Road bike to Light Tourer (with help from Mr. Rourke)

Hi all.
Had my Genesis Equilibrium 853 for a year now, it's seen very little use, mainly due to the arrival of a Surly Cross Check, but now is the time for it to make its way from the back of the garage to the very front.
This is not an immediate project, but a slow burner.
I have had this bike up for sale twice now, because I couldn't justify it being sat unused. Had a couple of offers, but nothing too serious, so I threw my fave wheels on it last weekend and took it out for a spin, and yup I fookin loved it, felt part of me, so easy to ride, and a real blast.
I've been looking at getting a different frame, and having only the one bike, rather than three. As it turns out, I already have the right frame, just not exactly how I wanted it, in steps the good folks at Rourke cycles.
After a phone call, and a couple of confusing emails, we met up today. Had a chat and a brew with Gareth, we discussed what I wanted and what they could do, turns out we are singing from the same hymn sheet. So in the new year my frame will be off the road for about a month, while Jason works his magic. (When funds permit, I will have a custom built Rourke of my own).
So down to the detail.
Rear end being spaced out from 130mm to 135mm.
Seatstay disc mounts and support brace attached.
3 toptube cable mounts, 2 seatstay cable mounts.
Then along with a disc fork from Thorn off to the paint shop.

Build will be from stuff I already have and enjoy using on my bikes...
Sram Rival 50/34 chainset.
Sram Rival derailleurs.
Sram Rival brifters.
Mavic A719 rims on Shimano XT disc hubs 32 hole, 32mm Paselas.
Thomson X4 0*, 90mm stem.
Deda Rhm 02 42cm bars.
Kinesis seatpost, SDG Bel Air saddle.
And the things I don't have...
Trp Spyres 160mm fr/ 140mm r disc brakes.
Pic as it was when first built. More to follow, as is now, and as bits arrive. Will see if Jason wouldn't mind takin pics while he does the work.

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Out of curiosity will any of the changes mean you can run bigger tires, or are you limited to 28s?

Yep. 32s with mudguards. It'll be a squeeze, but will go.

Why not sell the current bike(s) and buy the disk brake Equilibrium?!

Because this is 853, as apposed to 631 or 725. Current models all have carbon forks, I don't do carbon. Steel is real. ;-)

Fair, makes sense as its a lovely tubeset.

What will you be doing with it (light touring)?

Aye, it is a lovely frameset.
The money a new frameset would cost is equivalent to the work needed to get this bike exactly how I want it.
Just using it for commuting and the odd family holiday, tour of south east next summer, then France in 2016. Nothing too prolonged or adventuresome.

It is a lovely bike and the disc option makes it that much more versatile.

That was my thinking. Especially with the addition of the Thorn fork, makes front end better suited for loading, I tend to travel light anyway, so tent and sleeping bag can go on the back end.

The Equilibrium is a lovely bike, felt nice and relaxing to ride.

Have you got an ideas of what colour you'll paint it?

@edscoble, indeed I have, going away from my 'bikes must be black' position. At Rourkes they have standard colours on display in Kellys bar, foot long steel tubing all sprayed and lacquered so you can see what the finished product will look like. I went for colour no. 19

Oh, and cheers for help with fork geometry, very useful.

daft question but did you consider getting dt shifter bosses put on, just in case, as you are doing everything else pretty much?

I did. Have them on my cross check, but am really enjoying using brifters again. This is not my last bike by any means, as I suggested in my original post. Once funds allow I shall get Rourke to build a frame from scratch for me, that one will cover all my needs and wants.

Brifters = upgradable to SRAM S700*/Rival 22 for that full hydraulic fun in the future.

*11 speed work with 10 speed as they have the same cable pull.

**ironically the Rival 22 is cheaper than the S700.

Useful information to have for future upgrades.

Fork arrived from SJS today, lovely.
TRP Spyres ordered today. Found them on tinterweb for £55, not too bad.

Forks have arrived, from SJS. Spyres have arrived from Freeborn. Just waiting to finish work for the xmas break, then will strip the genesis down and take it to Mr Rourke.
Happy Crimble everybody. Jon

Ok, looking for some advice. Stripping the Genesis down to take to Rourkes on Monday, I found a kink in the driveside seatstay, is this designed in or something that has occurred since manufacture, the paint is not chipped or cracked in any way.

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Don't worry about that - when I got mine home from the shop I thought "oh shit" and emailed Genesis - this was their reply:

Well spotted! You can rest assured it's a design feature and provides a little bit of clearance for the chain when in the lower sprocket (hence why there's an indentation on the driveside and not on the non-driveside)

Fun project, will be interested to see how it turns out.

Thank fook for that. Cheers very much. Project back on track. Off to Burslem on Monday.

Having had a long chat with the wife, this project is off. She basically said I shouldn't fook about, I ride my bike every day for commuting, about 75miles a week, then around the shops on Saturdays, and my Sunday morning jaunts, between 35-50 miles, and we've got the kids struck on the idea of going touring, so I have been instructed to buy the frame I really want. So Genesis equilibrium 853 back up for sale £350 posted within the UK.

It's a 54, right?

Yep