The new Transition Spur – Short on travel, big on attitude
The new 29er, 120 mm travel Transition Spur claims that ‘short-travel’ no longer means ‘short-on’ downhill performance, and with full builds starting from just 11.2 kg it should be no slouch uphill either.
There is a famous saying that will resonate with anyone who has owned a Jack Russell Terrier: it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. The new Transition Spur champions that ethos with a short-travel, but big-attitude approach. The 120 mm 29er features highly progressive suspension to give bottom-out control for riders looking to take the short-travel machine to big-hit trails more suited to longer-travel bikes. Slimmed-down and lightweight, full-builds of the Spur start at just 11.2kg
Everything you need to know about the Transition Spur in one paragraph.
The Transition Spur is a short travel, big attitude 29” bike. With 120 mm of travel and a very progressive GiddyUp suspension kinematic is a bike for riders looking to take on challenging trails without sacrificing pedal efficiency. The full carbon frame uses a flex stay, and a shorter shock can be fitted to reduce the travel to 100 mm. The Spur is designed to be compatible with the latest long-dropper posts, with low standover and long insertion depths. Complete bikes are coming in at just over 11 kg, a ridiculously lightweight shred machine.
The geometry of the Transition Spur
Conventional categories have been blown apart in the last years, and the all-country Transition Spur is no exception. Still, the Transition Spur has not gone crazy slack, keeping a sharp and lively 66° head-tube angle, average stack (600 – 632 mm depending on size) 435 mm chainstays and a deep 40 mm bottom bracket drop. The bikes are generously sized in reach, the size Large has a 480 mm reach, but the short chainstays keep the wheelbases moderate for more agility (1219 mm in the Large). Effective seat tube angles differ depending on size, from 76.7 to 75.6° depending on size.
| Size | SM | MD | LG | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 380 mm | 410 mm | 460 mm | 500 mm |
| Top tube | 569 mm | 602 mm | 630 mm | 664 mm |
| Head tube | 100 mm | 110 mm | 120 mm | 135 mm |
| Head angle | 66° | 66° | 66° | 66° |
| Seat angle | 76.7° | 76.2° | 75.9° | 75.5° |
| Chainstay | 435 mm | 435 mm | 435 mm | 435 mm |
| BB Height | 335 mm | 335 mm | 335 mm | 335 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1156 mm | 1190 mm | 1219 mm | 1255 mm |
| Reach | 425 mm | 455 mm | 480 mm | 510 mm |
| Stack | 600 mm | 610 mm | 619 mm | 632 mm |
Transition GiddyUp Suspension
If we had to use one word to describe the Spurs suspension kinematic it would be progressive. The leverage rate of the suspension falls from 3.3 to 2.3 through the 120 mm of travel, assisting the shock in controlling the deeper travel range and, in theory, should give the bike a more supportive, bottomless feeling kinematic despite the short travel. The GiddyUp suspension, features a one-piece flex stay rear triangle, minimising weight, and is clearly a bike targeted at riders who want a short travel machine that will not hold them back should they want to get rowdy. We have no details on the anti-squat, anti-rise or pedal kickback, but Transition claims the anti-squat is optimized for pedal performance, important for a short travel rocket. For riders looking for a shorter travel feel, a 190mm x 37.5mm stroke shock can be fitted to reduce rear-wheel travel to 100mm. The high level of progression in the system means there is a wider usable sag range (Transition suggests 25-35%), so you can choose XC firmness or more trail-friendly suppleness.
Transition Spur Models
As yet, we do not have full details of the builds, but we do know that you will need deep pockets to enjoy the Spur. With a frame only price of €3,199 it’s no surprise that the builds are expensive, coming in at €5,399 for the most affordable Spur Carbon GX, €6,399 for the Spur Carbon X01 and an eye-watering €9,499 for the top-spec Supr Carbon XX1 AXS model. In keeping with the lightweight, but rowdy theme, all the Transition Spurs come fitted with RockShox SID suspension, 2.4” casing EXO Maxxis tires and four-piston SRAM G2 brakes. All build levels also include a long travel OneUp dropper post, 50 mm stem and 800 mm handlebar.
Our thoughts on the new Transition Spur
If you don’t live at the bottom of a gnarly mountain, or spend your days sweating on a shuttle bus, then a capable, short-travel bike makes a lot of sense – delivering thrills without making you pay on the climbs. From the Transition Spur’s geometry table, the deep bottom-bracket drop and nimble dimensions suggest a lively ride, while the highly progressive suspension indicates it won’t be confined to just XC terrain. Transition has always made bikes that put fun at the forefront, and the Spur looks to be no exception, but you will need pockets. We cannot wait to test one.
For more info visit transitionbikes.com
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Words: Photos: Transition
