Genesis Longitude thoughts

Yep you have to undo the rear guard a bit to get the rear off. Ones I have are the biggest that will fit. You use the cut off guard pole? To make a bridge for the rear guard. Can do a picture if you want. Mine were £20 ish from Germany.
Praying for snow on the commute this year.
My chain tugs are in the middle as it came.

Stretchtoo – Great to see the Knards on the Supras. I got word from the product designer at Genesis that they’d be ok.

Have you had a chance to get out on them yet?

Good to see the Longitudes getting out in the wild!

tyredandcranky – yes, look at the post above the one with the photos. That ride took in some fairly bumpy downhill sections, up and down steps etc. and the tyres were brilliant. When I get chance I’m going to let a bit of air out just to see what it feels like, but it’s already a fantastic bike for me to mess about on, at 6’3″, 87kg. Pass on my compliments to the chef, if you’re speaking Genesis again.

senojevad – I’m not changing the tugs at the moment, on the “it ain’t broke don’t fix it” principle.

More notes on the standard build – the saddle is good, it’s just like a charge spoon but a little bit softer. I thought the softness might be a problem, but it’s fine. The deore gears feel as good as the 9 speed XT with SLX shifters on my old cube. Cable discs are “satisfactory” so far, no complaints, no fade, not massively powerful but pretty good and only a tiny touch of grab at low speed (that I remember being a feature of motorbike cable discs). I’m comparing with the Cube which had a 180mm up front and formula RX hydraulics, which were excellent.

ampthill – that’s what got me hooked: 29+ on cyclescheme!

Senojevad: on the back of my Day One I’ve fitted front mudguard struts with release brackets – seems to work fine for me! You can get some spares, example[/url].

Personally I wouldn’t use chain tugs with gears – there’s no need for them as the rear derailleur tension the chain and as far as I’m aware the gears will work best if the wheel is in the most forward position.

Everything ordered for the initial build.

SLX 2*10 transmission (in readiness for 29+ tyres)
Deore Brakes
Race Face Ride seatpost and stem
Raceface grips

Bars- Genesis
Headset- whatever is in that little box.

Saddle- SDG Bel Air from the garage. May that replace that with a Cambium when funds allow.

Wheels will be a pair of SLX hubs with Inferno 27 rims that I already have.

Tyres- Continental 2.4 Trail X or 2.4 Chunky Monkeys.

Will be building up a new pair of wheels in the spring with Northpaw or Dually rims, a SP8 Dynamo front hub and Novatech Rear. I think Maxxis Chronicle tyres, or whatever is available at the time.

Just couldn’t help myself…

The more I see this post the more I want one, but Santa’s deliveries for three kids will have to take priority until the new year, already have a parts bucket in readiness for the frame, was thinking of 1×10 with the oneup components bits or should I go standard 2×10, any opinions expressed gratefully appreciated.

Nice… needs some proper 3″ tyres on it though.

Couldn’t help myself, I got one too! Changed the bars to “normal” ones though and the tyres (I hate conti’s)

I thought my Fortitude was good, but this is ridiculously good fun to ride, I want some 3″ tyres now…..

Genesis Longitude by South Downs MTB Skills[/url], on Flickr

Should finish mine tomorrow morning. Looking good so far…

IMG_20141129_162649 by too_tall_paul[/url], on Flickr

Anyone managed to find these anywhere that ships to the UK?
innova 29 x 3

What wheels are putting on there Tootallpaul if I may be so bold?

I was toying with the idea of getting one of these for touring duties: Frameset, build some wheels, bish bash bosh.
Then I see horizontal dropouts which utterly counts it out for me. I had a Roadrat that had a rack and guards on it, and the damned thing nearly ended up being thrown in a ditch when I had a rear puncture. It makes it so hard to get the back wheel out.
Plus I tow a trailer, and I can see the back wheel being yanked straight out.
Guess I’ll just stick to my 833 Inbred, which I can’t fault as a tourer.

MussEd – I’m currently using a pair of Sun Inferno 25 rims with a SP8 Dynamo hub, and a Novatec rear.

Chunky Monkey 2.4″ tyres.

Will be swapping out the rims in the new year for a pair of Northpaw’s.

Bike is all finished now ready for a trip up to Scotland over Christmas. I’ve done a couple of laps of the car park, and initial thoughs are, the fit is great and the ride is lovely.

Will sort out some pics soon.

So, it took a while, but I got some time to ride out again – Lyme Park and Roman Lakes again, different route, more mud, more rocky downhills, steeper climbs, more bloody wet.

I find the knards pretty good on deep mud – I found myself coping on stuff that the Maxxis High Rollers on the last MTB would have sunk into and stuck. Yes, they had bigger knobbles, but I’m not finding the knards worse, and in some situations they’re better. Getting more used to having no suspension and piling through stuff with confidence now.

Absolutely love the bike, the handling, the confidence in shitty conditions (it was pissing down today). It really does roll over stuff that the 26″ wheels stopped on.

More pics of the bike looking handsome at the bottom of the album:

tootallpaul – your build has got me thinking – does anyone know would SLX double chainrings fit on the standard deore cranks? They’re available in 24/38 and that might be a cheap way to lower the gearing if I’m doing anything truly adventurous in the future.

I bought a Longitude 2 months ago and i’m really enjoying it. It’s my first 29er and i was skeptical about the “better rolling” but i’m not anymore. Ok, it’s not as nimble as my old 26er GT but it’s a lot of fun and rolls over things very easily.
The XKing tyres are very comfortable, provide good suspension and seem to hold well on corners. The tyres and wheels together are surprisingly light.

One thing i wasn’t sure i’d like was the gearing on the Longitude but i have found it to be spot. The range is perfect.

I wanted this bike to be an “everything” bike and have thus put full lenght “SKS bluemell P65’s” on . there was a bit of a faff with these as there is a lack of bracket attachments for the rear one. The front one had to go on higher than i would have liked.
I have also fitted a Topeak Super Tourist Rack. (non disk) The fitting of this actually helped with fitting the mudguards as i made up a bracket to put onto the rack which holds the mudguard in place.
On the front i have a Salsa down under rack on it which again helped with the fitting of the mudguard.

I went for the 17.5″ frame. I was advised to go larger but my experience of sitting on 29ers is that they tend to be long . This was the same. I’m 5’11” and the 17.5″ is just right for me in almost all ways but it was still a long reach. I do like a more upright position so i’ve fitted a steerer extender and a 30 degree shorter stem.

I’ve had the bike over some fairly lumpy tracks and trails and it performs well.

not sure how to post a photo but i do have my facebook page which has photos of the bike :

https://www.facebook.com/warren.adams.5076

More photos of the Genesis Longitude on my Bespoke Cycling Tours Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/BespokeCyclingTours

I did Glossop/Cut Gate loop [/url]on my Longitude in October including Jacobs Ladder etc, after a just a few blasts round Thetford when I first got it, . Bike was superb, never once felt like I needed ‘more bike’ although some attention was needed on Jacobs regards tyre pressures.
The brakes were probably the only niggle, they did lack power at times, and obviously needed adjusting part way round given the new cables had probably stretched an inch!
I was bivvying, so had gear loaded, mostly on the bars.

Over all though it just felt like I could ride over anything, and mostly I did 🙂

Peak by Mort-England[/url], on Flickr

For anyone thinking of buying, on offer at £899 all sizes

http://www.langsettcycles.co.uk/m1b0s4p10837/Genesis-Longitude-2015

Cheapest i’ve seen it is here :

http://www.ukbikesdepot.com/m15b185s776p15210/GENESIS_Longitude_2015/RS_GB/51614?gclid=Cj0KEQiAzvmkBRCm3ZbV-4-hwrYBEiQAgLOw6w8sFDCTboYsefayi7W87NYcwCFibM6lbRW0rzWw_3AaApui8P8HAQ

I’ve been looking at the Surly Krampus for a while but it’s been difficult to justify the £1300+ for one considering how little I’m riding at the moment (although the baby is becoming more mobile).

But what do people feel are the main differences between a Longitude and Krampus to justify the difference in price, is it wheels/tyres only? Anyone ridden both?

My thoughts are to get the Longitude, pop a flat bar on it and some Maxxis Chronicles for a nice intro into 29/29+. Then maybe when the Hugo rim comes out buy the bits and make up a proper 29+ wheelset and still have paid slightly less than a Krampus.

Love the bike and perhaps I’m being far too fussy but the way the seat/chain stays join the dropouts and looks like something from my old metalwork class really annoys me.
But is it a deal breaker?

Thanks Luddite, it’ll be replacing my Inbred and I’ve never had a bike with exceptional metalwork so unlikely.

But what do people feel are the main differences between a Longitude and Krampus to justify the difference in price, is it wheels/tyres only? Anyone ridden both?

This ^ anyone ridden both?

Anyone stuck a chronicle on a rim 40+ in the back yet? Does it fit?

I’ve not ridden a krampus (so probably talking nonsense), but I just couldn’t justify a krampus on cost when I’m not convinced by the quality of my crosscheck and don’t think Surly’s “double-butted cro-mo” is all that.

One thing Jon – the Longitude is seems more do-anything, and will take the racks and baby seat and bags for a family day out as well as hoon.

I’ve sold my old mtb and the hack I used for family stuff. n-1. Going to repair the crosscheck frame and may sell that as well: n-2.

But what do people feel are the main differences between a Longitude and Krampus to justify the difference in price, is it wheels/tyres only? Anyone ridden both?

I have a Krampus which I love to bits. I bought it frame & forks only then built it up with bits from my old hardtail. The Rabbit Hole rims are fantastic and make the most difference in terms of ride feel I think, particularly with the Knard tyres run at 10-12 psi. I’ve also ridden a Genesis Fortitude which is very similar to the Longitude and it didn’t have the floaty 29+ feel of the Krampus despite having 2.5″ tyres on it. I’d say the proper 29+ rims and tyres are the true difference between the Krampus and the Longitude, and hence the extra cost.

That being said, the Longitude didn’t exist when I bought my Krampus frame, I would certainly have considered it otherwise.

Couldn’t resist…

I’ll finish bbuilding the dually wheels this week and put the chronicles on and let you know. Clearance for chronicles on a 28mm room was fine, looking forward to more float of a bit more air volume though

Mine is awaiting building still.

Hopefully this weekend it will be done…

Let’s see some photos, the Longitude is a great looking bike I think 😀

I’m hoping to pick my frame and fork up from Bothy bikes this week.
*is excite* 😀

One thing Jon – the Longitude is seems more do-anything, and will take the racks and baby seat and bags for a family day out as well as hoon.

I’ve sold my old mtb and the hack I used for family stuff. n-1. Going to repair the crosscheck frame and may sell that as well: n-2.

Exactly this, bit of do it all. Then to build some 50mm wheels and go for a hoon.

So at 5’8″ I think the specs are recommending the 17 but most of you guys are going a size smaller?

I’m 6’2″ and after a wee pedal around on the one they have at Bothy Bikes decided on the 19″ frame as it does feel very long. I would normally have gone for the 20.5 as I’m usually between L/XL but like a shorter stem.

Looking to source some 35mm rims any suggestions

Looking to source some 35mm rims any suggestions

Go 45!

I’m going 47!

🙂

I’ve gone for Duallys, so 45. Should be one in the post for the rear from CTBM today to match the front I already have 😀

Why compromise?? … 😀

Rabbit Holes

Built.

IMG_20150111_160501 by too_tall_paul[/url], on Flickr

Just these to fit now.

IMG_20150113_211149 by too_tall_paul[/url], on Flickr

Apologies for shoddy photo’s, wall, carpet, paintwork etc etc.

Looks great, it’ll be even better with the proper fat rims on.