newfhouse
Resolutely on topic
I feel exactly the same about mine.
@kingspirit FWIW I’m 5’ 10” in old money and having test ridden both a medium and a large, the large was the right choice for me.
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@kingspirit FWIW I’m 5’ 10” in old money and having test ridden both a medium and a large, the large was the right choice for me.
avecReynolds531
Veteran
- Location
- Small Island
Thanks for the excellent thread & detailed review - appreciated.
Right guys, apologies for absence and all that. Not a whole lot to report but I thought this thread deserved an update to "celebrate" (or commiserate, depending on your perspective) my return to CC 
Granted a bit late and I guess you've already made your choice (and if so I hope you're thoroughly enjoying the fruits of your toil!) but to answer your question..
I've had zero issue with the exposed cables, and as canuckstraveller has already said these used to be the norm and tbh I'd question the current trend for internally-routed stuff. On the one hand yes, it looks cleaner and arguably adds protection; on the other it makes replacement a proper ballache, weakens the main tubes and provides potential points for water ingress / corrosion initiation.
You can see from my thread that if there's something to be over-thought I'll be doing just that; and tbh the cables never concerned me.. while they've given me zero worries or issues in the time I've had the bike
As for fit, this is something that's persistantly dogged me. I'm around 178cm and ride a medium but my proportions are "other-than-standard" with an 84cm inseam meaning I effectively have long legs and a short torso.. meaning that (compared to "standard" sizing) I need a bike with more stack and less reach. As you've probably read on this thread I did find reach excessive (but not to the point where it was a real issue) so if you're a similar height (but more normally proportioned) you should be all good on a medium.
Top marks for your choice of the CdF 40 anyway; when I bought the 30 it seemed worth it since it had the full-105 / hydro package over the '20s mechanical Tiagra. Unfortunately with the 2021 lineup I see they've neutered the 30 with cable brakes; which IMO is criminal on a bike costing so much; pushing the mid-point-watermark upto the '40 - which at least has some nice GRX bits to sweeten the deal and looks like a really nice package (great colour too!).
Anyway, if you still need any feedback post / drop me a PM and I'll do my best to sort you out with what you're after
As you can see though your (very flattering) eulogy was somewhat premature as I've come crawling back..
So.. a mercifully short update since ride-time has been sadly short and the bike has behaved pretty impeccibly
I've managed to cover maybe 500-600 miles in the year I've reluctantly been back at the homestead and very little has occurred in a bike-centric context during this time.
I did have the rear tyre nearly sh*t the bed thanks to a fatigued / bulging sidewall - with PlanetX going above and beyond to provide a couple of replacements under warranty for which I was extremely grateful and suitably impressed
On account of my slightly offbeat proportions I'd been looking out for a set of (older-spec) bars and a shorter stem to shorten the effective reach of the bike. I managed to score locally some 2019 X-race Pro bars (which are backswept and have a little less reach), however due to the hassle of fitting them versus the minimal gains of doing so, they're still sat unused..
I also acquired a "90mm" Genesis-branded stem to replace the 100mm standard item. When it arrived it turned out to be 80mm; which tbh is even better as long as I can phase my steering input to prevent clashes between the bars and my knees on out-of-the-saddle uphill efforts..
the bike feels much nicer with the shorter stem fitted; although it's slightly tatty so as usual I'm on the lookout for a mint example. Functionally however it's very welcome and has made the bike feel more manageble and relaxed without being obviously more twitchy.
Other than the above the Croix has rolled on relentlessly with zero issues. I've done a few rides from my reluctant new home, however nowhere near as many as last year's lockdown-cyclists-utiopia afforded. This has been made worse by the current inevitable dark, cold and wet weather plus actually having a job now..
All that said, when I come down for breakfast and cast my gaze across the CdF lent against the dining room table I'm still often moved to wistfully pat its saddle and utter the words "I still bloody love you"
Anyway, a few crushingly instagram-whore-tastic lifestyle shots of our past year together:
Cheers dude!
Granted a bit late and I guess you've already made your choice (and if so I hope you're thoroughly enjoying the fruits of your toil!) but to answer your question..
I've had zero issue with the exposed cables, and as canuckstraveller has already said these used to be the norm and tbh I'd question the current trend for internally-routed stuff. On the one hand yes, it looks cleaner and arguably adds protection; on the other it makes replacement a proper ballache, weakens the main tubes and provides potential points for water ingress / corrosion initiation.
You can see from my thread that if there's something to be over-thought I'll be doing just that; and tbh the cables never concerned me.. while they've given me zero worries or issues in the time I've had the bike
As for fit, this is something that's persistantly dogged me. I'm around 178cm and ride a medium but my proportions are "other-than-standard" with an 84cm inseam meaning I effectively have long legs and a short torso.. meaning that (compared to "standard" sizing) I need a bike with more stack and less reach. As you've probably read on this thread I did find reach excessive (but not to the point where it was a real issue) so if you're a similar height (but more normally proportioned) you should be all good on a medium.
Top marks for your choice of the CdF 40 anyway; when I bought the 30 it seemed worth it since it had the full-105 / hydro package over the '20s mechanical Tiagra. Unfortunately with the 2021 lineup I see they've neutered the 30 with cable brakes; which IMO is criminal on a bike costing so much; pushing the mid-point-watermark upto the '40 - which at least has some nice GRX bits to sweeten the deal and looks like a really nice package (great colour too!).
Anyway, if you still need any feedback post / drop me a PM and I'll do my best to sort you out with what you're after
Thanks chap
As you can see though your (very flattering) eulogy was somewhat premature as I've come crawling back..
So.. a mercifully short update since ride-time has been sadly short and the bike has behaved pretty impeccibly
I've managed to cover maybe 500-600 miles in the year I've reluctantly been back at the homestead and very little has occurred in a bike-centric context during this time.
I did have the rear tyre nearly sh*t the bed thanks to a fatigued / bulging sidewall - with PlanetX going above and beyond to provide a couple of replacements under warranty for which I was extremely grateful and suitably impressed
On account of my slightly offbeat proportions I'd been looking out for a set of (older-spec) bars and a shorter stem to shorten the effective reach of the bike. I managed to score locally some 2019 X-race Pro bars (which are backswept and have a little less reach), however due to the hassle of fitting them versus the minimal gains of doing so, they're still sat unused..
I also acquired a "90mm" Genesis-branded stem to replace the 100mm standard item. When it arrived it turned out to be 80mm; which tbh is even better as long as I can phase my steering input to prevent clashes between the bars and my knees on out-of-the-saddle uphill efforts..
the bike feels much nicer with the shorter stem fitted; although it's slightly tatty so as usual I'm on the lookout for a mint example. Functionally however it's very welcome and has made the bike feel more manageble and relaxed without being obviously more twitchy.
Other than the above the Croix has rolled on relentlessly with zero issues. I've done a few rides from my reluctant new home, however nowhere near as many as last year's lockdown-cyclists-utiopia afforded. This has been made worse by the current inevitable dark, cold and wet weather plus actually having a job now..
All that said, when I come down for breakfast and cast my gaze across the CdF lent against the dining room table I'm still often moved to wistfully pat its saddle and utter the words "I still bloody love you"
Anyway, a few crushingly instagram-whore-tastic lifestyle shots of our past year together:
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Thanks - it's great to be back
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
Welcome back and thanks for the well written update.
Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Right guys, apologies for absence and all that. Not a whole lot to report but I thought this thread deserved an update to "celebrate" (or commiserate, depending on your perspective) my return to CC
Cheers dude!
Granted a bit late and I guess you've already made your choice (and if so I hope you're thoroughly enjoying the fruits of your toil!) but to answer your question..
I've had zero issue with the exposed cables, and as canuckstraveller has already said these used to be the norm and tbh I'd question the current trend for internally-routed stuff. On the one hand yes, it looks cleaner and arguably adds protection; on the other it makes replacement a proper ballache, weakens the main tubes and provides potential points for water ingress / corrosion initiation.
You can see from my thread that if there's something to be over-thought I'll be doing just that; and tbh the cables never concerned me.. while they've given me zero worries or issues in the time I've had the bike
As for fit, this is something that's persistantly dogged me. I'm around 178cm and ride a medium but my proportions are "other-than-standard" with an 84cm inseam meaning I effectively have long legs and a short torso.. meaning that (compared to "standard" sizing) I need a bike with more stack and less reach. As you've probably read on this thread I did find reach excessive (but not to the point where it was a real issue) so if you're a similar height (but more normally proportioned) you should be all good on a medium.
Top marks for your choice of the CdF 40 anyway; when I bought the 30 it seemed worth it since it had the full-105 / hydro package over the '20s mechanical Tiagra. Unfortunately with the 2021 lineup I see they've neutered the 30 with cable brakes; which IMO is criminal on a bike costing so much; pushing the mid-point-watermark upto the '40 - which at least has some nice GRX bits to sweeten the deal and looks like a really nice package (great colour too!).
Anyway, if you still need any feedback post / drop me a PM and I'll do my best to sort you out with what you're after
Thanks chap
As you can see though your (very flattering) eulogy was somewhat premature as I've come crawling back..
So.. a mercifully short update since ride-time has been sadly short and the bike has behaved pretty impeccibly
I've managed to cover maybe 500-600 miles in the year I've reluctantly been back at the homestead and very little has occurred in a bike-centric context during this time.
I did have the rear tyre nearly sh*t the bed thanks to a fatigued / bulging sidewall - with PlanetX going above and beyond to provide a couple of replacements under warranty for which I was extremely grateful and suitably impressed
On account of my slightly offbeat proportions I'd been looking out for a set of (older-spec) bars and a shorter stem to shorten the effective reach of the bike. I managed to score locally some 2019 X-race Pro bars (which are backswept and have a little less reach), however due to the hassle of fitting them versus the minimal gains of doing so, they're still sat unused..
I also acquired a "90mm" Genesis-branded stem to replace the 100mm standard item. When it arrived it turned out to be 80mm; which tbh is even better as long as I can phase my steering input to prevent clashes between the bars and my knees on out-of-the-saddle uphill efforts..
the bike feels much nicer with the shorter stem fitted; although it's slightly tatty so as usual I'm on the lookout for a mint example. Functionally however it's very welcome and has made the bike feel more manageble and relaxed without being obviously more twitchy.
Other than the above the Croix has rolled on relentlessly with zero issues. I've done a few rides from my reluctant new home, however nowhere near as many as last year's lockdown-cyclists-utiopia afforded. This has been made worse by the current inevitable dark, cold and wet weather plus actually having a job now..
All that said, when I come down for breakfast and cast my gaze across the CdF lent against the dining room table I'm still often moved to wistfully pat it' saddle and utter the words "I still f*cking love you"
Anyway, a few crushingly instagram-whore-tastic lifestyle shots of our past year together:
View attachment 619365
View attachment 619363
View attachment 619362
View attachment 619364
PS I'm no longer a Mod as I no longer have the time and it was spoiling my enjoyment of the site but... before I stood down I did put a request in for a write-up section as I'm sure it would be popular. Yours was a real standard-setter.
Maybe it will happen one day!
Excellent news that you’re back wafter! Truly! Welcome back ☺ Great photo selection of the steed - very atmospheric and fantastic you’ve done the rides, which is more miles than I’ve managed for sure.
The reach is deceptively long on the Croix de Fer it seems. My proportions are roughly short-average leg length for my height but long torso. I thought the XL with 60cm reach would be good according to all Genesis’s guides, and they were right for the saddle height - don’t think an L would leave much post in the frame. But the reach was too great even for my proportionally longer torso. Like you I needed a shorter stem and that made a good improvement.
Great to have you back
The reach is deceptively long on the Croix de Fer it seems. My proportions are roughly short-average leg length for my height but long torso. I thought the XL with 60cm reach would be good according to all Genesis’s guides, and they were right for the saddle height - don’t think an L would leave much post in the frame. But the reach was too great even for my proportionally longer torso. Like you I needed a shorter stem and that made a good improvement.
Great to have you back
Thanks - I'm honoured that my thread moved you to do that!
I completely understand about modding, having done similiar on another forum in a past life. It's a pretty thankless task that in my experience often ends in burnout and complete self-removal from the forum - so well done for sticking around and thanks for all the work you doubtless put in during your tenure
Thanks 😊
I have to say that allroadgraveladventure rides are the only thing I've ever done where the experience comes close to that implied by the lifestyle shots used to sell related products. The ability to get off the roads and away from the bloody traffic really makes for some great experiences and photos
It's interesting that you've had issues with reach too considering your proportions. I'm not sure that it's excessive on the CdF though when compared to other bikes; the frame reach on my med CdF is comparable to / a shade less than that of my med Boardman Team Carbon (although as would be expected the stack is significantly less - at around 35mm - on the road bike).
While the reach to the bars with the old stem was blatantly too much for me (when riding "relaxed and upright" I usually found myself contacting the tops with only the tips of, or the undersides of my stretched-out fingers) I don't think the geometry of the bars helps in this regard either - the X-race pro bars I bought (which apparently came from a 2019 Ti model) have about 80mm of reach to the drops, and in turn those fitted to the 2020 model are around 90mm (centreline of the tops to that at the front of the drops). By contast I think the reach on most compact bars is typically 70-75mm, while those on my Boardman are really short at 65mm (and I'm running a 90mm stem in preferenace to the original 100mm offering).
I also find that the reach to the hoods is exacerbated by the length of the (otherwise lovely) 105 hydro shifters. Even with the shorter stem fitted, I find my "relaxed" position on the hoods is still well back from being fully engaged with them. Riding properly on the hoods is comfortable enough, but not quiet where I default to and I tend not to ride like this for any length of time. I did consider going for a small frame but toe-overlap put paid to that - something I still suffer with a little on this bike as my foot sometimes bothers the mudguard; but slightly irritating as it is this has never caused a problem.
I've tried to boil down my geometry further than just "long legs" but nailing down mean body proportion data on the net (and taking accurate measurements from ones own body for comparison) is problematic. I suspect I have quite long thighs as to get comfortable I have to run the seat as far back as it'll go (which obviously doesn't help the reach situation), yet still, with the shorter stem can get knee-contact with the tops of the bars when climbing out of the saddle and apply a bit of steering angle.
I've done a lot of work on bike fit and am fairly happy with where it is on all my bikes; however sometimes I do question how good it is and end up going down that rabbit hole again. Maybe one day if I can justify the money I'll treat myself to a professional setup.
You make an interesting point about the seatpost extension; I guess this is an inherent shortcoming of compact frame geometry (and gets my paranoia going about frame fatigue given the long lever-arm and relatively short engagement). As you can see mine's extended pretty far too; I'd certainly not have wanted to have gone any larger on the frame though. How short did you go with the stem in the end?
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Good points, and interesting to read as in fairness my only experience of modern frame sizing is the Croix de Fer. The gianormas 105 hoods are likely a factor, they look at least 15mm longer than standard. I went for a 70mm stem too. Amazing difference. I’m using a Brooks Flyer which is limited on rail adjustment but have a B17 to fit with slightly more options - reminded me to get cracking on that! cheers
I randomly noticed yesterday that today is the 3rd anniversary of the arrival of the CdF
Not a lot's gone on with the bike since my last post tbh. It got treated to a nice pair of stainless King bottle cages some time ago, while I've also sourced a duplicate set of rims, discs and a cassette with a view towards a tubeless wheelset build for more off-road stuff; although I'm yet to put my hands on the rest of the kit required. Earlier in the week I also managed to score a NOS derailleur hanger for it - something I've been meaning to get as a future-proofing spare for a while but never got around to since it's not been burningly urgent.
Truth be told the CdF's not seen a whole lot of use since last summer and the arrival of my Fuji Touring. While inferior in pretty much every way on paper, the Fuji has very much displaced the Genesis over the past six months for a number of reasons.
Firstly there was the novelty of something new and the need to shake it down after the considerable amount of work I've done on it. Next was the exact reason I bought the Fuji - its slight tattyness and relatively low financial worth.. as such it's proven invaluable for utility duties where it needs to be locked up out of sight for any length of time, while I'm also far less concerned about getting caught out in the rain. The Fuji's flat pedals with toe cages are also a bit less demanding / more practical in use than the CdF's otherwise lovely SPD-A600 pedals and the clippity-cloppity serious shoes they require.
With the CdF I seem to have repeated a mistake I've made in the past - having bought it with visions of marauding over the post-covid, Mad-Max wasteland applying it to whichever task this versatile bike can perform; while in reality it's so nice and I'm so OCD that I'm scared to leave it anywhere or expose it to any risk of damage... so, it remains resolutely a leisure tool limited largely to non-stop rides unless I can keep it with me / in sight at all times. For everything else it's going to be the Fuji.
That's not to say however that I regret buying the CdF at all - it's a fantastic piece of kit; was instrumental in a fantastic summer of cycling during 2020 and I still sometimes stop to admire it as I walk past. While it's become very much a "Sunday bike" I plan to get out on it again as the weather improves and there's more incentive to get out than just riding to the shops and back.
I'm generally very happy with the bike as it stands, however unlike most of the other differences between it and the Fuji I do prefer the triple crankset on the latter as I find myself rarely shifting out of the 36T chainring on the front, while I always seem to be moving between the 50 and 34T rings on the CdF's 105 crankset. In addition I really love the proper low-end of the Fuji's 26T granny ring and often find the CdF's 34T inner ring too high when off-road.
I'm often tempted by the thought of fitting a GRX item instead; the 48/31 800-series being the nicer of the two but pretty pricey and not offering much of a drop at the top end (good from the perspective of a wider gear range, less-so from the position of minimising shifting on the front). Alternatively the 600-series drops the big-ring size by around 13% at 46T while the low end is similarly diminished at 30T.. a more worthwhile swap it seems although in these frugal days far from 100% necessary and also requiring the additional cost and hassle of fitting a GRX FD too.
I've not taken many "proper" shots of the Genesis for some time (partially because carrying a proper camera is a pain in the rucksack I use for cycling while I have no provision for pannier bags on this bike) however below are a few of what I have managed to capture on the phone whilst out on our mundane, middle-aged meanderings
Not a lot's gone on with the bike since my last post tbh. It got treated to a nice pair of stainless King bottle cages some time ago, while I've also sourced a duplicate set of rims, discs and a cassette with a view towards a tubeless wheelset build for more off-road stuff; although I'm yet to put my hands on the rest of the kit required. Earlier in the week I also managed to score a NOS derailleur hanger for it - something I've been meaning to get as a future-proofing spare for a while but never got around to since it's not been burningly urgent.
Truth be told the CdF's not seen a whole lot of use since last summer and the arrival of my Fuji Touring. While inferior in pretty much every way on paper, the Fuji has very much displaced the Genesis over the past six months for a number of reasons.
Firstly there was the novelty of something new and the need to shake it down after the considerable amount of work I've done on it. Next was the exact reason I bought the Fuji - its slight tattyness and relatively low financial worth.. as such it's proven invaluable for utility duties where it needs to be locked up out of sight for any length of time, while I'm also far less concerned about getting caught out in the rain. The Fuji's flat pedals with toe cages are also a bit less demanding / more practical in use than the CdF's otherwise lovely SPD-A600 pedals and the clippity-cloppity serious shoes they require.
With the CdF I seem to have repeated a mistake I've made in the past - having bought it with visions of marauding over the post-covid, Mad-Max wasteland applying it to whichever task this versatile bike can perform; while in reality it's so nice and I'm so OCD that I'm scared to leave it anywhere or expose it to any risk of damage... so, it remains resolutely a leisure tool limited largely to non-stop rides unless I can keep it with me / in sight at all times. For everything else it's going to be the Fuji.
That's not to say however that I regret buying the CdF at all - it's a fantastic piece of kit; was instrumental in a fantastic summer of cycling during 2020 and I still sometimes stop to admire it as I walk past. While it's become very much a "Sunday bike" I plan to get out on it again as the weather improves and there's more incentive to get out than just riding to the shops and back.
I'm generally very happy with the bike as it stands, however unlike most of the other differences between it and the Fuji I do prefer the triple crankset on the latter as I find myself rarely shifting out of the 36T chainring on the front, while I always seem to be moving between the 50 and 34T rings on the CdF's 105 crankset. In addition I really love the proper low-end of the Fuji's 26T granny ring and often find the CdF's 34T inner ring too high when off-road.
I'm often tempted by the thought of fitting a GRX item instead; the 48/31 800-series being the nicer of the two but pretty pricey and not offering much of a drop at the top end (good from the perspective of a wider gear range, less-so from the position of minimising shifting on the front). Alternatively the 600-series drops the big-ring size by around 13% at 46T while the low end is similarly diminished at 30T.. a more worthwhile swap it seems although in these frugal days far from 100% necessary and also requiring the additional cost and hassle of fitting a GRX FD too.
I've not taken many "proper" shots of the Genesis for some time (partially because carrying a proper camera is a pain in the rucksack I use for cycling while I have no provision for pannier bags on this bike) however below are a few of what I have managed to capture on the phone whilst out on our mundane, middle-aged meanderings
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Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
Mundane, middle-aged meanderings. Sounds like a good title for a new thread.
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
I randomly noticed yesterday that today is the 3rd anniversary of the arrival of the CdF
Not a lot's gone on with the bike since my last post tbh. It got treated to a nice pair of stainless King bottle cages some time ago, while I've also sourced a duplicate set of rims, discs and a cassette with a view towards a tubeless wheelset build for more off-road stuff; although I'm yet to put my hands on the rest of the kit required. Earlier in the week I also managed to score a NOS derailleur hanger for it - something I've been meaning to get as a future-proofing spare for a while but never got around to since it's not been burningly urgent.
Truth be told the CdF's not seen a whole lot of use since last summer and the arrival of my Fuji Touring. While inferior in pretty much every way on paper, the Fuji has very much displaced the Genesis over the past six months for a number of reasons.
Firstly there was the novelty of something new and the need to shake it down after the considerable amount of work I've done on it. Next was the exact reason I bought the Fuji - its slight tattyness and relatively low financial worth.. as such it's proven invaluable for utility duties where it needs to be locked up out of sight for any length of time, while I'm also far less concerned about getting caught out in the rain. The Fuji's flat pedals with toe cages are also a bit less demanding / more practical in use than the CdF's otherwise lovely SPD-A600 pedals and the clippity-cloppity serious shoes they require.
With the CdF I seem to have repeated a mistake I've made in the past - having bought it with visions of marauding over the post-covid, Mad-Max wasteland applying it to whichever task this versatile bike can perform; while in reality it's so nice and I'm so OCD that I'm scared to leave it anywhere or expose it to any risk of damage... so, it remains resolutely a leisure tool limited largely to non-stop rides unless I can keep it with me / in sight at all times. For everything else it's going to be the Fuji.
That's not to say however that I regret buying the CdF at all - it's a fantastic piece of kit; was instrumental in a fantastic summer of cycling during 2020 and I still sometimes stop to admire it as I walk past. While it's become very much a "Sunday bike" I plan to get out on it again as the weather improves and there's more incentive to get out than just riding to the shops and back.
I'm generally very happy with the bike as it stands, however unlike most of the other differences between it and the Fuji I do prefer the triple crankset on the latter as I find myself rarely shifting out of the 36T chainring on the front, while I always seem to be moving between the 50 and 34T rings on the CdF's 105 crankset. In addition I really love the proper low-end of the Fuji's 26T granny ring and often find the CdF's 34T inner ring too high when off-road.
I'm often tempted by the thought of fitting a GRX item instead; the 48/31 800-series being the nicer of the two but pretty pricey and not offering much of a drop at the top end (good from the perspective of a wider gear range, less-so from the position of minimising shifting on the front). Alternatively the 600-series drops the big-ring size by around 13% at 46T while the low end is similarly diminished at 30T.. a more worthwhile swap it seems although in these frugal days far from 100% necessary and also requiring the additional cost and hassle of fitting a GRX FD too.
I've not taken many "proper" shots of the Genesis for some time (partially because carrying a proper camera is a pain in the rucksack I use for cycling while I have no provision for pannier bags on this bike) however below are a few of what I have managed to capture on the phone whilst out on our mundane, middle-aged meanderings
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3 years has gone by real fast since your original and great review!
Was it the right bike for you to buy?
Maybe re-spec' it and use it more?
