SCOTT Genius vs. Genius ST - Tech and Ride Review
When the new SCOTT Genius was released, a long travel version called the Genius Super Trail, or ST for short (super intuitive we know), was also released. SCOTT added the Genius ST to the lineup in order to have a more aggressive and capable descending bike utilizing the new internal shock technology. The result is a Genius with no fork remote lockout, a piggyback rear shock, and a much slacker headtube angle. The Genius ST has become a largely talked about bike. One of the common questions we hear is “What’s the difference between the ST and the standard Genius?” We are here to tell you the differences, and whether they make a difference on the trail where it matters.
TECH COMPARISON
When both bikes are placed next to each other, not much seems to be different. They both have an integrated cockpit, an integrated rear shock, and the same exact frame. This, however, is where the similarities end. While the Genius has a SCOTT designed rear shock, the Genius ST upgrades to a piggyback rear shock allowing the user to have a plusher set up on the bike. Along with the rear shock upgrade, they also drop the lockout from the fork, so the remote lockout lever only affects the rear shock. Both bikes are seen below, with the Genius on the left and Genius ST on the right.
With all these technical changes, the geometry of the bike was largely affected. The headtube angle changes from a 65.1º on the Genius, all the way to a 63.9º on the Genius ST. This brings the front wheel out in front of the rider to give the bike a better ability to smash through technical sections of trail. The wheelbase on the Genius ST is also 1 cm longer than the standard Genius, which will take away a little bit on the climb but make it even more capable on the descents. Now, all of these changes look good on paper, but the real question is “How does the ride differ from the Genius?”
RIDE COMPARISON
When we rode the standard SCOTT Genius, we liked it, but with the changes made for the Genius ST - we loved it! Any faults or drawbacks that the standard Genius had, were corrected or even made obsolete by the changes made with the Genius ST. The Genius ST is a trail killer. Any rock garden or obstacle in your path just gets rolled over by the slacker headtube angle and longer wheelbase. Descending on this bike is a dream, as there are no worries about what lies in your path. The bike requires no finesse or fancy lines, just a rider who is ready to send it over just about anything.
Climbing on the ST bike is a little bit of a different story. The long wheel-base and the slack headtube angle makes it more difficult to navigate uphill, especially through rock gardens. One redeeming factor is that it is equipped with SCOTT’s new Tracloc, allowing the rider to lock out just the rear suspension. This allows the bike to climb slightly better, but it’s still a long way from being a fast climber. The thing is though, this bike is not meant to be a great climber. It's meant to do the job so you can ride some gnarly terrain, and for that purpose it excels.
This bike is not for the everyday rider. This bike is for someone who wants to descend, and descend fast. This bike lives up to its ‘Super Trail’ name and is the bike for whatever gnarly trail you would like to throw at it.
For the people who just want an all around trail bike the SCOTT Genius is your bike. But for those who want to tackle downhill terrain, and push their technical ability, you may want to check out the new Genius ST. Feel free to call or email us with any questions, or come check the bikes out in our Park City or Salt Lake City stores.
