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

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supermoocow

New Member
OK,
Commuting Daventry to Rugby via Barby. There's a few nasty hills on the way.
Have Sirrus something flat bar hybrid with carbon front and rear at the moment but got £1000 voucher for cyclescheme finally...
Will be back roads mostly with 2 mile of dirt track (old railway track through rugby. not too potholy).

Kind of thought about a Genesis Croix De Fer with 28 marathons or armadilo's on it? Worried about weight and only double not triple front gears (Sirrus is tripple and it kills me with that gear ratio).
Could be an all rounder winter bike as well and like the idea of Disk brakes after the wear last winter had on my rims!!!!

Otherwise an audax bike of some sorts if it can take light back trail for a little bit?

Opinions or ideas greatly recieved :smile:
 

bauldbairn

New Member
Location
Falkirk
I'm a fan of the Genesis C de F it's a very nice bike and has been discussed on this forum several times. Try searching for threads and posts on it on here.

There's also the Kona Dew Drop, Edinburgh Bike Coop " Revolution Explorer" and many of the sporty flatbar bikes like Boardmans have discs.

Norm will be along shortly to persuade you to have a look at the Specialized Tricross, there's also the Boardman CX although these don't have disc brakes.

The UCI have just announced that disc brakes will be legal for Cyclo Cross(CX)racing next year so I believe there will be quite a few disc models from all the big manufacturers in the very near future.
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
the gearing on a triple kills you?

a bike with carbon front and rear sounds like it should be rather decent
 
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supermoocow

New Member
the gearing on a triple kills you?

a bike with carbon front and rear sounds like it should be rather decent

Its a nice bike however would like drops this time to tuck down a bit as feel v.exposed in the wind.
There are a couple of long hills that sap the will to live out of my legs. I'm used to doing 3-6 mile commute at the moment. This commute is just over double and has hills!!!

It was on here that I found the Croix De Fer... Only worry people have it seems is the weight of the bike plus gear ratio's...

Steel frame sounds more comfortable.
Looks like it will be sturdy for light firetrails around country parks
Disks would be great for winter commute
Can take mudguards and a rack (a must as need to transport laptop unf.).

Unly problem is I used to have an old mountain bike = killer to commute
Then got the Sirrus which is great but a bit sit up and beg and worry about the the Alex rims on the railway path

Basically keep going round the houses...

First thought was heck get a brompton. Can put in back of car. Drive halfway and ride last 4-6 miles + use in London.
Second thought get a Audex bike to speed through the back roads with rack on the back. Should be easier than sit up hybrid. Only problem is I like the old railway track as can zoom through rugby without traffic enjoying birds, trees, etc. Its a pretty flat track but has potholes and when it rains sections get flooded (disks ideal again).

Then the third idea of the Crois De Fer or similar. Hopefully as fast as the Sirrus with 700x28 slick'ish tyres. In the winter can switch to larger tyres and still commute not needing to get in car and risking those hilly bits/getting stuck behind lorries...

Just keep wondering if the Crois will be a harder ride than the Sirrus as I'm not the fittest bloke in the world.

Already got the £1000 voucher so looking for bikes around £1000 can go upto say £1500 if the bike shop will accept extra cash on top of voucher.
 

Rohloff_Brompton_Rider

Formerly just_fixed
get the brompton. i ride one in silly hilly country and on my 41 mile round trip commute (sometimes 5 days a week, sometimes only 2, depends on lectures). at least with the brompton you have peace of mind, security wise and the option of public transport if it's too tough for you thru winter.
 

aberal

Veteran
Location
Midlothian
The Croix de Fer is a great bike and would give you what you are looking for. Not sure what your point is about the gearing - but mountain bikes are complete and utter dogs to ride on the road, so you can't compare with a road bike. It's the proverbial apples and pears. The 34 / 50 gearing on the Croix de Fer gives a good spread of gears for the road and for a bit of track and trail as well.
 

Norm

Guest
Norm will be along shortly to persuade you to have a look at the Specialized Tricross, there's also the Boardman CX although these don't have disc brakes.
Oh... OK then.

Have a look at the Tricross and other CX bikes too. :biggrin:

I think that many of the cyclo-cross bikes have MTB cassettes, so they'll generally have bigger gears than a road bike. There are enough errors on the Spesh website that I don't believe the cassette ratios it gives, so I'm not sure about the gearing on the Sirrus but it looks to be similar to the Tricross. And, in contrast with what's written on the Spesh site, the Tricross does not have a 12-25 rear,

The Genesis site suggests that the CdF has 12-25 on the rear, which, if true, could be harder work on the hills than the Sirrus.

But the disc brakes would be, IMO, a great thing to have.
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
Any good shop will swap the cassette at time of purchase, a 12-25 is going to be ok with a double surely?
 

potsy

Rambler
Location
My Armchair
Always wondered about the 12-25 on the Tri-cross,what does it have then norm? We have hills up here you know
wink.gif
 

Norm

Guest
Always wondered about the 12-25 on the Tri-cross,what does it have then norm? We have hills up here you know
wink.gif
I can't remember, but it's more than 25. You can see from the respective pix on the Spesh site that the larger cogs are much larger.

Just off out for a ride, I'll have a count, although I'll have to get my kids to take their shoes and socks off too, as there's more than 20. :biggrin:
 
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supermoocow

New Member
Cheers guys,
Had a quick go on a Croix and althought there were no major hills around rode up one that is similar to a hill I go up on my commute and I believe it was no harder than doing it on my hybrid (then again I could have ridden it up a wall I was so pleased with the look of the bike). In fact grabbing the drops does seem to give more power to the legs for some reason.

Fit wise the the frame was a litle large for me at 56 but could possibly drop the handlebars if I want to tuck down more.
Tried a 54 frame Trek road bike? to see if a smaller frame would be better but it was too squashed.

The Croix looks great but will probably need to buy some frame protectors? to protect that white frame.

Changed tyres for 700 x 28C Marathon Plus's, added rack and mud guards. Should be picking it up in a week or so.

Thanks for the help guys. I'm sure I will badger you all again for advice regarding additional bits and servicing.
 

bauldbairn

New Member
Location
Falkirk
Cheers guys,
Had a quick go on a Croix.........The Croix looks great but will probably need to buy some frame protectors? to protect that white frame.

Changed tyres for 700 x 28C Marathon Plus's, added rack and mud guards. Should be picking it up in a week or so.


So does this mean you've bought the C de F then??????????? :wacko:

If so - congratulations!..........It's a smashing looking bike. :thumbsup: B)

Don't worry about the white paint - I've got a white bike and it's no more difficult to keep clean than any other colour(unless you've got OCD ;) ).

I'd recommend a pack of "Lizard Skin" clear frame protectors - available from CRC - to protect from cable rub etc.

Good luck with it - and remember to post some picture once you get it. :smile:
 

Norm

Guest
Always wondered about the 12-25 on the Tri-cross,what does it have then norm? We have hills up here you know
wink.gif

I can't remember, but it's more than 25. You can see from the respective pix on the Spesh site that the larger cogs are much larger.

Just off out for a ride, I'll have a count, although I'll have to get my kids to take their shoes and socks off too, as there's more than 20. :biggrin:
It's either 32 or 33 - I lose count with numbers that big. :blush:

Acksh, just checked the Evans site and that says the Sport ships with 11-32 teeth on the cassette.
 

Renard

Guest
When I read this I thought you had to commute over the Croix de Fer everyday. Can you imagine how good a climber it would make you? :blush:
 
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