MrK, Dales in Glasgow has a Tour De Fer on the floor, was admiring it on Tuesday so imagine it will still be there, £899 IIRC.

If I’m right that should be an easy train ride for you.

Thanks folks. Squirrelking – alas I’m in Bristol now, so Glasgow a bit of a trek! Wells might be good though so ta Edric! Although might take this opportunity for a bit of parallel thinking… 😉

For what its worth, I’ve just taken delivery my new Croix De Fer 10 on the halfords cycle to work scheme and I really like it (the red paint Is lush!)
I’ve fitted full guards and a disc specific rack and have covered about 100 miles of mixed riding and I find it rides a lot lighter than it’s actual weight (which I found quite alarming when I first picked it up), it holds it speed really well and I’ve averaged approx 16mph on it, I’m planning a mini highland touring adventure on it soon!
I say just do the same as me and if you’re concerned about the lack of a triple ring crank, don’t! The lowest gear on the CDF 10 is already quite low and the could always fit a smaller small ring.

Thought about a frame set? The build is basically a 29er as far as the wheels and drivetrain go so a decent build shouldn’t be expensive. If you go flat bars it’ll be a bit cheaper too. 27.2 post, standard BB etc.

Thanks Ian. I see your point and I’m half convinced. Unfortunately I live at the bottom of a pretty steep hill. I realise I can change the small chainring, but with the BCD I can only go two teeth smaller, AFAIK.

Robdob- good point, but according to the seemingly knowledgable and very friendly folk at Mike’s Bikes, Portishead, there are neither full bikes nor frames available. I do like the idea of building a bike though, so thinking of other similarish frames, not got much past the Surly disc LHT…

a lightweight bike does not make a very good tourer.

Correct. Very, very correct. 🙂

Some of the TDF bikes and framesets are now labeled as discontinued. I’ll bet they’re waiting for the 2016 models to turn up now.

Some of the TDF bikes and framesets are now labeled as discontinued. I’ll bet they’re waiting for the 2016 models to turn up now.

Pretty much what Mike’s Bikes said. They thought the 2016 bikes might be available August or September. But remains to be seen what a Genesis will offer. Perhaps a range of TdFs? Or a pricier spec? Hmmm…

Did anyone hear anything more about the 2016 tour de fer models coming out? My lbs is struggling to get hold of a 58cm from the 2015 stock. I’ve got a trip planned for early September so currently deciding whether or not to wait and take a gamble or choose something else.

The drop handlebar Tour de Fer has been dropped for 2016 as they felt it overlapped with the Croix de Fer too much. It has been replaced by 2 flat bar Tour de Fer models…

Tour de Fer 10 £899.99 (db Chromo frame, Acera, promax brakes, joytech hubs, tubus rear rack)
Tour de Fer 20 £1299.99 (725 frame, deore 10spd touring, sp dynamo hub front, deore rear hub, promax brakes, Tubus F&R rack, B&M lumotec IQ light)

Think you’ll be lucky to be sorted for September though, eta on the B2B site is saying mid Oct though that could easily change.

Thanks Simon, I appreciate the response and information.

I think that Bike in Bristol had a 2015 in last week, not sure of size

There is now one 58cm 2015 Tour de Fer in the warehouse at Genesis HQ. It’s in free stock so it will go to whichever bike shop orders it first.

The drop handlebar Tour de Fer has been dropped for 2016 as they felt it overlapped with the Croix de Fer too much. It has been replaced by 2 flat bar Tour de Fer models…
Tour de Fer 10 £899.99 (db Chromo frame, Acera, promax brakes, joytech hubs, tubus rear rack)
Tour de Fer 20 £1299.99 (725 frame, deore 10spd touring, sp dynamo hub front, deore rear hub, promax brakes, Tubus F&R rack, B&M lumotec IQ light)

About
Bleeding
Time!!!

A proper tourer. Not something designed to look like one for people that don’t get any further than work and back.
Drop bars have no place on a tourer. 🙂

I have just seen they are doing a Ti Croix de Feu next year, it is bnloody expensive mind, but looks superb

I have just seen they are doing a Ti Croix de Feu next year

Interesting… got a link?

I’ve never had a ti bike, and whilst they appeal, you do hear a LOT about failed ti frames. I did a bit of googling last week after my mate (borrowing his dad’s Sabbath) split the seat tube clean in half! So much talk of (multiple) frame failures – it’s enough to put me off to be honest.

Is the Ti Croix going to be more expensive/better than the stainless steel one (which seems maybe a more reliable material). Saying that, I wonder if they’ll be similar levels of failure with 931/953/etc bikes once there are a few more about and they’ve had a good few years of use as these materials are also supposed to be hard to work with.

Are your kidding about the TDF 20??? That’s exactly what I did to my bike!!

Interesting… got a link?

I saw it in their new brochure when I went into the bike shop – It was only launched this week, it is bloody expensive (2K for frame and fork) at the moment, but not being launched as far as I know until later in the year and it may well come down in price.
The problem I had was it was more expensive than the Kinesis ATR which seems the reference one at the moment

Drop bars have no place on a tourer.

Well.. maybe not on yours? Personal stuff isn’t it. I wouldn’t want to ride flats for much more than 30 miles on a mountain bike, certainly not on a tourer.

Drop bars have no place on a tourer.

Bollocks. Just because you don’t like them doesn’t make them wrong.

Are your kidding about the TDF 20??? That’s exactly what I did to my bike!!

Did you change the frame geometry to make it flat bar friendly as well then? 🙂

I have just seen they are doing a Ti Croix de Feu next year, it is bnloody expensive mind, but looks superb

Does look nice. £3k with full carbon fork, hydraulic brakes, 105

Bollocks. Just because you don’t like them doesn’t make them wrong

Yeah it does. 🙂 They’re just wrong as proved by the high rise/short stems, stacks of spacers and niche flared bars us d by the riders in an attempt to get some comfort out of their lifestyle bike. I’ve toured on drop bars. Only once (and I was lightly loaded too) and never again!
I heard some advice for riders using cobbled roads in France and Belgium which boil d down to “use the drops or the flats, the hoods rip you to bits on the bumps” and it’s true. After 2 days I’d have let you scape my eyes out with a rusty spoon for something wider that let me spread my weight on my palms. The flats on 44cm bars were too narrow. I need about 660mm.
Also, whilst I’m at it, there’s other advantages. Cheaper shifters that won’t break in a crash, decent hydraulic brakes that don’t lock you into 11sp, more room to bolt bar bags and the like to, more leverage to control the weight with.
Now, there’s LOADS of drop bar tourers around. Hundreds maybe. Great. Fill yer boots! But I’m not the only one that doesn’t like them by a long chalk and I cannot find an off the shelf bike that suits me. There’s nothing available. I was actually seriously considering going custom to get what I want next year but I’m gonna take a long hard look at the 2016 TdF as from that brief spec sheet it’s almost perfect. I can sell my CdF and loose nothing in it, and combine my commuter and tourer into one bike by the looks of it……
And, for the record, I use risers. Deeply unfashionable 1in diameter 670mm wide, 50mm rise jump bars (to be precise) as my touring bars. I can ride all day, day after day, on them and still stop a 150kg plus loaded outfit (trailer…) from 40mph without issue. I’m not effing about with some spare pants and a credit card…! 🙂

Did you change the frame geometry to make it flat bar friendly as well then?

Why on earth would I need to do that? Drop bars off, flat bars on (580mm). Steers the same, no problem.

PP – Most people on here are driven by fashion and “the rules” and couldn’t possibly think for themselves and maybe realise that there are different ways to do things. I also think that a lot of people on here who think they are touring are really doing some sort of audax event or something, the ride write ups always talk about doing X amount of miles per day and packing light with the some new fancy bikepacking kit, but much less emphasis on the things they saw on the ride. Too busy hunched over their drops to do anything else other than sneer at me with my flat bars tootling along actually enjoying myself. 😉

On the continent the butterfly bars are unbelievably popular for touring, along with the flat bars. I almost bought some butterfly bars after trying them on someone’s else’s bike as they are amazing for touring BUT show a bike with some installed on here and you’d be ridiculed.

Why on earth would I need to do that?

Well I don’t know if you’ve looked at many bicycles but those designed for drop handlebars tend to have much shorter top tubes than the equivalent size to one designed for flat bars. Surprised you haven’t needed a longer stem when you switched to flat bars but if it works for you then all good 🙂

Too busy hunched over their drops to do anything else other than sneer at me with my flat bars tootling along actually enjoying myself.

I pootle along enjoying the scenery whatever bicycle I’m riding, flat bar or drops 🙂

still stop a 150kg plus loaded outfit (trailer…)

I could move house with less load on my bike 😀

Bar / grip etc choice is really personal and that’s one thing I really like about touring bikes, there’s no ‘industry norm’ that pushes people to feel that they need a certain set-up. What one person finds comfy another can’t use and bikes are built for suitability not fashion. Thumbs up to that. I find risers/flats uncomfortable for multi-day riding and believe that a loaded bike can handle well with any type of bar as long as it was designed well with those bars in mind.

Top marks to Genesis for fitting the SP hub as standard, that’s one thing I think every tourer would agree on : )

I also think that a lot of people on here who think they are touring are really doing some sort of audax event or something, the ride write ups always talk about doing X amount of miles per day and packing light with the some new fancy bikepacking kit, but much less emphasis on the things they saw on the ride

Some do get caught up in ‘measured achievement’, yes. It’s all touring of sorts though and there’s a lot of people doing their thing that don’t feel the need to do write ups. Categorisation is BS in all this. Some people like to go fast, some people look at the views. Some people take pictures and gaze at dawn skies while racing multi-day stuff. Attitudes vary as much as the bikes or luggage and who’s to say what they appreciate and how or why?

There’s probably tourers looking down their nose at set ups like mine and suggesting that they know my attitude and what I get out of my rides just like there are cliquey roadies who think my saddle bag and bar-end shifters make me a Fred. It’s just people identifying with a style they approve of then protecting their own image of what they are imo.

Most people on here are driven by fashion and “the rules” and couldn’t possibly think for themselves and maybe realise that there are different ways to do things.

[quote]Too busy hunched over their drops to do anything else other than sneer at me with my flat bars tootling along actually enjoying myself.[/quote]My hypocrit-ometer just exploded!! What about if people actually enjoy riding fast, on a lightly loaded nicely handling bike, and want to do it in a variety of new & interesting places? Is that allowed? Besides, they can always safely pull over and stop to enjoy a nice view, probably safer than gawping instead of watching the road and riding under a tractor or something…

Cheaper shifters that won’t break in a crash, decent hydraulic brakes that don’t lock you into 11sp

My barend shifters are cheap and my full hydraulic drop bar brakes don’t care how many gears I’ve got 🙂

simondbarnes – Member

The drop handlebar Tour de Fer has been dropped for 2016 as they felt it overlapped with the Croix de Fer too much.

Genius.

Design a brilliant bike.
Sell it at a price that undercuts it’s only competitor by a third.
Watch it sell out quickly.
Drop it.

I am now more convinced than ever that the marketing people at Genesis are losing it.

They’ve offered multiple versions of everything for years – but never a dedicated, off the shelf tourer.
It’s a ridiculous decision.

I tour on flats at the mo, on an old MTB.
It’s great, but I do find drops more versatile and comfortable on the road.

Why not offer both flat and drop options?
They would both be excellent bikes suited a slightly different customer.

And add a bit of sanity to an otherwise confusing and unfocused range.

robdob – Member

PP – Most people on here are driven by fashion and “the rules” and couldn’t possibly think for themselves

I almost bought some butterfly bars after trying them on someone’s else’s bike as they are amazing for touring BUT show a bike with some installed on here and you’d be ridiculed.

😀

Don’t be so soft, if you like them, buy them.
🙂

We look daft enough already.

And add a bit of sanity to an otherwise confusing and unfocused range.

I see your point but you have to admit they always sell out of their bikes, people seem to love them and you don’t see them 2nd hand much, so they must be doing something right!

Don’t be so soft, if you like them, buy them.
We look daft enough already.

I would have done but I wasn’t sure if my bar bag would fit on them, then I got some flat bars for £4 so thought “maybe later”.

Rob, similar issues here with butterfly bars.

I wanted to like them, but found the alternative positions less than ideal.
You can buy alternative bar bag mounts, but I’ve stuck with flats (well, risers, but you get the point).

If you do give them a go, let us know how you get on.

The bike I tried with them on I found that rather than grab the bars normally a really good position was to have your hands flat over them, was really comfy. A friend of mine swears by them and won’t use anything else on his touring/cruising type bikes.

Current bar set up:

PX fleegle bars covered in foam grip with Dura Ace/Paul Components shifters. I was desperately trying to get a comfy position as my neck/shoulder is bad coming up to my C2C. This was very comfy but I couldn’t really use the central position next to the stem which I normally like for cruising as the bars bend forwards next to the stem. Looking for some 15 degree bars now.