A Genesis Croix De Fer Thread

[Milkfloat]

I have a TdF, 2012 I think. I bought it second hand as a commuter I don't mind battering, It cost me £125 but needed a bit or tarting up.

Since then I have added a dynamo front wheel for a fit and forget experience. It had the frankly awful TRP Hy/Rd brakes which were a complete liability until I stripped them fully and did the following mod to change the pull ratio, now it stops on a dime.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aBa3sGUUhs

 

[wafter]

I have a TdF, 2012 I think. I bought it second hand as a commuter I don't mind battering, It cost me £125 but needed a bit or tarting up.

View attachment 508072
Since then I have added a dynamo front wheel for a fit and forget experience. It had the frankly awful TRP Hy/Rd brakes which were a complete liability until I stripped them fully and did the following mod to change the pull ratio, now it stops on a dime.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aBa3sGUUhs

Looks really nice that - great work. I bet that was a really rewarding project

For what it's worth the (I'm guessing) outboard-mounted rear caliper and frame colour would date the bike at 2010-2012, while the brake calipers must have been retro-fit as they didn't start using the TRPs until 2015.

Are those Tiagra 4700 shifters I spy? Were you having issues with these shifters and the brakes and or was the issue with the original STIs? IIRC the 4700s run a different cable pull ratio to the older variants alluded to in the video, so should be better. I test-rode a CdF 20 with 4700s / TRPs and the brakes were decent enough; in the dry feeling pretty indistinguishable from my 4700 shifters and 5800 calipers..

I wasn't aware the calipers could be modded in such a way; so thanks for the video - could come in handy if I happen to buy an earlier bike as I don't think I could cope with fully machanical calipers so the TRPs would be the obvious upgrade

 

[Milkfloat]

Looks really nice that - great work. I bet that was a really rewarding project

For what it's worth the (I'm guessing) outboard-mounted rear caliper and frame colour would date the bike at 2010-2012, while the brake calipers must have been retro-fit as they didn't start using the TRPs until 2015.

Are those Tiagra 4700 shifters I spy? Were you having issues with these shifters and the brakes and or was the issue with the original STIs? IIRC the 4700s run a different cable pull ratio to the older variants alluded to in the video, so should be better. I test-rode a CdF 20 with 4700s / TRPs and the brakes were decent enough; in the dry feeling pretty indistinguishable from my 4700 shifters and 5800 calipers..

I wasn't aware the calipers could be modded in such a way; so thanks for the video - could come in handy if I happen to buy an earlier bike as I don't think I could cope with fully machanical calipers so the TRPs would be the obvious upgrade

Good research - yes the issue is the comparability between the 4700 shifter and the older TRP Hy/Rd. I basically inherited the perfect storm of the shifter and caliper. Add on top of that the caliper location meant fitting a normal rack and mudguards became an exercise involving very small tolerances. However it is all setup now and working beautifully.

 

[Nibor]

Adapters do exist apparently https://www.assolutions.ca/shop/adapters/flat-mount-adapter-for-is-frame/

 

[citybabe]

I bough the TdF 30 end part of last year. It was pricey as you know but I want to get more into touring rather than the longer faster rides I used to do.

 

[newfhouse]

It had the frankly awful TRP Hy/Rd brakes which were a complete liability until I stripped them fully and did the following mod to change the pull ratio, now it stops on a dime.

Interesting. I’ve always considered my brakes to be pretty good but I might try a temporary move of the cable clamp to see if there’s much difference.

 

[Nibor]

TRP Hy/Rd need compressionless cable outers without them they are poor at best.

 

[wafter]

Good research - yes the issue is the comparability between the 4700 shifter and the older TRP Hy/Rd. I basically inherited the perfect storm of the shifter and caliper. Add on top of that the caliper location meant fitting a normal rack and mudguards became an exercise involving very small tolerances. However it is all setup now and working beautifully.

View attachment 508104
View attachment 508105

Thanks - I like to be thorough and informed

Nice work with the back end; certainly looks like a lot to cram in there! I guess that might be why they moved the caliper position on later models.

So from what you're saying am I correct in thinking that TRP offer two different caliper / lever specs to suit the pull ratios of various different levers?

Adapters do exist apparently https://www.assolutions.ca/shop/adapters/flat-mount-adapter-for-is-frame/

Thanks - now you mention it I think I might have seen those before. Not a particularly elegant solution but certainly better than none at all!

I bough the TdF 30 end part of last year. It was pricey as you know but I want to get more into touring rather than the longer faster rides I used to do.

View attachment 508126

Nice - I'm suitably jealous! I considered the TdF as I'd like to tour (bits of Holland) at some point, however realistically 95% of the bike's use will be local and on a mixture of surfaces so the CdF is probably the better choice for me personally. Some bits of the TdF certainly appeal though; I think on balance I'd rather have a triple chainset!

How are you getting on with it?

 

[citybabe]

Nice - I'm suitably jealous! I considered the TdF as I'd like to tour (bits of Holland) at some point, however realistically 95% of the bike's use will be local and on a mixture of surfaces so the CdF is probably the better choice for me personally. Some bits of the TdF certainly appeal though; I think on balance I'd rather have a triple chainset!

How are you getting on with it?
[/QUOTE]

I’m enjoying riding it although it is the heaviest bike I have owned. It’s close on 15kg.
The triple chain set was a must really to make it a bit easier for me as I don’t have the push now that I once had in my legs and knees.

I’m sure there are cheaper and better speced bikes available but it’s what I liked and what I wanted

 

[wafter]

I’m enjoying riding it although it is the heaviest bike I have owned. It’s close on 15kg.
The triple chain set was a must really to make it a bit easier for me as I don’t have the push now that I once had in my legs and knees.

I’m sure there are cheaper and better speced bikes available but it’s what I liked and what I wanted

Excellent!

Yes, they're certainly not the lightest bikes around but I guess that's inevitable with the steel frame and equipment present. Looking at the gear ratios the lowest (30/32) isn't actually that much lower than the 105 double on the CdF 30 (34/34); however I bet the triple makes for nicer / tighter (but I guess more frequent) changes on the front chainrings due to the smaller jumps in size between them. I guess if you wanted to go lower still you could probably fit a Deore chainset with a 22t granny ring

Glad you're enjoying it anyway; I feel similar about the CdF - paying a little over the odds perhaps; but they noth seem like solid, durable bikes with a great rep that should give many years of good service if looked after

 

[citybabe]

Excellent!

Yes, they're certainly not the lightest bikes around but I guess that's inevitable with the steel frame and equipment present. Looking at the gear ratios the lowest (30/32) isn't actually that much lower than the 105 double on the CdF 30 (34/34); however I bet the triple makes for nicer / tighter (but I guess more frequent) changes on the front chainrings due to the smaller jumps in size between them. I guess if you wanted to go lower still you could probably fit a Deore chainset with a 22t granny ring

Glad you're enjoying it anyway; I feel similar about the CdF - paying a little over the odds perhaps; but they noth seem like solid, durable bikes with a great rep that should give many years of good service if looked after

Excellent!

Yes, they're certainly not the lightest bikes around but I guess that's inevitable with the steel frame and equipment present. Looking at the gear ratios the lowest (30/32) isn't actually that much lower than the 105 double on the CdF 30 (34/34); however I bet the triple makes for nicer / tighter (but I guess more frequent) changes on the front chainrings due to the smaller jumps in size between them. I guess if you wanted to go lower still you could probably fit a Deore chainset with a 22t granny ring

Glad you're enjoying it anyway; I feel similar about the CdF - paying a little over the odds perhaps; but they noth seem like solid, durable bikes with a great rep that should give many years of good service if looked after

Excellent!

Yes, they're certainly not the lightest bikes around but I guess that's inevitable with the steel frame and equipment present. Looking at the gear ratios the lowest (30/32) isn't actually that much lower than the 105 double on the CdF 30 (34/34); however I bet the triple makes for nicer / tighter (but I guess more frequent) changes on the front chainrings due to the smaller jumps in size between them. I guess if you wanted to go lower still you could probably fit a Deore chainset with a 22t granny ring

The shop I bought from will put on a lower chainset so if you’re off somewhere mountainous they will change over the chainset and then put yours back on when you return

 

[wafter]

The shop I bought from will put on a lower chainset so if you’re off somewhere mountainous they will change over the chainset and then put yours back on when you return

Nice - sounds like cracking service