Anyone care to share their Genesis Equilibrium builds?

Still day dreaming about my next build, really liked the look of the stock Equilibrium Disc 30 model, but have realised deep down that I would still rather not have discs, and want to stick with non-disc wheels (I like the bearing adjustment and stiffness of the new Shimano Ultegras).

Turns out I can build a lighter and cheaper non-disc Equilibrium using an Ultegra groupset, Ultegra wheels, Conti 4seasons/GP4000s (maaaaybe some nice Vittoria Corsas to up the interest a wee bit) and some long drop brakes, maybe the Velo Orange Grand Crus which get some good reviews. Think I could get it under 9kg.

Fairly unimaginative build so I might try some fancy finishing kit, I like the Syntace carbon fibre stuff, or (say it quietly) the Specialized Hover bars, an extra 15mm rise won’t hurt.

Anyone done anything interesting with theirs?

Not done anything flash at all really with my 853 one from 2 or 3 years back. 10spd 105 (11spd 105 chainset), DuraAce rear hub / open pro, SP dynamo front hub / open pro. I did fit TRP RG957 brakes and they are bloody good. Not just for a long drop brake either.

Seaside Ride by Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr

I had Shimano long drop brakes; they were good. I’d pick them or the TRPs over the VOs stuff.

Those new dropouts look a bit cack compared to the old style ritchey dropouts they used to have.

Ah, good to know about the brakes, had read elsewhere the VOs were the pick of the bunch.

Shame I missed out on the 853 version, quite liked the bronze version from two years ago too.

Thankfully I’m not a drop-out fetishist 😉

mine

Untitled by eastham_david[/url], on Flickr

bronze version from two years ago too

That’s ^ the one!

I wasn’t feeling bold enough to try a Campag build, wouldn’t seem right with the Ultegra wheels although I think the non-disc Campag wheelsets have similarly neat adjustable bearings.

Could afford a Potenza or an Athena groupset instead of the Ultegra as well, hmm…

Full 105, H Plus Sons rims on Royce Hubs, planet x finishing kit (chosen mainly because of the polished silver finish) some stupidly expensive carbon fork upgrade to replace the standard steel fork on the 853 model that weighed a ton.

Built this one for my girlfriend in 2015. Bit of a shonky picture; it doesn’t usually have the crap rack and nasty bottles.

H+Son Archetype rims, SP Dynohub front and Shimano CX75 rear. GP 4000 25mm tyres. 105 5800 drivetrain. TRP Spyre brakes.

It’s a bit weighty for a road bike but good for lightweight touring and gentle off road. I wonder if the non-disc frame is much lighter than the disc version – getting this one under 9kg would need some serious money spending on it.

I wonder if the non-disc frame is much lighter than the disc version

Non-disc is 2.7kg with fork, disc version 3kg (all according to Genesis).

Disc brakes must add 2-300gram including bigger hubs, rotors etc?

When I swapped disc for non-disc my build dropped by a kilo, although a lot of that was because I could afford lighter stuff elsewhere rather than spending money on the brakes.

Edit: frame + fork =2.7kg, Campag Zonda wheels 1.6kg, Campag Potenza Groupset 2.3kg, tyres + tubes 0.6kg, bars, stem, saddle and seatpost 0.8kg, so 8kg before bar tape, cables, pedals, QRs, realistically probably 9kg all in, before mudguards. That lot was about £1900 although I’m abandoning all my principles and shopping about on the Internet for those prices 😳

2.7kg with fork

Pretty heavy. I’d be tempted to spend a bit extra and get a Ritchey as they’re quite a bit lighter I think. THey also have nice dropouts 😉

Yeah, and racier geometry, I’m looking for Cannondale Synapse or taller at the front 8)

That said I’ve been looking for a lighter frame with the same features (calliper brakes only, sportive/endurance/desk jockey geometry, wide tyres) and can’t really find anything else other than the All City Mr Pink, which is £750 for a steel frame and fork (heavy) or £1000 for steel frame/carbon fork, which is no lighter than the Equilibrium but prettier.

Behold

http://www.veloheld.de/bikesnframes/adventure/veloheld-icon

I nearly bought the disc version but decided the geometry was not what I wanted. Just over £500 for the frame, add a second hand full carbon fork off the ebay and you’re looking at about £600 all in. Custom colours are available aswell.

Oooh, nice researching skills! I see they’re doing a carbon fork with it also. Doesn’t say all in weight, but if frame is 1.9kg fork would be 0.4kg?

Still longer and lower than the Equilibrium though, with less tyre clearance 🙁

Full SRAM Rival 10sp, with wi-fli climbers cassette and derailleur.
Mavic Open Pros on 105 hubs.
Specialized Armadillo 700x25c
EA70 finishing kit.
Michel long drop brakes (the one thing I’d change as they’re a bit floppy).

Lovely bike – as happy doing 1 mile to work as doing 120 miles of Dunwich Dynamo.

My current disc braked Equilbrium and the rim braked one that it replaced. I’ve had 5 or 6 Equilbriums over the years, my favourite colour being the cherry red one. The large M in the background of the second picture should give you a clue as to why I’ve had so many of the same bike.

Not mine, but a different look.

Slightly off topic, but the title for this thread shows up as “Anyone care to share their Genes…”, on a mobile, which could lead to unwanted replies.

And, just for the record, the capital “G” and the fact that I own a Genesis means that I did not open the thread in a creepy way 😉

Still have my unfinished rebuild in the garage, cherry red, ultegra 6600gs groupset & ritchey pro finishing kit – my only road bike but a bit of a waste as apart from a tour of the Alps a few years back I have hardly used it

I had one, sold it, missed it, bought another when I saw a ridiculous deal (£450 I think – 50% off). It’s a blue 2014 00, reynolds 520 version, with a glamourous Sora 9 speed groupset and mudguards. Stock except for a new stem, shorter cranks, a toupe saddle, and powertap/dt swiss wheels (that cost more than the rest of the bike).

My other bike is a full on bongo race chariot (TCR SL advanced, 35mm carbon wheels, integrated seatpost etc.) which I also love and is considerably quicker, but at the faintest hint of moisture on the road or in the sky I love getting on the equilibrium and cruising around. It’s just a great bike. Sora is a surprisingly good groupset, too. I’ve had a few opportunities to upgrade it but don’t see the need ’til it dies.

I built this up towards the end of last year – mostly older Campag running gear, mix of Chorus and Record. I like it it alot.

IMG_1211 by Richard Picton[/url], on Flickr

I built my cherry red version up last year and it looks similar to the other builds above
s/h frame
mostly 9spd sora (11-30 cassette)
Mavic Askiums
28mm tyres (no clearance for guards though)
Black Deda finishing kit with a Fabric Scoop saddle

Even built up cheaply as it is, it’s barely 10kg but cost me less than £500 to build in total. Looks nice, rides comfy and still gets me up most of the b**tard hills around huddersfield

Curious if anyone has had any experience on the 931 Stainless version, and if so how it compares to the other models? There’s absolutely nothing in particular wrong with my 853 one, but getting a bit of itchy feet new bike syndrome..

Also, out of interest, what’s made you plump for an Equilibrium over Datum that you pondered previously? Did you ever buy the Datum?

28mm tyres (no clearance for guards though)

Hmm, I thought they advertised 28s *with* guards…

931 Stainless version

That’s a thing?? The GEnesis website doesn’t seem to advertise all the frame only options (i.e. the one I posted above) but I hadn’t seen a 931 frame anywhere…

Also, out of interest, what’s made you plump for an Equilibrium over Datum that you pondered previously? Did you ever buy the Datum?

The increase in frame only price of the Datum (it’s up to £1500 frame only now), the discs (don’t want ’em), the wheels (want something with easily adjustable cup + cone i.e new Shimanos or Fulcrum/Campags), the fact that for less money I can build a non-disc Equilibrium which weighs less, etc. etc. Fussiness, basically.

If that comment was a subtle (and somewhat justified) dig at my endless threads about bikes I *might* buy, it’s because I’ve got a long time still to wait until I can afford the new bike, which is a long time to change my mind and post lots of threads about possible builds. I justify it to myself because it’s still more relevant than 90% of what gets posted on the forum 8)

I think the 931 has probably been discontinued in 2017, but there’s still some good deals on 2016 models in a lot of places, depending on size. Disc only though, they did a non-disk 931 in 2015 but suspect they have all gone now but haven’t looked particularly hard for one.

Hmm, I thought they advertised 28s *with* guards…

I’ve the 2014 frame and it would do 25mm + guards or 28mm tyres without. I think newer frames have a smidge more clearance.
It’s rare for me to ride my roadie in the wet so i don’t bother with guards.

I have a bronze one, silver 5800 with stages power meter, silver ritchey finishing kit, silver archetypes on miche hubs, red chris king h/s, white saddle and grips.

Looks lovely.

Given up with trying to post pics on here, can be seen in a picy of strava here if you like:
https://www.strava.com/activities/733252385
slightly better one
https://www.strava.com/activities/536586691

Hmm, I thought they advertised 28s *with* guards…

Mine above somewhere is a 2017 model – I’ve run 28s and guards with room to spare