Review: Scott Genius ST 910

Scott’s mountain bikes are immediately recognizable due to the hidden shock, creating a clean and modern look to the frame. But, on the Genius ST line, what is hiding under the shock cover is what sets this trail bike apart.

Scott Genius Super Trail

The Genius is Scott’s trail bike, landing with 150mm of travel out back and a 160mm fork, rolling on 29″ wheels and, of course, with the shock interated into the carbon fibre front triangle (and alloy rear end). Scott splits the line into the standard Genius and the Genius Super Trail, or ST. The latter, which is what we’re testing here, adds more descending capability. It does so via the Fox Float X Nude shock hiding inside the Genius ST’s frame. The piggyback version of the Float helps keep the Genius ST more consistent over longer descents than the standard Float Nude hiding inside the standard Genius, for a minimal weight penalty.

Both Nude shocks use a version of the same design, though. Fox and Scott worked together to create the Nude shock, which closes off part of the air chamber to create different travel settings instead of just a “firm” or “lock out” setting that many shocks have. In the open mode, you get the full 150mm travel. A push of the lever closes off part of the shock to get a more short-travel feel for climbing, flow trails and more rolling trails. Finally, a near-locked out setting maximizes efficiency while still allowing a small amount of movement to improve traction.

All of this is controlled at the handlebars by Scott’s TracLoc remote lever. One button closes off the shock in stages. A second button releases the shock. The third lever actuates the dropper post.

Genius ST 910

Our test bike arrived with the high-end 910 build kit. Factory-level Fox suspension hid under the rear shock compartment while Ӧhlins‘ boutique RXF36 m.2 Air fork controls the 160mm travel up front. SRAM GX Eagle AXS wireless shifting added to the ST’s clean look (for 2024, the 910 moves to GX T-Type), as does the Hixon iC integrated bar/stem combo from Scott brand Syncros.

Shimano XT Trail brakes keep the Genius ST’s speed in check while Syncros Revelstoke 2.0 alloy wheels and a Syncros Duncan dropper post round out the build. Our test bike rolled on Continental tires but Maxxis provides a Minion DHF/Dissector combo for the stock builds.

In 2023, all this added up to a $10,000 price tag but, in 2024, riders will get the same bike for $9,000 including a bump up to GX Transmission.

Review: Scott Genius ST 910

I’m rarely a fan of unnecessary complications on bikes so I’ll admit I was a bit hesitant when approaching the Genius ST. While there are still trade-offs, it wasn’t hard to find benefits in both the hidden shock and the Float X Nude shock. Riding this bike in December, and so washing it after every ride, having the whole bottom bracket area sealed off from weather made it much easier to clean off. A quick rinse, and it was back to it’s shiny teal gloss self. There’s little space for mud to collect and fewer nooks and crannies to try clean out than on any other suspension bike. The shock compartment cover is large enough that adjusting settings on the Float X is easy enough, though major service is obviously a bit different.

The Float X Nude and TracLoc combo, though, provides benefits that last year round, not just in the mucky months. It did take me a few rides to get comfortable with the triple-lever system, I’ll admit. And I did still sometimes find it awkward finding the shock release and dropper post lever in quick succession. Getting the system set up with perfect cable tension for all levers was also a bit finnicky.

A spry and snappy Genius

Once you get control of the controls, however, the system makes a big difference in what’s possible with the Genius ST. Closing off one or two chambers in the shock doesn’t just make pedalling more efficient, it also raises the bottom bracket slightly, creating a hair more clearance for technical climbing. The change also shifts your weight forward on the bike when you’re seated, making Genius ST more nimble on flat or fast rolling terrain than any comparable 150-mm-travel trail bike.

As a result, I often found myself ducking into little sections of technical XC routes that I’d usually avoid on similar bikes in favour of a direct, fire-road climb. Any feature that makes me want to ride more trails over dirt roads is a good feature, in my books. For any technical or extended descending, the TracLoc lever is right there to open the full 150 mm of travel. Other bikes have lockout levers on the shock, sure, but I’ve never used one as frequently as the one on the Genius. It really is a clever, if not completely effortless system. 

In open mode, the Genius ST stays on the sportier side of trail bikes. While it is confident on harder routes, it is definitely not a mini-enduro rig. It’s not endlessly stable and planted. This Genius’ strengths are more in being nimble, quick around corners and excellent in tight, technical terrain. Not everyone buys a 150mm bike in the hopes that it’s a slimmed down enduro rig, of course, and the Genius ST arguably excels in a far broader range of trail conditions. 

Conclusions: Smarter than your average trail bike

While Scott grabbed headlines with the hidden shock compartment, the Genius ST isn’t high tech just for the sake of novelty. The headset routing is, arguably, more of a function of style than function, but keeping the shock out of the elements has benefits. The Float X Nude shock and remote lever make an immediate difference in how teh Genius ST rides and I found myself using it, and liking using it, far more than I expected I would. If you’re the type of rider that always wants your bike set up perfectly for the trail, or section of trail that you are riding, the Nude technology lets you get remarkably close at the touch of a lever.

In the Genius ST, Scott offers a well-rounded bike that is great for riders who want to enjoy every part of the ride up, across and down. With the more powerful Float X Nude and Ӧhlins RXF36 m.2, the 910 is quite capableon steeper and more techical trails. It’s also a blast at speed. But gravity-fed speed isn’t the only time that the Genius ST shines. 

Scott Genius ST 910