Genesis Croix de Fer frameset

I've been riding the Genesis Croix de Fer, in a variety of builds, for the past six months and it's been a huge amount of fun. The bike needs little introduction, of course, having cemented its capability when Vin Cox rode one around the world in a Guinness world record breaking time back in 2010.

Genesis Bikes will sell you the Croix de Fer in a number of different builds, or you can buy the frameset and build it up just how you want it. And that's what I did, putting SRAM's new hydraulic disc groupset on it and using it as my daily ride, for everything from commuting to training and social rides.

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Frameset: Steel tubing and carbon fibre fork

I wanted a bike that was comfortable, had all the necessary mounts for the mudguards and racks I wanted to be able to fit for different cycling adventures I planned to use it for, and I wanted a steel frame for the ride quality. And it had to have disc brakes. The Croix de Fer ticked all those boxes. And, at £474.99 for the frame and the new carbon fork, it's not startling expensive, leaving plenty of budget to build it up any way you want.

What you get is a Reynolds 725 tubeset (the same as used on the Croix de Fer 20 and 30 models) which, while admittedly not as posh as Reynolds 853, is still a fine tubeset. The tubes are skinny with slender stays, and it's compatible with Shimano Di2 routing, with old fashioned external guides for a mechanical drivetrain. It's a disc brake-specific frame, with the rear brake mounted on the chainstay. The Burnt Bronze paint job won a lot of fans with my riding group and local club, very appealing.

Also included is the new carbon fibre fork. It uses a straight, non-tapered 1 1/8in steerer tube, and there are mudguard eyelets above the dropouts. The fork is longer (401mm axle-crown) than the previous steel fork, which provides a bit more tyre clearance.

The Croix de Fer has changed quite a bit over the years. It essentially started out based on a cyclo-cross frame, but has moved away from those origins over the years. It's more in line with the latest adventure models that are popular right now. The bottom bracket is a more road-friendly 70mm drop, 5mm lower than previously. The head tube has been stretched a bit too, to raise the height of the front end. You could say the changes have moved it into the burgeoning gravel and adventure road bike market.

The beauty of starting with a frameset like this is that you can build it however you want – just let your imagination, and budget, carry you. I used the frame to test SRAM's latest Red hydraulic disc groupset. I first used a pair of Zipp 404 Firecrest clincher wheels before swapping to Stan's Grail tubeless wheels with Schwalbe One 25mm tubeless tyres.

A Thomson stem and handlebar, 3T seatpost and Fabric saddle completed the build. With the Zipp wheels, the bike came in at 8.65kg (19.07lb), a pretty respectable weight for a steel frame and hydraulic disc build. An expensive build, too, but it does represent one possible direction you could take the frame in.

Ride: Comfortable and smooth

Six months on and I've battered the Genesis through all sorts of weather and riding. I wanted a bike that would be reliable and comfortable, able to look after me on long and lonely wet winter rides but with enough spring in its step to be fun and rewarding on faster paced summer rides.

The Croix de Fer has been all those things to me. With mudguards on it's an admirable daily commuter and grinds out the miles. Strip away the mudguards and slap on some fast wheels and it's exciting and reveals a surprisingly rapid turn of pace, with enough energy to make pacy Sunday club rides exciting.

Check out our buyer's guide to gravel and adventure bikes here

The Croix de Fer has a good reputation and that was impressed on me during the testing period. I can see how it would be a good choice for any long distance challenge, like riding around the world or the Transcontinental Race.

It's comfortable over longer distances, with a delightful springiness to the frame and, of course, the space for bigger volume tyres. The frame cushions you from the harshest road surfaces. With the right tyre choice, it easily tackles off-road sections as well, so you can throw in the odd bridleway or byway to spice up an ordinary road ride.

At times the frame does exhibit a bit of unwanted flexing. It's not a frame for snappy acceleration, it's better if you gradually build up speed. Not a frame for hustling along the road, more for wafting down country lanes at a decent, if not electrifying, cruising speed. There's no lack of speed once you've wound it up, though, and it'll keep up with regular road bikes.

As well as saving a chunk of weight over the previous steel fork, the addition of the carbon fibre fork provides a stiffer and more direct feeling front end, with improvements to the handling at higher speeds. It does, though, further highlight the flexiness of the frame, and a steel fork might be a more suitable balance.

With the market for adventure bikes currently exploding, the Croix de Fer remains a solid choice that is capable of being pressed into service for daily commuting, winter training, Sunday club rides and, with the right tyres, following the path less travelled. Comfortable and decent handling manners and the weight saving carbon fork make the Genesis a compelling choice, and with a price tag that could encourage more cyclists to entertain the notion of building their own bike from scratch.

Verdict

Good value disc brake steel frame with great handling and smooth ride