Despite nursing another slipped disc and facing a year of not actually getting any serious miles in, I’m still window shopping a Genesis Datum build after seeing the new Genesis Catalogue.

Unfortunately the aftermarket frameset is only black on black and I don’t really fancy the D12 build pictured above, in fact for less money could build a lighter build with arguably better parts (full mechanical ultegra w/hydro discs, handbuilt wheels etc).

Just wondering if anyone has had any experiences with these bikes yet? Interested in the frame only weight in particular, as I’m also considering the Kinesis 4S disc which does much the same job but with a threaded BB.

Will be getting my Datum 10 this week, good luck getting hold of a frame, i work for a Genesis dealer and have had one in order for the best part of 3 months and still no ETA for it to arrive hence the decision to move away from the frameset to a complete bike. I’ve given one a quick spin and it felt very nice, ultra smooth, stable and the geometry felt spot on to me. Be careful with sizing, I originally had a large on order as this is what size I was with a 2015 equilibrium, but with Genesis’ new geometry on all their bikes I had to go for a medium. Still works out as 56cm frame and fits well but worth keeping an eye on none the less. The 4S is a bit of different bike tbh. A colleague has one and it’s a very nice bike but has nowhere near as much tyre clearance and as such IMO is no where near as versatile. I’ll hopefully be using the Datum as a proper all-rounder; fast on the road, great for fast commutes and also dabble with a bit of light CX/gravel work so it should be ideal for that. I wouldn’t use a 4S for that, I’d be looking at a Crosslight or Tripster as an equivilant really. If you just plan on riding on the road though the 4S would be a worthy alternative and able to take panniers as well, depends what you want from the bike I guess! As an MTBer first and foremost I’m not overly bothered by the lack of pannier mounts on the datum, I’ve always used a rucksack for commuting and a hydration pack on the MTB.

Both are great bikes, but both have their positives and negatives in equal measure. Expect a reasonably long wait for the Datum though as I say.

The new 4S disc will take 32 mm tyres with mudguards according to their website. It’s a very tempting frame.

The 4S has caught my eye. Cheaper than the Ti and steel bling that has been distracting me in recent months….

Having spent the past couple of months blasting about my local bridleways on an oldish Pro5 I am very impressed with my first experience of a kinesis frame.

32mm tyres and guards on a 4S would be damn tight, my colleague is running 25c Durano’s on his and it’s looks very tight, certainly no where near as much clearance as the Datum. It does ride beautifully though I have to admit, geometry is on the more racey side but its smooth and if its built anything like as well as my old Maxlight it will be tough as old boots!

Road CC have voted the Datum Sportive Bike Of The Year

Hmm, I guess the extra tyre width would be reason enough to pay the extra, I doubt I’d ever be doing anything that required any wider than a 32 (or rather, if I was doing anything that really needed bigger than a 32 I’d hopefully have a suspended MTB, creaky wrists don’t fancy properly lumpy off-road without suspension any more!) but having the option would be useful.

Thinking of a 7 day Norwegian road tour with one awesome looking shortcut that would require something a little sturdier than a 25mm road tyre…

An Ultegra build (mechanical, not Di2) with discs, on either the 4S Disc or the Datum, would come in around the same weight as my middle of the road Synapse but with added versatility.

I’ve got a frame on order too- with 18 Bikes, I hope they come through by the end of the month as I’ve already bought a groupset and hubs.
I’ve gone for full mechanical Ultegra with Hydraulic brakes, DT 240 rear hub from ebay, SP PD8 hub and will be getting the wheels built with SL25 rims.

If the rumours are true that the frames will come months after the bikes then I might have to send the groupset back to Merlin and then put my own wheels on a 20 Build.

I haven’t tested one but went with a Med as it’s within 1mm effective toptube length of my current bike.

Ha, much the same build as I’ve been considering Happy, hard to be too imaginative with this sort of stuff I guess although I’m considering the Shimano CX75 hubs as I love the idea of cup and cone bearings and the new adjustment system is super easy to use. Also wondering if it’s really worth spending £130 extra on some Carbon Syntace handlebars or just stick with the aluminium ones for a tiny weight penalty, I’m thinking maybe stick with the aluminium.

Just trying to figure out a way to jazz up that black on black frame, some lurid bar tape with matching saddle might be the only way 🙁

Last time I checked framesets were due in mid-Feb, though when I cancelled my order it still said mid January on my order, so who knows frankly! I was all set for a framesets but having had both the 20 and 10 full bikes built up I actually preferred the red and to make matters better the red was in my size which is more than I could say for the black one! (It was an XL). Genesis have probably been pretty cagey with numbers, it’s the first year of the bike so it was always going to happen, GT were the same with the grade last year, numbers are much better this year. Expect to have bigger production runs for MY2017, but for now they are very hard to come by.

I’m not going to jazz up the black, going for the stealth look with some red touches. I wouldn’t bother with carbon road bars, they don’t seem much lighter than aluminium but more pricey and fragile. Their own bar actually looks interesting, I’ve ridden a GT Grade with flared bars and it was really comfy.

I got an email from Genesis today confirming mid February for frames.

Nice, update us with a frame weight and pics when you get it please! 8)

Maybe this thread can eventually rival that monster Tripster ATR thread… 😀