My Genesis Croix de Fer

ah right even better. Did it play nicely with mounting the Gilles Berthoud mud guards?

Perfect fit

who fitted your mudguards? i've had loads of trouble with the front one and the rack

Micycle in Stroud Green, but the main thing I couldn't do was cut down the stays as I didn't have anything to cut them with at the time.

I rode to amsterdam last weekend, also tired front loading, which i like.

Apart from the fact of only riding on roads for about 200m of the 95km route we took I also loved this about cycling in the Netherlands:

Its so you can chuck your rubbish without having to stop riding.

Great photos!

Thanks dom.

Also Señor Scoble has pointed me in the direction of the new Thorn disc fork:

Which I'm tempted to buy, of course I could still get the disc trucker fork:

If I were to get the turn, I suppose I'd get the 52mm rake version to allow for a loaded front end?

What's wrong with the genesis fork? Is there a low trail disc fork anywhere?

Go for the Thorn, notice the mudguard stay above the disc tab which will clear the disc caliper easily, also 52mm is a perfect compromise, as it sit in between high and mid trail.

CX usually have 65mm trails, road's 57mm, and low trail's 35mm.

Your CdF I estimate have 62mm trail, with the 52mm fork, it'll have 55mm trail, but less wheel flop which is an advantage with a front load.

The Genesis forks are lacking eyelets, rake and lugs (that last one is a personal prejudice against uni crowns). I'll probably get the thorns, not only are they matching Reynolds, but also they're almost exactly what I asked my frame builder to quote me for but £100 cheaper.

In layman's term, the bike will become slightly easier to steer when taking a corner at high velocity.

Great Pics and looks like a lovely trip.

you're gonna need a new rack to make use of the mid fork eyelets

Thanks dom.

+1, first time I have seen their cycle paths.

the bike looks better and better. I still don't get the trail thing so will need to look that up.

Great Pics and looks like a lovely trip.

+1, first time I have seen their cycle paths.

the bike looks better and better. I still don't get the trail thing so will need to look that up.

thanks guys, you can see more photos here if you like.

you're gonna need a new rack to make use of the mid fork eyelets

No, because currently its attached via the axle supports.

So With the new forks I can attach it directly to the forks and no worry about the rack falling off when I take the wheel out.

Also, as some people have asked this is the basic route we went:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4795602

However we took an extra 10km diversion to be able to cycle next to cost for longer as it was so lovely. Its really well sign posted, so if anyone wants to do you, you could easily do it without a map.

I drove from there to Hamburg and did a lot of the coast, I've been meaning to go back and do it on a bike ever since. Did you get the train to Harwich or cycle that bit as well?

samsbike, I took a picture of my mudguard-disc brake solution a while back but I think I forgot to email it to you. Here it is, sorry for the thread-jack Jack:

It works brilliantly, which is a sure sign I didn't do it myself.

Did you get the train to Harwich or cycle that bit as well?

We got the train to Manningtree on friday night and stayed at my aunts holiday home in Wrabness, we then got the 9am ferry.
It'd be very easy to get the train straight there, Harwich international station is right by the ferry port.

Manningtree always looks really nice from the train, was it a nice ride from there to Harwich?

Yeah that whole area is delightful, I spent many a happy summer there as a child, this is from friday night when we had dinner on the beach:

haha, what a coincidence, my family own the green hut down there

in fact I still hold the U18 WFTA Wrabness Regatta sailing trophy, mainly as the final year they ran it only my sister and I entered

Your aunts holiday home, is it one of the wooden cabins on the beach? Was down at a mates in Mistley over easter, absolutely beautiful place, had a most enjoyable walk, interspersed with pub stops.
Looks like a good ride aswell, should try to encourage my good lady to come on more rides.

haha, what a coincidence, my family own the green hut down there

in fact I still hold the U18 WFTA Wrabness Regatta sailing trophy, mainly as the final year they ran it only my sister and I entered

Your aunts holiday home, is it one of the wooden cabins on the beach? Was down at a mates in Mistley over easter, absolutely beautiful place, had a most enjoyable walk, interspersed with pub stops.
Looks like a good ride aswell, should try to encourage my good lady to come on more rides.

WTF does everyone on the forum stay in Wrabness? Its not one of the huts, no, but it is close by. I hadn't been there for 10 years, had a sudden joyus rush of memories. I can't wait to go back again so many great places to see, and it'll be even better now with a bike.

I've never been, I'm going to have to fix that.

tommmmmmmmmmm Manningtree itself is not all that but it's Constable country, the river Stour through Dedham Vale is beautiful. You can go swimming in the river there but watch out for sharks.