough terrain) and due to the rebound being set low, the rear shock didn't have enough time to return to open by the next impact. This over the course of 4 quick impacts would cause a bottom out. Running true rebound settings prevents this, but makes the bike overtly stiff. It would be a fantastic short track bike however.

[@gguthinger]

Did a Blur (TR) build with with rockShox Sid Ult.3p paired with Sidlux 3p with the twist lock. Works great.

[@basengelblik5199]

Squidlock is awesome. You can set it up as a push to lock, you just need to change one part on the fork and rebuild the rear shock or buy a push to lock version. I love it and use it much more compared to the fox, scott or rochshox versions.

[@JoeMoutard]

I went with the Blur TR myself, but I don't even use bottle cages. I like carrying my water on my back.

[@ContenderBicycles]

To each his own. With my second bottle cage mount I usually have a tool can with my flat kit instead of a bottle.

[@raiphtheimposter]

like the spark apart from the hidden shock and cable routing. have you ridden a cannondale scalpel? lightweight and fun more short travel trail as well as xc

[@ContenderBicycles]

I haven't ridden a Scalpel SE for about a year, but as I remember it climbed really well even without a lockout. On the descents I would edge the Spark just ahead of the Scalpel.

[@cvdavis]

I have a Blur TR and wish it had a lockout. Even better would be variable lockout.

[@luisvalverde9403]

why do you say that the spark is too short? I think that at same size, a Blur TR has a shorter reach than the Spark (437mm vs 441mm)

[@ContenderBicycles]

The Blur TR we had was a large, but the geo on the spark made it feel a bit cramped and upright. My elbows were coming to close to my knees as I rode which made the bike feel super small.

[@user-jr3hp9bd9h]

The sparks run small. I am 178 cm and run a large (always rode mediums since 2009). The medium was to small for two of you and borderline for the 5’10 tester. Riding a bike thats too small wont give the viewers an honest review of the bike and will definitely make it fee cramped…

[@randallgd]

Could someone please help me with a compairson between a the Blur tr vs Epic Evo? I have had a Epic Evo before loved the bike but would like to try something different on my next bike. Thank you very much!

[@ContenderBicycles]

I haven't ridden the Epic EVO but from what I have read and heard about it I would say the Blur TR will be similar but a bit more capable for trail riding.

[@basengelblik5199]

They are super similar ... both are overprised in the EU. 😊

[@tylermiller625]

Quick question: Joesph said the Orbea Oiz would fit him better for longer rides because he is 3in shorter than Isaac. How tall are you guys? Just curious to help me with sizing. Thanks!!

[@ContenderBicycles]

Hey Tyler, I (Joseph) am 5'10, Isaac is 6'1 with a short torso, and Carter is about 6'2

[@JeremyMartin-k5m]

If you were doing Moab Rocks, BCBR, Downville, … which bike would you pick? Not limited to these bikes.

[@ContenderBicycles]

I would probably choose the Santa Cruz Blur TR, Cervelo ZFS 120, or Scott Spark. You would want something that pedals well while still inspiring confidence on the descent. The ZFS has a bit slacker head angle then the rest of its XC counterparts, so it is an awesome bike when you need to push on the descent as much as you do on the climb.

[@JeremyMartin-k5m]

It sounds like you really like the ZFS. Do you think it could handle Moab better than the Spark?

[@ContenderBicycles]

@@JeremyMartin-k5m If I am being honest, I personally own a Spark and really like the bike. The reason why I am not singing its praise in rocks is because the top tube is pretty short so if you ride your size you have to put on a long stem which puts your weight over the front wheel, making it a super fast bike. I sized up to get the reach I wanted, and it is an awesome bike, but in doing so I sacrificed a bit of the 'racey' feeling. The ZFS is a tiny bit more all around, but honestly either bike will feel really good, especially because they're 120s designed to handle rugged XCO terrain.

[@roman326]

scott spark is the best

[@patrickkatzmair]

At 6‘1 and 6‘2, off course a Medium Spark is too short! WTF! Bunch of weirdos right there…

[@ContenderBicycles]

I am 5'9 about and I still thought the Medium was too short, if I were to buy one I would get a Large.

[@basengelblik5199]

Dude, some respect please.

[@zerocool675]

lol Exactly. Im 5’ 7” and on a small, fits me like a glove. Reviewing a bike in the wrong size and posting it as a legit opinion is wild.

[@johnlesoudeur3653]

Like...super...like...super lol

[@AI_Dentist]

@9:10 BURN! 🔥

[@freakyPhred]

Can the rear suspension of the OIZ be tuned to be less chattery? Is it the tune of the shock? Or the kinematics?

[@ContenderBicycles]

From Ryan ¨Having ridden the Oiz a bunch in the past year....I think the rear end can be tuned to eliminate chatter. Beyond the obvious stuff like reducing tire pressures and/or running higher volume tires, I feel like the biggest factor would be to run the rear shock with a generous amount of sag. I would suggest 30-33% of the shock's sag. Having the "climbing" or "middle-mode" on the rear shock makes this possible as it gives you an extremely efficient setting. My personal bike has the Silverton SL full-carbon wheels which are among the stiffest wheels out there and I do not have any issues with chatter. I might also note that both of the testers in the video are fairly light riders.¨

[@basengelblik5199]

The Oiz can easily be setup to anything you want it to be. I ride it with 2.4 tires at 1.8bar in the back as a 190 pound 6-2 person. Lighter friends usually go down to 1.6 to retain comfort or stick with a 2.2 rear tire to save weight. Sag is set to mostly at 15-20%. Sometimes to 30% when it's more downhill orientated. Rebound is set on the low side. On tracks with hard kick backs due to stones and roots I'll go full sluggish response. Works great for me.