David's Genesis Croix de Fer long termer is ready to ride

edf242 wrote:

Its certainly a different take on it to my custom CdF, nice to see how one frame can have two radically different iterations, both of which are beautiful in their own way. I present to you my slightly lower end CdF build, designed as a club run winter warrior and potential 3PCX machine (with a change of tyres and drive train).

I used the MT35 29er wheels with 25mm GP4000s and they are the best handling winter bike rim tyre combo if have ever ridden. The drive train is a mix of 105, Ultegra and XT.

It handles beautifully and the ride comfort is awesome. My only complaint is that is a little more hefty than Dave's bike coming in closer to the 10kg mark, however being a winter trainer, this is really only extra training on the climbs.

EDIT: I'm properly jealous of Dave's hydraulic/mechanical combo, money allowing I would definitely have done this, as it is I used the uber posh teflon cables from shimano witch mechanical discs, have just had to adjust the front pads after about 500-750 miles).

I'm interested to know what the thinking behind the unusual mudguard stay config is! It's certainly eye catching!

DaveE128 wrote:

I'm interested to know what the thinking behind the unusual mudguard stay config is! It's certainly eye catching!

The rear stays are perhaps more conventional. Bending is an easy way of fitting them without hacksawing the stays, plus it looks nice. The font are a bit over the top to be honest, probably should have just cut them but felt like the challenge of doing it hacksawless and thought it might look quite interesting.

I like all the bits I'd just use them in a different way personally.

But if it works for you, then it leads to a happy man on a bike. And that's *always* a good thing.

Enjoy riding it!

joemmo wrote:

Looks great... but the high end build seems a bit at odds with the frame and intended use. Maybe it's a chance for you to kill two birds with one stone (test frame and group) but I can't imagine many people would build up a cdf frame like this.

When did steel mean "low end"?

It's a brilliant material, those who disreguard it as old hat have obviously never had a good quality steel frame.

MKultra wrote:

joemmo wrote:

Looks great... but the high end build seems a bit at odds with the frame and intended use. Maybe it's a chance for you to kill two birds with one stone (test frame and group) but I can't imagine many people would build up a cdf frame like this.

When did steel mean "low end"?

It's a brilliant material, those who disreguard it as old hat have obviously never had a good quality steel frame.

Steel doesn't mean low end. I think what joemmo is referring to is that the Genesis CdF is a surprisingly low-end frame, of any kind of material, for a build of this specification. In that regard I completely agree, I would have spent more of this clearly sizable build budget on a nicer steel frame.

For perspective, those wheels alone would probably clock in at around 6 to 7 times the money spent on the frame. The CdF is nice, but it's hardly high end steel. With a build kit like this attached to it it looks a little out of place. Still a great looking build though.

giobox wrote:

MKultra wrote:

joemmo wrote:

Looks great... but the high end build seems a bit at odds with the frame and intended use. Maybe it's a chance for you to kill two birds with one stone (test frame and group) but I can't imagine many people would build up a cdf frame like this.

When did steel mean "low end"?

It's a brilliant material, those who disreguard it as old hat have obviously never had a good quality steel frame.

cc

Steel doesn't mean low end. I think what joemmo is referring to is that the Genesis CdF is a surprisingly low-end frame, of any kind of material, for a build of this specification. In that regard I completely agree, I would have spent more of this clearly sizable build budget on a nicer steel frame.

For perspective, those wheels alone would probably clock in at around 6 to 7 times the money spent on the frame. The CdF is nice, but it's hardly high end steel. With a build kit like this attached to it it looks a little out of place. Still a great looking build though.

Lest we forget he is a journo who pays very little if anything for the kit.

MKultra wrote:

joemmo wrote:

Looks great... but the high end build seems a bit at odds with the frame and intended use. Maybe it's a chance for you to kill two birds with one stone (test frame and group) but I can't imagine many people would build up a cdf frame like this.

When did steel mean "low end"?

It's a brilliant material, those who disreguard it as old hat have obviously never had a good quality steel frame.

I never said that either steel or this frame was low end, you've leapt to your own conclusion there.

FTR I've had nice steel frames (Ritchey to name one) and I'd buy another but as Giobox points out the cost of the frameset is out of proportion to the wheels alone. In terms of matching a groupset to this frame then it feels more like 105/ Rival to me, especially for a winter bike.

joemmo wrote:

Looks great... but the high end build seems a bit at odds with the frame and intended use. Maybe it's a chance for you to kill two birds with one stone (test frame and group) but I can't imagine many people would build up a cdf frame like this.

Heh, that's exactly what I thought when I saw the wheels and the groupset in the first picture. But why not, I guess It's supposed to be a very fine frame for the money, so might as well do it properly if you can. Very nice bike.