Genius 700 & 900 reviewed
The 2014 Genius 700 and 900 series were reviewed by the most important Mountain Bike Magazines in the business. Check out what the editors wrote.
VeloNews, Genius 700 Series: "The 2014 Genius lineup has seen some updates, the most significant of which is the rear shock, which is now a proprietary collaboration between Scott and Fox, the Nude CTCD. Like the 2013 model’s DT Swiss shock, three compression-damping and volume-control settings are adjusted in tandem with the fork, using an unsightly Twinlock handlebar lever: full air volume with open damping circuits, reduced travel/increased compression damping, and locked out.We went into Scott’s 2014 press launch with a good idea of what to expect from the “tweener” wheel size, having ridden a 2013 Genius 720 as a de-facto project bike.The Genius 900 Premium felt different immediately. As we climbed away from Deer Valley’s base on a punchy piece of singletrack, it was easy to imagine bringing this 130mm 29er to a 50-miler or even a rough XC race. After locking it out and throttling a few steep pitches, the prospect of tying on a number was downright realistic.Thankfully, the Genius didn’t behave like a race bike on descents. While the Fox 32 fork wasn’t quite as stout as the 34, and the triple chainring was a bit of a nuisance, the 900 held its own. The RockShox Reverb seatpost helped put us in the right state of mind, as did the 69-degree head angle when the frame’s Mono “U” Link was in low setting.(…)The bikes share fit, components, and graphics, but the smaller wheels, slacker geometry, and longer travel make the 700 noticeably poppy, playful, and precise.(…)After riding 29-inch and 27.5-inch wheels back to back on the Genius platform, Scott’s approach makes sense. Between the 900 and 700, Scott has most riders covered."
Source: VeloNews
Bike FRA, Genius 700 Premium: "Truly a premium bike. In uphills and long flat sections, the Genius takes full advantages of its lightness. It offers a better performance, a guarantee of an increased pleasure.(...) Its lightness allows to place the bike perfectly and to change your trajectory effortless."
Source: Bike France Oct 2013
MountainBIKE, Genius 710: "On the trail, the Genius truely rides like a genuine agile trail bike, a pure pleasure. Along with its new Fox suspension and due to its rather long rear triangle, the Genius offers superb stability while still being agile thanks to ist 68 degree angle. (...) There is no lighter bike in our test field, which makes it a true easy rider in uphills. Also in the downhills, the Genius charges. Crossing high alpine terrain? Here is your bike!"
Source: MountainBIKE 01/14
What Mountain Bike, Genius 700 SL: "The Flagship 650b bike is a showcase of Scott’s state-of-the-art carbon magic. (…) The Genius is a sensational performer. The frame is as light as most race bikes but stiffer than most all-mountain machines. That and its sorted geometry make it a great showcase for the advantages of 650b wheels, and given the carbon-saturated spec list the price could actually – yes, really – be seen as good value."
DIRTRAG Magazine, Genius 900 Premium: "I spent several months aboard a 2013 Scott Genius 920 that we reviewed alongside it's 27.5 sibling. I had trouble getting the suspension to play nice so I was eager to see how it compared to the previous DT Swiss version. All I need to say is the difference is night and day.Even in the Descend mode, the bike pedals extremely well—a significant improvement over the previous version. A flick of the Twin-Loc lever, with a much-improved action, engages the more progressive shock setting and drops the travel from 130mm to 90mm. Though I've really been enjoying 27.5 wheels lately, the Genius 29er felt much more capable on the fast and chunky trails at Deer Valley.The Genius 900 series strikes me as a stay-on-the-ground type of bike, prioritizing efficiency and capability over gettin' rad. Maybe it was the larger wheels, the longer wheelbase, or just my familiarity with the geometry, but I would not hesitate to recommend it as a single-bike, do-it-all option."
Source: DIRTRAG Magazine
DIRTRAG Magazine, Genius 700 Tuned: "One new highlight this year is the 27.5-only Tuned version, which is Scott’s take on an in-house works edition built for pro-level enduro racing. Think of it as an AMG Mercedes or an M-Series BMW. Not only are all the high-zoot parts included, every gram is counted. (...) On the trail the 150mm travel Genius 700 Tuned is an incredible machine, at just 23.32 lbs. it can hustle like an XC bike when you want it too. The Twin-Loc lever was really in its element on this platform, giving it a real Jekyll and Hyde personality at the flick of a switch."
Source: DIRTRAG Magazine