So I have a hankering for a (relatively) speedy bike, suitable for lots of miles and smiles. Something for the roads, but able to take plenty of cycle path, and the odd bits of smooth singletrack I might spot. I also like the idea of a bike that can easily do light weight bikepacking, and handle heavier weight tours too. I went to my LBS yesterday and they had a lovely Croix de Fer 10 in that gorgeous deep red. Up to that point was thinking of the Croix de Fer 20, but really can’t get on with the white frame. But got a brochure, and I’m thinking the Tour de Fer is most suitable – slightly tougher for touring, racks and mudguards, and -most importantly- a triple chainset. I am a pootler, not a racer, and I’ve only ever ridden MTBs and BMXs, so no super light and nimble road bikes to compare it against… As well as the above, will use it for 30 mile per day commute once or twice a week.

So what’s your thoughts?? Thanks!

I like them but they weigh a ton !

I love mine!

I’ve been building one up (very slowly!) with the aim of taking up cycle touring. It’s only had a spin round the corner to take a photo so far but in that short trip it rode very nicely 🙂

[url=https://flic.kr/p/sqCX9L]Just add racks & panniers for adventure[/url] by Simon Barnes, on Flickr

Not sure I’d want it for any kind of speedy riding as it’s on the hefty side but I have other bikes for that.

Thanks simondbarnes. ‘Speedy’ a relative term – related to my long rides on steel MTBs with riser bars and chunky tyres!

Thanks too robdob and Edric 64 🙂

They are super heavy, I went for a Fuji Tourer, lighter and £400 cheaper.

Mine….

Now I changed to flat bars for extra comfy and pootling ability

Soon to come, some Dura-Ace bar end shifters and Pauls Component mounts to convert them to thumbies….

Flat bars enabled me to put Deore trekking hydro discs on, which work a treat with the rotors that were on it.

I had a whole new set of wheels built by my brother PeterPoddy…

Exposure dynamo front hub, XT rear on XM319 rims, 36 rear 32 front.

Nice touches…. spoke holder…

Side stand mount…

Nice cable routing…

I put one of my custom covered saddles on and a X-Lite Metal Matrix post…

I also put some lighter 35c tyres on, Vittoria Voyager Hyper ones, cheap at PX. 422 each which saved 370g per tyre on the standard Schwalbe Marathons.

By changing those tyres and the seatpost I saved 1.85 lbs.

No it isn’t light but thats not the point. It’s meant for loaded touring. I really like it, with the new tyres it feels a little zippier than before too. It’s really comfy and stable, but not ponderous. You have a more upright position than a CDF and you sit “in” the bike. I was riding down a potholed street after a long days riding and doing it one-handed without realising it (I was very tired).

Durable enough for the weekly commute – the standard drivetrain may be a little low geared for a fast commute but I love it. Although the drivetrain spec seems a little lowly it changes perfectly and I’m well impressed.

They are super heavy, I went for a Fuji Tourer, lighter and £400 cheaper

They may seem heavier than a lot of other bikes in the showroom as they already have 3 cages and two racks and guards on which is amazing for the price.

A Fuji Tourer is £499?! Wow!

Aware it’s no lightweight – what kind of weights are we talking here? I’m looking to buy a bike that’s ready to go – the chainset especially as the last thing I want is to upgrade a brand new bike. I live at the bottom of an unavoidable steep hill, I don’t want to kill myself in the first five minutes of every ride!

Chainset is a lower end shimano MTB one but it shifts beautifully. Correct gears for a touring bike too, plenty of low ones!

So, in an about-turn and a moment of doubt, I’m now swaying to the Croix de Fer 10. For reasons, including: it’s lighter; I have a spare rack; touring will probably only occur very infrequently. I want something nippier than my Kona Hahanna for long day rides, with drop bars, and with discs. Hmmmm…

Depends how much heavy touring you are doing. I’ve just got a Pinnacle Arkose 2 and did Charlie’s 50:50 on it last weekend. It did 100 miles on and off road with Wildcat bags and I couldn’t fault it. Not heavy and very comfortable.

Tour de Fer handlebars are too narrow. Why put 40’s on nowadays?

Just ridden home from work on mine, it’s lovely. I didn’t even curse the evil headwind very much!

Tour de Fer handlebars are too narrow. Why put 40’s on nowadays?

The handlebar widths are size specific. I think you’ll find most manufacturers use narrower bars on their smaller sized bikes.

I see that the Tour weighs 33+lbs?! Definitely swithering towards the Croix with that in mind, but oh! those gears. I tried riding my Kona up the hills in the middle ring today and it was totally beasting. My commute is early mornings, perhaps no one will see if I push?!

But the Tour vs the Croix – will the Croix be terrible for touring? What’s the difference, other than it being a fair bit lighter? Touring unlikely to occur often – but bike will be used for a plethora of things. I don’t hook my feet on my panniers on either my Inbred, or my Hahanna… Cheers!

I have an unused 54cm 2014 Croix De Fer the nice dark grey one(upgraded)105 shifters/chainset/38 schwalbes 45mm chromoplastics etc, for sale..

I have 11 bikes at the moment. 🙁

why shouldn’t I?

You should.

I have no interest in “road riding”, so i couldnt care less (ok, within reason) how much the bike weighs, as long as it rides well. TdF is fantastic VfM if you ask me. There are other options, from the Genesis range and elsewhere, but the theory behind a good solid pavement bike, that will take a beating, lug a load, and take chunky tyres for “off-road” riding is a good one.

Ive got a Surly Disk trucker, and use it daily pretty much. Shops, Pub trips, Commuting when i can be bothered.

Do it.

Thanks for the offer Marek, but I think I’ll be going for new from a shop 🙂 That is, if I ever decide what’s for the best!

Yes but THIRTY THREE POUNDS!!! I could get a downhill bike for that weight! 😉

How about one of these – Ridgeback Panorama – £1200ish 13.5 kg

I reckon my Disk trucker weighs more than the five. Was certainly more than the Reign. Makes no difference when its loaded with camping stuff! I only find it an issue when im trying to keep up with proper roadies.

My Tour de Fer with XT & dura ace build is the heaviest adult bike I’ve ever owned 🙂

I could save a huge chunk of weight by changing the tyres (they’re approx 800g each!) but where’s the fun in that? They’re there to do a job.

So think I’m leaning back to the Tour de Fer! I realise it weighs just over 31lbs. And I’m assuming that weight includes 2.5lbs of racks and bottle cages. And then I could save nearly 2lbs from lighter tyres and seatpost (thanks to Robdob’s comment). Et voila, 26.5lbs! 😀

The tyres are overkill some good 28s would still be good for touring and save a chunk of weight over the ones on it and you probably wont use the front carrier too often

just to compare
planet x uncle john tourer here , and with racks it comes in at 13kgs, thats with ultegra chainset, also has discs and drop bars and rear saddle bag with 2 tubes and various touring bits (section of tyre, full allen keys and chain braker etc etc) and just 2 cages, oh and a largish pump…

I have a CDF30. The big benefit of the TDF is that it comes with the racks, guards etc, plus a well sorted drivetrain for lugging it and kit around. I think it’s pretty good value given the components and as others have said, once you have some bags and kit on it, the weight becomes a non issue.

I have just weighed the front rack I took off my TDF. 552g without bolts. Rear rack probably weighs a bit more as its bigger so I reckon 1200g for both racks. That’s 2.6lbs for the racks alone.

It’s easy to spec a bike in the shops without all the kit you need and make it look light!

The tyres that come on the bike are awesome touring tyres that will handle some light off road too and surprising to get standard on a £900 bike. The tyres and racks alone retail at £100 and are pretty much standard kit for a tourer.

I have a dynamo hub and permanently attached lights on mine so it’s never going to be light!!

Thanks robdob, and everyone. I think I’m gonna go for it! Now, I just need to find a nearby shop that can let me figure out the best size, maybe even go for a test ride….

Good to hear MrK! I’m a bit late to the conversation but I was going to chip in that my commuter (with guards, rack, Alfine gears and dynamo lights) weighs somewhere around the 34lb/15kg mark and it’s fine, I do 24miles a day and love every minute. For a long time I considered changing the steel frame and fork and thereby dropping about 1.5kg, but the thing is that it feels right, which is a really hard thing to find sometimes, so I decided to keep it! 🙂

Thanks Shermer.

Alas, got to a well-stock Genesis dealer for a chat, and seems there are no more Tour de Fers left, except perhaps on a shop floor somewhere. 🙁 proper gutted

That is genuinely a crushing defeat. There is nothing worse than doing the research only to be denied at the final hurdle! Did they say when it will be back in?

In fact, I hink it’ll be nice to hear from Genesis on this forum sometimes! We get regular info from Brant, Jameso, Charlie the Bikemonger and others, it seems a shame that they don’t pop in once in a while! 🙂

Ah, I did see them comment on a Croix de Fer thread! It would have been nice if they could have pointed out the futility of my research 🙄

I’m not surprised, I got mine a couple of months ago and my brother got it for me but struggled and he worked in a Genesis dealers!

Just goes to show that some bikes are just so good they need next to no adverts or tests to sell out completely!

My Kona Hahanna is deep red, with yellow stickers. Imma just gonna pretend 🙁

Alas, got to a well-stock Genesis dealer for a chat, and seems there are no more Tour de Fers left, except perhaps on a shop floor somewhere

If you’re anywhere near Manchester and need a 56cm then Bikeshak have one in stock… http://www.bikeshak.com/bikes/cyclocross-touring/genesis-2015-tour-de-fer-bike-rosso-red-56cm/

There is a 56cm in Bikecity in Wells ,Somerset

earlier in this thread, someone mentioned the tourer being too heavy.
a lightweight bike does not make a very good tourer. i toured on a thorn audax frame, which is a great bit of kit, and a lot lighter than say a surly lht. with a rear rack with 2 full panniers and a bar bag, it rode like it was made of jelly.