Genesis announces new range of Croix de Fer, Tour de Fer and Vagabond gravel and adventure bikes

While some brands are trimming down their ranges, Genesis continues to offer a wide range of choices across its gravel and adventure bikes. Whether yo …

By stwhannah

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Genesis announces new range of Croix de Fer, Tour de Fer and Vagabond gravel and adventure bikes

I’m sort of intrigued by the CDF 725 frame set, mainly because the 931 version seems very expensive. They list ‘new and improved derailleur hanger as a feature, does that mean UDH? (I would like it to be UDH now)

A quick look at the website suggests no UDH. Not a deal breaker by any means, but a bit of a shame.

https://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/product/genesis-croix-de-fer-725-frameset-vargn11210/VARGN11210/GN11210LG

 

There’s a close up image of the hanger here if that helps?

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/genesis-croix-de-fer-725-frameset-vargn11210

I quite fancy one of these frames simply because the colour is “Blue Unlimited”

Some good steps forward here like increased tyre create on the croix de fer. Although 700c 47mm is an oddd one. Tyres seem to 45mm or 50mm at 700c these days

 

The vagabond 20 looks like a sensible bike. Proper low gears and hydraulic brakes. But boost front by not rear. That’s so you can fit a 40mm travel gravel fork. I think all 40mm gravel forks are limited to 50mm tyres. So fitting one seems odd as you have to run narrower tyres

 

However it still looks like a bike that will work

But boost front by not rear.

What cranks/chainline does it have? I’m guessing that means non-boost MTB cranks?

A quick look at the website suggests no UDH. Not a deal breaker by any means, but a bit of a shame.

definitely would be a deal breaker for me unfortunately! Makes the frames a bit old hat before they’ve even launched.

Not that I’m looking to replace my (now 12 year old!) CdF – altho I did always promise myself I’d upgrade to the stainless/Ti version one day!

I quite fancy one of these frames simply because the colour is “Blue Unlimited”

Seems like there are (no-no, no-no-no) no limits to which their marketing department will go to!

Does the 725 frame and fork still weigh 4kg?

Was interested in one of these potentially as I was an original CdF owner when they were about £700 new – now the cheapest is £1500. I’m oot…

I’m shallow.

I like the colours!

Vittoria and others do a lot of 700×47 options.

 

Vagabond is Boost rear (not front as the Susp forks to fit are 100×12) so Boost chainline .

 

Frameset weights quoted are frustratingly everything that comes in the box – frame, fork, headset, axles, seatclamp, hanger, a pile of M5 bolts etc… Makes them appear heavier than they are. Wish they wouldn’t do that.

 

 

Love that Vagabond.

I still don’t really get the point in gravel bikes but I love the look of it.

I still don’t really get the point in gravel bikes but I love the look of it.

I didn’t. Then I bought a ‘do it all’ bike, upgraded to a Vagabond and absolutely love it.
I tour on it, it is comfy.
It goes off road, it is confident enough.
It pootles for a coffee, it carrys a waterproof and flask.
I commute to work, it is strong and reliable.

Last weekend I blasted back down a long Cairngorms track having an absolute giggle on it – and thought it was a long time since I had laughed that much on a mountain bike….

Yeah, I get all that, but I just can’t see how what is pretty much an xc mountainbike with curly bars is suddenly better all round than a fiat bar xc bike.

I’m definitely not someone who looks for the optimum kind of bike for the riding I do, evidenced by my Fatbike which is ridiculous (although very capable) but always makes me smile. But yeah, just not getting the gravel bike thing beyond the wanting to ride a bike that is different thing.

Anyway. Bikes are gid. That I do get.

Gravel bikes are ridiculous and make no sense

 

But they are still brilliant

Gravel bikes are ridiculous and make no sense

Alternatively, gravel bikes make absolute sense for 90% of my riding, apart from the name, which people seem to get hung up on.

evidenced by my Fatbike which is ridiculous

Gravel bikes are almost the definition of an all-round bike. Both your fatbike and a gravel bike can be ridden in exactly the same places, as could a unicycle, MTB, road bike… Does it need constant pointing out that all bikes are compromises, and whatever bike you ride on any given journey will be compromised somewhere along the way? You just choose your level of compromise when you buy and ride your bike(s).

Most of my riding is on a gravel bike. As i say they are brilliant. Just bored of trying to justify that.

Nobody is asking anyone to justify it. Any bike is great.

Does it need constant pointing out that all bikes are compromises,

Nope. Not at all, I mean unless you want to.

Always been a fan of Genesis bikes and they look to have smashed it with these.

Yeah, I get all that, but I just can’t see how what is pretty much an xc mountainbike with curly bars is suddenly better all round than a fiat bar xc bike.

My next do it all bike will be basically a hybrid with alt bar. Steel, of course.

Yeah, I get all that, but I just can’t see how what is pretty much an xc mountainbike with curly bars is suddenly better all round than a fiat bar xc bike.

Meh, Potato/Tomato…

To me they’re more like endurance road or touring bikes that take chunkier tyres, same difference I guess.

Still my most used bike like ampthill, and countless others, Gravel bikes are kind of an established thing now, if it was 2015 your confusion might make sense but they’ve been increasingly popular for the last decade now…

Gravel bikes are getting like the original 90’s steel MTB’s, with road bars.  Got a 90’s MTB, does lots, it’s my mixed terrain commuter. Got road bikes, that do road. Got a Full suspension MTB that’s for chucking off mountains.  Bought a used CX bike last year, it’s bloody ace as it does most stuff locally, but it is no FS MTB for tricky downhill. It’s a race bike with fat tyres at the end of the day.

Gravel are going more and more XC MTB these days – a lightweight FS XC MTB will be better.

I ride my CDF more than any other bike. Its not a mountain bike it’s an all round bike you can go most places and not worry about the surfaces.

It’s got mudguards not suspension  if you complicate everything to make it more xc mtb you then end up with Fs xc bike, then you make it more rugged then you end up where we are now.

Just leave gravel bikes alone forget the dropper and suspension etc .

Sometimes simple and versatile is great.

but they’ve been increasingly popular for the last decade now…

I feel older : )

I have to constantly remind myself I am older before doing something inadvisable. 🙂

It’s a shame they stopped doing hardtails. We took our Core 40s to France this year and had an absolute blast in Les Landes.

Seems like there are (no-no, no-no-no) no limits to which their marketing department will go to!

My wife has suggested. That the suspension ready version will be travel-limited.

 

That’s right…

 

They’re saying “no Lyriks” can be fitted to it.

Gravel bikes are getting like the original 90’s steel MTB’s, with road bars.

No 90s MTB had 700c or 650b wheels so that doesn’t work. Well done for not mentioning it until half way down the page though….. I’m presuming it was tongue in cheek and not meant as a startling revelation that no one has pointed out, albeit wrongly before.

That sora equipped white CDF just looks “right” though.

It’s a shame they stopped doing hardtails.

Agreed, have a few friends still riding around on Tarns, one of the first burly boost 29’ers with progressive geo and sensible money and still going strong. My own hardtail is lovely but basically just a ‘posh Tarn’

If sure that if the sales had been sufficient they’d have carried on making them, that’s capitalism baby.

Also… Bianchi had a 700c/29″ MTB range in the 90’s, Diamondback and Mountain Goat also played with the concept but, yeah the tyres to enable ‘proper’ 29ers came along later.

Having recently converted my old 90’s 26″ steel hardtail to a gravel bike with curly bars, 650 wheels and disk brakes, and then discovering there is a whole Facebook community for people doing similar it seems that mountain biking really has come full circle!

I had a CDF 725 and it felt dead and rubbish.  I also had a Day One Alfine 825 and whilst it was better than the Pompetamine it replaced, it was still numb.

I ended up replacing both with a Niner RLT which was lighter but harsh and eventually with a Kinesis Tripster ATR which was much, MUCH better.

Is that Suck Stone?

supernovaFull Member
Is that Suck Stone?

Good spot!

discovering there is a whole Facebook community for people doing similar it seems that mountain biking really has come full circle!

I joined this group – It nice to see what people get up to 🙂

Spent a lot of time climbing that in the 1970s!