With Twin Loc, TALAS and geometry-altering technology, Scott’s top-flight Genius LT 10 aims to redefine long-travel bikes by instantly adapting to any trail at the flick of a switch.
Ride and handling: Designed for big-mountain ability
In genuine mountainous terrain where flow was hard to find, the 185mm (7.3in) rear wheel travel ate up bumps and rock buttresses, outclassing other bikes capable of climbing to such heights efficiently. Scott’s Twin Loc lever made perfect sense – a calculated click morphed the bike to reflect approaching terrain, improving climbing and descending efficiency.
When we knew our lines and the opportunity presented itself to go flat out, it quickly became apparent that all-mountain adaptability didn’t necessarily equate to all-mountain aggression. The narrow bars, lack of chain device and all-encompassing geometry didn’t enable us to push past our previously set long-travel trail bike times.
The Scott Genius LT 10 belongs in big mountains. It can make your ride easier and inspire you to tear up and down every climb, but you need the time and the terrain to unlock the Twin Loc technology’s true potential. It’s like a Swiss Army knife – not quite razor sharp, but capable of pretty much anything you throw at it.
The Equalizer 3 shock can take a little time to get set up but works well
Frame and equipment: All-mountain basics plus SRAM X0 and Twin Loc
The stunning one-piece front triangle is made from HMX-Net carbon, which is said to be 20 per cent stiffer than the carbon previously used on Scott’s top-end bikes. The swingarm is made from aluminium, which balances the rigidity of the carbon front end, flexing agreeably to aid lateral tyre traction. It also comes loaded with future-proof all-mountain standard details, including a tapered head tube, a 142mm screw-through rear axle, stealth seatpost routing and ISCG-05 mounts.
Neatly placed behind the seat tube is the co-developed DT Swiss/Scott Equalizer 3 pull shock, which provides 185mm (7.3in) of rear travel. It can be mounted in a high or low setting to change the bike’s head angle and bottom bracket height.
The premium price delivers a range of top-end components, including a full SRAM X0 drivetrain. Scott’s Twin Loc lever adds two cables to the cockpit and keeps the lengthy front and rear in check.
One click firms up the rear end to 110mm (4.3in) traction mode, and a further click locks out both the rear shock and fork. In addition to traction mode, Fox’s TALAS technology takes care of climbing by lowering the fork from 180mm to 140mm (7.1in to 5.5in) travel.
The Equalizer 3 pull shock was relatively simple to set up, but we only achieved correct sag and small bump compliance by setting pressures as if we were 10kg lighter than we are.