THE WHEEL-SIZE DEBATE
Scott has taken one bike and split
it into two distinct personalities. The
730 27.5-inch-wheeled Genius is more
nimble and fun to flick down the trail.
It manuals and wheelies well and
makes mincemeat out of rocky, technical terrain. It also has a more plush suspension feel and confidence-inspiring
geometry when the trail gets steep and
nasty.
The 930 is more stable thanks to the
“wagon wheel” 29er hoops. The bike
feels much more at home on rolling singletrack than it does steep chutes, but
it can still handle its fair share of rough
and rocky terrain. The larger wheels
make it more in tune with the rider
who wants the bike to “ride itself” and
keep the wheels just chuggin’ through.
TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?
Both bikes come equipped with a flat
bar and relatively low-rise stem, which
is perfect if you’re looking for a cross-country quick feel. Some of the crew
noted that a shorter stem and wider bar
with some rise would suit the bikes better for aggressive terrain.
The fixed-height seatposts are fine
for a stock build, but the trails the
Genius is meant for demand a dropper
post. Thankfully, both Genius bikes
MBA
The wagon-wheeled option:
Crewers were split on which
Genius would reign supreme, but
everyone agreed that the 29er
version felt more stable.
Genius 930
routing for dropper posts. The only
downside to installing a dropper aftermarket will be further cluttering an
already crowded handlebar. With brake
hoses, shifter cables and the Twinloc
system, a dropper seatpost would make
a seventh cable coming off the bar, and
that’s the most complicated cockpit we
can imagine.
BUYING ADVICE
The Twinloc system elicits two distinct responses. Some will swear by the
performance gains of having a remote
lockout, while others will find it needlessly complicated. Regardless, the lever
puts Fox’s CTD adjustments at the tips
of your fingers and forces you to use
them. The cockpits of these bikes feel a
bit like a jet airplane’s, with something
always needing to be adjusted to stay
on course.
Still, both Genius bikes do their jobs
dutifully. The suspension is active
and effective when it needs to be
and incredibly pedal-efficient when
the Twinloc system is engaged. Both
Geniuses are truly built to be do-it-all
bikes. Whether you’re looking for the
playful, fun and plush suspension of
the 730 or the roll-over-anything and
never-slow-down feel of the 930, Scott’s
Genius bikes have you covered.
Technical prowess: Riders with a go-for-it
attitude tended to prefer the agile nature of
the 27.5-inch wheels and plusher suspension. Riders who preferred more stability
gravitated to the 29er.
