Tell me about UK, CX-style road bikes from Genesis, Pinnacle, Charge et al

If you’ve opted for one of these for road training, commuting, bridle way riding, touring etc, have you been pleased with it?

I ride an MTB less than I used to nowadays, usually just on a weekly club ride. I also do the odd old-style enduro. Thinking of buying one of these trendy new “cross” bikes, as I spend twice as much time on my road bike, but am getting a bit bored with Tarmac. Quite fancy running one with road tyres on the wheels it comes with, and buying a CX pair of wheels for off-road stuff.

Not those makes, but I run a Van Nicholas Amazon as a tourer, winter road bike, commuter and cross thing. So far, I’ve been happy just running the Open Pro rims and changing tyres accordingly but I am considering something a bit wider.

Stem gets flipped for longer distance rides. The Salsa bars are superb for touring and off-road.

If I had to reduce the number of bikes I had, I’d keep just this and a fatbike.

After a mixed history of flat bar hybrids and drop bar road bikes, I’ve settled on the sort of style you’re talking about – with a Cotic X.

I think manufacturers have been slow to respond to demand, because although the main suspects have entered the 2013 and 2014 model years with bikes like this, the parts and some smaller scale bikes have been on the market for yonks (Kona Sutra, various Planet X etc).

My Cotic has been absolutely perfect as an all-rounder, although the X doesn’t allow for straightforward running of discs and rear pannier rack. I use it for commuting, carrying kids on the back, pootling around town, road rides and nosing down the occasional bridleway.

have a look here.

and here

I’ve had my Genesis day 1 for a week now and it’s great. Fast, quiet, robust and comfortable. Singlespeed is better than I was expecting too, not having gears is surprisingly freeing. It’s hilarious off road too, makes trails you don’t notice on a mtb exciting. Would thoroughly recommend for countryside commuting and easy family style off road riding.

Had my spesh tricross for about 2-3 years got for the same reason as u and now I use it more than any other bike and started racing this year

Love mine – it’s a 29er too though, I just put cross tyres on it for mixed riding.

I have had my Jake the Snake for close to 5 yes and it fits the bill well, with either road or CX tyres on.

It is shortly to be replaced with a Croix de fer 🙂

Aren’t they all 29ers ? 🙂

I just put cross tyres on it for mixed riding.

On the subject of cross tyres, and not wanting to post my first ever ‘what tyres’ thread. Is it better when riding mixed terrain, but mostly hard stuff/road, to go for a touring type tyre like a Schwalbe Land Cruiser, or something with more off road leanings like a Scwalbe Sammy Slick or Conti Cyclocross Speed. All in a 35c sizing.

…or to summarise, is it better to have a tyre that loses grip on the road or in the woods? 8)

My Boardman CX post race. It’s a great bike, I use it for winter road training with slicks, guards and a longer stem, then the current CX race build is my 29er Hope/Crest rims, & 1×10 with a 42 front ring, just using the front mech as a guide and a shorter stem.

So so versatile.

I do still have a lightweight road bike for summer use, as ultimately sometimes there is no beating that feel of a nice light road bike (and this is light in a relative term, it’s certainly not featherlight!).

iainc – Member
have a look here.

and here

Did you make your mind up iainc? Think I’m going with the CUBE CROSS RACE DISC 2014.

Erupton – pretty much decided on the Genesis, yes. Just need to wait for LBS to get stock in for a look. I also need to get rid of my Jake as 1 in 1 out has to apply 🙂

Value wise though the Arkose 3 is best by a mile. As Jamie pointed out elsewhere, the brakes alone are over £250 !

Not a fan myself so I’m going for a cross race bike that will not feel ponderous when it’s got slicks on in road guise. I just can’t see the point of riding a slacker angled heavier bike on the road when I don’t have to and in cross guise it’s going to still be nice and light. I can understand why those kind of cross bikes are popular but they are not for me, I tried 20-22lb crossers and would rather ride a lighter more nimble bike.

What are you going for then MrSmith? I wouldn’t mind trying a cross bike but like you i wouldn’t want to compromise too much on the road bits.

I agree that many of these current examples aren’t lightweight roadesq machines in the way that traditional CX bikes are. Manufacturers have seen the market for allround touring/light off road/onroad ‘do it all’ bikes and are selling them as fast as they can make them.

A decent CX race bike won’t be compromised on road with decent tyres, the only significant difference may be slightly lower gearing. Group set probs 105 and weight as per a good road bike.

My time on usual road loop of 25 hilly miles on my Jake with road tyres is within 2 mins of time on carbon road bike.

Smart Sams seem to be a good compromise for me between road and track and come in larger than 35mm size. Only recently got a few punctures so tempted to try Land Cruisers to see how they hold up in the thorny, wet stuff.

I run a pompino with peregrine forks, alfine hub and hydro disc.

It is a bit heavy, but indestructible, I commute to work (15miles each way), tootle to the pub, pull the kids in the trailer with it, but I’ve also done stuff like the wicklow 200 on it.

I built a Planet X Uncle John early this year with one set of Open Pro wheels with slicks, another with Schwalbe CX-Pro’s. It’s been my most ridden bike of the year by far and in off-road mode has tackled paths I never dreamed of taking a drop bar bike down. I’ve just put full guards on to turn it into a winter bike – blog post here

Not astoundingly light, but bloody brilliant!

Thinking of selling my Arkose 3 great bike as I have said in other threads but trying to reduce the fleet 🙁

Anybody wants details my email is in my profile.

Probably want to at least put the size, sv. 8)

I have a Cotic X with carbon fork. Done 10K on it since early ’11. Nice to ride but gas pipe tubing.
The new Charge Plugs look nice but as usual no weights published. Got a brown non disc Kaffenback which isn’t bad either.

Probably want to at least put the size, sv.

Size large/55cm – suits 5’9″-6’0″ 🙂

iainc – Member
Erupton – pretty much decided on the Genesis, yes. Just need to wait for LBS to get stock in for a look. I also need to get rid of my Jake as 1 in 1 out has to apply
Value wise though the Arkose 3 is best by a mile. As Jamie pointed out elsewhere, the brakes alone are over £250 !

I thought about the Vapour but have been well and truly put off by the fact Genesis haven’t even bothered replying to an email I sent about availability, So I think if I have a problem I’ll get poor customer service. A few others have said similar about their communication which has well and truly put me off.
The Arkose 3 is well spec’ed but like the Canyon and the Planet X just doesnt feel right so it’s a 3 was split for me between the Cube which according to the website weigh’s less than the Planet X the Giant which has quite a lead time and the Merida which is only £899 on the Fatbirds website,

To be fair to Genesis, if you had issues with the bike then it would be the dealer who would sort you out. For example I had an issue with a Giant, TCX SLR 2 and it was Pedalon who sorted the issues, as best they could, whereas Giant UK ended up not being that helpful. Which was genuinely surprising.

Not quite sure what is going on at Genesis of late, tho. As they did use to be really good with communications. I guess all the mail they get is directed at Madison, who aren’t really on the customer interaction side of things.

i have always found madison (genesis) to have really good customer service(even before i was a dealer) i would speak to a dealer and they will tell you what the availability is there and then, assuming they have internet access. i can tell you now if you tell me what model you’re looking at.

edit: the Vapour are showing 12/15 of november.

+1 on the dealer side for genesis. My LBS has been great, gave me geometry when I asked, weights etc. I think they stick to the dealer business model, which is fine.

While we are having a Genesis love in, it does say on their contact page:

…so shoot your local dealer, or Toppers, a query and you should get sorted, Eruptron.

But, they do make a rod for their own bike back by offering to be contacted and not reply….or at least taking their time about it.

taking their time about it.

The Mary Rose came up quicker than a reply to my Genesis inquiry. Don’t offer a contact if your not arsed about replying especially if it loses you a sale. Maybe business is to good to be arsed. I certainly hope so for their sake. because simple things like this put me right off.

The Mary Rose came up quicker than a reply to my Genesis inquiry

It’s a fair point, but seems a shame to discount a bike for that reason.

For example I had an issue with a Giant, TCX SLR 2 and it was Pedalon who sorted the issues, as best they could, whereas Giant UK ended up not being that helpful. Which was genuinely surprising

You don’t say!

Kona were pretty good and responded back to my query regarding their frame sizing in 15minutes.

What are you going for then MrSmith? I wouldn’t mind trying a cross bike but like you i wouldn’t want to compromise too much on the road bits.

This:

Worx bikes crossworx With sram force22
Don’t know the exact weight but it’s full carbon fork and sub1500g wheelset.

Never mind that its not got pedals, that front brake is gonna judder you right off the bike….

Here’s my Kinesis Tripster ATR interpretation of the cx/road/tourer bike, a true do-it-all bike in my opinion and if i had to choose between this and my Cove hummer i’d choose this without a thought, it just does everything from fast road rides wi the Skinny Clement Strada lgg tyres fitted or off-road duties wi the Clement X-plor mso 40mm chunky all terrain tyres, even did the dalbeattie hardrock 7 stanes trail on the bike and whilst i struggled on some of the sections the actual bike managed it with ease.

I’m sure it’s not as fast as a pure road bike nor as good off road as a pure CX bike but it’s an ideal bike for me. currently got Salsa woodchipper bars fitted to it along wi my Tubus Airy Ti rack as i plan to do a bit of island hopping up the west coast and around the highlands at some point.

Got my Ortelib panniers and Alpkit bar bag so all set

I’ve got a Boardman team CX and it’s pretty damn good to be honest.

It’s capable enough off road to lob myself across the moors above Hebden Bridge, make it’s way down rough lakes descents without killing me and thrashing along woodland single track and bridleways too.

It’s not much slower on short road sections than my much lighter carbon road bike, granted it doesn’t accelerate as quickly and it’s a touch heavier on the climbs but that’s prob more down to the 35mm CX tyres and the chunky wheels than the geo etc.

It’s a bloody good all rounder and it’ll be getting a set of 28mm gatorskins for winter road duties soon

ive got a charge filter hi, its a decent bike for the cash, mine is the 2012 one which had crap brakes, but new ones have better afaik.
i have changed quite a few things on mine, but they were all personal preference.
its not a light bike, (not even close . .) but it rides well, ive used mine with 25mm folding gatorskins, 32mm gator hardshell and 33mm maxxis raze tyres, all of which are fine.
i rate this type of bike highly, very versatile.
i chose it because i couldnt afford a croix de fer.

Jamie – Member
The Mary Rose came up quicker than a reply to my Genesis inquiry
It’s a fair point, but seems a shame to discount a bike for that reason.

To be fair I regard customer service quite high and maybe if I’d asked the same question to the manufacturers of all the bikes I’m looking at then maybe none of them would reply.
I know if you have a problem your first point is the dealer. Genesis offer a contact service but can’t be bothered contacting you back then I tend to look at the lack of customer service as reflection of the companies as a whole.

Trouble is most dealers don’t have any more answers than you can get on the web so they have to ask the wholesaler anyway. Infuriating at times

I commute on a Surly Cross-Check.

Basically, it’s a comfy tank – and very far from a proper CX thoroughbred – but fine for my commuting/rough-stuff needs.

By way of contrast, I also have a Gunnar Crosshairs frame, which I’m building up very s l o w l y. 😳

The Mary Rose came up quicker than a reply to my Genesis inquiry. Don’t offer a contact if your not arsed about replying especially if it loses you a sale. Maybe business is to good to be arsed. I certainly hope so for their sake. because simple things like this put me right off.

After a couple of attempted communication attempts with Genesis, I think you have a point. They should really remove the contact info, like Whyte do, if they are not going to respond.