I got totally scammed by this guy who claimed that this 2013 scott spark just needed a "tune up" when I purchased it I didn't know much about bikes. I paid 300$ (way too much) and I have to now replace the whole drivetrain and brake system. I am completely overhauling the bike and I need help with the suspension, because after I took the covers off of the bolts he had, all of the internals were basically non existant. There are no bolts passing through the bearings, (I don't think that's quite right?) Also the rear suspension bolts were changed and the frame is terribly worn. I think it's fixable but I don't have the cash to shell out for a 200$ scott suspension kit. Also one side of the bearing doesnt have the cover cap with the torque rating like the rest of them. I'm trying to find the individual bolts/ components to make it work for way cheaper. I need help. Any suggestions? Anything helps at this point.
by ShrekOnXanax
2 Comments
Sorry I don’t have any suggestions for all the work needed to get it back in good running order.
* Don’t beat yourself up over getting taken advantage of – it happens to all of us sometimes.
* Hopefully, the god of bicycles will send the guy who sold it to a forever place that’s really, really hot!
Sorry you got scammed. There are a lot of hidden costs in rehabbing a bike of this age, and being that it looks like any damage was deliberately hidden from you makes it very difficult to find everything that’s wrong. You may have to buy or fake the suspension bolts to put it together to find other expensive problems. I do not know if that shock can be rebuilt or replaced with something stock. You could easily spend another 700$ and still not be at the end of the money pit or find out the frame or shock is irredeemably compromised. You should consider the value in stopping now and only losing 300$.
If you are determined to beat the odds that are very much not in your favor I would first source some bolts to fit in the suspension so you can put the frame and shock together to test if they work (at least for now). Even if they aren’t something you’d want to ride on you want to find out if you need to replace the shock or there’s something broken or creaking that will need further inspection. Based on the pictures you posted this may be difficult to near impossible without the flip chip and original bolt kit. It does not look like the flip chip is included in the bolt kit so add the cost for that or fabbing one up. So now we’re at 500$ and you have just started to find out what else may be wrong with it. If you are lucky you just have to replace the drivetrain and you’re good, but I’d wager you will either need to overhaul the shock if possible or replace it soon (if either is possible) if not now, add another 200 to 500$ for a minimum total of 700$. And you still need the drivetrain.
There’s a good chance you do not want to go down this road. These wheels won’t fit anything modern in MTB, don’t know if the frame uses tapered forks, quite likely what you spend on this bike dies with this bike and you may never get it running in the first place. You do not seem to possess the knowledge or experience to find solutions to these problems cheaply (you don’t even know how to find the problems) if such solutions are even possible.
Heed my advice. Find a friend who cares and knows about MTB to help you. That will probably be your only chance of getting out of this without dumping a fortune and maybe they will talk you out of it. But frankly, you should stop. You do not know what you do not know, and that gap is gonna cost you. Take the money you will spend and get something else. When you know more about MTB come back to this problem and try to solve it if you want. It likely still won’t be worth it.