At the start of 2025, Emilly Johnston joined the powerhouse Scott-SRAM team. She also stepped up from under-23 to the elite ranks. We talked to her about what that experience was like and how her first season as an elite went after a steallar last year in U23s. But a new team also means new bikes. We checked out her Scott-SRAM Team Issue Spark RC to see what the Comox Valley rider spent the year racing.
The Scott-SRAM-edition Johnston had at home was her training bike, only raced at one event. The race bike had a more purple frame and fancy green fork from RockShox. But the bikes are otherwise the same. Full RockShox Flight Attendant suspension, which automatically opens and locks out Johnston’s suspension based on sensors in the fork, shock and power meter data. The Spark RC hides the shock inside the frame,,  but it’s also electronically controlled.
Despite some harrowing rainfall and serious wind making for a very wet week of training, Johnston was still running a Test Pilot set of Maxxis’s efficiency-focused Aspen ST tires on the Silverton wheels. An integrated Syncros bar-stem makes for a reasonably attressive stance on the bike, while a 100-mm RockShox Reverb wireless dropper post give some freedom.
Emilly Johnston’s Team Issue Scott-SRAM Spark RC 
When you join a team like Scott-SRAM, you get your name painted on the bike, not just a sticker
Flight Attendant electronic and automatic lockout from the RockShox SID SL 
“Race Concept” team edition of Scott’s Spark cross country bike 
Integrated and aggressive bar-stem set-up 
SRAM XX SL T-Type with integrated power meter keeps track of all the data 
HT pedals with Ti axles on that carbon fiber SRAM XX SL drivetrain 
And the fancy, two-piece pulley wheels 
Maxxis Test Pilot version Aspen ST tires 
Silverton wheels from Syncros, Scott’s very fancy house brand
The shock is also flight attendant, though you can’t see it tucked away in the Spark RC frame
SRAM’s new Motive brakes look, unsurprisingly, quite nice next to the red SID SL
A floating rear brake on the Spark RC,
RockShox new Reverb wireless dropper in 100mm travel 
“Team Issue”
It’s been incredibly wet in the Comox Valley this week, hiding mud in every crevice of the Spark RC. But pros have to train, rain, shine, or buckets of rain
SRAM offers a few different shifters. Johnston has this paddle-shaped one for the drivetrain and a pod-style for the dropper post and any Flight Attendant controls she sets up
More wireless bits from the SRAM family propel the bike, with Johnston running the top-end XX SL T-Type drivetrain. The lightest version of SRAM’s Transmission line adds carbon fibre cranks, a power meter, ligter cassette and fancy, two-piece pulley wheels on the derailleur. SRAM also serves up the stopping power for Scott-SRAM with a bright-green set of new Motive brakes.
The Spark RC, while kitted out with plenty of new parts, is a staple of Scott’s line at this point. It pioneered the integrated rear shock design that’s since expanded to Scott’s trail, enduro and even downhill rigs.