STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX & ONTO THE TRAILS FIRST RIDES
To create the Genius ST (Super Trail), Scott have taken their Genius trail bike and fitted a longer, more adjustable fork – in the process, slackening the head angle – along with a more heat-resistant piggyback shock. It’s aimed at riders who prioritise tunability and descending control over locked-out pedalling efficiency.
THE FRAME
While the mainframe is made from Scott’s ‘HMF’ carbon fibre, the chain-stays and seatstays are aluminium, and the hidden shock is driven by a forged and machined 7075 alloy link. The brand claim their ‘Integrated Suspension Technology’ has benefits including a stiffer bottom bracket (BB) area, said to reduce lateral swingarm movement and improve sensitivity, and a lower centre of gravity, for better handling. Plus, the shock is better protected from mud and the elements.
The four-bar Horst-link suspension system delivers 150mm of rear-wheel travel. A cover under the down tube gives access to the dials and air valve of the proprietary Fox Float X NUDE shock, while a sag marker on the frame helps you get the right pressure for your weight. Scott’s ‘TracLoc’ remote lever switches the shock between three modes – Descend, Ramp Control and Climb – but, unlike the ‘TwinLoc’ system on the standard Genius, not the fork, too. Cables are routed through the headset for a less-cluttered look.
Adjustable headset cups are fitted as standard, allowing you to steepen the laidback 63.9-degree head angle by around a degree, should you so wish. Other key measurements on our medium bike included a long 460mm reach, 440mm chainstays, a steep 77.1-degree effective seat tube angle and a low-slung BB, dropping 33mm below the wheel axles.
THE KIT
An Öhlins RXF36 m.2 Air fork is bolted to the front of the bike, providing 160mm of travel. A SRAM GX Eagle AXS drivetrain provides wireless shifting (Scott’s spec lists the latest Transmission version; our bike had the previous-generation set-up), while four-piston Shimano XT brakes help you shave off speed. Scott’s in-house Syncros brand take care of a lot of the components, providing their Duncan dropper post, Hixon integrated bar/stem and Revelstoke 2.0 wheels. Tyres are from Maxxis – a Minion DHF and Dissector, with 3C MaxxTerra rubber compound and relatively lightweight EXO casing.
THE RIDE
Climbing performance is good for a 150mm-travel trail bike, thanks in p
