For those interested in dipping their toes into racing, or just want a sportier feeling bike, the Zeal range is Genesis’ entry level carbon option. The geometry is more aggressive than the endurance-oriented Equilibrium, but not quite as ‘head-down bum-up’ as the dedicated racers that are the Zeros. The heart of this bike is its frame and this has been fashioned from Reynolds 853 tubing. A slightly genesis bicycles oversized down tube ensures stiffness and there are gussets on both the top tube and down tube where they meet the head tube to deal with the stresses of taking a 150mm travel fork. Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus.
The Alpitude needs to be ridden hard to get the best from the frame, if you hit rough sections too slow then the bike can stall and you have to work to get back up to speed. The Revelation fork is simple to set up but it is worth remembering to go back and reset them after a couple of rides as they begin to sink into their travel once bedded in. Specialized also launched a Peter Sagan collection with a largely gold frameset genesis mountain bike a few years ago. We’ve got to say, though, that we’ve never seen anything like the head tube on Adam Blythe’s bike. But more than that, there’s front and rear dynamo lights, so you never need worry about forgetting/neglecting to charge your lights. An internally geared hub goes a long way to weather proofing the drivetrain, as do the full housed gear cables that help stop dirt degrading your shifting performance.
The aero features of more expensive bikes are present, with cables are routed internally and the leading edges of the frame are smoothly rounded. The groupset is Shimano Tiagra with a 2×10 drivetrain while the maximum tyre size is 25c. The Vapour is Genesis’ CX race machine and there are three models available (10, 20 and 30). There’s the option of having a full carbon frame at the higher end of the spec too, or a more affordable version with an aluminium frame and carbon fork. Giant is the largest manufacturer of quality bicycles in the world.
Some practically remains, with downtube bottle bosses (useful for holding extra water or a tool keg) and discrete mudguard mounts. The frame is fully carbon and the cables are integrated into the frame for a cleaner look and better aerodynamics. If there’s one thing UK-based Genesis Bikes knows, it’s humility. The brand makes no mistakes about its place in the bike industry. They describe themselves as not the biggest, not the oldest, not the most technically advanced, but always striving to make honest bikes that perform and look good—fresh out of the showroom and for years to come.
Genesis are building a reputation for thoughtful and well designed bikes so it is fair to say that there had been a sense of expectation once we knew the Alpitude was winging its way to us. As mentioned in the Tweet, the 24-carat gold leaf finish has been created by Fatcreations, a Sussex-based company that has been responsible for countless stunning paintjobs over the years. Product PresentationWe developed the product graphic presentation for more than 200 unique models every year…while being on-trend, fresh and true to the brand.
Adam Blythe rode for the likes of BMC Racing Team, Orica-GreenEdge, Tinkoff and Lotto-Soudal in his cycling career before retiring from racing in 2019. PromotionWe were asked to help create promotional items for the first company store in the US. Packaging SystemWe created a packaging system that both stood out at retail genesis bicycles and aided in finding the right product at a glance in a crowded retail environment. Product PresentationHelping to bring new categories to the market with beautiful and functional designs. Product PresentationGenesis created the global product presentation for the world’s largest quality bicycle manufacturer.
There are mounts for mudguards and a pannier rack, which expands the range of use from just road riding to commuting and even lightweight cycle touring. At the entry-level, the Delta is an aluminium frame and carbon fork road bike with endurance geometry that comes with rim brakes and provides a comfortable ride. Prefitted mudguards and more puncture resistant city tyres are such examples.