While researching my CdF purchase earlier in the year I became a proper spec nerd, and while I'm very happy with mine and have neither the inclination nor funds to chop it in for a new one, I'm always interested in how the marque evolves and so if anyone's interested below is a broad-strokes summary of the new range and how they differ from last year's models.
Sorry I won't be including the entry-level Croix De Fer 10 or top-end Ti models as I didn't research these last time and can't be arsed to do it all now for the sake of one post!
I guess the big over-arching change is that the steel range has been expanded, from last year's 10, 20 and 30-suffix models to include new 40 and 50 designated variants that now represent the top of the ferrous-framed lineup. I've not picked through the numbers on cursory inspection it seems that geometry figures remain unchanged from last year (as they have done since around 2015 IIRC).
Croix De Fer 20
Frame
The frame is the same Reynolds 725 tubing as last year's model and retains the traditional quick release wheel format, however tyre clearance has been increased from the previous 37mm to 42mm on the 700c rims, and 650b compatability is now advertised with room for 45mm tyres. It also appears that the frame and fork have sprouted many new mounting points for periperhals and water bottles, with it seems five bottle mounts on the down tube, three on the seat tube , two brand new ones on the top tube and a host on the fork for racks and the like.
The Genesis site states that the 20 now has "flat mount discs" however looking at the pics it seems that the frame does, in fact have the same IS-mount calipers as last year's model, which is a bit crap
As per last year the 20 is available in two different colour schemes.
Groupset
Last year's full-Tiagra groupset has been largely replaced / supplemented by Shimano's gravel-specific GRX components, with the crankset and derailleurs appearently coming from the entry-point 400 series and giving a new lower range with the 46-30 chain rings versus Tiagra's more road-centric 50-34 compact. The cassette remains the same 10sp 11-34 HG unit while the Tiagra shifters and TRP Spyre-C mechanical disc brakes are retained from last year.
Price
The RRP is £1499; a hundred quid more than the outgoing model but you arguably get quite a lot more for your money.
Personally I think the new blue colour scheme is the best looking of all the new models
Croix De Fer 30
Frame
Just as with the CdF 20 the new 30-spec frame boasts wider tyre clearance and a host of new fixing points; while retaining the same flat mount disc compatability, 12mm through-axles and Reynolds 725 construction as the 2020 model.
Groupset
Again as with the 20, last year's full-105 groupset has been largely replaced / supplemented by Shimano's gravel-specific GRX components. We now have the 46/30 R600 chainset combined with the 800-series front derailleur, while the excellent clutched 810 rear derailleur is retained from last year. The cassette is the same 11-34 HG item. Unfortunately the brakes are a retrograde step with the 2020 model's fully-hydraulic 105 setup getting the boot in favour of TRP Spyre mech calipers and corresponding mechanical 105 STIs.
Price
The RRP is £1899; a hundred quid less than the outgoing model, but you do lose the hydro brakes which for me is a significant downgrade.
Croix De Fer 40
Frame
The frame of the CdF 40 appears to be of identical spec to that of the 30 other than the colour, the differences between the two coming down to component choice.
Groupset
The CdF 40 builds on this year's 30-designated model with more, higher-spec GRX components. We get the same 800-series derailleurs and RX600 crank, but the 40 also adds 600 series hydraulic shifters to suit the 400-series hydro calipers. Also, the rims are changed from Jalco to WTB items, which are presumably higher-spec.
Price
The RRP is £2299; four hundred quid more than this year's CdF 30 and three hundred quid more than last year's 30.
Croix De Fer 50
Frame
Geometrically the frame of the CdF 50 appears to be of identical spec to those of the of the 30 and 40 models, however it's constructed from Reynolds 853 tubing which has only previously been reserved for their top-end steel frameset. On addition the fork is Genesis' CGR carbon-fibre item which reputedly saves a fair bit of mass.
Groupset
Being the top end steel model Genesis have pretty-much pushed the boat out on GRX components with 800-series bits throughout with the exception of the RX600 crankset.
Price
The RRP is a cool £2999; £700 more than the CdF 40 and 1.5 times more than last year's CdF 30.
725 Frameset
The CdF 20-spec frameset unsurprisingly gets the same upgrades as the full bike, so wider tyre clearance and a host of additional fixing points. IIRC price has been hiked by £50 to £549 RRP, which I guess is reasonable given the changes made and real-world inflation.
725 12/12 Frameset
Effectively a new model for this year, Genesis are now offering what's essentially the same frameset as used on the 30 and 40 models (725 tube with 12mm through-axles) rather than last year where the sole TA frame sold in isolation was the 853 model.
While it's not a direct comparison on account of the material difference, the current 725 12/12 frameset retails at £799; £50 less than last year's geometrically-similar (tyre clearance and mounts notwithstanding) 853 model.
853 Frameset
Following on from the revisions further down the range to better align the frames with the built bikes, the 853 frameset is essentially the companion to the built CdF 50, although lacks the complete bike's CFRP fork. RRP is £1049, £200 more than last year's 853 frameset which was much the same barring the usual larger tyre clearance and mounting points introduced this year.
Tbh sadly this price hike really smacks of price-gouging, considering the entry-level 725 frameset has only seen a £50 hike for the same intrinsic changes, so by comparison the 853 frame really doesn't seem to offer great value for money.
Summary and Thoughts
Generally I appreciate nearly all the changes to the framesets; the wider tyre clearance and additional mounting points can only be seen as positives. I'm less enamoured with the internal brake cable / hose routing on the higher-end models as this can be a ballache to work on and give a potential water ingress point, however it undoubtably looks better than the previous setup with its somewhat amateurish-looking use of cable ties.
The CdF 20 looks like the best-value upgrade; with a host of GRX goodies for the extra £100plus the crucial addition of flat-mount brake compatability meaning great upgrade potential should you want to fit Tiagra, 105 or other fully-hydro brakes in future. It's a bit of a shame that the QR wheel fitment has been retained, although I suspect this is a marketing decision to distinguish this from the next model up and give a reason to upgrade.
It's a shame that the CdF 30 has been neutered with mech brakes; which I suspect has saved a lot more than the £100 off the RRP (although granted you're getting some extra value with the GRX crankset). It appears that last year's 30 has effectively been split into two this year; a lower-end offering in the form of the new 30 and a higher-spec offering in the 40.
Personally in terms of groupset spec I'm glad I bought when I did; the GRX crankset would have been nice but I'll take full-hydro 105 any day of the week over a few teeth saved on the crankset, and the price was a squeeze last time while I'd never have been able to have justified the extra to push to the fully-hydro CdF 40.
Finally the 50 looks all very nice, I'm hard-pressed to comment on its value as I'm out of touch with current component pricing.. the fork will doubtless save a load of weight but personally one of the appealing things about the other models is the perceived bombproof nature of the steel fork. Depends on your preferences I guess..
I love the colours of the new models; ironically probably in reverse order of price.. and like the step back from the white logos on mine to the more subtle colour-matched hues on the new models.
The framesets seem to be a mixed bag; the 725 arguably offering the best value, the 725 12/12 probably representing the sweet spot between value and spec. The 12/12 is perhaps all the more appealing as it allows those happy to roll their own to build a pseudo-CdF 30/40 with a grand to spend on the groupset / wheels / finishing kit etc before they hit the RRP of the 30, which I reckon could yield a nicer-spec bike than the 30 for potentially less money. So, if not content with the spec of the built 20 model this seems like the most sensible and cost-effective route to a higher / mid range model.
Unfortunately the 853 frameset seems very expensive for what it is, and I guess is in-keeping with the built 50's arrival to target those with a lot of money to spend and less concern about value.
The new range certainly has some nice features I'd not say no to on my current '30 and has some nice little evolutions, however certainly nothing that would make me run out and upgrade - especially since the entry-level hydro model is now £300 more out of reach.
What do people reckon to the new lineup?
*EDITED* 29/10 to correct some errors and include the 20 Alt and framesets..
Sorry I won't be including the entry-level Croix De Fer 10 or top-end Ti models as I didn't research these last time and can't be arsed to do it all now for the sake of one post!
I guess the big over-arching change is that the steel range has been expanded, from last year's 10, 20 and 30-suffix models to include new 40 and 50 designated variants that now represent the top of the ferrous-framed lineup. I've not picked through the numbers on cursory inspection it seems that geometry figures remain unchanged from last year (as they have done since around 2015 IIRC).
Croix De Fer 20
Frame
The frame is the same Reynolds 725 tubing as last year's model and retains the traditional quick release wheel format, however tyre clearance has been increased from the previous 37mm to 42mm on the 700c rims, and 650b compatability is now advertised with room for 45mm tyres. It also appears that the frame and fork have sprouted many new mounting points for periperhals and water bottles, with it seems five bottle mounts on the down tube, three on the seat tube , two brand new ones on the top tube and a host on the fork for racks and the like.
The Genesis site states that the 20 now has "flat mount discs" however looking at the pics it seems that the frame does, in fact have the same IS-mount calipers as last year's model, which is a bit crap
As per last year the 20 is available in two different colour schemes.
Groupset
Last year's full-Tiagra groupset has been largely replaced / supplemented by Shimano's gravel-specific GRX components, with the crankset and derailleurs appearently coming from the entry-point 400 series and giving a new lower range with the 46-30 chain rings versus Tiagra's more road-centric 50-34 compact. The cassette remains the same 10sp 11-34 HG unit while the Tiagra shifters and TRP Spyre-C mechanical disc brakes are retained from last year.
Price
The RRP is £1499; a hundred quid more than the outgoing model but you arguably get quite a lot more for your money.
Personally I think the new blue colour scheme is the best looking of all the new models
Croix De Fer 30
Frame
Just as with the CdF 20 the new 30-spec frame boasts wider tyre clearance and a host of new fixing points; while retaining the same flat mount disc compatability, 12mm through-axles and Reynolds 725 construction as the 2020 model.
Groupset
Again as with the 20, last year's full-105 groupset has been largely replaced / supplemented by Shimano's gravel-specific GRX components. We now have the 46/30 R600 chainset combined with the 800-series front derailleur, while the excellent clutched 810 rear derailleur is retained from last year. The cassette is the same 11-34 HG item. Unfortunately the brakes are a retrograde step with the 2020 model's fully-hydraulic 105 setup getting the boot in favour of TRP Spyre mech calipers and corresponding mechanical 105 STIs.
Price
The RRP is £1899; a hundred quid less than the outgoing model, but you do lose the hydro brakes which for me is a significant downgrade.
Croix De Fer 40
Frame
The frame of the CdF 40 appears to be of identical spec to that of the 30 other than the colour, the differences between the two coming down to component choice.
Groupset
The CdF 40 builds on this year's 30-designated model with more, higher-spec GRX components. We get the same 800-series derailleurs and RX600 crank, but the 40 also adds 600 series hydraulic shifters to suit the 400-series hydro calipers. Also, the rims are changed from Jalco to WTB items, which are presumably higher-spec.
Price
The RRP is £2299; four hundred quid more than this year's CdF 30 and three hundred quid more than last year's 30.
Croix De Fer 50
Frame
Geometrically the frame of the CdF 50 appears to be of identical spec to those of the of the 30 and 40 models, however it's constructed from Reynolds 853 tubing which has only previously been reserved for their top-end steel frameset. On addition the fork is Genesis' CGR carbon-fibre item which reputedly saves a fair bit of mass.
Groupset
Being the top end steel model Genesis have pretty-much pushed the boat out on GRX components with 800-series bits throughout with the exception of the RX600 crankset.
Price
The RRP is a cool £2999; £700 more than the CdF 40 and 1.5 times more than last year's CdF 30.
725 Frameset
The CdF 20-spec frameset unsurprisingly gets the same upgrades as the full bike, so wider tyre clearance and a host of additional fixing points. IIRC price has been hiked by £50 to £549 RRP, which I guess is reasonable given the changes made and real-world inflation.
725 12/12 Frameset
Effectively a new model for this year, Genesis are now offering what's essentially the same frameset as used on the 30 and 40 models (725 tube with 12mm through-axles) rather than last year where the sole TA frame sold in isolation was the 853 model.
While it's not a direct comparison on account of the material difference, the current 725 12/12 frameset retails at £799; £50 less than last year's geometrically-similar (tyre clearance and mounts notwithstanding) 853 model.
853 Frameset
Following on from the revisions further down the range to better align the frames with the built bikes, the 853 frameset is essentially the companion to the built CdF 50, although lacks the complete bike's CFRP fork. RRP is £1049, £200 more than last year's 853 frameset which was much the same barring the usual larger tyre clearance and mounting points introduced this year.
Tbh sadly this price hike really smacks of price-gouging, considering the entry-level 725 frameset has only seen a £50 hike for the same intrinsic changes, so by comparison the 853 frame really doesn't seem to offer great value for money.
Summary and Thoughts
Generally I appreciate nearly all the changes to the framesets; the wider tyre clearance and additional mounting points can only be seen as positives. I'm less enamoured with the internal brake cable / hose routing on the higher-end models as this can be a ballache to work on and give a potential water ingress point, however it undoubtably looks better than the previous setup with its somewhat amateurish-looking use of cable ties.
The CdF 20 looks like the best-value upgrade; with a host of GRX goodies for the extra £100
It's a shame that the CdF 30 has been neutered with mech brakes; which I suspect has saved a lot more than the £100 off the RRP (although granted you're getting some extra value with the GRX crankset). It appears that last year's 30 has effectively been split into two this year; a lower-end offering in the form of the new 30 and a higher-spec offering in the 40.
Personally in terms of groupset spec I'm glad I bought when I did; the GRX crankset would have been nice but I'll take full-hydro 105 any day of the week over a few teeth saved on the crankset, and the price was a squeeze last time while I'd never have been able to have justified the extra to push to the fully-hydro CdF 40.
Finally the 50 looks all very nice, I'm hard-pressed to comment on its value as I'm out of touch with current component pricing.. the fork will doubtless save a load of weight but personally one of the appealing things about the other models is the perceived bombproof nature of the steel fork. Depends on your preferences I guess..
I love the colours of the new models; ironically probably in reverse order of price.. and like the step back from the white logos on mine to the more subtle colour-matched hues on the new models.
The framesets seem to be a mixed bag; the 725 arguably offering the best value, the 725 12/12 probably representing the sweet spot between value and spec. The 12/12 is perhaps all the more appealing as it allows those happy to roll their own to build a pseudo-CdF 30/40 with a grand to spend on the groupset / wheels / finishing kit etc before they hit the RRP of the 30, which I reckon could yield a nicer-spec bike than the 30 for potentially less money. So, if not content with the spec of the built 20 model this seems like the most sensible and cost-effective route to a higher / mid range model.
Unfortunately the 853 frameset seems very expensive for what it is, and I guess is in-keeping with the built 50's arrival to target those with a lot of money to spend and less concern about value.
The new range certainly has some nice features I'd not say no to on my current '30 and has some nice little evolutions, however certainly nothing that would make me run out and upgrade - especially since the entry-level hydro model is now £300 more out of reach.
What do people reckon to the new lineup?
*EDITED* 29/10 to correct some errors and include the 20 Alt and framesets..
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