That's weak - they're talking about a custom frame colour but all you're requesting is a standard frame with a different set of components bolted on. Have you tried speaking to someone on the phone? You might get more joy that way.
Surely it's the kind of thing you've got to expect a LBS to do? Am I missing something? I've never heard of a bike manufacturer offering to change the spec of their bikes?
The LBS I was looking for my Datum offered to do either the 30 spec or the 20 spec on the red frame for the price of the black and white bikes.
Not the least because it seems stocks of the other 2 seem rare, so they've probably got a red one in stock.
I've seen at least one red datum 10 with the 20 spec on the t'internet.
I wasn't really that bothered about colour per se. I was originally looking at the 30 though and I think white would just show up the dirt and as I'd test ridden the 10 I liked the red. I was tempted to get CX 46/36T gearing instead too. All of these things the LBS were happy to do.
I don't understand the price point of the 10 at all? Why would anyone buy the 10 instead of getting the full 105 and hydraulic disks on the 20? They just seem too close in price point.
In the end I decided a power meter would be more useful and fun than spending £1000 more for electronic gears. So I went for a black 20 with a stages power meter and they swapped the bar and stem for pro vibe (effectively getting the M sized stem and bars on the L frame at the same time)
I've done about 250km so far, not gone for my fit yet but I'm loving it. It's the best bike I've ever ridden. I'm not a genesis dealer either - albeit the set of bikes I've ridden isn't that large. The bike it's replacing is a 2014 Giant defy advanced 2 which I never really liked much. The power meter was definitely a good choice too.
Put it this way, if there's a better bike for the money go and buy two of them