With Scott bumping the travel of their Spark RC XC bikes to 120mm all around, with the non-RC versions getting a 130mm fork, and both versions getting a sleek new frame design courtesy of their Bold acquisition, it was time for the Genius to show it’s learned a thing or two since its last update in 2017.
Now, the 2023 Genius gets the integrated internal rear shock design with 150mm travel, bumps front travel to 160mm, comes in carbon and alloy with “Super Trail” spec options, and improves upon a few of the Spark’s features. And it loses any 27.5″ wheel options, it’s all 29er now.
It also keeps the TwinLoc suspension, giving you 150mm travel in full open mode, or reducing it to 100mm in Traction mode, with some models also adjusting fork compression damping in sync with the rear. Here’s the full story…
2023 Scott Genius tech details
The new Scott Genius actually uses a very similar single-pivot suspension layout as the prior model, it’s just that they were able to move the shock much lower in the frame by moving it inside. That gives it a much lower standover height and center of gravity, and it also looks much, much better.
Fortunately, it’s also really easy to set up. Just pop the cover off the bottom and you have access to the compression and rebound knobs, and the air valve. Note the foam sleeves around the cables and hoses, keeping everything nice and quiet inside the frame.
The cover plate has a tool-free push-button release, so you can get to your settings quickly. Cable and hose routing is illustrated on it, too, should you ever have to replace any of them, and a handy air pressure guide aids in initial setup.
A sag and travel indicator on the outside makes it really easy to see if you’re near the recommended 30% sag -and how much travel you’re getting- so you know if further adjustments are needed.
The outer linkage is attached to the inner rocker arm that drives the shock with a keyed axle. Those, plus oversized bearings and axle size, prevents uneven movement and minimize torsional loads and lateral flex.
The lower main pivot is shielded by the frame, but still keeps the pivot placement very wide, also aiding torsional and lateral stiffness.
All in all, it’s an exceptionally clean package that sits very low.
A port on the seat tube accesses the upper shock mount bolt. The wide open space inside the frame and huge opening at the bottom makes dropper seatpost routing easy, too. Chainstay frame protection and a chainguide keep everything running quiet and on track.
Ultimate, Tuned, and 910 models get the Syncros Hixon IC integrated bar/stem with size-dependant reach and rise. But, all models have integrated, internal routing, even with standard bars and stems.
The design allows for easy adjustment of spacer height and steerer length, just add, subtract, and cut like normal…no need to remove or cut or change any of the cables and hoses.
Which is good, because the bikes come stock with a flip-flop headset cap, letting you swap between 75º and 74º head angles, all simply by pulling the stem and spacers off and spinning it around. If you just want to change stack height, the spacers split open and pull off around the steerer tube, so you don’t even have to pull the bar/stem all the way off.
Multiple computer mounts are offered to bolt onto the front of the bar or replace the top cap, the former being compatible with K-Edge’s bolt-on GoPro-style mounts to run a light or action cam under your computer.
The alloy Genius is rad, too
Often, it seems like an alloy model is included for the sole purpose of offering a lower cost version of a popular model. Sure, sometimes they’re hydroformed and shaped, but Scott takes that to another level with the new Genius alloy models.
The downtube provides one example of the lengths they went to to deliver a high-performance frame. Right to left, it goes from an inanimate metal rode to a shapely, lightweight, highly finessed finished part.
Top-, seat-, and downtubes are made longer than necessary, then cut down to size based on frame size, which helps with manufacturing costs.
Routing is internal on the alloy bikes, too, with frame guards to prevent metal-on-hose/cable rubbing.
This cutaway shows more of the cable routing and the keyed attachment of the upper pivot’s axle. Just looking at this makes me think someone could come up with an internal frame storage solution that stuffs into the downtube from the shock’s access port. Just sayin’…
Fortunately, this raw finish is a production option for the Genius 940, but it won’t get the XTR spec of this staffer’s bike.
Just two more photos to drive home how well they did with the alloy frame. Every feature of the carbon bike comes over, from internal routing to sag indicator to pop-off shock cover. Other than materials, they’re identical bikes.
Some models will get a hybrid carbon/alloy frameset, too. See full models and specs at bottom of this post.
Genius vs Genius ST
The Scott Genius will come in two iterations, both with the same frame and travel, but setup a little differently.
They are Genius 900, designed as an all-around “Any Trail, Any Time” bike, and the Genius ST, or Super Trail, for folks who focus more on the descending. The key differences are the head angle and the rear shock, the latter giving the ST models a lot of extra tunability.
The Genius 900 models get:
- Headset in 65º position
- Inline Fox NUDE 5T shock w/ low-speed rebound adjustment
- Forks w/ Low-speed Compression & Rebound knobs
- TwinLoc remote simultaneously changes fork’s compression damper mode
- Full carbon or Full alloy frames
The Genius ST models get:
- Headset in 64º position
- Piggyback Fox Float X NUDE shock w/ low-speed compression & rebound adjustments
- Forks w/ High- and Low-speed compression and rebound knobs
- TwinLoc remote not connected to fork
- Full carbon, Fully alloy, and blended frames
All carbon models ship with an additional 64.5º headset kit for additional geometry tuning.
The new dual-travel Fox NUDE 5 shocks
The heart of the TwinLoc suspension is a custom Fox rear shock that allows the bike to ride as though it has two different travel settings. And, for the first time, they developed two different NUDE shocks – The NUDE 5T for the standard version of the bike, and a piggyback Float X NUDE for the ST models.
The TwinLoc idea is simple enough. Leave it open for full travel on rough terrain and descents. When it’s time to climb, flip a switch to reduce travel and keep the rider higher in the stroke for a more upright, powerful pedaling position. Push it further for full lockout when you need to sprint.
In reality, limiting travel solely through the shock presents technical challenges, but the solution is relatively simple. The air canisters have an outer sleeve that adds a secondary positive air chamber over the main air can. The trick here is that they can close off access to that chamber.
In full Open mode, that extra chamber is used and the compression damping is wide open, making the suspension plusher and allowing for full travel.
In Traction mode, with the TwinLoc switch pushed halfway in, it closes off that outer chamber, reducing total air volume. That effectively makes the shock ramp up sooner, so it acts like there’s only ~100mm travel. Simultaneously, the compression damping is adjusted to “Trail” mode, making the bike pedal more efficiently, too.
In Lockout mode, the compression damping circuit is pretty much closed off for a very firm feel, but not quite a full lockout.
Shown above, the NUDE 5T (T for trail) is an inline shock with no piggyback external reservoir. It is very similar to the NUDE 5 shock used in the Spark, but with a larger outer chamber, giving the Genius a plusher, trail-bike feel.
The NUDE Float X gets the piggyback and more total air volume and additional tuning options. The blue volume spacers can be added to the outer chamber, letting you tune the Open mode without affecting Trail mode. The Orange one is a permanent volume spacer, also only affecting Open mode, but is part of the OEM tuning package requested by Scott. Maroon is the bottom out bumper.
2023 Scott Genius geometry chart
2023 Scott Genius models, specs, weights & pricing
For the carbon frames, there are two versions, the top-end HMX found only on the Genius 900 Ultimate (above) and Genius ST 900 Tuned. The others get a lower level HMF carbon fiber front triangle with alloy rear swingarms, or the all-alloy frame.
Scott says the HMX frameset with all hardware (but no shock) weighs 2,295g, and the HMF framesets are 2,795g. No weight is provided for the alloy frames.
Unless noted, all bikes get a full Syncros cockpit, including dropper seatpost. All 900-series bikes get Maxxis Dissector 2.6″ 60tpi tires front and rear. The ST models swap the front for a Minion DHF 2.6″ 120tpi tire, but keep the same Dissector rear. All sizes get three bottle cage bolts inside, so you can run a bigger bottle low in the frame, or a smaller one with room for a tube wrap, etc., below it.
Genius 900 Ultimate
- HMX carbon frame
- Fox Float 36 Factory FIT4 fork
- SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS drivetrain
- Shimano XTR brakes
- Syncros Revelstoke carbon 1.0 wheels w/ TyreWiz
- Price: $11,999.99 (£11,999)
- Claimed weight: 12.8kg (28.22lb)
Genius 910
- HMF carbon front, alloy rear
- Fox Float 36 Performance Elite FIT4 fork
- SRAM GX Eagle AXS drivetrain
- Shimano XT brakes
- Syncros Revelstoke 1.5
- Price: $7,599.99 (£7,499)
- Claimed weight: 14.1kg (31.09lb)
Genius 920
- HMF carbon front, alloy rear
- Fox Float 36 Rhythm Air GRIP fork
- Shimano XT/SLX/Deore mixed drivetrain
- Shimano Deore brakes
- Syncros alloy rims w/ Formula CL hubs
- Price: $4,999.99 (£4,999)
- Claimed weight: 14.8kg (32.63lb)
Genius 930
- 6061 alloy frame
- Fox Float 36 Rhythm Air GRIP fork
- Shimano XT/Deore mix w/ Praxis cranks
- SRAM DB8 brakes
- Syncros alloy rims w/ Formula CL hubs
- Price: $4,499.99 (£4,499)
- Claimed weight: 15.5kg (34.17lb)
Genius 940
- 6061 alloy frame
- Marzocchi Z2 Air Rail fork
- X-Fusion NUDE 5 RLX shock (not FOX)
- SRAM NX/SX Eagle mixed drivetrain
- Shimano MT501 brakes
- Syncros alloy rims w/ Formula CL hubs
- Price: $3,799.99 (£3,799)
- Claimed weight: 15.8kg (34.83lb) – with tubes, all others tubeless
Genius ST 900 Tuned
- HMX carbon frame
- Fox 36 Float Factory GRIP 2 Air
- SRAM X01/GX AXS drivetrain
- Shimano XTR brakes
- Syncros Revelstoke 1.0 carbon wheels
- Price: $10,999.99 (£10,999)
- Claimed weight: 13.3kg (29.32lb)
- Frameset w/ fork: $5,699.99
Genius ST 910
- HMF carbon front with alloy rear
- Ohlins RXF36 m.2 Air fork
- SRAM GX AXS drivetrain
- Shimano XT brakes
- Syncros Revelstoke 2.0 wheels
- Price:$7,599.99 (£7,499)
- Claimed weight: 14.4kg (31.75lb)
Genius ST 920
- 6061 alloy frame
- Rockshox Lyrik Air Rush RC fork
- SRAM NX/SX mixed drivetrain
- SRAM DB8 brakes
- Syncros alloy rims w/ Formula CL hubs
- Price: $4,499.99 (£4,999)
- Claimed weight: 15.8kg (34.83lb)
Contessa Genius ST 910
- HMF carbon front with alloy rear
- Fox 36 Float Performance Elite GRIP 2 fork
- SRAM GX AXS drivetrain
- Shimano XT brakes
- Syncros Revelstoke 2.0 wheels
- Price:$7,599.99 (£7,499)
- Claimed weight: 14.4kg (31.75lb)
Contessa Genius 920
- HMF carbon front with alloy rear
- Fox 36 Float Rhythm Air GRIP fork
- Shimano XT/Deore mixed drivetrain
- Shimano Deore brakes
- Syncros alloy rims w/ Formula CL hubs
- Price: $4,999.99 (£4,999)
- Claimed weight: 14.8kg (32.7lb)
Select models will be available in the next few weeks after this launch announcement, check with your local Scott dealer for details and to order. They say that local pricing for global markets should be checked with your local dealer for the most up-to-date numbers.
