For the entry level, you’ll get a Shimano Claris 2×8 drivetrain, an aluminium frame and carbon fork. Whilst the 30 model gets a Shimano 105 2×11 drivetrain, along with the aluminium frame and carbon fork. A rim brake version is available in addition to the genesis bike disc option and both come with Shimano Ultegra 2×11 groupsets. The maximum tyre size on bike is 28c, typical for rim brake set ups but relatively narrow for a bike with discs. But for races that are solely on roads, this should be more than adequate.
Even if you’re not a bike enthusiast, you’ve probably noticed the giant bicycle perched on top of the store at 126 Bushkill St. You can see it as you pass by on Route 22 heading into New Jersey. At the time, we weren’t sure if people would get it, so we hedged slightly, labelling it as a cross bike in the truest sense of the word. But more than that, there’s front and rear dynamo lights, so you never need worry about forgetting/neglecting to charge your lights. An internally geared hub goes a long way to weather proofing the drivetrain, as do the full housed gear cables that help stop dirt degrading your shifting performance. Not quite mainstream, yet still hugely popular, Genesis Bikes are a British brand loved by steel-aficionados and adventurers alike.
A solid steel range and a smattering of aluminium and carbon models brings the brand bang up to date. If you’re in the market for a bike, the lines of bikes Genesis carries offers something for everyone, no matter your level, size, or age. The sales crew is always there with a smile to fit each customer and offer test rides in the parking lot – with a helmet fitting too, of course. As with the Day One, there are mudguards, rear pannier rack, and an internally geared rear hub for all weather dependability. Given the versatility of this frame, it is perhaps to be expected that there is a large number of different builds on offer. It is available with flat bars and drop bars, carbon forks and steel forks, there’s even a titanium frame option.
As the name suggests, these are bikes that are designed for the explicit purpose of riding on the road. Some are more race oriented, meaning mudguard and pannier mounts are forgone and the geometry is longer and lower. Others have more of an endurance focus, better suited to long rides and have all the mounts you need for light cycle-touring. Almost the antithesis of the Day One, the Flyer is sublime in its simplicity. It employs easily adjustable rim brakes, a single 42×17 gear, and it has mudguards to keep the spray off.
For each of the builds, there are different spec levels donated by a ‘10’ for the entry level and ’30’ for the top line. Other bikes might have the specificity to perform better in a single one of these uses, but very few bikes would be able to perform as well as the Croix de Fer in all of them. It is the combination of a vast array of mounts, a robust steel frame and wide tyre clearances that allow this bike to be such a jack of all trades.