First Ride | SCOTT E-Genius 710 Plus Bike 2016

Humans have always possessed the desire to build machines which make our abilities faster, better and safer. Whether through weight tuning, innovation or cunning incremental improvements. And the mountainbike industry has just reached one such milestone: we’re talking about Plus tyres.

Update (November 2015)

In the meantime we had the chance to conduct an extensive test of the bike. Head over to the
E-Mountainbike Review of the Scott E-Genius 710 Plus 2016.

E-Genius 710 Plus__Detail Image_2016_BIKE_SCOTT Sports_01-Scott E-Genius 710 Plus Bike 2016 e-mountainbike e-mtb www.ebike-mtb.com

New Dimensions, New Standards

The 2016 SCOTT E-Genius Plus Bike heralds a new era of E-mountainbikes. As previously reported we put a great deal of hope in the new Plus-tyre trend and believe that they offer E-mountainbikes clear advantages, as described in this article.

The SCOTT Genius is one of the most popular models in the globally operating Swiss bike manufacturer’s range. With the E-Genius Plus, SCOTT is one of the first to fit a production, long travel full suspension E-mountainbike with Plus tyres.

Höhenflug – Brendan Fairclough auf dem neuen E-Genius in Massa Vecchia. wir waren live dabei und haben das Bike bereits ersten Tests unterzogen — Flying high – Brendan Fairclough aboard the new E-Genius in Massa Vecchia. We were there and have already completed our first test rides on the bike.

But not just that: for 2016 they will offer a total of 11 different Plus bikes with and without electric drive systems. This proves that the brand, which operates in over 80 markets sees great potential in this new trend. Rene Krattinger, SCOTT product manager confirms: “With their unbelievable grip and confidence inspiring ride Plus bikes offer huge potential for all bikers. Current models are just the start of a big trend which will become established – we are 100% completely sure of it.”

As this trend offers frame designers a huge variety of new parameters: different tyre widths, tyre-wheel-combinations, new geometries and different suspension requirements which all need taking into account and optimising with one-another it will take some time before the true extent of this trend becomes known. But one thing is already for sure: we’re clearly heading in the right direction.

E-Genius 710 Plus__Detail Image_2016_BIKE_SCOTT Sports_02-Scott E-Genius 710 Plus Bike 2016 e-mountainbike e-mtb www.ebike-mtb.com

The Bike

What’s the new E-Genius capable of? Here are the most interesting features of the SCOTT E-Genius 710 Plus E-mountainbike.

Der Rahmen des E-Genius ist komplett aus Aluminium gefertigt. — The frame is made completely of aluminium.

Das E-Genius Plus bietet 140 mm Federweg an der Front und 130 mm am Heck. — The E-Genius Plus has 140mm front suspension travel and 130mm at the rear.

Auffällig bunt und viele Linien: Die Integration des Akkus in das Rahmendesign bietet noch Optimierungspotential. — Colourful, loud and lots of lines: the battery integration in the frame design still leaves some room for refinement.

Innenverlegte Leitungen sorgen für eine recht aufgeräumte Optik. — Internally routed cables create a very clean look.

Am E-Genius kommt der neue Bosch Performance CX Mittelmotor mit 250 Watt und höherem Drehmoment zum Einsatz. Scott verbaut eine selbst entwickelte Motorenabdeckung. — The E-Genius is equipped with the new Bosch Performance CX mid-drive motor with 250 Watts and higher torque. Scott fits it with their own motor cover.

Die Brücke an den Sitzstreben wurde so konzipiert, dass der möglichst kompakte Hinterbau maximale Reifenfreiheit garantiert. Der serienmäßig verbaute 3.0" breite Schwalbe Nobby Nic Plus-Reifen findet problemlos Platz. — The seatstay bridge was conceived to give maximum tyre clearance with the shortest possible rear end. The factory fitted Schwalbe 3.0“ Nobby Nic tyres fit without problems.

Beim Fahrwerk setzt SCOTT auf FOX-Federelemente und die hauseigene 3-stufige Twinloc-Technologie, welche für 2016 noch einmal überarbeitet wurde. — For suspension duties SCOTT chose Fox- damping units fitted with their in-house 3 level Twinloc-Technology, which has been further refined for 2016.

Das Cockpit mit allerlei Kontrollhebel. Rechts: Schaltung, Bremse, Teleskopsattelstütze. Mitte: Bosch-Intuvia-Display. Links: Steuerungseinheit für Bosch-Motor, Twinloc-Hebel und Bremse. — The cockpit with all manner of control levers. On the right: shifters, brake, dropper post. In the middle: Bosch-Intuvia-Display. On the left: control unit for the Bosch-motor, Twinloc-lever and brakes.

Direkt unter der Steuerungseinheit des Bosch-Motors sitzt der überarbeitete Hebel des Twinloc-Systems. Durch Betätigen des neuen Remote-Hebels, der an der Position des linken Schalthebels angebracht werden kann, lässt sich das gesamte Fahrwerk synchron regulieren: Descend (voller Federweg und offene Dämpfung), Traction-Control (an der Front: voller Federweg, aber höhere Dämpfung; am Heck: von 130 mm auf 90 mm reduzierter Federweg, steilerer Winkel in der Geometrie und höhere Dämpfung) und Lockout. — Directly below the Bosch-motor control unit is the new Twinloc remote. By activating the lever, which can be positioned like a left shifter the entire suspension system can be regulated in synchronisation: Descend (full travel, open damping), Traction-Control (at the front: full travel but more damping, at the rear 130mm reduced to 90mm travel, more damping and steeper geometry), and Lockout.

E-Genius 710 Plus__Detail Image_2016_BIKE_SCOTT Sports_11-Scott E-Genius 710 Plus Bike 2016 e-mountainbike e-mtb www.ebike-mtb.com

The Plus tyres

During the bike’s development SCOTT worked closely with tyre manufacturer Schwalbe and wheel specialist DT Swiss in order to reach the optimum result.

SCOTT setzt beim Genius Plus auf Syncros TR1.5 Plus-Felgen mit 28 Speichen und einer Felgeninnebreite von 40 mm. Diese Kombination soll für ein geringes Walgverhalten sorgen. — SCOTT uses Syncros TR1.5 Plus rims on the Genius Plus with 28 spokes and 40mm internal width. This combination should decrease tyre wallowing.

Laut Schwalbe hat der Nobby Nic in 2.8" bei einem Luftdruck von 1,0 bar im Vergleich zu einem Nobby Nic in 2.35" mit einem Luftdruck von 1,7 bar eine 21 % größere Kontaktfläche zum Boden und weist dabei einen lediglich um 1 % höheren Rollwiderstand auf. Zudem verfügt er über eine um 8 % bessere Durschlagssicherheit, aber auch ein um 11 % höheres Walgverhalten. — According to Schwalbe a 2.8” Nobby Nic at 1.0 bar pressure has a 21% bigger contact patch compared to a 2.35” Nobby Nic at 1.7 bar but with just a 1% increase in rolling resistance. In addition snake bite resistance improves by 8% but with 11% more tyre wallowing.

The weight of an individual Schwalbe Nobby Nic in 2.8“ (Pacestar-compound) is 814g, although we should mention that the tyres have quite thin sidewalls to achieve this.

The Geometry

The Specification Options

The E-Genius is available in three different versions each available in four frame sizes. Among them is a Contessa-Version for women. Unfortunately there no official prizes yet.

Conclusion

Robin has already tested the SCOTT E-Genius 710 Plus in Massa Vecchia, Italy, and can already state the following: this is how an E-mountainbike should feel. Stable, super to control and secure. Finally manufacturers are equipping their E-mountainbikes for proper off-road riding: plenty of suspension travel, generously dimensioned parts such as damping units and Plus tyres. The latter will bring E-mountainbikes to a completely new level. You can read a comprehensive test report here soon.

Words: Robin Schmitt Pictures: Markus Greber

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