Author Topic: Genesis Croix de Fer (Read 52231 times)

Rig of Jarkness · « **on:** March 19, 2011, 05:15:28 pm »

I have a new bike

Picked it up this morning, went out for a little spin on it this afternoon, first impressions very good, a very comfortable ride over poor road surfaces and still reasonably lively on the hills.

I just wish it was some colour other than white - just a few miles and its already a mess

rower40 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 19, 2011, 06:44:18 pm »

Quote from: Charterhall on March 19, 2011, 05:15:28 pm

I have a new bike

Picked it up this morning, went out for a little spin on it this afternoon, first impressions very good, a very comfortable ride over poor road surfaces and still reasonably lively on the hills.

I just wish it was some colour other than white - just a few miles and its already a mess

It was the colour that put me off buying one. Also the fact that its stablemate (Genesis Day-One Alfine) has gears-inna-can.

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2011, 08:41:29 pm »

I gave the Day One Alfine serious consideration (great colour !) but I was put off by the faff of dealing with a rear wheel puncture. And the heavier frame tubing.

chilipapa · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2011, 09:45:39 pm »

What discs are on your bikes? I ask because I have a second hand frame coming and the jury seems to be out on the Tektro Lyra discs.

JonBuoy · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2011, 10:05:35 pm »

I have done 2000+ miles over the last 10 months on my CdF. It has Shimano BR-R505 brakes and they seem pretty good to me. I haven't used any other cable disks but this is coming from a background of mountain bikes with hydraulic disks.

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2011, 07:23:42 pm »

Yep, this year's model also has the Shimano BR-R505 Discs. Seem v good so far - loads better than the cantilever rim brakes I'm used to.

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #6 on:** March 26, 2011, 01:40:54 pm »

A week and several rides later and I'm really enjoying this bike, it's well on the way to becoming my favourite steed. It has all of the comfort of my Bob Jackson tourer but with loads more get up and go. And it's also become the one and only off the peg bike I've ever bought where I haven't felt compelled to immediately change the saddle

I'm not sure that the same can be said about the bar tape though, it looks great but I've finding it a bit slippery.

valkyrie · « **Reply #7 on:** March 26, 2011, 03:47:01 pm »

This thread is useless without pictures! Of course, if you bring it along to an audax then we could all get a good look at it then

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2011, 05:07:21 pm »

Quote from: valkyrie on March 26, 2011, 03:47:01 pm

This thread is useless without pictures! Of course, if you bring it along to an audax then we could all get a good look at it then

Well I've just checked the audax calendar for events of 200k or less within a 60 mile radius of Edinburgh and drawn a blank until September

So a photo it is then. But if the Edinburgh audax grupetto are planning on any informal rides of 200k or less in the meantime I'd be interested in joining you. (Remains to be seen whether I'd be able to keep up though...)

Mods from standard - 35mm cross tyres swapped for 32mm Marathons, 12-25 cassette swapped for 12-27, mudguards and TopPeak disc rack added.

eck · « **Reply #9 on:** March 27, 2011, 06:07:08 pm »

Aye, looks a nice bike.
Nice ~~garden~~ estate too

Rev Will · « **Reply #10 on:** April 08, 2011, 09:32:58 am »

Quote from: Charterhall on March 27, 2011, 05:07:21 pm

Well I've just checked the audax calendar for events of 200k or less within a 60 mile radius of Edinburgh and drawn a blank until September

May I recommend the insanity that is The Dumb Run?

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #11 on:** May 23, 2011, 02:08:25 pm »

Quote from: chilipapa on March 20, 2011, 09:45:39 pm

What discs are on your bikes? I ask because I have a second hand frame coming and the jury seems to be out on the Tektro Lyra discs.

A guy I bumped into with one of these said the disc brakes were crap - far inferior to calipers. But I don't know which model of discs he had. Other than that he was very pleased with the bike.

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #12 on:** May 23, 2011, 06:58:24 pm »

Quote from: Charterhall on March 22, 2011, 07:23:42 pm

Yep, this year's model also has the Shimano BR-R505 Discs. Seem v good so far - loads better than the cantilever rim brakes I'm used to.

After a couple more months use, and recent dry weather comparison with conventional cantilever and sidepull brakes, I've modified my opinion a little. In wet, crappy winter use, I reckon they're better than rim brakes, especially so because you can pull on them as much as you like and be happy in the knowledge that you aren't grinding down your rims in the process. But in dry summer use with nice fresh brake blocks, no they're not as good.

They also squeal horribly, nearly causing an incident when I slowed for a horse recently. Anyone got any ideas what I can do to quieten them ?

smurphboy · « **Reply #13 on:** May 23, 2011, 07:13:55 pm »

Quote from: Charterhall on May 23, 2011, 06:58:24 pm

They also squeal horribly, nearly causing an incident when I slowed for a horse recently. Anyone got any ideas what I can do to quieten them ?

Mountain bike-fu is to clean the disc (meths), roughen with sandpaper but I find discs always squeal a bit when it is damp...

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #14 on:** May 23, 2011, 09:38:45 pm »

Quote from: smurphboy on May 23, 2011, 07:13:55 pm

I find discs always squeal a bit when it is damp...

Funnily enough these are fine when it's damp, it's in the dry that they get annoyingly loud.

Tail End Charlie · « **Reply #15 on:** May 23, 2011, 09:58:48 pm »

Try putting some copper grease on the pads where they meet the caliper body.

Tewdric · « **Reply #16 on:** May 24, 2011, 01:49:43 pm »

That does look very nice.

How does it ride with the disc strength forks?

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #17 on:** May 26, 2011, 07:01:27 am »

Quote from: Tewdric on May 24, 2011, 01:49:43 pm

That does look very nice.

How does it ride with the disc strength forks?

The ride is superb. Very smooth and comfortable, but still quite lively for its weight.

RJ · « **Reply #18 on:** June 13, 2011, 12:47:41 pm »

Quote from: Charterhall on May 26, 2011, 07:01:27 am

Quote from: Tewdric on May 24, 2011, 01:49:43 pm
That does look very nice.

How does it ride with the disc strength forks?

The ride is superb. Very smooth and comfortable, but still quite lively for its weight.

Was that your Croix de Fer parked at Waitrose (Morningside Road) on Friday evening?

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #19 on:** June 21, 2011, 07:49:49 pm »

Quote from: RJ on June 13, 2011, 12:47:41 pm

Quote from: Charterhall on May 26, 2011, 07:01:27 am
Quote from: Tewdric on May 24, 2011, 01:49:43 pm
That does look very nice.

How does it ride with the disc strength forks?

The ride is superb. Very smooth and comfortable, but still quite lively for its weight.

Was that your Croix de Fer parked at Waitrose (Morningside Road) on Friday evening?

(Sorry for the belated reply, only just seen this)

Nope. In fact there are quite a few of them about, they're so distinctive you can generally spot them in good enough time to wave and shout 'snap' as you pass

chilipapa · « **Reply #20 on:** July 07, 2011, 10:02:29 pm »

I've put a frame only build together and the disc rotor bolts are snagging on the forks quite badly. Everything is straight and true, and the rotor bolts are shallow Torqz ones.
I have fitted hydros, but that shoudn't be a problem.

Are your tolerances silly tight? I've filled some off but I shouldn't be having to do that. So I'd like to know how tight a fit yours are?

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #21 on:** July 08, 2011, 05:15:50 pm »

Quote from: chilipapa on July 07, 2011, 10:02:29 pm

I've put a frame only build together and the disc rotor bolts are snagging on the forks quite badly. Everything is straight and true, and the rotor bolts are shallow Torqz ones.
I have fitted hydros, but that shoudn't be a problem.

Are your tolerances silly tight? I've filled some off but I shouldn't be having to do that. So I'd like to know how tight a fit yours are?

Yes, pretty tight. The bolt heads are flush with the disk though so there's no snagging.

(Note the somewhat inelegant- but effective - solution to the mudguard fixing.)

Gem · « **Reply #22 on:** October 13, 2011, 06:00:40 pm »

Thought I'd chime in here, I've had a Croix de Fer for about a year & have done PBP, the BCM scenic and the rest of an SR series on it. I've changed the saddle, the cassette for a 12-23, put 25mm tyres on it and the wheels have just been rebuilt.

Pros: Extremely comfortable, agile & fun to ride, rides well loaded, the components are great.

Cons: Heavy, flexy fork, the brakes are consistently shite and you can't change them for avid ones due to restrictions on the front mount, the wheels aren't great.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #23 on:** April 29, 2013, 01:38:50 pm »

Anyone have any more feedback on these? I'm looking at the latest model which seems to address some of the issues mentioned.

Brakes are BB7
Frame is black

JonBuoy · « **Reply #24 on:** April 29, 2013, 09:52:45 pm »

Not the latest model but...

I have now done nearly 9000 miles on my CdF over the last 3 years including 2000 miles so far in 2013. I have used it offroad on bridleways and bike trails with the original tyres and have also fitted 25mm tyres mostly with mudguards for road riding. I have used it for social rides, Billy-no-mates rides, audaxes, time trials, club runs (that become races) and on Sunday I am planning on doing my first sportive on it.

Apart from the usual tyres, chains etc I have also had to replace the bottom bracket recently as I managed to fill it with water and left it to corrode. I have also had to replace the headset - probably for similar reasons (it was a very deep puddle

). The wheels are still true despite a certain amount of abuse and, although they can take a bit of fiddling, the brakes seem to be good.

The white frame is not good for someone like me who is lazy when it comes to bike cleaning and the newer black ones should be an improvement on that.

I have minimal experience of other road bikes but love my CdF.