2023 Scott Genius Review | The ALL-NEW Genius Has Split In Two, And It's All The Better For It

See the full Scott Genius review here: flowmountainbike.com/tests/sc...
It was no less than five years ago when the current version of the Genius was unveiled. We spent a load of time on that bike across a variety of different spec levels, having thoroughly enjoyed its low weight, excellent handling and remote controlled suspension. It certainly stood the test of time, and it's quite a testament to Scott that the current Genius has remained relevant for so long.
Of course nothing stays the same forever though. And with the latest Scott Spark arriving last year, the Swiss brand heralded an entirely new design era for its full suspension mountain bikes. The Genius is the latest model to undergo a wholesale redesign, adopting a similar theme of integration while offering more travel and capability over the Spark. There's quite a bit more to it than that though. There's a brand new piggyback shock, and Scott will also be rolling out a new Genius ST model that many of you are going to be very interested in. Here we'll be taking you through all of the new tech, as well as our experience of testing the brand new Scott Genius.
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Scott Genius Video Contents
0:00​​​​ - Intro
1:03 - Scott Genius Overview
3:21 - Scott Genius ST Overview
3:56 - Suspension Modes
5:02 - Geometry
6:00 - Scott Genius Price & Models
6:40 - Scott Genius Weight
7:14 - Scott Genius Sizing & Setup
8:20 - Strengths
11:28 - Weaknesses
13:50 - Scott Genius vs Genius ST
14:56 - The Wrap-Up
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[@dessy2222]

Nice review Will as always. It is funny that most bike brands want to make their e-bikes look like regular bikes but Scott have made their regular bike look like an e-bike with that massive frame structure housing the shock.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

It's quite striking isn't it! When I was testing the Spark last year, I reckon every person I saw on the trail thought it was an e-Bike. It seems a lot of brands, like Santa Cruz and Trek, are starting to make their regular mountain bikes quite a bit beefier through the downtube, and it's closing the gap in design with their e-Bikes. Maybe it helps to make the e-Bike versions look more familiar? [Wil]

[@TeamCykelhold]

Hah so true. The non-ebike genius looks more like an ebike than the ebike fuel exe. Good observation :)

[@user-om2fg7yh6s]

Hello Flow Mountain Bike - Really well put together review, probably the best I've seen on this bike so far - top stuff.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thanks for watching and for the feedback mate, it's much appreciated! [Wil]

[@tb4326]

That music is like finger nails on a chalk board!

[@marksandoval5361]

The Genius is excessively techie. The Twin-lock, headset cable routing, and hidden shock just aren't necessary. A bike like the Stumpjumper Evo has none of these things but I suspect performs just as well or better. I've always been a fan of the "keep it simple" principle.

[@Ryan-mv5wi]

Its about looks and making bikes look simpler and also all those adjustments dont need to be charged

[@scouseshamrock2513]

Man the Scott bikes look horrible now, a few years back they looked insane

[@liamcalpine]

I'm quite sure they took this expert opinion into account when considering and designing their products.

[@IDrNik]

Having owned a Genius and now a Spark, I have to say I love the twinlock. If you don't like twinlock then Scott bikes are simply not for you, end of story. I do find it funny that every single review of the earlier iterations of these bikes has complained about the messy cables, and now that they've come up with a solution everyone complains about the headset cable routing. Personally I'll take the mess of cables in the front just for the ease of service. Nice review, Wil!

[@frens3063]

I have a doubt in choosing a Genius or a Spark as my new bike. Can you help me in explaining the difference and what made you do the switch? thx!

[@IDrNik]

@@frens3063 for me, I found the Genius had a lot more travel than I really needed, and I usually kept it in the climbing mode for almost all of my riding. I decided a lighter bike with 120mm travel front and rear was more than enough for me, especially as I have gotten into XC stage races. But if someone were to hand me a top of the line 2023 Genius for free I'm sure I'd give it a go.

[@search4truth104]

I love my Genuis, best all around bike I have ever owned. Twin lock rocks, it does take some practice using it. I now use it like shifting almost an afterthought. While at first you are constantly forgetting to adjust for the terrain.

[@richchin5163]

I think Will's reviews may be the best on the web. They are so informative and well put together. There is a storage compartment. SCOTT just stuck a shock in it!

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thanks very much Rich, glad you're enjoying the reviews! And you're spot-on; there's already a big hole in the frame, perfect for a storage solution surely! [Wil]

[@GuyKesTV]

Totally agree. Looking more pro and next level every time too boys!

[@ngreenwoodmtb]

I have owned a spark and may get a genius 920 soon and the twinlock is so good. It’s really convenient and I have never had a problem in 8 months of riding it.

[@TheJofrica]

Wow not only is the review amazing, but the level of detail in the responses to comments below is amazing and truly appreciated!

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thank you for the kind words mate! We're incredibly passionate about our jobs as bike testers, and I'm glad that's coming across in the reviews! [Wil]

[@TheJofrica]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin Welcome! Must be the best job ever!

[@siriosstar4789]

Much improved lines . i especially like the straight top tube as opposed to the upward turing one on the earlier model .

[@ft3Safety1st2]

Thank you, Can you measure the inner lengths of the main triangle? Thanks

[@sandycarmichael31]

Thumbs up Wil, great work as always! I think Scott bikes with twinlock are for riders, who like their cars with manual transmissions- you feel like having more control over what the bike/suspension is doing and feel like a better rider as a result and therefore enjoy the experience more than leaving it up to the suspension engineers or a computerised system such as LiveValve or Flight Attendant. That being said I'd love to hear your thoughts on how the Genius 910 compares to Giant Trance X with LiveValve 1.5 in a all-mountain manual vs auto shoot-out? The ST model is really interesting and addresses the issue of FIT4 forks not being as plush or adjustable as the grip or grip2 dampers, going back to a non-livevalve Trance X comparison, with equivalent GRIP2 forks up front, how much of an advantage is Tracloc control over reaching down and toggling compression switch on the shock?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thanks Sandy! I like your analogy - it's definitely a manual operation on the Spark and Genius, which is a big point of difference to the automated control of Flight Attendant and Live Valve. I found that to be quite pronounced when I was back-to-back testing the Giant Anthem with the Scott Spark RC. They're both deadly XC bikes, but with a totally different user experience. I'd say the Genius 910 vs Trance X w/Live Valve would be a similar situation. Live Valve is great for allowing you to concentrate on the trail ahead, without having to think about toggling a lever on the handlebar all the time. The downside is that you do get more feedback as the suspension defaults to that Firm position most of the time. And the transition between Firm and Open can result in more pronounced (and sometimes unexpected) weight shifts, particularly with the fork. In comparison, the Genius is more predictable, as you're the one choosing which mode you're in and when. As for the Genius ST vs Trance X, the TracLoc system is still really appealing. The way that it modifies the shock's air volume to reduce the travel and make it much more progressive is unique, and results in a different performance characteristic compared to just toggling the compression switch on a regular shock. The climbing position and added pedal clearance offers quite the advantage on techno climbs. The Trance X does pedal bloody well, which is the advantage of its Maestro suspension platform. Though the issue on the climbs is less to do with efficiency and more to do with pedal clearance. Because the BB is quite low on that bike, I did find I had to flip the geometry chip into the 'High' position with the non-Live Valve Trance X, otherwise I was clipping pedals all the time. That won't be the case for every rider on every trail, but it was for me, and is a point of difference with the TwinLoc/TracLoc system on the Genius. [Wil]

[@KotakMeister]

I wished Scott rolled this out together with their 2022 Spark...i would've gotten this instead. The Spark took a bit of upgrading to take it up from "can do" to "good bike". My advice to would-be buyers would be this: the Twinloc levers are a bit flimsy of sorts. You'd risk warping the levers in a crash so have a spare set ready. I've also heard people who've used an Orbea Squidlock in it's place so that could be an option. Having said that, I'm massively pissed Scott didn't launch their new models all at one go...the new Genius looks really good.

[@tomassanesson902]

Awesome epik beautiful bike lovit❤❤❤🤘👍

[@ethanhardi183]

NICE!!!!

[@jamathon]

I’m sure it handles like a dream. Stop acting like y’all are taking your shock off and rerouting cables on your bike all the time.

[@tomassanesson902]

Amazing bike

[@danonahabedian2705]

Were you able to review all models of Genius? I, myself, ride a 2014 Genius 940. While a lot has advanced in 9 years, I found through riding it is a great bang for the buck trim level of Genius. What were your impressions on the Genius 940 for 2023?

[@kevin7jazz]

I would love to see a review, comparing the spark trail and the genius now that they have a similar silhouette. Both are trail bikes, so which one is better for which rider?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Great question Kevin! I've thoroughly enjoyed riding the Spark in both its trail and RC formats. It's easily the plushest XC bike I've ridden thanks to the high volume shock and the active damping in the Descend position, though it tightens up nicely in the Traction Control mode to make it a heckuva climber too. There are some key differences between the Spark and the Genius that I think will swing you one way or another. The Spark frame will take two bottles, which is a useful feature for long distance trail riding and marathon racing. The frame itself is also identical to the Spark RC frame, so you have the ability to turn it into an XC race bike if you wanted a bike to compete on too (see our article here about how we modified our Spark into a Spark RC: flowmountainbike.com/tests/scott-spark-rc-review-2022/) The Spark frame is also lighter, and the geometry is a little shorter and steeper, which makes it nippier to ride on flowy singletrack. The biggest difference though is the suspension performance. The Spark frame uses a one-piece swingarm that relies on flex through the seatstays instead of using a pivot at the dropout. It makes the frame lighter and simpler, though it also means it's not quite as active compared to the four-bar platform on the Genius. Obviously the Genius has another 30mm of travel, but it's the performance of its travel that makes it plusher and more active on choppy terrain. It has a deeper feel on bigger hits, and it's much more progressive, providing excellent big-hit support. Along with the big 160mm travel fork, you can ride it much harder and faster on the descents, with more confidence and control. With that in mind, I'd pick the Spark if you were doing mostly XC riding, and you wanted to be able to do some XC racing and multi-day events, where weight and efficiency are important. If you're after more of an all-rounder, and you're riding steeper and rougher trails, the Genius will be the better option. It's a great descender, while still being very lively and fun to ride, and the TwinLoc system gives it awesome versatility. To give you a bit more of an idea on the Spark, here's our review of the equivalent Spark 910 we tested: flowmountainbike.com/tests/scott-spark-review-2022/ Hope that helps Kevin, though just shout out if you've got any other questions! [Wil]

[@mudkayak6305]

bigger stronger bb area makes sense but i feel like that cover down there will soon be lost on a trail somewhere. As cool as bike may look to some i kinda dont like it and personalizing like bars etc just looks too difficult.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

No issues with the cover coming loose on our Genius 910 test bike, which I've been riding flat-out for the past month on a wide variety of trails. We also never had an issue with the Spark or Patron test bikes, both feature a hatch that has been tight and vibration-free. I believe those hatches are available to purchase as a spare part if you did end up losing it though. [Wil]

[@andycan09]

I wonder how many rear shock 'push button hatch covers' we'll be finding trailside? The places I ride (over dirt and rocks) tend to kick up a lot of debris which would inevitably make contact with that release button...but, I'm sure a replacement can be purchased for a reasonable price 🙄

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

No issues so far Andy! The button requires a decent and deliberate push to engage, and it's slightly countersunk, so it would need to be a particularly pointy rock that pressed in hard and long enough to open the mechanism. Mick went to the launch with about 30 other journalists, and despite riding on some pretty hectic terrain, there were no accidental hatch releases. I've been riding the Genius 910 for the past month and zero problems for me either. We never encountered an issue with our Spark long-term test bike, or the Patron, though those bikes do use a slightly different twist-key mechanism. I guess it could still happen, though to be honest, I'm a bit more concerned about rock strikes further up the downtube. The carbon walls are quite thin in that area, so I'd be looking at adding some more significant armour to protect the frame. [Wil]

[@saputro5384]

Something Will forget early

[@TrailtoTrailTom]

Can you run 27.5x28 plus wheel tire setup?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

I think you'd struggle for clearance in the rear end Tom - it's pretty tight back there with the stock 29x2.6in tyre! You'd also likely run into issues with the BB getting too low with a 27.5in wheel. Unfortunately there's no way to accommodate for that change in BB height either - unlike the old Genius that had a Hi/Lo flip chip in the shock mount (and was 27.5+ compatible), the new frame doesn't have a flip chip. [Wil]

[@benjy288]

How do you know how much sag you have? or how much travel you've used?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

I take it you missed the part about suspension setup? Check out 7:49 in the video. There's also more detailed photos and information in the full review here: flowmountainbike.com/tests/scott-genius-review-2023/ [Wil]

[@benjy288]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin Thanks, must have missed it

[@MikeOnaBike]

No cable guides is disappointing given the quantity of cables they require you to have

[@ShaneNA01]

And I just bought a '22 Genius 950 back in August lol.. This '23 model looks great and all, a little buyer remorse I guess. HOwever, the '23 940 is $1k AUD more expensive than my '22 950 and with a slightly worse spec level on the newer one..

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Don't feel too much remorse Shane! It's not as if the previous Genius was outdated - I think it's done mighty well to have stood the test of time over the past five years since it's debut. Even in 2022, it's still a great bike with ace handling and suspension performance. [Wil]

[@niezgodacomedy]

What a bold design! Inspired by Boldcycles...

[@johnr5001]

This bike is singularly built for winch and plummet style trails.

[@arthurp15]

Why that music?

[@smuy3782]

They are definitely solving a problem that doesn't actually exist with twinlock on a trail bike. You would have to try very hard to buy a new trail bike that peddles or descends poorly. I'm sure it works and does the things it supposed to but every other bike doesn't actually need it.

[@buckroger6456]

I would have thought scott would have moved to electronic shocks by now.

[@smuy3782]

I reckon you are right. If you didn't have to think about it and it just flipped through the modes itself it would be a better gimmick.

[@ervin7178]

@@smuy3782 fox live valve?

[@liquidSpin]

This is a thing of beauty. However, I'd replace the 2.6 tires with 2.4's immediately. Lugging around 2.6 tires just to make up for poor bike skills isn't my thing. 2.25 - 2.4 is good enough, for me at least. The new Genius is absolute banger of a bike and I want one!

[@buckroger6456]

I personally love 2.6 tires but on a hardtail though.

[@liquidSpin]

@@buckroger6456 2.6 will give the hard tail added comfort and slight suspension feel at the same time adding more grip. I still think 2.4’s even for hard tail is fine for more trail situations. I can see 2.6 tires for rocky alpine fast cornering descents. :)

[@buckroger6456]

@@liquidSpin I run 2.4 & 2.5 on my fullsus, but 2.6 on my hardtail. I will say that the trails I tend to ride are pretty loose and very rocky though. Sadly now I'm stuck with 2.3s for who knows how long for my fullsus since it's a 26" wheel bike.

[@liquidSpin]

@@buckroger6456 Here’s my setup for my full sus: For my local trails I run 2.3’s front 2.2 on the rear. For big mountain days at George Washington National Forest for example I run 2.4 on the front and 2.3 on the rear. Has been my ideal setup for many years now. I can still climb and still bomb the descents. :)

[@buckroger6456]

@@liquidSpin that's a good tire size choice, keeps the bike moving fast and still can break loose for some fast turns.

[@gweflj]

I can’t believe an Aussie is complaining about brake routing options after two model cycles of being forced to run a Moto rear brake hose on the non drive side. 🤦‍♂️

[@cindysalinas9752]

My friend put this bike together for his son and before I knew it he was done kzbin.infoUgkxHL1v1R3NE5x4KiYfyt8dnQmyNYz7qi5L When the son came to put it together he was surprised to see it was already done. All he had to do was take the bike to get air and be on his way. My friend did not have any major problems putting this bike together; small issue was putting one of the brakes on straight; however when the son got home he was able to fix it. The bike rides well gears move correctly; good bike for the price. Wrote review after the son took the bike. Sorry.

[@ancogbernard]

genius is now an exotic bike.. i would rather choose bold unppluged or the old linkin than this

[@TheAmaCreep]

So it’s good for the rider and a nightmare for the bike service man 🤣

[@christopheraquino5990]

same as bold linkin.

[@MikeOnaBike]

But can I run a coil 😂

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

According to Scott, you can! Well, assuming it fits - a Cane Creek DBcoil IL would probably be fine, though I suspect some of the bulkier coil shocks out there will struggle for clearance inside the frame. But yes, the leverage ratio is sufficiently progressive as to work with a coil shock. [Wil]

[@MikeOnaBike]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin wow that’s awesome! Totally unexpected.

[@tomcolley1374]

Rockshox make a 185x55 coil and fox do not. I've tried mock fits and don't believe it's possible, the top of the spring near the bushing won't clear the inner side of seat tube when the bike is at about 1/2 travel. Really sad

[@hambo76]

Dual compound Maxxis tyres? Cheap. Perhaps if they ditched the expense of headset cable routing and offered proper 3C Exo+ tyres it would be even better!

[@ryanmichels2981]

German engineering at work here. Making things overly complicated, because, why not???

[@asifitmatters1]

Scott isn’t German.

[@Gerald-iz7mv]

hi - thats pretty heavy weight.

[@mark_nz]

Instead of all this (somewhat pointless) innovation why can't manufacturers focus on value in an era of INSANELY expensive bikes.....

[@TeamCykelhold]

I wish for a bit less gushing "reviews". Sounds a bit too much like Scott is paying you, and I guess they did. I don't blame you though, it's just how the MTB economy seems to be.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

I can confirm that Scott isn't paying me, though given my wage as a bicycle journalist, it would be quite nice if they did 😂 I take it you haven't seen our review of the Patron? If Scott were paying for reviews, they'd be pretty disappointed in that one; flowmountainbike.com/tests/scott-patron-eride-review-2022/ [Wil]

[@coreymclernon]

The KZbin music is so heinous

[@Eric.V.]

Cannondale HQ turned green with envy after they saw the system integration and proprietary nature of this bike. 🤢

[@frienduro24]

A Genius did not paint that bike.

[@rowanRobaggs]

Please weigh with pedals. We all know bikes have pedals 👍

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

But which pedals? Should we use Crank Brothers Eggbeater 11 clip pedals (179g), or DMR Vault flat pedals (436g)?

[@rowanRobaggs]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin the ones you ride will do just fine 😁

[@mongkeefee5576]

@@rowanRobaggs Or you could weigh your own pedals...

[@Ceriva09]

i realy dislike the look of the bike it looks horrible around the BB... i might be because im older now but i prefer the "usual" look on a mtb

[@Alienmuppet]

Agreed.. not feeling the bulkyness. I'm an 80's child so that might be why 😂. Same as I don't like when things look too neat - like the headset. Starts to feel more like some kind of home appliance, if that makes sense. Just a preference I guess.

[@BrandonMeyer1641]

Scott has been reliant on remote lockouts on their bikes for as long as I can remember. Never been a fan. Cool, but I would never buy one.

[@buckroger6456]

Funny you say this cause I have a friend who loves their bikes, but always removed the twin lock stuff lol.

[@elrodriguez6357]

Que pasada.....una bici que pesa mas que su predecesora, es mas cara y da peores sensaciones jajjajajajaajaajaj

[@Accu53Mation]

WokeTube, must be for only the wealthy elite. Always carbon frames and never alloy or steel being reviewed. Carbon has been around for forty years, and is vexingly still astronomically priced. Seriously. How many alloy Genius bikes are sold compared to carbon? Yet, all ya can find in searches is carbon frames being reviewed. Alloy, is the working-class material.