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. As mentioned in the Tweet, the 24-carat gold leaf finish has been created by Fatcreations, a Sussex-based company that has been responsible for countless stunning paintjobs over the years. Product PresentationWe developed the product graphic presentation for more than 200 unique models every year…while being on-trend, fresh and true to the brand.
The Alpitude is a serious bike built to handle serious terrain but not many of us get to ride truly hardcore trails all the time so it is important that your bike can handle your every day trails well. Rob Hayles is another former racer, of course – a double world champion and three-time genesis bike Olympic medallist on the track, and a national champion on the road. These days he works with carbon, hence his involvement with this bike. Product PresentationFrom free-ride, long-travel mountain models to fun city bikes, the presentation is a key attractor on the sales floor.
Part of this is down to the different frame material, but cheaper components are also a factor. Gravel bikes are what everyone wants right now, says Erin Fagan, the events coordinator (and more) at Genesis Bicycles in Easton. For Erin, being so close to the trail is a huge advantage since beginners are nervous riding on the road with cars. Often, they tell us that Walmart gave them our number, and we also get calls from employees building the bikes at Walmart looking for parts, since we are the first thing that comes up when you google Genesis and Bikes. During the cycling season we get about a dozen calls a day from people with a Genesis brand bicycle.
The Alpitude needs to be ridden hard to get the best from the frame, if you hit rough sections too slow then the bike can stall and you have to work to get back up to speed. The Revelation fork is simple to set up but it is worth remembering to go back and reset them after a couple of rides as they begin to sink into their travel once bedded in. Specialized also launched a Peter Sagan collection with a largely gold frameset a few years ago. We’ve got to say, though, that we’ve never seen anything like the head tube on Adam Blythe’s bike. 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.
On our 16.5inch frame, which is a virtual 17.5inch, the effective top tube length is a shortish 578mm, chain stays are 425mm and the wheelbase is 1120mm. It looks like some Arabian prince would ride once in front of his mates then keep in gold plated toilet in a palace he never stays in. Plus, plus that headtube/stem/fork is just, well there are no words. We showed you 3T’s Strada ICR a couple of weeks ago, with a ‘nose’ extending forwards at the front of the head tube.
Some adventures are about taking your time and drinking in your surroundings, others are about getting there fast. This bike is designed for lightweight bike-packing, able to tackle ultra-distances on mixed terrain. Despite being already expansive, the Genesis Bikes brand continues to grow, with the British company striking out even further to the gravel/adventure cross market. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.
The cockpit felt a little cramped and we found that our knees clashed with the bars round tight hairpins. Grip out back is reliable rather than amazing and a determined effort will see you up pretty much any hill. The rear triangle is a beefed up to deal with the hammering that this bike is intended for and the seat tube is shortened so that the lower top tube gives bags of standover room.
The Croix de Fer comes in three steel options (10, 20 and 30) as well as a titanium model. The angles are steep, the front end is low and there aren’t mudguard or pannier mounts. 33c tyres are specced (the maximum genesis mountain bike permitted in UCI sanctioned cyclocross races), while the maximum tyre size recommend is 35c. There aren’t mounting points for front or rear pannier racks; strap on bike-packing bags are the weapon of choice here.