The Genesis Volare was the star of the show on the British brand’s stand at the London Bike Show but Genesis also used the occassion to unveil a Reynolds 853 version of the Equilibrium as well as a new cyclo-cross frame.
The Equilibrium is an old favourite: one of the go-to winter bikes for British conditions thanks to its speed, comfort and classic aesthetics. The original Equilibrium was made from Reynolds 853 tubing back in 2008 but Genesis soon switched to 725.
Now they’ve returned to 853 for a limited edition run of frames (the Reynolds 725 and 520 models remain in the range). The fork is also made from steel, unlike the carbon fork which accompanies the 725 frame, and the fork legs taper dramatically to build more comfort into the front end.
This 825 frame differs from the original version in that it uses the Equilibrium’s tried-and-tested geometry, which has been tweaked over the years to offer a relaxed ride for big miles. The frame also has mudguard eyelets front and rear, with 57mm long-drop brakes and more than enough clearance for full-length mudguards. Genesis designer Dom Thomas also told us a disc-ready Equilibrium is in the offing for 2014.
The frame we saw at the London Bike Show was a prototype but full production models will be ready for the iceBike trade show run by Genesis’ distributor, Madison, in February. It will have a limited edition paint job and will cost £749.99 for the frameset. We’ll be at Madison HQ in Milton Keynes armed with a camera to bring back some pictures.
Meanwhile, Genesis have earned a reputation for building steel, do-it-all cyclo-cross bikes, suitable for winter commuting, bashing along the towpath or even setting round-the-world records. They’ve been missing a race-ready steel ‘crosser though and have attempted to plug that gap with the new Fugio.
Again, it’s crafted from Reynolds 853 steel, and is based on a similar “aggressive angles” geometry to the aluminium Vapour Disc. It also has the same XX44 oversized headtube in order to accommodate a tapered steerer to ensure it’s stiff enough at the front end for full gas racing. The frame is also disc brake-ready and the prototype machine built up for the London Bike Show had 135mm rotors, which Thomas expects to become the industry standard on road bikes.
Like the Equilibrium 825, the Fugio will cost £749.99 for the frameset, although production models will come with a Genesis own-brand fork, not the Whiskey Parts one pictured.
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