My Genesis Croix de Fer

I did the tour de tendring (which was shit) a couple of weeks ago, and watched the Women's tour pass through Bradfield (which was ace). there is some lovely riding to be had there, pity the sportive decided to avoid nearly all of it.

Were you headed to Amsterdam from Liverpool street on Friday last week? Definitely spotted this bike outside the ticket office and said to my GF "looks like a forum bike" to which she replied "you are so sad"....

Good info about Dedham vale etc here, was wondering about riding up through Suffolk from manningtree.

What are these rims?

^hplusson archetypes innit?

I forgot to say NICE BIKE SPATR.

Although possibly my favourite thing about this build is actually the shorts.

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.

that is genius!!!

i spat some chewing gum out the other day while cycling and it went straight in a bin, nothin but net, like a boss etc.

csb

I forgot to say NICE BIKE SPATR.

Although possibly my favourite thing about this build is actually the shorts.

I was going to mention them as well, but I feared I might get called up on objectifying the boy with his hot legs.

It's really nice camo though, does it actually have proper leaf shapes on?

Spatr can I get the same ones so we have some kind of Genesis team kit?

I'm saying no to camo, yes to the Croix de Fer (looks ace), and yes to borrowing the route (thanks!)

Were you headed to Amsterdam from Liverpool street on Friday last week? Definitely spotted this bike outside the ticket office and said to my GF "looks like a forum bike" to which she replied "you are so sad"....

Good info about Dedham vale etc here, was wondering about riding up through Suffolk from manningtree.

Yes that was us, tell your girlfriend I think she's sad for not being able to recognise bikes from the Internet.

I forgot to say NICE BIKE SPATR.

Although possibly my favourite thing about this build is actually the shorts.

Thanks, I'm rather fond of both of them.

I was going to mention them as well, but I feared I might get called up on objectifying the boy with his hot legs.

It's really nice camo though, does it actually have proper leaf shapes on?

Spatr can I get the same ones so we have some kind of Genesis team kit?
boy? I'm 27! But yes they're cracking shorts, the camo pattern is called sun burst, they're carhart, also rip stop which I like.

I'm saying no to camo, yes to the Croix de Fer (looks ace), and yes to borrowing the route (thanks!)

Do post a ride report if you do it please

Will do! I'm considering it as a warm-up for my Scottish tour.

Gosh 27, wish I was that young again. I say yes to both the shorts and the bike!

I want them shorts.

Amazing stuff man, really nice seeing the bag get put to work.

I'm also favoring the idea of front loading too, the thing that clinched it for me was somebody likened it to 'pushing' the load from the front rather than 'pulling' from the back - which definitely appeals to me.

im sure a bunch of people here would love to see a gear breakdown, are you tarping/bivvying or tenting? etc!

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

This is in my backyard. I cycle here all the time. We've got some pretty good cyclepaths around Den Haag. Shame about all the senior citizens running about on their electric bikes though. (Also a blessing cause they're still cycling.)

boy? I'm 27! But yes they're cracking shorts, the camo pattern is called sun burst, they're carhart, also rip stop which I like.

Nice try, but I found them anyway...

Dickies Sunray camo shorts.

booo

Do post a ride report if you do it please

Do you even?

Sorry ed, I don't know what you mean?

This is in my backyard. I cycle here all the time. We've got some pretty good cyclepaths around Den Haag. Shame about all the senior citizens running about on their electric bikes though. (Also a blessing cause they're still cycling.)

The path through the dunes to Katwijk is fun.

Sorry ed, I don't know what you mean?

You promised lots of ride reports!

Spotter just wondering in the early pictures of your cdf you have a rear rack and since then it seems you've been front loading only. Just wondering if you found that the bike didn't respond to the weight back very well or are you just trying it out? Reading above I know you said that you prefer front loading now but just wondering if there were issues with the rear rack only. Have a rear rack and was hoping I'd get away with it and a small handlebar bag for a 7-10day (camping) trip. Views? Monsieur Scoble I understand your a deft hand in this kind of thing, is my above idea foolish?

http://theradavist.com/2014/06/e-r-t-z-u-film-rapha-continental-hidden-europe-holland/

Familiar? looks alot like your ride the other week!

Firstly, Sorry for taking so long to get back to everyone with these answers.

I want them shorts.

Amazing stuff man, really nice seeing the bag get put to work.

I'm also favoring the idea of front loading too, the thing that clinched it for me was somebody likened it to 'pushing' the load from the front rather than 'pulling' from the back - which definitely appeals to me.

im sure a bunch of people here would love to see a gear breakdown, are you tarping/bivvying or tenting? etc!

Sadly those short have almost worn out, I've had the repaired a bit, but I've ordered some of this seasons ones.

Kit wise I haven't actually been sleeping outside, I've been lucky in that I've always had some some where to sleep.

I'm all for front loading, The push/pull thing definitely feels true to me. I'm going to try and use the two front panniers/rack bag as shown and then have a saddle bag/ pack for bulky yet light things.

I'm just about to start planning my summer expedition, I will probably be using a sleeping mat / tarp / hammock, I cant stand bivvy bags myself, I've always been a hot sleeper and they just turned me into boil in the bag meal.

You promised lots of ride reports!

Sorry Ed, no hablo ingles.

Spotter just wondering in the early pictures of your cdf you have a rear rack and since then it seems you've been front loading only. Just wondering if you found that the bike didn't respond to the weight back very well or are you just trying it out? Reading above I know you said that you prefer front loading now but just wondering if there were issues with the rear rack only. Have a rear rack and was hoping I'd get away with it and a small handlebar bag for a 7-10day (camping) trip. Views? Monsieur Scoble I understand your a deft hand in this kind of thing, is my above idea foolish?

Yes, I did used to run a Tubus Vega rack, and if i ever needed to shift a lot I would do it again, but for me I prefer the weight on the front. I've run a front rack on various bikes for 2 years now, I've always prefered the feeling of pushing rather than pulling, it makes the bike feel far less laggy and much more lively. I've been thinking of getting a stabilizer for this year, like this:

That being said, if I only had the option of a rear rack, It wouldn't be the end of the world at all.

http://theradavist.com/2014/06/e-r-t-z-u-film-rapha-continental-hidden-europe-holland/

Familiar? looks alot like your ride the other week!

It does, but by the looks of it they turned in land much sooner than we did, the coast was so nice we had to stick with it.

When we woke up at 6am to get the ferry the weather was appalling and we both had visions of us riding for hours in that kind of miserable rain. Thankfully it was fantastic sunshine, as you can see from the photos.

how well do those stabilizers work?

The only downside to the rack on my pompino is that if I let go of the bars at all when locking up etc, it swings around and bashes my down tube.