Genesis Day 01 Disc

[LEE]

I'm a big fan of the Genesis Day 01 in all its lovely orangey goodness, so when they brought out a disc-braked prototype (note to Rower40: BB7s  ) I was among those clamouring for them to put it into production.

Well, they have:
and so I just feel kinda, obliged, y'know...?  Even though it's in that unfortunate Pompino blue colour

Looks great !!

I am a BIG fan of the Pompino Blue so I think this looks like a perfect Winter bike. (I don't like the Pompino in any other colour in fact)

[LEE]

I am getting a bit obsessed with this bike now.

Can someone try to convince me that it's not a great winter bike please?

I'm thinking 28mm Marathons & black SKS mudguards.  Then it's a matter of oiling the chain occasionally isn't it?  Wheels won't get ground into Alloy paste.

By the way...I love the colour so that's not an issue.

My concern is the weight/feel of the frame.  Maybe it just looks heavy, Reynolds 520 should be 531-ish shouldn't it?

Straight forks, harsh ride or not?

Anyone got experience of the Day One or CDF (not the Croix de Fer which is 725)?



Really..I think it looks gorgeous.

[Ham]

I've only test ridden it (in Alfine format) and it felt good, front end felt very predictable. My quibbles with the spec and set up were the reasons I went for On-one in the end, and the one of the biggest ones (they weren't using BB7s) is now sorted. The other big quibble I had was that the gearing was set low, designed for cross/offroad which would have meant swapping out chainring & chain to start with, whereas I could order the on-one with a 48T which better suited my commuter use.

Very similar to the on-one, the weight really isn't an issue imo.

[zigzag]

if you like/love it, buy it! i think it should make a good winter bike, and i wouldn't worry about the weight too much

[Nelson Longflap]

Can someone try to convince me that it's not a great winter bike please?

Sorry Paul I love my (non disc) Day 01, because it's nicely balanced, very comfy, feels lively, ...

My concern is the weight/feel of the frame.  Maybe it just looks heavy, Reynolds 520 should be 531-ish shouldn't it?

...ish Depends what you're used to. Mine is around the 10 kg mark. Not light, but doesn't feel heavy in use. 

Straight forks, harsh ride or not?

The head angle is fairly slack so the ride isn't at all harsh. (I once spoke to somebody working for Claud Butler who claimed that straight forks work better at damping than raked ones; I don't know enough about metallurgy to be able to verify one way or the other, but the Day One forks are no cause for concern.)

I'm fairly useless at track stands, but the Day One is so nicely balanced that even I can manage quite well (sometimes).

The important bottom line is that this is a fun bike.  It isn't my fastest bike (although it keeps up OK); it's not a touring bike (but the bike and I enjoyed a short tour in Normandy this year); it is surprisingly versatile and easy to look after (although IME easy maintenance leads to higher standards and takes just as much time as any other bike) . 

Mine is set up 42/18 free and 42/17 fixed, and I switch between them regularly. I'm thinking 42/16 might be better on the fixed side.

The original Continental Cyclocross tyres are puncture magnets, with a special affinity for Hampshire flints. I didn't get on with the supplied saddle, and fitted a B17. Mudguards and rack make it versatile.  All my bikes end up looking remarkably similar. 

You are very welcome to a ride should our Hampshire paths cross at any time ...

[clarion]

520's OK as a material.  My Ridgeback Solo is made from 520 (with carbon forks).  It's not the greatest frame I've ridden, but it is light enough, and very comfortable.  Nearly up to 531 standards.

Straight forks should work pretty much the same as curved ones.  My problem is the aesthetic.  They don't look right - one of the few areas where I let vanity intrude on practicality for my bikes.

[LEE]

You are very welcome to a ride should our Hampshire paths cross at any time ...

Your Hampshire path should cross with Chillmoister's on a regular basis looking at your location info (especially if you use the "Billy" track towards Havant).

Cheers for the offer.

You've all done nothing to help me resisting it (and it's a new round of "Cycle Scheme" in January)...aghhhh, 40% off and spread over 12 easy monthly payments....what's a chap to do?

[billplumtree]

JFDI!

I've been really pleased with my non-disc Day 01.  Bought it second-hand from bumper OTP, while Genesis were faffing about deciding whether or not to put the disc version into production.  It's not super-light, but I certainly wouldn't call it heavy.  Comfort-wise, it's a nice stable ride, rolls well on 28/32 tyres.  It's done the odd 200km without the slightest problem, and regularly does 60 miles or so around the Lakes.

I'd get the disc version like a shot if I didn't already have this, but as it is I'd feel a bit guilty replacing it with an identical bike apart from the disc brakes.  Oh, and mine's ORANGE rather than that awful pompino blue

[zigzag]

I'd get the disc version like a shot if I didn't already have this, but as it is I'd feel a bit guilty replacing it with an identical bike apart from the disc brakes.  Oh, and mine's ORANGE rather than that awful pompino blue

you could get a front disc fork. imo rear disk brake combined with horizontal dropouts/trackends is not good design as it makes the adjustment of the rear brake very fiddly.

[clarion]

Doesn't the disc one have sliding dropouts?

[mrcharly-YHT]

I think Rower found that when he took rear wheel out for puncture repair that he had to fiddle with the sliding dropouts each time to get the disc aligned again.

I think it is one of those situations where adding a chain tensioner would make sense, even if it does spoil the clean lines.

[LEE]

I think Rower found that when he took rear wheel out for puncture repair that he had to fiddle with the sliding dropouts each time to get the disc aligned again.

I think it is one of those situations where adding a chain tensioner would make sense, even if it does spoil the clean lines.

I don't understand why you would need to do this if there were screw-in adjusters in the sliding drop-outs.  They should make for natural alignment surely.

My main concern is mudguards.  I've never had rear-facing "track" drop-outs before.  How do they affect wheel-removal with close fitting mudguards?

[billplumtree]

Not a problem if you use those little plastic safety mounts, rather than bolt the guards directly to the dropout.  They're usually just used on the front, but stick 'em on the rear as well, then just pop the stays out of the mounts and the flex in the guard will let you get the wheel out easily.

[zigzag]

I don't understand why you would need to do this if there were screw-in adjusters in the sliding drop-outs.  They should make for natural alignment surely.

this bike doesn't have sliding dropouts. srew-in adjuster(s) would have to be readjusted after wheel reinstallation.

[LEE]

I don't understand why you would need to do this if there were screw-in adjusters in the sliding drop-outs.  They should make for natural alignment surely.

this bike doesn't have sliding dropouts. srew-in adjuster(s) would have to be readjusted after wheel reinstallation.

On this photo it looks like there are screw-in adjusters (forcing the axle backwards against chain tension).

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/img/bikes/xl/day-one-disc.jpg

[mrcharly-YHT]

I think Rower found that when he took rear wheel out for puncture repair that he had to fiddle with the sliding dropouts each time to get the disc aligned again.

I think it is one of those situations where adding a chain tensioner would make sense, even if it does spoil the clean lines.

I don't understand why you would need to do this if there were screw-in adjusters in the sliding drop-outs.  They should make for natural alignment surely.

I don't believe that there are adjusters. Best to ask Rowan about this

But think about it for a sec - to get the chain back on you have to move the axle forward past the final position. then pull it back to tension the chain. If you had adjusters, you'd have to slacken them off, then tighten them - which has destroyed the 'setting'.
This is the disadvantage of rear-ward opening dropouts.  the sole advantage is that loose wheelnuts won't result in the wheel coming out of the dropouts.

If you used a chain tensioner, you could set the sliding dropouts to the correct position for the disc and chain, then just pop the chain off to get the wheel out.

[LEE]

This is good stuff.  My interest in the bike is down by 10% already.

I rarely get punctures unless it's dark, raining and I'm on some lonely country lane with muddy verges.

I'm not sure I want to be popping mudguard stays out, adjusting chain tugs and aligning disc pads in such situations.

[Ham]

Sorry, but it isn't a problem.

The guards I use are these http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25795 which is a relatively high rear guard with a kink in the stays to fit with a pannier rack, the Genesis outboard disc mount may get in the way, but it looks fine to me. The wheel goes in and out just fine.

The rear brake adjustment is something you ought to do after replacing a wheel, but I would never bother on the roadside, you won't notice any difference to speak of on the rear wheel braking, the natural flex of the disc accommodates small differences. For best performance and wear readjust at your convenience, it takes a few seconds only.

[PaulF]

you could get a front disc fork. imo rear disk brake combined with horizontal dropouts/trackends is not good design as it makes the adjustment of the rear brake very fiddly.

I've got that setup on my Pugsley and it doesn't give me any issues, in fact I'd never thought about it until this thread!

[Ham]

Here you is in real life:

[mrcharly-YHT]

I don't see the mudguards as an issue. I used to ride fixed with rear dropouts and just setup the mudguard so I could pull the wheel out - adjusted the stays so there was enough of a gap.

As far as the wheel and disc adjustment goes, I'd either go for the chain tensioner (which adds a jockey wheel that will get gunged up) or put up with adjusting it. The adjustment wouldn't be anywhere near as awkward as getting tension just right on a fixed gear wheel. With the adjusters (which exist as pointed out by PaulM), you can just fiddle with these until wheel is in right place then do up wheelnuts.

None of this supposed inconvenience will be as bad as cleaning road gunge off derailleurs and jockey wheels

[Nelson Longflap]

As mrcharly says ^ the mudguard isn't a problem if you set it up with sufficient length in the stays to get the wheel out. At least that's how it is using 28mm tyres.  The hassle on the Day One is having to slack off the screw-in adjusters before you can get the chain off the cog, before you can slide the wheel out. I now carry a spare 4mm allen key in my purse just to be double sure I won't be caught out.  It isn't a big hassle, but still a minor annoyance.  On the upside the adjusters held tight against the axle give me the confidence to use a Hope QR rather than track nuts.

IME compared with a derailleur geared bike there is no significant difference in puncture repair time.

BTW the screw-in adjusters make it really easy and quick to get the chain tension spot-on.  Best system I've ever used.

The mini-v brakes on mine are not a favourite feature; they are powerful enough, but a bit grabby unless used with care.  My ideal set up would be a front disc; don't really see the point of a back disc brake.

[LEE]

don't really see the point of a back disc brake.

It means you don't wear out your rear rim.

I tend to drag my rear brake into corners, it's a hang-over from my motorbike days when you learn not to put all your braking through a front brake into a corner (a rear lock-up means you eat less gravel than a front lock-up)

[Kim]

don't really see the point of a back disc brake.

It's a cross bike; theoretically the rim's covered in mud.

On a tourer, the rear disc brake acts as a convenient source of emergency spare parts for the front.

Otherwise, agreed.

[zigzag]

<ot>
on tarmac braking into the corners can be pretty dangerous no matter what you drive or ride; slowing down should be made before the corner/turn in as straight line as possible.
</ot>