Genesis Croix De Fer for 13 mile commute each way some 'orrible hills

[Norm]

because where we're going we don't need....roads

I did a run on Sunday, 12 miles round trip and saw 3 cars from start to finish, bliss

Nice. Very nice.

 

[BenScoobert]

Sorry Ben, I haven't yet read anything positive about the stock saddle with the CdF...shame really.

Brooks coming from another forum member I'll take this plank off that they ship it with

Whilst walking down platform 1 on Leeds station, I saw 2 bikes with Brooks saddles, had to have a feel, MMMMMMmmmmm

 

[bauldbairn]

Can't help you on the luggage carrying, I have a little saddle bag with a multitool, GPS receiver, inhaler, emergency bogroll and £10 inside.

Wot no puncture repair outfit / spare tube or pump???



.....nice pics though!!

 

[BenScoobert]

Wot no puncture repair outfit / spare tube or pump???



.....nice pics though!!

Lol no, I have the wife ready to RAC me back home if need be

 

[bauldbairn]

Hi supermoocow,

What rack is that you have on your CdF? I've also got a CdF and tried to fit a Topeak Supertourist DX w/disc brakes with no luck!

Primalgeek - why not PM supermowcow about his rack?

Or start a "what rack for a CdF" thread - I'm sure someone on here must know what fits???

Or e-mail Genesis themselves?

 

[BikeM]

Primalgeek - why not PM supermowcow about his rack?

Or start a "what rack for a CdF" thread - I'm sure someone on here must know what fits???

Or e-mail Genesis themselves?

OK. All the things I'd wanted to know about the Croix de Fer before buying the bike on the Cycle to work scheme......and can now answer happily from experience !

The brakes, once bedded in are great although squeal a little. The Madison Ridge Disc Pannier Rack (£24.99 from CRC) fits simply and well. This rack looks lighter than the topeak supertourist which is more costly at £31.99 from CRC. The CdF has separate eyelets for rack and guards which I've used but it did mean bending the mudguard stays around the disc brake mounting a bit. I've also switched the stock tyres which were noisy on the road to marathon 700X32s which seem much to have much less road drag and increased my enjoyment riding even more ! I've been using a rucsac since getting the bike but now I've fitted the rack, I'll be able to better compare the overall ride feel to the Tricross.

My rides so far seem to involve a bit more effort up hills than riding the Tricross. This possibly because of the smaller rear cog range and compact chainset. However, the extra effort is rewarded by extra speed (about 0.5mph more on average commute at about 14.5 mph) and a much smoother ride. I imagine it to be like driving a top of the range exec car compared to the Tricross's more boy racer GTI approach.....but then what were cars all about anyway ??

Weight of my size 60 CdF with guards and rack as pictured.....13.4kg. This compares to 12.6kg for my XL Tricross with the same tyres and guards and a rack.

 

[Norm]

Lovely, thanks for posting that.

 

[BenScoobert]

OK. All the things I'd wanted to know about the Croix de Fer before buying the bike on the Cycle to work scheme......and can now answer happily from experience !

The brakes, once bedded in are great although squeal a little. The Madison Ridge Disc Pannier Rack (£24.99 from CRC) fits simply and well. This rack looks lighter than the topeak supertourist which is more costly at £31.99 from CRC. The CdF has separate eyelets for rack and guards which I've used but it did mean bending the mudguard stays around the disc brake mounting a bit. I've also switched the stock tyres which were noisy on the road to marathon 700X32s which seem much to have much less road drag and increased my enjoyment riding even more ! I've been using a rucsac since getting the bike but now I've fitted the rack, I'll be able to better compare the overall ride feel to the Tricross.

My rides so far seem to involve a bit more effort up hills than riding the Tricross. This possibly because of the smaller rear cog range and compact chainset. However, the extra effort is rewarded by extra speed (about 0.5mph more on average commute at about 14.5 mph) and a much smoother ride. I imagine it to be like driving a top of the range exec car compared to the Tricross's more boy racer GTI approach.....but then what were cars all about anyway ??

Weight of my size 60 CdF with guards and rack as pictured.....13.4kg. This compares to 12.6kg for my XL Tricross with the same tyres and guards and a rack.

You're sticking with the regular seat?

 

[HJ]

[attachment=393MAG0021.jpg][attachment=392MAG0020.jpg]

because where we're going we don't need....roads

I did a run on Sunday, 12 miles round trip and saw 3 cars from start to finish, bliss

What are the mudguards you are using?

... The Madison Ridge Disc Pannier Rack (£24.99 from CRC) fits simply and well. This rack looks lighter than the topeak supertourist which is more costly at £31.99 from CRC. The CdF has separate eyelets for rack and guards which I've used but it did mean bending the mudguard stays around the disc brake mounting a bit. ...

Interesting choice of rack looks like it works well, a max load carrying capacity 25 kg is plenty for light touring and commuting, SJS Cycles are doing them for £18 so it won't brake the bank either...

 

[primalgeek]

OK. All the things I'd wanted to know about the Croix de Fer before buying the bike on the Cycle to work scheme......and can now answer happily from experience !

The brakes, once bedded in are great although squeal a little. The Madison Ridge Disc Pannier Rack (£24.99 from CRC) fits simply and well. This rack looks lighter than the topeak supertourist which is more costly at £31.99 from CRC. The CdF has separate eyelets for rack and guards which I've used but it did mean bending the mudguard stays around the disc brake mounting a bit.

Thanks for the info! I decided on the Topeak SuperTourist for Disc... Although it had to be "manipulated" by the bike shop to get it to fit. I'm not sure if the separate eyelet you have mounted the rack on is actually an eyelet... more just a space between the seat stay and caliper mounting bracket, but hey if it works could you add a piccie of the drive train side mounting point you used?

I've also switched the stock tyres which were noisy on the road to marathon 700X32s which seem much to have much less road drag and increased my enjoyment riding even more !

Same change of tyre for me... find the marathon 32c to be the sweet spot between comfort and rolling resistance.

Other modifications I've made are adding a Brooks B17 Special saddle in honey (matches the bar tape perfectly) and some funky spoke reflectors.

Weight of my size 60 CdF with guards and rack as pictured.....13.4kg. This compares to 12.6kg for my XL Tricross with the same tyres and guards and a rack.

You got me interested, the supertourist rack seems heavy... 56cm + mods (guards; rack; saddle) = 14 kg (scales only go in 0.5kg increments).... mmm maybe I need to rethink my choice of rack

I'll get some piccies together of my precious (feel a bit like gollum with the CdF) and update.

 

[bauldbairn]

"...the Tricross's more boy racer GTI approach..."

Are you saying our very own "Specialized Norm" is a Boy Racer!!!!


Nice pics BikeM and well done fitting the guards and rack.

 

[BikeM]

More info as requested.....

Not yet changed the saddle which I gather is known affectionately as the "blade" by other users. So far (5 days of commuting on it) it seems OK for me but if I get problems from it I'll probably swap it to a Specialized Avatar Gel which works for me on other bikes. I can see how a Brooks saddle would look pretty cool on the CdF though.

The mudguards I have fitted are SKS chromoplastic road 45mm. I probably could have selected a narrower guard but went with what Wiggle had in stock and I now have the option of fitting wider tyres if really needed.

A photo of the drive side rear guard and rack fittings below. I'll not be loading the rack other than usual commuting stuff.

Thanks for comments everyone.

 

[BenScoobert]

What are the mudguards you are using?

Sorry, I don't know, they were just a £10 pair from my LBS

 

[primalgeek]

More info as requested.....

Not yet changed the saddle which I gather is known affectionately as the "blade" by other users. So far (5 days of commuting on it) it seems OK for me but if I get problems from it I'll probably swap it to a Specialized Avatar Gel which works for me on other bikes. I can see how a Brooks saddle would look pretty cool on the CdF though.

The mudguards I have fitted are SKS chromoplastic road 45mm. I probably could have selected a narrower guard but went with what Wiggle had in stock and I now have the option of fitting wider tyres if really needed.

A photo of the drive side rear guard and rack fittings below. I'll not be loading the rack other than usual commuting stuff.

Thanks for comments everyone.

Thanks for the photo of the drive side eyelets! I don't have an eyelet where you have mounted the rack (2010 model)... I think I might be taking a trip to my LBS to compare their display model tomorrow.