@ Genesis Equilibrium riders

menthel

nigglenoo wrote:

menthel wrote:

Having been out on the Italia this weekend I can confirm that the Condor brakes are much more stoppy than the boggo equillibrium ones, especially with greentops fitted. Much better power and modulation and then don't feel bendy when you have to apply the brakes a bit harder than usual. I may well get a set for the commuting bike

I recognised the Condor brakes instantly as I have R737s on my Equilibrium. I have always thought they are quite good*, plus the finish is better than cheaper Tektros, i.e. all the metal parts are still shiny after two years all weather use, except the small allen head pivot bolts are just a bit dull. The QR is a good design as well, easily clearing my 28mm tyres.

The Condor price is rather steep at £60 seeing as you can a get a set of R737s from Ribble for £35: http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... 3god_WsAMw

* until I built up my new touring bike with Tektro Mini Vs- they are awesome, thankfully they stop superbly even with a load of camping gear on board and going down 25% hills on Exmoor.

And they come in black, lovely! I may have to get some.

menthel

Have ordered for £36. now to get some swisstops to fit in them...

nigglenoo

menthel wrote:

Have ordered for £36. now to get some swisstops to fit in them...

Good plan, I am using SwissStop Green now, previously Kool Stop Dual Compound, the SwissStops are better though they did squeal horribly for the first 50 miles or so. I never tried the original pads, just threw them straight in the bin as I had a set of rims become badly worn by OEM Tektro pads on another bike.

menthel

nigglenoo wrote:

menthel wrote:

Have ordered for £36. now to get some swisstops to fit in them...

Good plan, I am using SwissStop Green now, previously Kool Stop Dual Compound, the SwissStops are better though they did squeal horribly for the first 50 miles or so. I never tried the original pads, just threw them straight in the bin as I had a set of rims become badly worn by OEM Tektro pads on another bike.

I quickly swapped the standard ones on the Italia for greens. Will do the same with these, just need to find them at a good price!

nigglenoo

menthel wrote:

nigglenoo wrote:

menthel wrote:

Have ordered for £36. now to get some swisstops to fit in them...

Good plan, I am using SwissStop Green now, previously Kool Stop Dual Compound, the SwissStops are better though they did squeal horribly for the first 50 miles or so. I never tried the original pads, just threw them straight in the bin as I had a set of rims become badly worn by OEM Tektro pads on another bike.

I quickly swapped the standard ones on the Italia for greens. Will do the same with these, just need to find them at a good price!

I paid about £22 from CRC, not too bad as you get the full bike set of four.

thegreatbelow

Hi guys, joined the club today!
Here is my brand new 2014, Equilibrium 10 outside the bike shop.

menthel

thegreatbelow wrote:

Hi guys, joined the club today!
Here is my brand new 2014, Equilibrium 10 outside the bike shop.

Liking the green!

bendertherobot

Lovely. I have a real issue with Genesis and marketing. Bikes are all out there now and yet the website still fails to deal with them.

sketchley

bendertherobot wrote:

Lovely. I have a real issue with Genesis and marketing. Bikes are all out there now and yet the website still fails to deal with them.

Would it be better or worse the other way round?

bendertherobot

Sketchley wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Lovely. I have a real issue with Genesis and marketing. Bikes are all out there now and yet the website still fails to deal with them.

Would it be better or worse the other way round?

For them, better. I have a Condor as a result of them dicking around with the Volare.

sketchley

Really? I'd much rather the bike shop had the bike and the website was not up to date, than the website being up to date and no bike available to look at or ride. Of course having both would be better....

bendertherobot

It was neither in this case

sketchley

ah... point taken...

thegreatbelow

I work in a bike shop and have had access to spec and pictures of the 2014 models for at least 6 weeks.

I do agree that Genesis could be quicker with launching the new range since they are available to buy, but any good bike shop should have made the effort to show you the pics of the latest models on the Madison retailer site along with the specs.

bendertherobot

Both points also taken. I found one shop on the web who was able to email me and a kind forumite with access. Pinning info down was very difficult though. Given that the bikes are out there, I really do think their website needs updating. I'm still planning a Fugio frameset at some point but, as things stand, that could easily become a Fratello or Bivio X.

markysparks

I'm looking to get an Equilibrium 20 in the next few weeks (can hardly wait!) - just trying to decide if I should get a 2013 (I quite like the orange) possibly with a few quid off or bite the bullet and and get the 2014 version in cream. If I get the 2013 model I was planning on changing the brakes for Tektro R737, I guess the Shimano BR451 on the 2014 models should be good enough with some swissstop pads in them.

I also plan on using Schawlbe durano tyres in the 28c size - has anybody used P35 SKS chromoplastic mudguards with this size of tyre? I guess the clearance might be a bit tight - perhaps I should go with the slightly wider P45's ?

london-red

thegreatbelow wrote:

Hi guys, joined the club today!
Here is my brand new 2014, Equilibrium 10 outside the bike shop.

Nice. Is that a 60?

Oh, and brown saddle and bar tape please.

sketchley

markysparks wrote:

I'm looking to get an Equilibrium 20 in the next few weeks (can hardly wait!) - just trying to decide if I should get a 2013 (I quite like the orange) possibly with a few quid off or bite the bullet and and get the 2014 version in cream. If I get the 2013 model I was planning on changing the brakes for Tektro R737, I guess the Shimano BR451 on the 2014 models should be good enough with some swissstop pads in them.

I also plan on using Schawlbe durano tyres in the 28c size - has anybody used P35 SKS chromoplastic mudguards with this size of tyre? I guess the clearance might be a bit tight - perhaps I should go with the slightly wider P45's ?

I used sks chromoplastics and 28mm gatorskins / gp4 seasons. It's very tight and the guards were a bugger to fit but they do go and there is enough clearance just.....

markysparks

Sketchley wrote:

markysparks wrote:

I'm looking to get an Equilibrium 20 in the next few weeks (can hardly wait!) - just trying to decide if I should get a 2013 (I quite like the orange) possibly with a few quid off or bite the bullet and and get the 2014 version in cream. If I get the 2013 model I was planning on changing the brakes for Tektro R737, I guess the Shimano BR451 on the 2014 models should be good enough with some swissstop pads in them.

I also plan on using Schawlbe durano tyres in the 28c size - has anybody used P35 SKS chromoplastic mudguards with this size of tyre? I guess the clearance might be a bit tight - perhaps I should go with the slightly wider P45's ?

I used sks chromoplastics and 28mm gatorskins / gp4 seasons. It's very tight and the guards were a bugger to fit but they do go and there is enough clearance just.....

Thanks for the info Chris - I'll give the P35's a try.

thegreatbelow

London-Red wrote:

thegreatbelow wrote:

Hi guys, joined the club today!
Here is my brand new 2014, Equilibrium 10 outside the bike shop.

Nice. Is that a 60?

Oh, and brown saddle and bar tape please.

It is a 60.
And yes, currently finding the saddle a bit uncomfortable so debating whether to get another and stick with the white colour scheme or go for brown. Could get a brooks if I chose brown which is appealing at the moment as use them on my other bikes and like them.

the_fuggler

Love the green frame. Beautiful.

jonny_trousers

The Fuggler wrote:

Love the green frame. Beautiful.

Hmm, liking it now myself. I wonder what colour the 2014 frameset will be in...

nigglenoo

markysparks wrote:

Sketchley wrote:

markysparks wrote:

I'm looking to get an Equilibrium 20 in the next few weeks (can hardly wait!) - just trying to decide if I should get a 2013 (I quite like the orange) possibly with a few quid off or bite the bullet and and get the 2014 version in cream. If I get the 2013 model I was planning on changing the brakes for Tektro R737, I guess the Shimano BR451 on the 2014 models should be good enough with some swissstop pads in them.

I also plan on using Schawlbe durano tyres in the 28c size - has anybody used P35 SKS chromoplastic mudguards with this size of tyre? I guess the clearance might be a bit tight - perhaps I should go with the slightly wider P45's ?

I used sks chromoplastics and 28mm gatorskins / gp4 seasons. It's very tight and the guards were a bugger to fit but they do go and there is enough clearance just.....

Thanks for the info Chris - I'll give the P35's a try.

I am running 28mm Vittoria Rubino Pros, previously with SKS 35mm guards until they broke (they were transferred from another bike then succumbed to the effect of a saddlebag resting on the rear a bit) and now Bontrager NCS which are a similar width. The Rubinos actually measure 26mm, as do Schwalbe Duranos on another bike. Clearance is fairly close but not drastically so. With SKS guards the main issue is the internal brackets that the stays connect to.

EDIT: Re brake calipers, it would be really helpful, particularly to new frameset buyers considering their own components, if anyone was in a position to compare the Tektro R737s with Shimano BR451s and R650s

DownandOut

Just got myself a 2013 20 from my lbs for a nice price plus on c2w scheme. Going from a single speed kona paddy wagon. I'm really looking forward to taking it out!

silverpigeon

What mudguards are other users putting on their Equilibriums for winter. I know SKS is the obvious choice but I'm reading very mixed reviews.

samsbike

I had SKS and they were fine.

nigglenoo

silverpigeon wrote:

What mudguards are other users putting on their Equilibriums for winter. I know SKS is the obvious choice but I'm reading very mixed reviews.

As I don't think you can get stainless or alloy guards like Gilles Berthould in a narrow enough section for the Equilibrium I would say that SKS Chromoplastics are the first choice, SKS Bluemels second choice.

Having said that Spa Cycles do some Stronglight branded mudguards that are supposed to be good for the price, although I have no personal experience. Apparently the £12.50 'E' type are an economy version with plastic components that some people have trouble with, so it is better to opt for the £18 'S' type with all stainless steel parts: http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... b0s80p1622 Postage is £4 so still a bit cheaper than any price I have seen for SKS of either variety.

I only put Bontrager NCS (None Cut Stays) on mine because I picked them up cheap at my LBS after they had been returned by another customer- the blades on these are quite smart shiny back plastic but the stays are an over engineered and ugly design simply to avoid you having to cut them with a hacksaw, something I think most of us can manage without too much trouble.

menthel

silverpigeon wrote:

What mudguards are other users putting on their Equilibriums for winter. I know SKS is the obvious choice but I'm reading very mixed reviews.

Chromoplastics have just gone n mine and seem fine.

woodnut

Yup, chromoplastics have been on mine for last 18 months, and aside from 1 blob of superglue on the front top mounting that started to rattle a little, they've been fine.

UndercoverElephant

menthel wrote:

silverpigeon wrote:

What mudguards are other users putting on their Equilibriums for winter. I know SKS is the obvious choice but I'm reading very mixed reviews.

Chromoplastics have just gone n mine and seem fine.

I think the reviews either say, "these are great" or, "I'm too inept to fit them". The latter ones would say the former if they could get someone else to fit them.