I want to build something utilitarian that hopefully encourages me ride instead of taking the car a bit more. Also I’m to be a Dad in September so I’m thinking something like this would be good for ‘Dad biking’, pedalling along railway lines/tow paths etc with a childseat/trailer. Basically I was inspired by PeterPoddy’s Tour de fer build:

Anyway, I popped into my local Edinburgh bikes the other day and took a TdF out for a spin and then figured in the interests of comparison I should try a Croix de Fer too. The TdF felt ok but very sit up and beg, quite laid back, I assumed this was down to the riser bars, steerer stack and stem rise. The CdF by comparison felt great, really nice and racy. I understand this is stating the obvious given one is a touring bike and the other is a CX bike – I suppose my question is how much can I change the feel of the TdF by changing out the bar/stem setup and how much is inherent in the frame design? I like the idea of longer stays to stop heel strike on panniers but I’d like to be a bit more head down when cutting about town.

Quick look at the geo of the 2 frames (in medium):
– Horizontal top tube length (mm): TdF – 561, CdF – 578
– Head angle: TdF – 71.5, CdF – 71
– Fork Rake (mm): TdF – 50, CdF – 55
– Reach (mm): TdF – 385, CdF – 395

I want to do frame only build and I’ve got lots of bits sat around that I could experiment with, I just wanted to see what folk on her reckoned about the differences between the two.

Very flattered! 🙂
I’ve actually got both – 2016 TdF and 2015 CdF 10
To be honest it depends on how often you’re actually going to ride with a load I guess, and if you prefer drops or flats (I don’t like touring on drops for a number of reasons)
My CdF is certainly the faster bike and makes the better commuter. It’ll take a load for sure and I did once convert it into a flat bar tourer when my previous bike cracked 2 weeks before a tour…… And I did do a 300 mile tour round Belgium on it too. But it’s not as as good for that as the TdF, unsurprisingly. My CdF is the cheaper tubing and the TdF is 725 and I think it’s got a more refined ride as a result, it always feels like a perky steel bike no matter what I do with it. The CdF is a lot more solid and dead feeling.
I was coming back from town today on the TdF with panniers full of shopping and I though to myself that it actually rides better with a load on TBH. You’re not going to be going fast with a kiddie trailer on the back…..
Basically, if you want to go quicker and not be loaded up, get a CdF. If you’re actually going touring or need that load capability, get a TdF
Some wider flared drops and a higher stem (I wouldn’t go longer) would work well on a CdF I think. I actually went higher and shorter by 10mm with the stem on my TdF than Genesis fit to the full bike because I want it to feel laid back.

EDIT
Also, remember it’s lot easier to fit hydraulic brakes to a flat bar bike. The TRPs on the CdF aren’t anywhere near as powerful as the LX Trekking brakes I’ve got on the TdF

Haven’t ridden a TdF but am on my 2nd CdF, this time a 2015 CdF30. The CdF is nowhere near a CX bike, much more relaxed and touring/allround orientated. I had an old Jake the Snake 08 and replaced it with a CdF in 2012 and immediately realised the difference between a racy CX bike and the Genesis setup.

Yeah this seems to be what it comes down to, I need to think out how much I’d actually use it fully loaded up, which is probably not all that much. I’ve got a ’09 Jake at the moment and I was basically wanting to move to something with discs and full rack mounts, I was thinking that MTB gearing would be more what I want too…

I’ve got a ’09 Jake at the moment

Why not keep that for solo riding? I’m sure the rim brakes are fine….

wanting to move to something with discs and full rack mounts, I was thinking that MTB gearing would be more what I want too…

Both have the mounts.
Gearing – I’m using a Shimano CX chainset (46/34) on the CdF, I junked the cheap FSA before I even built the bike up and 50/34 is pointless on a bike like that. I could ride the 8 miles to work with a 100m climb each way in the big ring on an 11-32 cassette.
The TdF wears full MTB gearing, no messing. 11-34, 22/32/44. At 18mph on the flat with a nice even cadence I’ve got 2 gears left, but I never want to run out of low gears..!

it all comes down to what feels comfy and use. I use my CdF more for winter road and touring than off road :

Been turning this over in my head too. Currently have an Equilibrium, which is nice to ride, but I want discs and the ability to carry some weight (Equilibrium isn’t great with rack and panniers) or put a child seat on.

I’ve been tempted by the CDF frameset and would port over my Rival groupset and get some TRP Spyres. I wonder if the TDF is the more practical option though – hydraulic discs being the main one…. but then I do like drops… hmm…

but then I do like drops

I did drops & hydraulic brakes on a TDF. Not sure how the current TDF would be with drops though.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HUfGV4]Bowness on Windermere[/url] by Simon Barnes, on Flickr

Not sure how the current TDF would be with drops though.

It’s probably too long for drops. The CdF is certainly a bit short for flats!
The reason the new TdF has flats is because Genesis had 2 VERY similar bikes in their range the year before, they were confusingly close

Iainc are those axiom panniers?
If so how do you rate them, thinking of a set for my cdf

Quick look at the geo of the 2 frames (in medium):
– Horizontal top tube length (mm): TdF – 561, CdF – 578
– Head angle: TdF – 71.5, CdF – 71
– Fork Rake (mm): TdF – 50, CdF – 55
– Reach (mm): TdF – 385, CdF – 395

health warning

The bar and stem of a drop bar bike mean you less “reach” than a flat bar bike for the same riding postion

There are very few of these rigid bikes with low gears like the TDF. Most hybrids tend to have more road orientated gearing

But Evans do this in AL

Kona do this

Reach is 405 on the Kona 402 on the Pinnacle. So a bit longer

Fudge – they are Ortlieb back roller plus ones – really good, easy to get on and off and totally waterproof. At 25l each I have never filled them, but I like not having a bar bag which was part of the reason for going for them

Thanks for all the comments/suggestions everyone, I can convince myself either way! Maybe I just need to flip a coin (or buy 2 different bikes!) I guess I buying the bike to try and open up doing more stuff but what I’m not sure 😕

For ‘Dad biking’ just get a basic mtb.

Dad biking is about having something stable you can attach a seat to / trail gator. A road bike variation is not that. Nice comfy tyres, wide flat tyres etc.

Oh and take up running because you won’t have time for biking

simondbarnes – that looks nice! So, in theory, could the older style TDF do drops or flats (with suitable stem/spacer variation obviously)?

FunkyDunc – I’m already a year into ‘dadtrackworld’. I’ve managed the odd short ride, but like you say running has been the quickest and easiest exercise. Looking forward to getting out on the bike now he’s a year old though.

I do have some Salsa cromotos, so may just put those and some chunky slicks on the Soul and use that for towpath and bridleway bimbles.

simondbarnes – that looks nice! So, in theory, could the older style TDF do drops or flats (with suitable stem/spacer variation obviously)?

It was designed for drops but have seen people run them with flats

Cycle Gear in Halifax had a couple of the drop bar TdF’s left a month or so ago.
Very cheap too.

I think Peter’s brother has one running a flat bar, he’s posted quite a bit about it.

I think Peter’s brother has one running a flat bar, he’s posted quite a bit about it.

He’s got a drop bar TdF with flats on it yes. He likes it as it’s shorter and helps with his neck problem. When I did the same to mine I fitted some bar ends to account for the shortness and I’m glad I did as I spent most of the time in them!