When it released the Genius in 2003, Scott ushered in a radically new bike that aimed to be the ultimate XC full suspension bike. The unique feature was Scott's own three-position pull-shock that facilitated three suspension modes at the flick of a handlebar mounted lever.

Clever as the bike was, it perhaps wasn't the hit Scott were hoping for. Much of that was down to the tricky business of patents, with the chainstay mounted pivot meaning Scott couldn't sell the Genius in the US market. Fast forward a few years and Scott has taken the Genius back to the drawing board, and moved the pivot onto the chainstay. This small but significant change not only allows Scott to now sell the Genius across the pond, but also brings the bike into line with its other models, the Spark and Ransom.

But what else has Scott done to this new Genius? Quite a lot, as it happens. With the release of the very lovely and ultra-light 110mm all-carbon Spark in 2006, Scott has been able to give the new Genius more focus. All bikes in the range now offer 150mm of travel, and the geometry has been relaxed to ensure the bike is better suited to marathon/all-mountain/general trail riding than before. It's a bike with renewed vigour.

At the heart of the frame is the latest Equalizer2 TC pull shock, a Scott designed and DT Swiss built shock. It still looks like something out of a science fiction film, but the new shock is cleverer than the previous version. The new handlebar-mounted lever allows the bike to change between All Travel (150mm), Traction Mode (100mm) and fully locked out, with a blow-off valve protecting the frame and shock when in this last mode. The new shock also has two separate damping/positive air chambers, so the rebound setting can be tailored individually in All Travel and Traction Mode. Traction Mode also sees an increased spring rate and reduced sag, with the geometry gaining a bit of additional steepness for better climbing.

Around this new and improved shock, Scott has built a new all-carbon frame. Scott has always been at the cutting edge of carbon development and the new Genius sports a full-carbon monocoque front triangle, with a process Scott calls IMP4 - needless to say Scott is keeping its lips sealed about the exact workings behind this construction process. Carbon too are the seat and chainstays (with clearance for 2.4” tyres), with even the dropouts being moulded from carbon for a further weight saving. All pivot and disc brake mountings are aluminium fixings bonded into place, with the svelte rocker linkage aluminium too. The Isolated Axial Pivot (IAP) mounts the top rocker pivot around the seat tube, allowing a full uninterrupted range of seatpost adjustment. Scott claims a weight, including shock, of 2250g (4.96lbs).

As we mentioned before, the release of the Spark has allowed Scott to give the Genius much more of a all-day/trail riding focus, with the significant change being the headangle slackening from 69.5° to 68.5°. The top tube is also longer (0.5” on the Medium), and Scott specs all bikes with shorter stems. The result of these changes should encourage a more relaxed riding position, with a bike that's more willing to take on an all-day riding role over whatever terrain you may come across. The three-settings of the shock will mean you've got a bike underneath you that won't be phased by any situation you care to place it in.

Thomas Frischknecht says of the new Genius: “I became Marathon World Champion on Genius in 2003 as the first rider using a long travel bike for Marathon. At this time I did not believe that it would be possible to build a better bike. I was wrong! The new Genius is better. Perfect geometry and cinematic together with the new rear shock make this bike a power machine with unbelievable downhill qualities.”

Scott is offering five models, Genius Ltd, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, with prices ranging from an eye-watering £7,149 to a more wallet-friendly £1,999. As you'd expect, the Ltd is built with a no-expense spared component list, including SRAM X.O, Truvativ Noir carbon chainset, Formula R1 disc brakes, DT Swiss EXC fork with 15mm through-axle, DT Swiss XRC carbon rims on DT 240 hubs and finished off with Crankbrothers Egg Beater 4 Ti pedals.

The Genius 30 is, at £2,799, the lowest-rung model to benefit from a carbon frame. It's specced with SRAM X.9, Avid Elixir brakes, Fox 32 Talas RL fork, Mavic Crossride wheels shod with Schwable Nobby Nic tyres. Both the 40 and 50 models are built with hydroformed aluminium frames.

www.scottusa.com