Scott Genius 750 review
Capable trail bike, questionable value
GBP £1,599.00 RRP | AUD $2,600.00 | USD $2,500.00 Skip to view dealsPublished:
The Genius 750 is Scott’s cheapest 650b wheeled, 150mm (5.5in) travel trail bike. With a smattering of top brand components, could it be the entry-level trail bike everyone is looking for?
Frame and equipment: some nice features, and some spec holes
The Genius 750 lacks some of the features we’re accustomed to seeing on Scott’s more expensive trail bikes, including the bar-mounted TwinLoc remote for adjusting the front and rear suspension simultaneously. The RockShox Monarch RL shock does have a low-speed compression damping lever to allow you to firm up the suspension for more efficient pedalling though.
Ride and handling: well-balanced but has its limitations
Balancing the front and rear suspension took some time, mainly because of the lack of support on offer from the Sektor. We ended up running quite a bit of pressure in the fork and a little less sag than usual at the rear, which seemed to just about do the trick. That said, we still found the fork diving and tucking when navigating rock gardens or steeper sections of twisty trail.
Get the 750 up to speed on faster sections of trail centre style terrain though, and things feel far more capable. There’s plenty of room to stretch out when seated, thanks in part to the long 80mm stem, and when you’re out of the saddle, the well proportioned geometry means the riding position feels nicely central.
It was difficult to stop the Sektor TK fork on our test bike diving through its travel
Flicking the dual-position low-speed compression lever on the shock into ‘pedal’ mode helps reduce bob – something that’s quite apparent when grinding up climbs standing up on the pedals – and thanks to its position just under the top tube, it’s easy to actuate.
Descending is a reasonably confident affair. Even if you don’t feel like you can load the fork particularly hard, the brakes feel dependable and solid, and the Maxxis Ardent treads are predictable enough when the going gets a little sketchy.
The rear end dealt with everything we chucked in its path and sucked up most hits without issue, though the shock didn’t feel the most supple off the top. With no clutch rear derailleur there is quite a bit of chain slap though, and we had the chain drop off or onto the middle chainring on more than one occasion.
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Product Specifications
Product
| Name | Name, 0, 10, Name, Genius 750 (15) |
| Brand | Brand, 0, 20, Brand, Scott |
| Brakes | Brakes, 2, 0, Brakes, Shimano M395 |
| Cranks | Cranks, 2, 0, Cranks, Shimano M622 |
| Fork | Fork, 2, 0, Fork, RockShox Sektor TK Solo Air |
| Frame Material | Frame Material, 2, 0, Frame Material, Custom-butted 6061 aluminium |
| Front Derailleur | Front Derailleur, 2, 0, Front Derailleur, Deore |
| Front Hub | Front Hub, 2, 0, Front Hub, Formula |
| Front Tyre | Front Tyre, 2, 0, Front Tyre, Maxxis Ardent 27.5x2.25in |
| Handlebar | Handlebar, 2, 0, Handlebar, Syncros FL2.0, 720mm |
| Rear Derailleur | Rear Derailleur, 2, 0, Rear Derailleur, SLX |
| Rear Hub | Rear Hub, 2, 0, Rear Hub, Shimano HG50 |
| Rear Shock | Rear Shock, 2, 0, Rear Shock, RockShox Monarch RL |
| Rear Tyre | Rear Tyre, 2, 0, Rear Tyre, Maxxis Ardent 27.5x2.25in |
| Rims | Rims, 2, 0, Rims, Syncros TR |
| Saddle | Saddle, 2, 0, Saddle, Syncros MTB Trail |
| Seatpost | Seatpost, 2, 0, Seatpost, Syncros FL2.5 |
| Shifters | Shifters, 2, 0, Shifters, Deore |
| Stem | Stem, 2, 0, Stem, Syncros FL2.0, 80mm |
| Weight (kg) | Weight (kg), 2, 0, Weight (kg), 14.1 |
| Chainstays (in) | Chainstays (in), 2, 0, Chainstays (in), 17.3 |
| Top Tube (in) | Top Tube (in), 2, 0, Top Tube (in), 24.6 |
| Frame size tested | Frame size tested, 2, 0, Frame size tested, L |
Authors
Rob Weaver is BikeRadar's technical editor-in-chief. Rob manages all of the testing here at BikeRadar and across our magazines, Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus. Rob first graced the pages of MBUK back in 2001 when working as a freelance writer and went on to start testing bikes for the title in 2007. In 2010 he joined the team full-time and has been keeping a close eye on all things test-related ever since. Rob’s expansive knowledge of bikes comes courtesy of his passion for racing. He cut his teeth racing cross-country mountain bikes in the early 90s before finding his feet in downhill. After many years competing on the UK national circuit (including a year attempting to race UCI DH World Cups), Rob realised his know-how and passion for bike setup, tech and writing clearly outweighed his racing ability. A degree in sports technology and decades of riding experience all help to give Rob a thorough understanding of what’s needed to create a great bike or product. While Rob’s a mountain biker at heart and never happier than when he’s sliding down a Welsh hillside, he’s more than happy to put the miles in on the road or gravel bike, too.
