Genesis Volare 853

lakesluddite

Yes, Paul Milnes seem to have quite a few good deals on both full bikes and frame/forks at the moment - was wavering on the 853 with Enve forks myself, but have not yet done anything about it (although it might be too late soon!).
They also have a Ti Equilibrium with carbon forks for £1100 at the moment, which also seems a good deal.

xcMuttley

Hi all!
Sorry i havent replied to say if im still happy with it for a while had a relapse with a long running back problem which has put me back in a wheelchair...
Now to the bike.

It is awesome. The ride is simply beautiful it is very smooth as most well built steel bikes are but unlike a lot of steel bikes it takes almost everything i put into and sends it to the back wheel. Ive felt some flex during some panicked sprints but to be honest its nothing noticeable. I have changed the stem from the previous pictures as the DEDA stem fitted was simply horrible and was where most of the flex was coming from (I swear i could see it moving)

The steering is very confident inspiring, ive been racing a lot down at the York sport track and the it takes thee hairpin like nothing else it tracks and steers beautifully. I havent raced as much as i would have liked this year but it has felt good in both crits and road races. The oval rings(seem) to have added speed both in and out of the saddle when im really pushing it to be honest i dont think i will use anything else on the road from now.

Even climbing hardknott pass and wrynose amongst many others it felt easy to keep rythm and seemed as if the lactate build up was slower too. My only problem is im not getting on with fsa crank arms, i simply dont like them, every time i give it a service i seem too have to change all the bolts as they round out so easy...this will definitely be my next upgrade after getting two other projects built up.

SCR Pedro

Cool ride. It's very individual.

I'd like to proved wrong but can't help feel that there is something wrong in the frame/layback post/ stem combo. It's a tricky business and hard to get right, especially first time and with new frames etc.

Tell me about it. 3 months on, and I still can't dial in my position on the Canyon. It's most annoying.

Manc33

My next build is going to be something like this, or this actual frame. Its out of my price range for now.

2170g inc. carbon fork is about 300g lighter than my aluminium frame + carbon fork.

Guys, if you have a really old frame, are you forced to use an old "threaded" headset like what is originally on the frame?

Those ones where you can drop part of the headset inside the fork and never get it back again.

I could just build up that old steel Pennine frame, but how can I use a modern "integrated" headset with that? Its impossible, right? Could it be taken to a frame builder to be converted so the head tube can take a newer headset?

Not sure what the difference is but its not gonna be small. Those old head tubes used to be way thinner.

simon_masterson

Depending on the frame, you can swap in a modern fork, and small modifications can be made to the head tube if needed. It's also possible, though expensive, to convert a threaded fork to ahead, though I personally wouldn't bother with that.

Manc33

OK cheers... but that Pennine is a way off, the bottom bracket axle needs hacksawing off, crank puller can't do it, threads are sheared off. This is what you get with 30 year old aluminium. :roll:

I keep looking for gold leaf or some sort of "chrome gold" for the lugs but nothing exists. :x Hardly surprising though, it is gold after all.

imposter2.0

Manc33 wrote:

My next build is going to be something like this, or this actual frame. Its out of my price range for now.

2170g inc. carbon fork is about 300g lighter than my aluminium frame + carbon fork.

Guys, if you have a really old frame, are you forced to use an old "threaded" headset like what is originally on the frame?

Those ones where you can drop part of the headset inside the fork and never get it back again.

I could just build up that old steel Pennine frame, but how can I use a modern "integrated" headset with that? Its impossible, right? Could it be taken to a frame builder to be converted so the head tube can take a newer headset?

Not sure what the difference is but its not gonna be small. Those old head tubes used to be way thinner.

Is there any thread where you don't ramble aimlessly..??

simon_masterson

Manc33 wrote:

OK cheers... but that Pennine is a way off, the bottom bracket axle needs hacksawing off, crank puller can't do it, threads are sheared off. This is what you get with 30 year old aluminium. :roll:

I keep looking for gold leaf or some sort of "chrome gold" for the lugs but nothing exists. :x Hardly surprising though, it is gold after all.

What sort of BB is it? Dealt with a stuck left cup on my Campag square taper recently with a big bolt, some washers and a socket - I believe Sheldon Brown recommends doing this, and it worked.

Paul 8v

Manc33 wrote:

OK cheers... but that Pennine is a way off, the bottom bracket axle needs hacksawing off, crank puller can't do it, threads are sheared off. This is what you get with 30 year old aluminium. :roll:

I keep looking for gold leaf or some sort of "chrome gold" for the lugs but nothing exists. :x Hardly surprising though, it is gold after all.

You can still buy gold leaf and gold size ;-) Or are you after lug lining?

Manc33

At the moment its just a pondering really. I wanted to gold leaf the lugs and do a clear coat over it, or some sort of rubberized clear coat. Then the edges would just be black or silver, with the frame dark metallic red, always wanted a bike that colour for some reason, with gold lugs it would look amazing.

OK my mental issues... when I start a thread of my own people just say "Start your own blog". :roll: Odd times some people just reply normally like the above. Yes, I could ask about gold leaf etc in a new thread, but I know not to bother making one because I would be told to start a blog, so I asked here.

Ever see that League of Gentlemen where you're not allowed to put the green towel on the red hook?

Thats what it reminds me of, its not Bikeradar, its everywhere. Where do you draw the line with what's off topic?

Someone could be discussing frame materials, than in the same thread a guy talks about bigger and smaller frames, is it off topic? A bigger frame isn't as strong and it is materials being discussed. You can't even remotely try to keep on topic, I can't, because I don't know what is classed as off topic or the temperament of whoever might be judging that, or any of it.

Sorry, I just fast track through a lot of stuff in a short space. If I stayed on topic I would be creating 12 other threads off the back of one reply.

Paul 8v

There is a guy who did the gold leaf on my car and clear coated it (And engine turned the gold leaf) His website is up the swanny at the moment but he's very much still going. Where abouts in the world are you, I'm guessing Manchester? He would definitely be up for that

skippa76

Inspired by this post I did a similar build myself. Pretty much the same but with Ultegra groupset and an old set of Fulcrum Racing Zeros... very comfy and nippy bike.

xcMuttley

skippa76 wrote:

Inspired by this post I did a similar build myself. Pretty much the same but with Ultegra groupset and an old set of Fulcrum Racing Zeros... very comfy and nippy bike.

WOW cant believe my bike inspired someone to build their own! Made my day that has!
It looks pretty awesome, i hope you have as much fun riding it as i do mine!
I will upload some more pictures soon as im having a little bit of a change, the stem, bar tape, seatclamp, seatpost, saddle, tyres are all being changed.
The charge spoon saddle is one of the comfiest saddles ive ever used for normal riding, but for racing i found that there wasnt enough of a nose to perch on when really putting the power down.
FYI the seatclamp that comes standard with the frame says 34mm diameter, its actually a 31.8mm seatclamp. The original one tapers and i think its measured from the taper which is a bit silly imo, you will want to change it as the bolt starts rusting very quick!

xcMuttley

So after the death of my mountain bike/cx shoes i was unable to try my newly built stevens! But after being in a wheelchair when you get the ability to ride back it is impossible to resist. I managed 20 miles and i enjoyed every second of it, it hurt just as much as when i walk so i was able to ignore it and enjoy the ride. The ability to ride a bike is so underrated!

bendertherobot

Hits the like button.

southeast

Manc33 wrote:

OK cheers... but that Pennine is a way off, the bottom bracket axle needs hacksawing off, crank puller can't do it, threads are sheared off. This is what you get with 30 year old aluminium. :roll:

The best way to get aluminium bottom brackets out of steel frames is caustic soda. It should melt the cups (takes a few applications) and leave the paint and frame untouched as it doesn't react with steel.

It's unbelievably satisfying and you get to feel like a mad scientist.

I have a picture somewhere of what was left of the Athena BB I got out of a steel frame. I had been quoted 10 hours of workshop time to get it drilled out so opted to 'go nuclear'. £6 worth of Caustic Soda (homebase) and 3 days of balancing the BB shell in an ice cream tub while it fizzed away. I just just changed the liquid every time it stopped fizzing. Eventually the cups had disappeared enough that a wack with a hammer and what was left of the bearings and the axle (steel, so untouched) just flew out. Quick hosepipe in the tubes to clear out the remnants and it was as good as new.

dwanes

Just make sure you are wearing goggles when handling that stuff!!

xcMuttley

Had some new wheels built for the volare!!
Hplus son archetype, on VIA Ceramic Hubs, laced together with sapim race and DT swiss prolock nipples. Shod in 25c challenge strada tyres, challenge latex tubes and veloplugs.




It looks amazing IMO but i suppose im going to be a bit biased
Please check out my blog where i am documenting my recent journey from wheelchair to bike, i will also be writing views and reviews on the kit ive owned and the rides ive been on!
http://memylifeandmybike.blogspot.co.uk/

sanspoof

xcMuttley wrote:

Not fully adjusted yet, will get some better pictures tomorrow! But here it is! My Genesis Volare 853! All 19lb of it
Will put spec list on tomorrow too.

For me, the "Selby Cycling Club" decals on the wheels detract from the great looks of the frameset....

Other than that, great job... :P

xcMuttley

sanspoof wrote:

xcMuttley wrote:

Not fully adjusted yet, will get some better pictures tomorrow! But here it is! My Genesis Volare 853! All 19lb of it
Will put spec list on tomorrow too.

For me, the "Selby Cycling Club" decals on the wheels detract from the great looks of the frameset....

Other than that, great job... :P

Good job I don't own those wheels anymore then
The h plus son archetypes are my new "race wheels"
The new ones don't detract from the looks at all IMO

IrishMac

Are those Archetypes anodized? Using cork pads for carbon rims will stop the black wearing from the brake tracks apparently

RideOnTime

I know where you're coming from. titter.

gaanrowl

looks far better with the archtypes on good choice

sanspoof

xcMuttley wrote:

sanspoof wrote:

xcMuttley wrote:

Not fully adjusted yet, will get some better pictures tomorrow! But here it is! My Genesis Volare 853! All 19lb of it
Will put spec list on tomorrow too.

For me, the "Selby Cycling Club" decals on the wheels detract from the great looks of the frameset....

Other than that, great job... :P

Good job I don't own those wheels anymore then
The h plus son archetypes are my new "race wheels"
The new ones don't detract from the looks at all IMO

Absolutely! It is a lovely looking thing of beauty Great job!