Team Tested: The Scott Genius 910 Review – A Black Beauty
“Simple, beautiful and elegant”: these are the three qualities that the jet-black Scott Genius 910 radiates. The only colorful spots on the bike are the adjustment dials on the fork and shock; otherwise it is almost totally black. It reminds us of a fast thoroughbred racehorse, a Black Beauty eager for the next jump. So let’s get out into the woods to give her some spurs!
Before we saddle up, we glance again at the spec list of the 12.6 kg bike. With its 2 x 10 Shimano XT drivetrain and XT brakes, it makes a very solid impression.
The RockShox Reverb Stealth seat post fits perfectly into the overall picture. We cast a rather critical eye over the Schwalbe Nobby Nic tires, with their narrow design and low profile, nor are we enamored of the narrow-looking 720mm bars, which are barely wide enough for bikes with this amount of travel.
In the saddle we feel good straight away. The seating position is slightly stretched (but nice and central) on the bike. The Shimano XT drivetrain deals effortlessly with gear changes. The whole spec is of a high quality and well thought out. Typically for Scott, the Genius 910 has a Twin Loc lever on the bars that allows you to select the three different ride modes of “Climb” “Trail” or “Descend” for fork and shock simultaneously.
The bike also has a Flip Chip on the shock mount which lets you vary the geometry by 0.5° [Deutsch 0.5 statt 0,5]. We kept it in the low bottom bracket position because then the seat tube angle of 74° is not too slack, and the head tube angle of 69° still relatively steep.
We used the Climb setting for going uphill. This locks out the suspension almost completely, and the negative travel creates a seating position that is even better for pedaling. Every turn of the pedals is converted into forward movement, and the bike sprints forward eagerly like a typical racehorse. This efficiency makes it possible to pedal uphill comfortably even with the 24/36 ratio and the big wheels. With many other bikes you would be missing a 22-tooth chainring.
healthy portion of stability: We like the Genius!
Downhill, the bike proves that it can take a lot of punishment. Switching the lever to Descend for the way down, the back end springs to life. The rear suspension, linear at the start of the travel then nicely progressive towards the end, sticks religiously to the ground.
The Fox 32 fork is sensitive to small bumps but rather overwhelmed by big hits. This is where the big 29” wheels help, compensating for this weakness wonderfully and keeping the bike stable; the rider feels he has more travel at his disposal than he really has. The 130mm suspension only reaches the limits of its capability in really rough and fast sections; the Nobby Nic tires also have the same problem here, however.
All told, the bike is perfectly balanced on the trail, playful but at the same time conveying security. The geometry is also well balanced in every suspension setting. Scott has succeeded in building a 29er which never seems too sedate despite the big wheels, and whose light weight invites the rider to try more coltish maneuvers.
Conclusion:
With the Genius 910, Scott has created a top all-rounder whose strengths especially come to the fore on long rides. The Twinloc system and the light and stiff frame produce pure acceleration. Bring on the next transalp!
Weitere Testberichte findet ihr neben vielen anderen spannenden Stories auch in der aktuellen Ausgabe! Wie gewohnt rein digital & kostenlos für iPad, Android-Tablets und Online-Viewer: Ausgabe #010.
Text & Fotos: Christoph Bayer
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