We stopped by Genesis Bikes’ HQ in Milton Keynes yesterday to check out two of the British brand’s latest creations: the Volare Disc frameset and the Fugio 650b adventure bike.
We’ll bring you a full run through of the 2018 Genesis range soon but first let’s take a closer look at the Volare Disc and Fugio – two bikes designed with very different rides in mind.
Genesis made its name designing steel bikes and while the range has diversified into carbon in recent years, with the launch of the Zero and Zero Disc race bikes, alongside the Datum all-road machine, metal retains a strong presence throughout the line-up.
The Volare is the pinnacle of Genesis’ work with steel, first introduced in 2013 as the team bike of the newly-launched Madison-Genesis team, and designed as a stiff, lightweight alternative to carbon fibre. While the team now predominantly rides the Zero, the Volare remains a steel frame that combines old-school cool with a race-focussed geometry.
Genesis will offer the Volare as a Reynolds 931 stainless frame in 2018, alongside a more affordable Reynolds 853 option. And, crucially, both will be available in disc brake versions for the first time. The frame uses flat-mount disc brakes and details include a BB86 press-fit bottom bracket, 27.2mm seatpost, tapered headtube, external cable routing and a carbon fork. The 931 frame we saw in Milton Keynes was beautifully finished, with near-invisible welds and intricate detailing.
Volare 931 Disc: £2,199.99
Volare 931: £1,799.99
Volare 853 Disc: £1,199.99
Volare 853: £999.99
The Fugio, meanwhile, is a very different beast. Cast your mind back to February and it’s the bike we showed you as a prototype – and this is the finished machine.
The Fugio has existed as a name in the Genesis range since 2013, when it first appeared as a cyclo-cross race bike, but this latest incarnation is completely new. But what the hell is it? Well, it draws inspiration from across the Genesis range, from the Equilibrium Disc year-round road bike to the Tarn hardtail mountain bike. Here’s Genesis’ take:
“What do you get if you mix a dash of Equilibrium Disc, a dollop of Croix de Fer, a sprinkle of Tarn and a pinch of CDA? The Fugio, that’s what. It’s a road plus monster that takes something from all of the above and adds in a set of 650b wheels and Clement 50c tyres to create a drop bar bike that’s ready for anything and packed with all the latest tech.”
Genesis has kinked the driveside chainstay to fit in 50c rubber and that tyre clearance means the Fugio is primed to take on just about any surface . Otherwise, the steel frame is made from a double-butted Mjölnir Cromo tubeset, paired with a full carbon fibre fork, and details include flat-mount disc brakes, external cable routing, and mudguard mounts.
The Fugio will be available as a frameset only for £799.99, or the complete bike pictured with a Shimano 105 groupset and Shimano RS-505 hydraulic disc brakes will set you back £1,999.99.
Fugio: £1,999.99
Fugio frameset: £799.99
That’s it for now, but watch out for a full scoop soon on the entire 2018 Genesis range.
Website: Genesis Bikes
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