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Genius Ultra Hardtail

40 posts & 18 voices | Started 2 years ago by mickster | Latest reply from stolen_by_bonvelot.net

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mickster - Member

Hi,
Came accross the Genius Ultra Hardtail on CRC. It looks pretty cool.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=41724

Does anyone have any experiences or views of this bike. The spec looks excellent value for the money. Looks more than capable of handling street style, local trails and trail centres. I'm after a tough hardtail as a playbike (I've got an Attack Trail for bigger stuff in the Peaks) but custom build Summer Seasons and Blue Pigs are coming in at between £1,300 and £1,600 for SLX builds with 140mm Pikes or Talas RLC. I know they're both longer forks than 120mm but the Fox F-32 RL on the Ultra is supposed to be an excellent fork. I could stretch to £1,400 for the Summer Season. But at half the price for the Ultra, do I really need to?

Cheers,
Mick

Posted 2 years ago #
khani - Member

nice kit on that for the money, 120mm is ok on a summer season, buy both and swap the parts over, you may need a new headset, seatpost, front mech but you can sell the bits left over and it will be cheaper than the other options

Posted 2 years ago #
wwaswas - Member

agree, worth the money to just treat it as a donor frame if you don't like how it rides.

Posted 2 years ago #
khani - Member

£799 bike+£153 ss frame+ £100 random bits=£1052 plus bits to sell will be around a grand for a summer season bike with a decent spec

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

mines in the post. if you google the bike it is pretty illusive, although purchased as a donor, im excited to see what it can offer!

Posted 2 years ago #
mickster - Member

I may well use it as a doner. I'd be interested to see what you think of yours when it arrives Willurd. especially the frame!

Posted 2 years ago #
seth-enslow666 - Member

Good spec looks better than a summer season I bet the frame is a fair bit lighter too!

Posted 2 years ago #
mickster - Member

I'd expect so as it's aluminium. Personally I prefer steel or would have considered the mmmbop (still might) which looks awesome for the money!!

Posted 2 years ago #
Mary Hinge - Member

Had a quick look following the original post, and was about to say it's worth it for the parts.

Then I read the later posts.

Serious kit. Even XT brakes!

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

yea, will post up some pics, and give you my impressions on the frame when it arrives. unfortunately i got the medium frame, and being short, im not going to be able to give it the correct ride assessment. i bought it on the large side to ensure cable and fork length for when i dissect it for a cotic soul. we will see. im intrigued, as there is very little, if not anything about the bike on the web. genius appear to be a large road bike manufacturer, my guess is, for 2009 they decided to diversify into the mtb market and produce a range of hardtails(3 by the looks of it). hence the reason for the expensive components. not 2010 models, dont know what that says about the frames...

Posted 2 years ago #
mtbtomo - Member

Mine has been delivered today but I'm not at home to have a look till tomorrow...

How bad can the frame be? Generic alloy frames are better than they've ever been and the kit level alone makes it worthwhile. I think there's way too much hype on popular branded frames anyhow! First ride will be Saturday morning!

Posted 2 years ago #
NW Alps Jeyer aka Boz - Member

Its almost worth buying one of those and stripping it for selling the parts on ebay....

Posted 2 years ago #
psychle - Member

would you make anything though?

• Frame: Genius Alloy 7005 frameset - £100 inc headset?
• Fork: F-32 RL, Fox Air Fork - £250?
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT - £30?
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT - £20?
• Shifters: Shimano Deore XT rapid fire - £30?
• Crankset: Shimano SLX - £50?
• Chain: KMC HG53 9 speed - £10?
• Cassette: Shimano HG50 - £10?
• Brakes: XT Hydraulic Disc Brake - £135?
• Wheelset: XT hibs + DT 445 rims + tyres - £100?
• Pedals: Shimano M505 Clipless Pedal - £10?
• H.Bar/Stem: Titec Hellbent Riser - £15
• Seat Post: Titec Hellbent - £10?
• Saddle: Titec Hellbent Nemesis - £25?
• Grips: Titec Dualies - £10

total = £805... maybe £900 if you're lucky?

could be well out with my estimates of course

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

mtbtomo, make sure you post a pic. have a bad feeling mine wont arrive until after the weekend now! the suspense is killing me!

Posted 2 years ago #
NW Alps Jeyer aka Boz - Member

Maybe not then....

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

mtbtomo... so its arrived??

Posted 2 years ago #
mtbtomo - Member

Cor, its like being the popular kid at school this

Just got home, from a peek in the box it looks "just as it says on the tin" - will unpack and post photos later!

Posted 2 years ago #
timc - Member

got s lsrge didnt you? rough idea of steerer lenght?

Posted 2 years ago #
mtbtomo - Member

Right here it is, some photos:-

It's a medium. Weighs about 25.5lb without pedals on the digital bath scales. Headtube is pretty long and measuring from top of the crown to the top of the stem is 230mm, so steerer slightly less than that.

The front brake pulls straight to the bar and needs a bleed, the back isn't much better. The fork lock out needs fitting to the bars and the brake hose holder on the fork is missing. But none of that is a big deal, its supplied pretty much as it would be to a shop, and needs fettling.

Riding tomorrow morning but so far it looks like a real bargain. Get one and avoid all this b*llocks about rising material prices being the reason for poorly specced overpriced bikes!!?

Posted 2 years ago #
mtbtomo - Member

Photos didn't seem to work...trying again

Posted 2 years ago #
mtbtomo - Member

Oh and no comments on the untidy kitchen

Posted 2 years ago #
mtbtomo - Member

Well, I'd be interested in knowing what other people think of the way it rides....

Having just been out on it, it feels very short and upright compared to my Trek Fuel Ex. Upright to the point of feeling like I'm using odd muscles pedalling up hill. Hard work uphill. A bit of an enigma because its fairly light but I just couldn't get it going fast uphill.

Down hill it felt much better and fairly lively on singletrack.

Going to try and lengthen and lower the cockpit, but it felt like the pedals were in an odd position compared to the saddle, and I set it up so I was in a fairly standard position. The effective top tube is at a push somewhere between 22 - 22.5", don't know if this is exceptionally short for a 'medium'?

Posted 2 years ago #
epicsteve - Member

The stem looks like it's got a lot of rise on, so it could perhaps do with a zero degree stem, and perhaps a bit longer.

TT sounds a bit shorter than most of my bikes (which are all mediums) - I tend to find I like 22.5+. Might be worth pushing the saddle back as far as it goes as well.

What works for me with TT length/saddle position is if I rest my elbow touching the front of the saddle my fingertips should be somewhere touching the top bolt, or a bit back from that. Anything further forward feels too short for me.

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

awesome, thanks for that. well mines not arrived today, so monday it shall be!

Posted 2 years ago #
mtbtomo - Member

I actually turned the stem over to lower the bars before I rode it. I had the saddle set so my knee cap was above the pedal axle with the cranks horizontal which I thought was a fairly standard place to start. Going to check the length. It'd be a shame if the geometry is inherently iffy, cos it felt pretty nimble downhill and for an alu frame reasonably compliant out back.

Going to take some of the spacers out, and maybe a 10mm longer stem. I've never ridden such an upright bike as it is now. Bizarre. I hope the slow going up hill was the bike and not just too many pies

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

BAH! I DO DISLIKE THE FOLK AT PARCELFORCE!

was expecting delivery yesterday of this fine bargain yesterday after opting for a 48hour parcelforce express. nothing, so called up, and was told that is was 'missorted'(durrr), and expect delivery today, no cigar. apparently it was sent towards leeds(completely the wrong direction) on another 48hour service. well i was fuming with them, i have been eagerly waiting for this bit of kit, and was meant to be a 48hour service has now become at least 96hours. SHOCKING, and the guys that work at the depots, useless wining robots.

Now what can i do, if i had paid for the service(it was free with CRC), i would insist on a refund on the post, so apart from writing a in a formal complained about the crappy service, there is not much i can do. CRC couldnt have really cared either. any recommendations?

maybe tomorrow, but im not holding my breath.

PARCELFORCE, no PARCELFARCE

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

quoting the parcelfarce tracking

Date Time Location Tracking Event
02-02-2010 17:47 National Hub Sorted in hub
01-02-2010 16:26 York Depot On route to hub
01-02-2010 09:56 York Depot Rerouted to correct depot
01-02-2010 09:56 York Depot Parcel missorted
30-01-2010 00:53 York Depot Arrived at delivery depot
28-01-2010 16:43 Belfast Central Depot On route to hub

Posted 2 years ago #
motivforz - Member

http://bonvelo.net/index.php

found the above site which stocks genius bikes, site looks a bit dodgy, not entirely sure, company based in Indonesia. Significantly undercuts CRC on the ultra and pro though. What do you think? Worth the risk on credit card for a bit of safety? also customs charges to bear in mind. thoughts please.

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

its a risk, but could well pay off. got mine through eventually today, will post pics tmr...

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

here she is...

Posted 2 years ago #
mtbtomo - Member

Just let us know what you think when you've ridden it Willurd!

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

not really had the opportunity to give it my full attention. but on first impression im not overly impressed with the way it rides... like you mention, very upright; found it an awkward ride especially in the snow when shifting my weight for traction. the headtube is huge. as for the spec, mine was received as expected, and my brakes need sorting also. so very happy knowing its a bike for parts rather then a bike to ride!

Posted 2 years ago #
anotherstan - Member

err...what's with the perspex panel on the front door?

...oh, and yes, it looks like an ideal donor bike, but maybe not a keeper

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

haha, well noticed! it was to prevent our old dog rupert from scratching the paintwork...

Posted 2 years ago #
willurd - Member

any ideas what i can do with the frame once i have whacked a soul on in replacement. the obvious option is to ebay it, but really, will it sell?

Posted 2 years ago #