An impressive fork at this price point and sensible kit are great and the wheels finish the package off nicely but the main attraction here is the geometry. At around 27lbs the Core weighs in somewhere in the middle of the scale that you would expect for a 120mm trail blaster but it feels nippy and easy to spin up to speed thanks to the lightweight rims and fast rolling tyres. The Core range is based around a 6061 aluminium tube set that is butted where needed with some gentle manipulation to ovalise genesis mountain bike the down tube as it meets the seat tube at the bottom bracket shell. There are strengthening gussets where the down tube and top tube meet the tapered head tube and the seat stays are an old school wishbone style, the lack of a bridge gives ample mud clearance. With its proportions, and tapered headset it can have many higher end components added the bike to make it comparable to bikes much more expensive than it is. This includes new forks, better derailleurs, better handlebars and so much more.
Nevertheless, the bike retains its aggressive enduro geometry, making it a versatile and robust option in the segment. People like to trash talk this inexpensive bike, but i have owned one for 2 years, and short of buying a more comfy seat, have had no problems with. I figure if it does break, i can shell out another hundred fifty for a new one rather than several hundred to repair a thousand dollar bike. If you want a quality bike that fits you, with components that work as intended, do not expect to find it at WalMart.
We found the fitting system to be really effective and comfortable with a good amount of adjustability. Perhaps due to the extra protection, the Bell XR isn’t the lightest in class – a medium has a claimed weight of 285g while our large test helmet tipped that scales at 317g. Bell’s XR helmet is aimed at cyclists who like to ride both on and off-road and require a helmet to cover both terrains. At 280 grams, the S-Works Prevail 3 is light but certainly not lightest in class. But for those who ride often in hot climates the supreme ventilation is likely to make it worthy of consideration.
Despite its closed off silhouette, the deep channelling and vents under the brow keep your noggin cool and your sunglasses free of sunscreen infused sweat. You can adjust the retention band down to the millimetre, giving the helmet an excellent snug – yet comfortable – fit. This comfort is further boosted by the addition of thick interior padding , which is very soft against the skin. We were impressed by the airflow as well, which vent better than some vented helmets, despite there only being two front-facing vents. We also rated the ponytail-friendliness, although adjusting the cradle height at the rear is a little fiddly. While seemingly superficial, anyone who has ridden with an aero lid will know the challenge of trying to stow sunglasses when they’re not on your face.
Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle’s hilly streets on a steel single speed, her progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon she became a full-time cycling journalist, a career she’s now had for 11 years. It’s not cheap however, although when you genesis mountain bike discover that the version we tested is double the price it almost seems reasonable! There’s a new MIPS iteration that’s more comfortable than the original version and the helmet has a compact shape that fends off the weather without overheating. We found it comfortable for cooler weather riding and the enclosed design does work in the rain.
Sure, anything that gets you riding is a plus, but as mentioned before you get what you pay for. After 100 miles my rear hub became so loose that it was genesis bike pretty much un-ride-able. My only concern is not knowing how to replace the pads on my front break, like most models, I have a disc break in front.
The fully wrapped EPS POC Ventral SPIN however includes sunglass grippers. They’re meant to be best compatible with POC own brand sunnies, but we teamed the helmet with a whole host of brands and found them to hold tight to every single pair. The helmet looks rather good too, keeping quite a low profile and not being too bulbous. It was also very comfortable and the new retention system is a massive improvement on Lazer’s previous design – although still not as easy to use as a regular dial.