Genesis enters carbon-fibre market with Zero + video

Putting aside the flat earth "they should be steel" thing, I had a look at one these the other day and was quite tempted (zero .4). Much better looking in the flesh and a good write up in Bikes etc.

However they seem a bit weighty (I know, I know). The frame is sub 1kg, but the ultegra level .4 ends up up at 8.2kg. Fulcrum racing 7s are no featherweight but even a big upgrade on them wouldn't make a huge difference. Where's all the weight? Anyone know anything about the finishing kit?

For what it's worth I too loved the fact that Genesis seemed to want to plough the steel furrow in competetive racing, it was so refreshing to see. I lust after their steel incarnations even though I ride both aluminium CX and a carbon hard tail mtb.

As previous posters have alluded to they were doing rather well at the events they entered, do they think by not winning all that it somehow diminished the allure of steel? If they did they are surely wide of the mark, their usp was just that.

As for the carbon models I do like them but I still lust after their race winning Volare.

Mudguards? You'll be adding a shopping basket next!

But ooooh, that pink'n'cammo QR's nice'n'lairy!

Dull greyish Ti is the baseline for a handsome bike. I don't make the rules; it just is.

Has anyone noticed or commented on the fact that so many Ti bikes are a boring metally-greyish colour? They bloody well are, y'know!

"Well !" he says hopping off the old very nearly black aluminium Genesis I bought a while ago (which is still going strong by the way) "I don't know what all the fuss is about"
It seems to me that if they can make such a good job of the other materials why would they fail at carbon.
Nice looking bike too and pretty well priced I would think
Is the frameset available? I have some decent bits in the loft (that's another story) which would do this some justice.

Can someone explain to me why the top of the range bike is so much cash?

Is there a difference in the frame, or is it charged at a premium simply because its in team colours?

As commented on, you can buy the Zero 4, then buy a separate Dura Ace groupset, C24 wheels and quality finishing kit (i.e. the build for the range topper) and still have change for a cheap winter frame to build a second bike for that £4.5k.

Strange. The Zero has exactly the same geometry as the Ridley Fenix (apart from the XXS size, that's absent from the Genesis offers). Same mould?
http://www.ridley-bikes.com/be/en/bikes/1/127/70/race/fenix-c10-1409am
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/road/zero/zero-team

Paint weighs, and some colours weigh more than others. Up to 150g on a frame, is the figure I think I read somewhere. But also, it will add a degree of protection.

But if your design remit is to produce a light bike, then the fact is that less paint = better.

Hence a lot of black bikes out there.

A lot of bikes come in black, or mainly black. It /is/ boring, but at least there's the fun of pointing it out.

It's like men's shoes in the outdoor catalogues, every shade of dull you could imagine. A bright colour? Sorry sir, we've sold out of your size, but we have several beige and taupe left.

I have an Equilibrium with several shiny bits, including stem, and wanted a shorter one. Forget trying to get help from anyone at Genesis or Madison, they don't answer emails, not even my LBS could get an answer! I've sent six mails to each of them and no answer whatsoever. I bet they'd answer if I said I needed a fleet of bikes.
Bottom line is if you need a replacement part the same as one on the bike originally - you can't get one.

Oh, and the box doesn't come from anywhere in Britain, Taiwan in fact.

That really is a dull as ditch water bike

Does it come in black. Well F**K ME IT DOES. Whatever happened to paint?

Don't worry Genesis I still like you

You all seem to be missing the bit where they explain they're made to their own design using their own moulds, so it's not a case of flogging a re-badged bike. As a company who claim to be design led, it's the only way they could justifiably do it.

It's a little sad that steel hasn't worked as they expected - but if the anticipated removal of the 6.8kg limit on racing bikes is going to come to pass, they would have found it harder to compete. According to the riders on the vid, it's a much more comfortable bike too - perhaps making a steel one that light and that stiff just made it a bit of a pig to ride long distance?

I hope Genesis dont go down the SAAB route (full disclosure - i own both Genesis and SAAB and have been loyal to both over several bikes/ cars)
SAAB once made unique and classy cars but then they decided to go mass market but ending up making a product that couldnt compete in that mass market and at the same time alienating their core (and loyal) customers who bought their cars because they *werent* mass market.
It was a lose/ lose and they went tits up.
I understand why Genesis are doing this but also a little sad.
I supported the progress of the Madison Genesis team because i ride a Genesis and they rode on steel. I now have one less reason to follow them.
I guess im a bit old fashioned like that.

ps - i also cant help noticing that a brand that usually gets universal praise on this website from most commentators is getting a mainly negative response to this move.

Sidestepping the whole, 'steel is no longer real for Genesis' debate. It's not a looker, is it?

nowasps wrote:

Taking personal affront when a manufacturer comes out with a new product that you don't approve of, seems completely barking to me. Get a grip.

I think it demonstrates that Genesis are (were?) a much-loved brand for standing outside the herd, showing that steel can still be beautiful, practical and fast. Steel was really their USP (though of course they've been making aluminium bikes for ages too) and stick-in-the-muds like me who ride steel bikes out of preference (because of function as well as form) are a grumpy bunch, especially where the unquestioned dominance of carbon on the racing/club scene is concerned. So yeah, there's an outcry. I think Genesis would be a bit worried if there wasn't.

Whether this is a Dylan-goes-electric moment or the niche bicycle manufacturer version of new-recipe Coke remains to be seen. Probably neither, as I imagine they'll carry on making the Reynolds-tubed modern classics that they're known for.

GKam's point on the racing team is valid though. I followed the team because they raced on steel. Now, not so much.

Also the range just looks like shitty plastic versions of their real bikes