SQUIRREL_13134960
Integration is the latest buzzword in mountain biking. While some brands are still figuring out internal headset routing, Scott has taken a confident leap forward, already housing shocks within its frames.
The Scott Genius ST 910 is a 150mm-travel, 29in-wheel trail bike built around the Genius frame. The ST in its name denotes Super Trail, where Scott has specced more rider-tunable suspension for improved descending capability.
At £7,499 / $7,599.99 / €7,499 / AU$9,300 / CHF 7,299, it’s an expensive bike, but some high-end parts help to justify the cost. At 14.62kg, its weight is competitive.
Scott has swapped out the TwinLoc system for the gravity-focused TracLoc, opening the door to more suspension-damping adjustments for the rider.
The Scott’s performance falls just shy of its Super Trail status. The bike certainly has an impressively capable frame, but a couple of spec choices hold it back from realising its full potential.
In its current form, the Genius ST 910 will suit those who want a speedy and capable all-day ripper and are happy to keep a generous amount of performance locked away. Braver riders will want to swap the large 2.6in tyres for something more robust and hard-charging.
Scott Genius ST 910 frame and suspension
Scott has built the Genius ST 910 from its HMF (High Modulus Fibre) carbon fibre. However, it features an alloy chainstay, and a forged and machined 7075 alloy link to drive the hidden shock.
Scott claims its Integrated Suspension Technology has benefits including a stiffer bottom bracket area to reduce lateral suspension movement and improve sensitivity. There's a lower centre of gravity for better handling, plus the internal shock is protected from the elements, reducing maintenance requirements.
The Horst-link suspension kinematics deliver 150mm of travel and use Scott’s TracLoc remote system, which is like TwinLoc, but only links to the rear shock.
TracLoc adds a remote lock-out cable to the bike's shock, enabling riders to select three compression-damping settings from a shifter on the handlebar: Descend, Traction and Lockout.
TracLoc enables Scott to spec forks with more damping adjustment to suit riders who like to fine-tune their suspension for the best downhill performance.
There’s a cover under the down tube that gives access to the shock's dials and valve, so it’s not fully isolated. The frame also includes a sag marker to enable simple shock-pressure setup.
The Genius ST gets Scott’s Integrated Headset System, using a Syncros headset and cockpit to thread the cables and hoses internally through the headset for a less cluttered aesthetic.
The headset also gets adjustable cups as standard, providing two head angle options that change by around 0.6 degrees, and giving the bike slack and steep settings.
Scott Genius ST 910 geometry
Scott sells the Genius ST 910 in four frame sizes, from small to extra-large. I tested the size medium, which was the best fit for my 173cm height.
This size features a well-proportioned 460mm reach and 440mm chainstay length. The stack height balances uphill and downhill performance at 626mm.
There's a reclined 63.9-degree head tube angle with the headset cups in the slack position and the effective seat tube is a modern 77 degrees. These figures produce a modest 602mm effective top tube that should offer a comfortable seated position.
The Genius features a low 342mm bottom bracket height to add side-to-side leaning agility, with a 1,229mm wheelbase putting it in line with enduro bikes of the same size.
The seat tube is kept short at 410mm. With the internal shock, there’s still space for a 170mm dropper post thanks to the 204mm insertion depth.
| | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube angle (degrees) | 76.8 | 77.1 | 77.2 | 77.4 |
| Head tube angle (degrees) | 63.9 | 63.9 | 63.9 | 63.9 |
| Chainstay (mm) | 440 | 440 | 440 | 440 |
| Seat tube (mm) | 380 | 410 | 440 | 470 |
| Top tube (mm) | 570 | 602 | 631 | 659 |
| Head tube (mm) | 90 | 100 | 120 | 135 |
| Trail (mm) | 125.8 | 125.8 | 125.8 | 125.8 |
| Bottom bracket drop (mm) | -33 | -33 | -33 | -33 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1195 | 1229 | 1263 | 1294 |
| Standover (mm) | 728.5 | 738.5 | 753.5 | 768.5 |
| Stack (mm) | 617 | 626 | 644 | 658 |
| Reach (mm) | 430 | 460 | 485 | 510 |
Scott Genius ST 910 specifications
The Scott Genius ST 910 features an impressive spec list. An Öhlins RXF36 m.2 Air fork is bolted to the front of the bike, providing 160mm of travel, while a Fox Float X Nude shock is hidden in the frame.
My test model is specced with SRAM’s GX Eagle AXS drivetrain.
Shimano’s XT M8120 four-piston brakes are used to shave off speed, with a 203/180mm front/rear rotor combo.
Scott’s in-house brand, Syncros, takes care of a lot of the components, including its 170mm-travel Duncan dropper post, Hixon integrated handlebar and stem, and Revelstoke 2.0 wheels.
Maxxis tyres are provided, in the shape of a Minion DHF 2.6in EXO 3C MaxxTerra on the front and a Dissector 2.6in EXO 3C MaxxTerra on the rear.
There is a spec update to the latest Genius ST 910, called the Genius ST 910 TR, which comes with SRAM's latest T-Type GX Eagle drivetrain. The remaining spec, including the frame and suspension, is unchanged.
This build for the size-medium bike weighs in at 14.62kg, without pedals.
Scott Genius ST 910 ride impressions
I tested the Scott around my familiar test trails in the the south west of England. This included laps of BikePark Wales and more technical trails throughout the Forest of Dean and South Wales.
These venues offered up everything from high-speed bike-park thrashes to slower, steep tech and provided plenty of climbing and singletrack in-between.
Setup
I set the rear shock to 30 per cent sag, which needed 195psi for my 75kg weight. I adjusted the rebound to nine clicks from closed out of 15.
The Öhlins RFX36m.2 Air fork has three air chambers: positive, negative and a separate ramp-up.
I initially followed Öhlins' recommended settings. This was 85psi for the self-equalising positive, and negative chamber and 185psi for the ramp-up. I ran compression and rebound fully open.
I found these settings a little harsh, so I reduced the pressure by 5psi in both chambers to achieve a little more comfort.
I would have liked the handlebar to be a touch higher, but I was at the limit of the stem spacers. Here, it would have been better for me to have the option of running a handlebar with a taller rise than 15mm.
Scott Genius ST 910 climbing performance
The Genius ST 910’s climbing performance is very good for a 150mm-travel trail bike. This is helped by the lightweight Maxxis EXO casing tyres and Scott's TracLoc system – which I found myself using more often than anticipated.
Even in the firmer, middle Traction setting, the initial suspension movement when climbing is supple and there's a perceivable pedal bob on smoother climbs.
That made me engage the Lockout mode whenever the trail was smooth enough, to maximise efficiency.
On more technical trails, where rocks, roots and rough textures littered the surface, Traction mode was a good help and hunted out grip for the rear tyre.
It soaks up imperfections with ease and enables the wheel to track the ground, helping smooth these imperfections and maintaining the bike's forward momentum.
The chunky 2.6in Maxxis tyres helped here too, with the lower pressures and large volume helping to absorb smaller stones and trail features.
When you stand up on the pedals to crank up steeper pitches, the suspension sinks into its travel easily, with perceivable pedal bob when putting in hard cranks. For these efforts, locking out the TracLoc system is an advantage.
Fortunately, it's just a thumb-click away, so switching between modes is quick and efficient once you’ve got the hang of it. With the three shifters close together under the grip, it takes a few rides to intuitively select the correct one without thinking
Toggling between Traction and Lockout gets the best from the Genius ST 910’s rear suspension for climbing.
I used it often, and it gives the bike more versatility than a shock climb switch you may use once or twice on a climb, compromising your way to the top. It's best to use the Descend mode for downhill only.
The Genius ST 910’s geometry sat me in an efficient position for pedalling. The 77-degree effective seat tube angle is modern and sat my hips nicely over the bottom bracket for an efficient pedal stroke.
The 602mm effective top tube length is moderate, which gives a comfortably upright position. However, the 626mm stack height isn't too tall, adding some weight to the front wheel and increasing its accuracy on steeper, technical trails – and around tight climbing hairpins.
My weight was balanced nicely between the wheels and I never had to shuffle around to hunt out grip when the trail pointed skywards.
Overall, the Scott Genius ST 910 is a proficient climber for its class and the TracLoc system enables Scott to deliver a smooth and supple mid setting, while maintaining a firm setting for maximum climbing efficiency.
Scott Genius ST 910 descending performance
Scott has nailed several key aspects of the Genius ST 910. However, there are a few tweaks that could unlock its full potential.
For moderate-gradient trails, the Scott's descending capability is great and its 150mm rear-suspension travel is exceptionally smooth and plush.
It excels in absorbing small, high-frequency bumps, muting a lot of stinging trail buzz, and providing a comfortable ride on rough trail-centre descents and more technical bike-park runs.
The overall low handlebar height relative to the bottom bracket engages quick and snappy handling when the trail gradients are mellow. That gives the Scott a lively and nimble, yet well-planted, character.
Plough into rougher sections of trail, and the suspension and frame remain reassuringly unfazed. Harsh squared-edge hits are handled with impressive composure, especially for its 150mm travel.
That helps maintain momentum and control, and minimises harsh impacts transferring through the bike.
Even with these good bump-swallowing capabilities, there's decent support deeper in the travel, inspiring confidence when hitting bigger drops or deeper compressions.
Progression builds smoothly through the stroke, which delivers good chassis stability and support without hindering traction and fun.
The frame and suspension are big highlights of the Genius ST 910. The Öhlins fork compliments the bike well, too – it's incredibly capable on the trail and tough to unsettle.
It relies on its damping more than RockShox or Fox forks, so may be better suited to heavier riders. I ran compression and rebound fully open.
The Scott is nimble through corners. Still, though, it remains settled when being manoeuvred aggressively down tight trails, thanks to the low 342mm bottom bracket and stable 64-degree head tube angle.
The well-balanced geometry helps combine a dynamic ride feel with a calm demeanour. The bike feels direct and reactive to rider inputs, yet doesn’t have a harsh or unforgiving stiffness – even with that chunky bottom bracket area.
The tyres maintain speed well when the trails are smoother and the Traction mode maintains the bike’s momentum on undulating trails.
Still, all is not perfect with the Genius ST 910. As the trails get wilder, the suspension and frame remain in their comfort zone. However, the tyres and handlebar limit its capability.
The 2.6in-wide, malleable Maxxis EXO-casing tyres are out of their depth when descending hard. Pushed into fast berms, they squirm, giving the bike a vague feeling.
Pump them up harder and they fight to find traction. Swapping to a narrower, more supportive tyre would be a big benefit for Super Trail riding.
I would also like to see a higher-rise handlebar to deliver more confidence when the trail gets steep.
The moderate 15mm rise is good for climbing and singletrack riding.
However, riders aren’t buying the ST version for the same spec as the standard Genius.
A slightly taller front end would help its Super Trail nature. Outside of these niggles, the bike worked well, and the fitted kit is decent.
The capability this bike delivers is impressive, and it blends fun and thrills on the right trails. However, it's a shame Scott has limited the Genius ST’s full potential.
undefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefined
