i have an Adventure on its way and should be here quite soon 😀 it’ll be built up SS for now with Drop bar so i’ll post a picture and few first ride feed backs

amplebrew – try Cotic’s geartug(spare combined chaintug and gear hanger for a Roadrat;)

backcountrybiking – try e-type front mech. It mounts underneath the bb.

Isn’t the problem about the front mech that there is no cable stop, nit that you can’t fit a band on F mech?

Isn’t the problem about the front mech that there is no cable stop, nit that you can’t fit a band on F mech?

That should be easy enough to fix as you can buy clamp on cable guides. I think the issue would be the clearance to the tyre, as thats the reason they dont fit a mech as standard. I wonder if the new shimano direct mount mechs might fit better (tyre clearance) tho youd have to get a boss welded on.

We’ve just had (the first production) Fortitude Race show up in the office. Ride report soon!

If anyone in Huddersfield or therabouts wants to take a butchers at one, Bob at Velocity Cycles in Lindley has been riding one for a couple of weeks or so, and I believe has one you can demo.

http://www.velocitycycles.co.uk/contact-us/

Hi, I have the Alfine wheel back now and it’s a vast improvement, shifts really well.

I’m now about to start playing with different bars. The flats on it are nice but I can’t help thinking it would work really well with some Jones, or drops even!

What have others tried?

reviving this thread…

Does any one have a approximate weight for the adventure?

stevebrc[u]: I’ve got Trek’s 15*deg 680mm 25.4mm bars on mine, pointing towards my chest and I love this setup! I had some riser for a short while(9*deg 685mm lo rise Eastons) but it just didn’t felt right. I’m afraid the top tube might be too long for drops though! Jones bars? Hmmm…

I get my race tomorrow, can’t wait…..

kazafaza – I’m sure I saw your Fortitude this morning coming down the ramp by the A38! I was walking round from the work bike shed and recognised it from the pic (looks good) 🙂

I’ve had a Fortitude SS for a little while now.
I like it a lot! 😀
119_4674 by franklini10, on Flickr

Had any problems with the SS one (someone before mentioned an issue with the hubs)? They seem a bit of a rip-off to me but it’s C2W time again and given the crap weather and flatish local trails I’m thinking the SS version might be ideal. Any idea how heavy it is as well, slightly concerned as they appear to have made my Day One out of lead?

The issue on the SS wasn’t a hub quality issue, it was a wrong hub issue. The back wheel had been built on the wrong hub so the spokes on the disc side caught on the brake calliper. The bikes were held up while replacement wheels were shipped over.

Why do you think they are a rip off?

Topic bump…
Looking at one of these at a winter bike. It seems expensive when you compare to e.g. inbred 29er with gears, fork etc…. but economies of scale etc…..

Seem to be very few complete steel SS29 bikes on the market nowadays, any competitors I should be looking at?
thanks

Cannondale Trail and Kona Unit come up a lot. I’ve ridden none of them! I’d like a go on a Fortitude for sure.

I’ve just bought an adventurer from 18Bikes, first impressions are good. Doesn’t feel too unwieldy. I bought it to do some longer rides, training and maybe a bit of bikepacking. The only thing I’m not sure about are the cable brakes, although I keep telling myself that I shouldn’t be flying down any huge mountains (lucky enough to have another bike for that).

I was also attracted to it for the lack of maintenance (forks, mechs etc), although not sure if that will be entirely true.

Other options: Salsa _ Karate Monkey, Surly Krampus (v Nice) – Both a bit more expensive, but both very nice.

Hope that helps.

S

Next issue of this very journal is meant to have the Charge, Cannondale, and a few other 29er SS rigids in for review. Awaiting with interest.

Krampus is a different beast I think, fatlad, and triple the price too. I do find myself Krampus-curious but am a bit put off by the weight and what’s going to be huge rotational mass of those tyres/wheels.

mattjg – Member
Cannondale Trail and Kona Unit come up a lot. I’ve ridden none of them! I’d like a go on a Fortitude for sure.

If you are anywhere near Birmingham – I have a 19.5″ Fortitude SS you would be welcome to try.

Thx fella, I’m not.

I have a Singular Swift, medium, rigid SS, in Surrey if someone needs a try.

I bought one in the end (a Fortitude SS), it rides nicely but I think in hindsight buying a bike that can’t take a suspension fork was a mistake. I find my wrists taking a battering on local trails, after about an hour and half it’s more like how much more can my wrists endure than whether my legs are knackered. My fault for buying the wrong bike but I think something like the Swift is a better bet if you’re not totally sure you want to ride rigid all the time. And I still say £800 for a bike made of bog standard steel, rigid fork, crap wheels and no gears is a rip-off but C2W eases the sting.

It’s a shame you’re not happy. If you’re haven’t done so, convert the front wheel to tubeless and drop the tyre pressure. Put a bigger tyre on if needs be. IWFM.

Not sure about the cable brakes? They are bb7 no?

Ace brakes.

Next issue of this very journal is meant to have the Charge, Cannondale, and a few other 29er SS rigids in for review. Awaiting with interest.

Dammit, they have one in my local shop that is calling to me. Just off for a carpark spin now.
Birthday this weekend too……
thanks all

I thought about the Fortitude but was put off by the rigid-specifc geometry so got a Kona Unit instead. It’s by no means my first rigid bike but it is my first 29er and first singlespeed. It’s definitely more of a bulldozer than a flickable little number. Prior to this I had an alu 26er hardtail with rigid carbon forks which was far more nimble, but the Unit definitely ploughs over stuff better. Whether that is seen as a good thing or not is down to how you like to ride.

I had to put a shorter stem on it because it was very difficult to get the front wheel up.

I’m now about to start playing with different bars. The flats on it are nice but I can’t help thinking it would work really well with some Jones, or drops even!

I’m afraid the top tube might be too long for drops though!

Tektro RL340s levers on the way, C’dale C4 bars found in the spares box, got the bartape – time for an experiment! Was thinking about changing the stem from 100mm 10* to 70mm 35* to adjust the reach…
Should have it up and running before the weekend, will post some pics for sure!

I love my Fortitude SS but as others have said its too expensive for the spec you get. I wouldn’t have bothered if not for C2W.

Mines sporting wider bars and ESI chunky grips which seem to have helped with comfort.

Just my 2cents.

I have had a Fortitude Adventure, that I bought as a frame only from the super helpful chaps at 18 Bikes, back in the summer. I had an 8speed Alfine hub already and some 447mm AtoC Pugsly forks from another build so frame only works.

I have to say that I am using this bike more than any other at the minute.

Yes its heavy (circa 28lbs) and yes its rigid yardy, yardy yah but it just works. Its also surprisingly comfortable.

I have changes a few things from the pic below mainly a wider bar, Flow based front wheel and a 2.4 Ardent.

My only complaint is that the rear could do with a little more clearance as the 2.1’’ WTB Prowler is about as big a tyre as I would want/could fit and still allow for mud …. oh and crud catcher mounts. The SS & Race have these but the Adventure frame doesn’t!

I’ve already changed my front to a 2.35 Hans Dampf but haven’t tried it tubeless yet as not sure about the stock rims, think I might go the new front wheel route to. Wish I’d read about the limited clearance rear before I ordered another HD for the rear, clearance didn’t look too bad to me but not tried fitting it yet, I guess it’s not going to work though 🙁
Ergon grips and fatter front def help with the comfort and the integrated bar-ends on the grips are a god-send when climbing but I still miss front suspension!

Drop bar conversion done and tested, I’m pretty happy with the outcome: it seems to handle small bumps much better(bar tape perhaps?), I must add it’s my first drop bar bike and I’m afraid I’ve caught the bug!
I guess the Fortitude could be my only platform for many different types of riding: SS mtb, hub geared CX, tourer, commuter…

SS mode with Big Apple tyres:

3-speed commuter:

Monster Cross:

Sorry for the quality(or lack of) in the last pic – taken with a mobile shortly after a finished build. I had to bodge the mount for the SA thumbie as I couldn’t bend it to go around the bars, it’s mounted on the 22mm ring above the top cap:

Can’t wait for the weekend to put some more miles in!

kazafaza – Could I just ask what mudguards you’re using?

Thanks, Andy.

It’s the 26″ mudguards, hence it’s quite short at the back and I did have some occasional spray from it before fitting the flap. As far as I know the widest 700c are these ones I did try them on with my previous tyres(Big Apple 2.35) and were a bit too narrow. Couldn’t say what the fit would be like with the Smart Sam 2.1 I currently have…

HTH

I agree with previous posts, claiming the Genesis bikes are poor value.

If you look at http://www.ukbikesdepot.com (no, I don’t work for them) they sell the discontinued Genesis IO ID 26″ Alfine 11 hardtail with hydraulic brakes and suspension fork for £1000 (not a bad price, compared to the £1500 it retailed at this time last year). The equivalent Genesis 29″ Alfine 11 hardtail is £1700, but doesn’t have rack mounts or 2 sets of bottle cage bosses. £700 is a lot for 3″ bigger wheels and a less versatile frame. The Fortitude Alfine 11 seems to suffer from Genesis’ “optimistic” pricing as well (£1500 for an “Alfine 11” rigid bike with mechanical brakes – about £300 to much).

I took an Alfine 11 IO ID for a test ride a couple of months ago around a steep local circuit: nice light bike, crisp gear changes, plush suspension and good brakes, but it has a narrower gear range and was less capable up steep wet hills than my old 3×7 Inbred, which is fine for bikepacking and has cheap-to-replace derailleurs when they snap off.

Disappointing really, but I couldn’t justify spending £1000 on something less capable than my hack. 🙁

Moral: If you want adventure; go ‘disposable’, or go Rohloff.

I am looking to put super moto 2.35″ tires on for the winter commute anyone know if there is enough rear clearance? just putting in drop bars and keeping the alfine 11 ready for another lands end john o groats esq trip.