There has been much talk about the Alpitude and the clear design ethos behind it, which was to make a bike that you could… The correct tyre choice would also help calm the stiff and somewhat unforgiving rear end, it is not as harsh as many aluminium frames but taking the edge off it with some floaty rubber would help ease take some of the sting out of the trail. Set up was simple, the bike did come with a whole bunch of spacers below the stem, after less than 30 seconds on the bike I had genesis mountain bike these shuffled to get the front as low as possible and it was off to the trails. Genesis supply the 27.2mm seat post, 75mm stem and 685mm medium rise bars, the Flux saddle is practical but may not suit everyone. Testing hardtails often throws up some pleasant surprises and the Core was calling out to me with its old school looks and promising geometry, motivation enough to get me out in the cold through frost and snow galore to see what this 120mm equipped ‘trail hardtail’ was all about.
The bike’s range varies from 12 to 90 miles depending on the terrain, the rider’s weight, and how often the electric motor’s assistance is used. Riders can toggle between the modes by using a screen on the handlebar. The model number can be found on the lower portion of the seat tube just above the crank on a black and silver decal. The sorted geometry is pitched just right, making the bike exciting and fun yet not too much of a handful and it is not just a quick blast fun bike, it is light and the comfortable riding position means it will take you as far as you want to go. Over ten years the range expanded beyond commuter bikes to include road, mountain, cyclo-cross, gravel, kids and fat bikes. At Genesis we have a history of doing things our own way, whether that’s making bikes we want to ride, or heading in a direction that might seem a little crazy at the time.
The Core 26.4 came fitted with 2.2 Mountain Kings, the originals not the much improved Mountain King II. The Core range is based around a 6061 aluminium tube set that is butted where needed with some gentle manipulation to ovalise the down tube as it meets the seat tube at the bottom bracket shell. There are strengthening gussets where the down tube and top tube meet the tapered head tube and the seat stays are an old school wishbone style, the lack of a bridge gives ample mud clearance. The greatest restriction on how fast you can go when pinning singletrack is genesis mountain bike the tyres, yes they are fast rolling but they lack bite, something with greater cornering grip would certainly show off bikes handling better. An impressive fork at this price point and sensible kit are great and the wheels finish the package off nicely but the main attraction here is the geometry. Point it downwards and speeds soon pick up, the Core has a tendency to encourage an attacking riding style but it is worth remembering that the bike is equipped with 120mm up front and can get out of its depth if you try to blunder through rather than use finesse.
Head to the page below and fill out the warranty claim submission form. We ask that you return your bike to the same place it was purchased. If bought on our website, please have your order number on genesis bike hand. Genesis are building a reputation for thoughtful and well designed bikes so it is fair to say that there had been a sense of expectation once we knew the Alpitude was winging its way to us.
Kit wise the Genesis is sensibly specced, Shimano Deore takes care of transmission duties with a SLX rear derailleur, brakes are Deore too. Genesis are a British brand that have been building decent bikes and a decent reputation so I was looking forward to a chance to see if the positive buzz about the company and their bikes was well earned. Singletrack uses affiliate services called Skimlinks and which means we may earn revenue if you buy a product after clicking a link to a retailer on our site. This special issue is heading for members but we have a very limited stock of copies for direct sale.
All this set up with a comfortable riding position featuring a padded saddle and rise handlebars will keep you out of the chiropractor’s office. Marketed as a limited-edition model, the 56-pound mountain bike features a livery inspired by the RS Q E-Tron, which won the Dakar Rally earlier in 2024. It has a two-tone black and gray finish on the frame with orange accents on the battery cover and on the wheels. Livery aside, Audi’s e-bike looks a lot like the Fantic XEF 1.9 Factory that it’s based on. Established UK brand Genesis produce some of the best quality road and mountain bikes on the market.