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Hey everyone,
I'm currently looking to buy my fist Mountainbike and because of the TwinLoc system and the fact that the Genius and Spark both felt great to me, I now have to decide on one of those models.
I have been eyeing the Genius 940 (2019) and Spark 940 (2018).
Both tick all the boxes for me, which would be 29ers, Eagle GX shift and a solid Fox suspension system.
Now the Spark is from what I understand rather a XC and touring bike while the Genius is more of an AM/Enduro style bike. Got that, the question is how much do they really differ in reality.
I am new to mountainbiking and I want a capable allrounder but capable in the sense that I do not need to buy a new bike in like 2 years if I want to focus on hitting technical trails more than I initially thought I would.
At the moment I am interested in touring and riding rather easy flow trails but I want a bit of reserves. Maybe I'll pay an ocasional visit to one of the nearby bike parks (I live in the bavarian alps).
My thinking is that it would probably take a long time until I hit the limits of the Spark. However if the difference in touring and riding easier terrain beween both bikes is not that big I wouldn't mind getting the Genius and enjoying its downhill capabilities and increased comfort.
I understand that all of what I wrote is pretty subjective but maybe some of you guys have experience with both bikes or were in the same place and can tell me how you decided.
I am 178 cm, 68 kg, 85 cm inseam.
Thank you very much and have a great day!
Hmmm, the boundaries between those 2 bikes is very blurred. I have a Spark 710 that I run with 29 " wheels but I also have a bigger 150mm bike too. I think, given the twinlok system, if I could only have 1 bike I would probably be going for the Genius. The other advantage is that it comes with a flipchip as standard (I think) which means you can run it with 27.5+ if you want. Increasing the versatility. I don't think the Spark has this chip and, while you could fit 27.5+ on it it would lower the bottom bracket too much and would be impractical. Have you ridden them both? I don't think you would be disappointed with either, but, as if you were to ever plan a trip to the Alps for example, I think the Spark would be underbiked (though perfectly capable of getting you down). Conversely, with a Genius locked out, you would probably be hard pressed to notice the diffence in which bike was which. What is the geo difference, not much more than a degree in it is there?
Spark all day long, will do everything good.
I 'XC' raced my Genius last year, rode it in the bike park and everywhere else I could, I also ran a 140mm 36 on my Spark the year before and also rode everything on it.. just not as fast - except on the climbs.
If I had to have one bike, It'd probably be a Genius (2018 with a 36).
I solved the one bike problem this year by buying a Ransom and building a race ready Spark.
I have a 2018 940 (29er) and to me it sits between an xc bike and a trail bike. I use it on black and red routes and all day rides in and around Scotland and it doesnt hold me back in any way.
I found this video after I got mine: hopefully the video link works. Its not the same model year you are looking at but you should get the idea:
Edit - Forgot to say : its a great choice you have to make: I am sure either will make you smile!
I have a Genius 920 2019 and really enjoy it. For reference I am 186cm (6'1") and ride an Xl which fits everything perfectly except stand over height which I find high.
However I would recommend a Spark for most UK riding as it is more than capable enough to handle what you need and what most of us need tbh.
The genius twinlok system is nice, but no replacement for properly set up suspension. Removing the twinlok from the front makes the system make more sense and at that point most users question why they want another lever and cable on the bars just for rear suspension. I do think the bike pedals perfectly fine in the fully open position also personally I don't mind the extra cables or maintenance involved.
I went from a 2017 Spark 950 to a 2018 Genius 720. The Spark was a very capable bike but the Genius is the better allrounder, and if you’re new to it and the type of riding you do might change it’s less likely you’ll feel the need to change bikes with the Genius. You’ll also be able to play with 27.5 and 29 wheels to see what you like better if you don’t know already. I love my Genius and don’t miss the Spark, even on climbs.
Hey everyone,
Thank you all so much for your advice and experience with these bikes, appreciate it a lot!
At the moment I am heavily leaning towards the Genius. I have a lot of bike parks nearby and I really think I might want to visit them at some point and maybe get hooked with more steep and technical trails, drops and stuff like that. So I think I don't mind pedaling a bit more bike than I need around with me most of the time if it lets me do all that.
I'm gonna test ride both bikes tomorrow (but the 2019 Version of both, Scott Genius 940 and Spark 930) and most likely pull the trigger on one of them since all that searching for the perfect bike is beginning to feel a bit tedious lol. I'll let you know how it went for sure!
Have a nice weekend ✌️
I've got a 2018 940 Genius as my only bike. Find its absolutely fine on the climbs, just as good as my old 130mm bike, and it really looks after you on the downs. The twinloc is handy but not essential, i do like having the ability to completely lock out the suspension when on the flat and tarmac though.
Do factor in that the spark 930 is carbon front triangle, the spark 940 is alloy (as is the genius 940)
So... there'll be a ~3lb difference between the 2019 spark 930 and genius 940 vs a real difference of ~1lb between the spark 940 and genius 940.
Sup everyone,
So after testing both the Genius and the Spark I will settle with the Genius. I don't know I just felt more comfortable and at home during the test ride on it.
Now the final decision will be the Genius 940 vs 930, both the 2019 models. I think the 930 is absolutely gorgeous visually and it has the carbon frame (400g lighter than the 940 overall).
The 930 has the alloy frame but the GX group instead of the NX. The 940 looks puristic and cool but I much prefer the look of the 930 - that orange/dark green/grey combo is awesome.
So to sum it up the 940 would probably be the more reasonable choice - it is already slightly over budget and 400€ less than the 930, plus it has the better GX group - would I notice the difference to the NX as a beginner in your opinion?
On the other hand the 930 looks way better imho has the carbon frame and less weight but the inferior SRAM group.
Tough call, certainly subjective...Any final thoughts on this?
The groupset should have a much shorter shelf life than the frame. Depending upon how much and what kind of riding you do you will be replacing parts within months.
Personally I've always tried to get a better frame and had no regrets over the past 20 years.
I will also say this, entry level gear is pretty great these days, the only penalty being a healthy increase in weight and a very minor downgrade in shift performance for often a huge saving in money. Often there are only a couple of parts of a top end groupset worth the cost of entry.
Congrats on the bike choice, been out on my Genius all weekend at bike parks and it really is very at home there.
Get the 930 bought. It’s what your heart desires... change the group set when it’s worn out