Genesis Vagabond - anyone got one?

There was a hugely positive test in Cycling Plus a few months ago - along the lines of 'this is a bike that'd keep me happy for the rest of my life'.

Going for a sit on one before I order my Disc Trucker, wheel/toe overlap being a concern for me on a small frame.

Oh, knowing Genesis, they'll drop it next year because it doesn't fit in with some marketing person's 'brand image'.
See the drop bar Tour de Fer, Ridgeback Panorama Deluxe etc etc.......

Thanks. I'll try and get hold of the Cycling Plus review.

Looks interesting, and less hassle than bodging your own monstercross.

With 2 sets of wheels it could do most things, with not a huge amount of compromise anywhere, perfect for covering the miles if your local trails are a bit tame (and a road ride away).

Been looking at this recently also, have the High Latitude 20 but thinking of changing for something like this.

Any joy on finding the review?

I haven't got the magazine anymore.

I did go and have a look at one in Keep Pedalling in Manchester on Friday.

Stock, they seem great for offroad - they look like an MTB 29'er with drops on.

The frame looks very substantial - lots of gussets and thick tubes.
I believe it's quite a weighty frame, but looks bombproof.
Loads of tyre room too.

Most importantly, it's in the same shade of Blue as the first Grifters.
🙂

Would have cost too much to adapt it for my needs, but it looks like a great bike for the cash.

Thinking of getting the frameset and then porting over what I currently have.

Just that the MTB front fork is locked all the time and the geo might be better on the vagabond...

The frame looks very substantial - lots of gussets and thick tubes.
I believe it's quite a weighty frame, but looks bombproof.
Loads of tyre room too

Frame and fork 3.88kg

But still lighter than the 725 Tour de fer 3.90 kg

and nearly the same as Croix de Fer frame and forks 3.83kg

Sugesting that the tubes in the 725 bike aren't much thinner. Presumably the dropped top tube of the Vagabond has saved the odd gram

Still tempted buy this as well. Which is now inside the cycle to work scheme limit

[img] [/img]

Same concerns as the OP on toe overlap, not that i'm small, (6') but I'd like to be able to run 42c slicks and fenders ideally. Going to have a look at one in bike UK in a couple of weeks hopfully. Back up plan is to go with a 26" LHT and transfer over bits from my current daily ride, but this looks ;ike a more versatile if more expensive option (still looks damn good value to me).

Shame they dropped the segmented fork from the prototype, looks gorgeous.

[img] [/img]

Shame they dropped the segmented fork from the prototype, looks [s]gorgeous[/s] like it's been crashed into a wall already

FIFY.

I did look at a TdF20 as well.
A no brainer if the flat bar appeals.
It's a very dull colour though.
Practical, but it doesn't set the heart racing.

Just looked at the Spesh AWOL bikes again.... damn..

The Vagabond looks great. Steel, rigid, tons of tyre clearance, braze-ons for useful stuff. It's like a drop bar version of the first longitude, but without the longness.

FIFY

No accounting for taste, that's a Pacenti crown dontchaknow.

Just looked at the Spesh AWOL bikes again.... damn..

How do you reckon they compare? Seem pretty comparable with this year's spec of 10speed on the AWOL.

Got them in at work. They look great in the flesh and yes they are a little bit lardy but not overly so. Rides fine in the car park test. The AWOL is also a lovely looking bike in the flesh and again rides well. I've got a soft spot for Genesis though (I own 3 of them now).

IMHO the AWOL is a sort of touring bike with a nod to off road

Its tyres to 50mm. Good for a touring bike but not MTB territory

But for me the lowest ratio is crazy. For me riding off road with a loaded bike needs MTB ratios, The AWOL gets:

Base model 30x32 lowest ratio. That is poor for a triple but you can I believe get a 26 on that chainset, But you'll still have a 40 middle ring

The next one up (Elite) gets a compact chainset so it 34x34 with not much option to go lower

Then we get the COMP which is 1x11. Bottom gear is 38x42. The 110 BCD chainset will take a 34 chain ring but no lower.

The range toping evo gets 32x36 as the lowest ratio. So I'm wrong you can get a 32 tooth 110 BCD chainring

Any way to me that is an odd set of gearing for off road touting

The vagabond get 28x36 bottom gear but with an MTB chainset going lower will be easy

I have a mate with an AWOL, 2013/14 one. He's a hefty chap and the bike suits him well, whether winter road stuff, some quiet road highland touring with panniers, or some gentle off road. It's pretty chunky, but it doesn't pretend to be a lightweight gravel/adventure bike.

I'm not sure I could get used to the bar end shifters on the Vagabond, I've got too used to STI shifting on my road/off-road bike.

I'm tempted by the Cotic Escapade but the rear dropout arrangement puts me off.

DP sorry.

If there's clearance, you could chuck a triple on the Vagabond very cheaply.

AWOL is odd.
Lovely bikes with gearing that just doesn't suit it.
Brifters aren't cheap to replace, either.

Very cheap in the sales though, as are the Croix de Fers.

was just about to post similar to Ampthill, on the face of it the Vagabond looks very similar tot he AWOL, but with more off-road biased gearing and slightly more rubber clearance. To be fair though the granny ring can go down to 26/24 on the AWOL for ~£15 so it's not much of an issue, but I do think it probably should have been specced with a 26/36/46 or maybe even a 26/38/48 as stock.

EDIT - as Rusty says: "Lovely bikes with gearing that just doesn't suit it."

I can get 2-2.1 inch 29er tyres in my AWOL (sans-guards), you'd struggle to fit anything bigger, 42c with guards is easy though and as an all surface tourer it is brilliant.

Depends on your bias really, I think the Vagabond looks great, especially if you're intending to use it offroad a bit more, but I do love my AWOL... 🙂

Personally I like the STI's, but if you prefer bar-end shifters have a look at the Trek 920, it looks a bit quirky but it's actually a really really good bike with sensible spec, a proper 29er MTB with drops style bike (28x36 bottom gear too) and if you like the looks I think it's ace!

[b]beanum[/b] I'm tempted by the Cotic Escapade but the rear dropout arrangement puts me off.

I have a geared roadrat with the same dropouts have never felt they are a problem. The technique for removing the wheel is different but I wouldn't say it's any harder. On the rear mudguard stays I fitted some sks break-away mounts so it can be popped out to let the wheel out.

The cotic has much less tyre clearance (cotic say 1.75 but it's 1.4/40c with a bit of mud clearance), which is what draws me to the Genesis.

I was looking at these before getting my CX/Gravel bike and I came to the conclusion that it was a basically a cheaper alternative to the Salsa Fargo.

Not that is a bad thing at all.

The AWOL that Specialized did last year with Poler (pic below) I thought looked great. I think it's the Orange!

[img] [/img]

If you wanted a bike for disappearing off for a few months to dog knows where, then you could do a lot worse than the Fargo/Vagabond/AWOL.

Though I'm not sure how I feel bout Hydro disks on a bike that might go to the back of beyond, not so easily bodgeable as cable disks.

Not sure if it's my inner grumpy hermit but I find bikes like this much more exciting than the latest Carbon uber bike.

I'm not sure I could get used to the bar end shifters on the Vagabond, I've got too used to STI shifting on my road/off-road bike.

I very much thought this when building up my Tour de Fer. In the end I went for it and get on absolutely fine with the bar end shifters.

Thanks [b]busta[/b], that's good to know. I had the original RoadRat with the slide in dropout/hanger and that was a PITA to change a puncture.

It looks fantastic, really wanted to get a Fargo but Salsa just doubled the frameset prices, but this looks like a great option. Does anyone know what the maximum tyre clearance is? If only it could fit 29+....

It looks fantastic, really wanted to get a Fargo but Salsa just doubled the frameset prices, but this looks like a great option. Does anyone know what the maximum tyre clearance is? If only it could fit 29+....

Isn't 29+ quite big?

They do this for 650b+. But aimed designed for flat bars

[img] [/img]

But I can't see any rack mounts

Does anyone know what the maximum tyre clearance is?

On the Vagabond? I really wouldn't want more that the 2.1 it comes with in the rear. Lots more space on the front. I'll try and get some pics.

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1659/24626178295_90aa1e962c_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1659/24626178295_90aa1e962c_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Dw8AQX ]Vagabond rear[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/simondbarnes/ ]Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1593/24600040846_47e4ecea86_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1593/24600040846_47e4ecea86_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/DtPD6h ]Vagabond rear 2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/simondbarnes/ ]Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1579/24517875982_de6cae1bb2_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1579/24517875982_de6cae1bb2_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/DmywkG ]Vagabond front[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/simondbarnes/ ]Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr

How's your Tour de Fer Simon?
Still loving it?

And ask your brother to start a thread on his new build will ya?
🙂

How's your Tour de Fer Simon?
Still loving it?

It's hibernating. Out again in Spring 🙂

And ask your brother to start a thread on his new build will ya?

I'll struggle to do that, I haven't got a brother 🙂

Ah, sorry, I haven't got my hearing aid in.
🙂

looks very similar to the fargo........good to use with drops, no good with any other bar combo's imho.
fargo was ace apart from that problem for me.

Just put in an order for a frameset, shop said it should arrive at the end of Febuary. I'm mainly looking for massive tyre clearance, gonna put 41c knards on with full guards, perfect for horrible potholed wet roads. It'll likely spend the majority of it's time on the road, but the attraction of being able to ride almost anywhere is very appealing.

Wow, that front clearance is good! I'll forgo the fancy fork crown for that! 2.1 will be plenty at the rear anyway.

29+ is larger than 29er diameter, so that'd screw the geo up. If you must have plus sized tyres and drops, Rawland Ulv will be coming out later this year, very spendy though, also Salsa Deadwood, same applies though.

AWOL could be a good alternative, but as someone has pointed out, more road orientated and no cheaper.

for those doubting the bar end shifters, you could always try the Genevalle GX shifters, like a thumbie on the front of the brake lever. If I get one of these I'll probably try some on it.

If anyone's looking for a vagabond , highlandbikes.com have 15% off L or XL in stock . That looks pretty good discount for a 2016 bike . They're showing pretty good stock of Genesis and other brands at 15% off 2016 stock in January . I'm nothing to do with them, just noticed while looking at something else. Also if anyone's looking cyclewise.co.uk are showing a 56cm 2015 Tour de Fer in stock for £764 .

Could some one educate me a little I need to understand if its possible to put my tiagra sti's on to this frame as i don,t care for the barend shifters.

It's got a 10 speed MTB mech and cassette.
Any type of Shim 10 speed road shifter should work fine with the cassette.
You'd have to change the rear mech for a 9 speed though.

Your front shifter should be fine with a
road front mech which should work OK with an MTB or road style double chainset, but I have no idea if the frame is designed for clearance for a triple front chainset.

I am not a mechanic BTW.
🙂

If you do buy one, can I have first refusal on your bar end shifters?
😀

Those vagabond shifters BS-M10s - they're the ones designed to work with a 10 speed MTB mech in index mode aren't they? (Compared with the BS-A10 ones, which are road bar ends and would need a 9s MTB rear mech to work in index mode - i fink).

Yes.
Can't find a pair aftermarket at the mo.

Just out of interest, does anyone know if 11 speed MTB cassettes will index with 11 speed road shifters?
If so, a 9 speed mech would still work.

Rusty - try Charlie the Bikemonger for the MS BS-M10s. They are on his website but say out of stock, but I got an email the other day that said they were back in.

Thank you!

Are there any happy owners of the Large or XLarge Vagabonds here? Any chance of confirmation of the ETT, please?

Cheers,
T

Cupra, I've found the magazine if you still want it.

It's been down the back of the workbench in the garage, but as long as you're okay with mouse piss it's yours.
Don't lick your finger to turn the pages, okay?
🙂

Alternatively, I'm prepared to read it out over the phone.
Usual Equity fees apply.

Dp.