Currently laid up till Spring at least after shoulder reconstruction and considering some bike changes. I do a fair amount of gravel stuff, from local windfarm through to some natural easy singletrack. I have a 2015 Croix De Fer 30, nice bike with carbon fork and 105 kit, but limited on tyre size at 35c due clearance. I also have a 2019 Vagabond, which I got for a rough Hebrides trip in May. Whilst these cover all likely options well, I am wondering about getting rid of them both and replacing with a new Fugio. Seems that with 47c tyres and a 50mm dropper, 1×11 it seems to cover all options.

Any opinions and experiences of the new Fugio ?

This one :

https://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bike/fugio-30-2020

Nothing useful to add I’m afraid, but I’ll watch this with interest. I ended up going for a Kona Libre, but the Fugio 30 was the other bike in my top two, so I look forward to hearing all the reasons why I made the wrong choice 😀

My opinion is that it looks pretty good.

Have looked at one and thought about it, but no experience of help (except maybe that had it been available in 2016 when I bought a Vagabond, then I may have had a hard time choosing)

Same goes for the Topstone (to throw another cog in the mix)

https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=154830

Definitley looks like the sort of thing I’ve been mulling over. I do most of my riding on cross bikes which are great but im limited to 35/40mm tyres in the mud and 40/40 in summer.

I had a vagabond but just didnt gel with it. Too heavy to be as much fun as a cross bike. So id like to try something with big 650b clearance, but could maybe take a set of cross wheels for racing.

I’m sure I saw some Facebook rant about tyre clearance on these, might be worth double checking.

Good to know, will have a look, thanks.

Ok, so I am the most qualified here to answer your questions. I bought a 2019 fugio and loved it. But it was heavy, has limited tyre clearance and stupid bolt that you had remove to get the rear axle out. Having said that it was the most fun bike I have ever owned but was hard work past 30 miles due to weight. I sold it.
I regretted it almost immediately despite it’s shortcomings. So then came the 2020 model. Better tubing and a full carbon fork helped out the weight issue. The stupid rear axle screw was still there but Genesis were now claiming increased tyre clearance. So I bought one.
Turns out the tyre clearance is still the same and you will not fit a 700 x 40mm tyre. I have had the bike for two weeks now but ridden it yet as I am sorting out new tyres. I have a kinesis G2 which is my fast, light race bike. The Fugio is my mid week play bike that will double up as a faster bikepacking bike.
I have fitted 50mm donelly mso. This is the best guise for this bike. Shorter distances but bags of fun and so playfull.
I would say if you want to have fun on a gravel bike you will do well to find better than a fugio. If you are doing ultra distances or racing then look elsewhere.

^^^^ very useful, thanks. It does make me wonder whether, if I go for one, I should keep my Croix De Fer as a light winter road bike..

I have considered this however, I have read some reviews that the clearance for 700 c wheels is not great. Also the new digger Pro has peaked my attention at £800 less with simular spec albeit not steel…

Yeah, looks like it’s really best on the 650b setup..

Part of my reason for getting the Libre was so that I could try out the road plus thing and I must admit I rather like it. Even for pure road riding, nice light, supple 650b tyres mean that there is very little advantage to 700c unless you are racing I reckon. But I can see why you would still want that option.

The problem is, if you want a steel framed gravel bike that can run a dropper post, there aren’t too many options. If you want one in a nice bright colour too then it looks as though the Fugio is about the only option.

If you are more agnostic about frame material then the Digger Factory gets you GRX and a dropper with a lot more drop of course.

When I was looking the Ragley Trig Adventure looked good for the price. Does the Fugio still have heavy wheels?

No idea about tyre clearance with 700 – only seen with 650 where it has plenty clearance for 50mm.

Rear axle – what bolt are you needing to remove? My Datum uses the same axle and it cones out without any faff?

^^^ good to know, I’d only be running on 650b anyway. Keen to know how it compares to the Vagabond, which I do like but I can see how the Fugio would be a bit more versatile, a bit quicker on road/mixed terrain too. I suspect I might end up keeping my Croix De Fer 30 as winter road/touring as it’s on fastish 35c Clement xplor and 105 kit so not too heavy and very comfy and efficient on the road, less so the bumpier the trail gets…

What is it with Genesis and tyre clearance? Have discounted them every time when I’m in the market for new bikes because of this.

I thought they prided (prid?) themselves on being UK designed…

Kinesis seem more forward looking, my new CX1 frame (much cheapness from Merlin) swallows 42mm WTBs with room to spare.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TYUbhVvLmGTorsbLA

^ that bolt.

Someone else asked if it still had heavy wheels. I don’t think it ever did. It’s the stock tyres that were heavy. I compared the wheels to my 700c hunts and the wasn’t much in it.

@trailwagger That bolt should only be used once to set up the angle at which the cam lever closes to suit your preference as it holds the threaded end of the axle on in a position that you choose

I set mine up to close the way I want and never touch it now. Open cam lever, unwind axle and remove. No need to touch that bolt.

@sillyoldman I will try that again, but my experience of that so far is that once you open the cam lever the axle just spins and spins and never actually unscrews.

@trailwagger – sounds like the bolt you’ve been loosening needs tightened to secure the axle end. Either that or you’ve got a duff axle.

My bike spends time on a direct drive turbo or with a wheel on it, so the axle comes out a lot to switch between the two. Never had any bother.

This so definitely on my purchase list for 2020, as a target for getting my smashed up shoulder useable again.

Anyone tried one of these for size ? I’m on a 54 Croix de Fer which fits well at 5ft 9.5, and the medium Fugio has same reach and 20mm longer ETT so looks about right. My Vagabond is a medium, which on paper is a bit small but following advice on here I went for it and it has proven a good fit for me.

The frame-only blue/silver fade paint job is stunning. With red hubbed wheels it would look fantastic.

However frameset weight at 3.5kg is scary. In fact with full carbon fork and fancy 725 tubes I suspect it’s maybe a typo in the spec?

Poor clearance at 700 is very disappointing.

^^^^ I’d be likely going for the full build with 650 wheels and the 47 tyres, so clearance not an issue. The full bike weight is very similar to my Croix de Fer 30, which is also steel with carbon fork, 2×11 105 groupset and 700 wheels with Clement xplor 35c tyres.

Purchased one of these (2019) hoping to build it up using mainly parts that I have. The clearance for 700c is very poor. My 38mm Panaracer SK aren’t even close to fitting despite it being marketed as having clearance for larger. Really disappointed with Genesis as I’m stuck with an expensive frame.

If you are always going to run 650b no problem but if you ever fancy putting on 700 it is limited.

Good to know, thanks. I can’t see me ever putting 700 on it given my other bikes.

Anyone tried one of the 2020 ones yet ?

Sonder Camino Al is a good alternative, I just bought a frame, tyre clearance is great. Takes 700x50mm and 650×2.1 with ease, frame in XL is 2.1kg and fork 850g. I think a full build grx is £1300. The Fugio looks nice, but it really needs tyre clearance to be truly versatile.

“Croix De Fer as a light winter road bike”

if it’s anything like my croix de fer then that’s the funniest thing I read today as mine is like riding an anvil with wheels. Although mine is a croix de fer 10 with a rack, mudguards, dynamo hub and lights so not the same as a 30.

The Fugio looks nice, but it really needs tyre clearance to be truly versatile.

47mm 650b is wahat it comes with which seems decent ?

didnthurt

Member
“Croix De Fer as a light winter road bike”

if it’s anything like my croix de fer then that’s the funniest thing I read today as mine is like riding an anvil with wheels.

Mine has carbon fork, 105 and Ultegra mix, 35c fastish tyres and rides very nicely 😀

After 4 months off the bike my physio today said I can start riding again, with some gentle road and gravel rides, but try not fall on my left shoulder. So I am thinking about treating myself to this, as I can’t ride any MTB’s for a long while yet.

Any updates from owners of the nice orange 2020 model ? 😀

If you’re anything like me then it sounds like you really want this bike 😁

Just get it and enjoy it! (I’ve just finished the process of building my ‘perfect’ bike and now wish I’d just been less fussy and got something off the shelf in the first place…)

Yeah, going to get out for a gentle spin to check I can actually still ride and not be in too much pain and then I’ll get it ordered I reckon 😀

Ordered today 😁

Excellent. Looking forward to hearing how you get on with it (and the pictures of course). It was on a very short shortlist before I got seduced by the two-tone paint (child of the 70s/80s) of my Kona.

+1 Pics and report. Bet you’re itching to ride it…

^^^ thanks. I’m planning keeping the Croix De Fer for now as it’s the winter and wet road workhorse. The Vagabond, I dunno, it’s only a year old but a cheap bike to start with, so not worth a lot to sell, so maybe worth more to keep for big bikepacking stuff, will see..

Malvern Rider, very much so, though in lockdown it’ll be 5 miles on the backroads and into the windfarm for some regular gravel. The CDF excels at that so interesting to compare. I think on that stuff it’ll be plush on the gravel and a bit slower on the road.