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Mar 224 min read

Genesis Croix De Fer 20 Custom Build


Genesis Croix De Fer 20



I’ve been looking for a new bike for a while for commuting and cycle touring after spending the last few years trying to maintain my old 70s steel road bike that was always five new parts away from being great.


Why I picked the Genesis Croix De Fer 20


I ended up picking up a Genesis Croix De Fer 20 from Ebay. The Croix De Fer has been around over a decade and has a kind of cult-like following in some parts of the cycling community. Apart from some changes to the colourways it looks pretty true to the original which was one of the early cyclocross bikes way back before gravel became cool.


I chose the Croix De Fer 20 for a few reasons. It is the first model in the range that comes with a Reynolds 725 steel frame. It also comes with a Tiagra groupset. The 2016 version I picked up also has some pretty decent rims and tyres as standard.


The bike arrived on Thursday well-packed. But to be honest I was very disappointed when I took it out of the box. I know buying from Ebay can be hit and miss. Over the years we’ve bought some excellent bikes. Lukas recently bought a Specialized Allez that came absolutely spotless at a bargain price which deserves a separate post.


The drive chain on the Croix De Fer was caked on with a few years’ worth of grease and from the cobwebs between the spokes it was pretty obvious the bike hadn’t been used for a very long time.


I washed it down with hot water and soap and then some white spirit for the tougher spots. As I scrubbed away thankfully it became clearer that, under all the dirt, the frame and components were all in very good condition.


The bike weighed 12.5kg.



Croix De Fer 20 Ebay




Croix De Fer custom


I stripped it down, cleaned each part and then began reassembling.


I made a few carbon upgrades where I could to improve the ride quality and bring the weight down. I replaced the Genesis seatpost that comes standard on the Croix de Fer 20 with our Litebike Mach ^2 carbon seatpost 27.2 matte 200g. I wanted carbon fibre because it will make a big improvement to comfort, especially as I want to use the bike for touring.


I also made some big weight savings on the handlebars and stem. I combined the Litebike x Pro superlight carbon handlebars 176g with the UNO Kalloy x Litebike stealth stem 90g. Our handlebars have been incredibly popular because of their weight to strength ratio. Where many carbon bars tend to flex under load, especially when sprinting or descending on the drops, ours offer that same level of stiffness and support as a heavy pair of alloy bars at half the weight. If you want to read up on how they are made, we did this write up last summer. The UNO Kalloy stem is also very highly regarded. Described by Weight Weenies as the holy grail of bike parts! In my opinion both handlebars and stem work very nicely together.


Apart from the few hours of initial degreasing and cleaning, the only other challenge was working with the disc brakes. The TRP Hy/Rd-C on the Croix De Fer work like a hydraulic brake, and took me a while to figure out that a cone wrench is far more appropriate than a tyre lever for pushing the pistons back into place so I could reinstall the pads.


For now I have kept the original rims and tyres. But I have saved a few hundred grams in weight by removing the old butyl inner tubes and replacing them with our lightweight Litebike Performance TPU inner tube road 50g (bundle).


The final build weighs in at just over 11kg.


Croix De Fer 20 2016

Custom Croix De Fer


Full specifications on my Croix De Fer custom build:


Frame - Reynolds 725 Heat-Treated Chromoly

Fork - Straight Blade Unicrown Cr-Mo Disc

Headset - FSA Orbit DL / No.1

Shifters - Shimano Tiagra ST-4700

Rear derailleur - Shimano Tiagra RD-4700-GS

Front derailleur - Shimano Tiagra FD-4700

Chainset - Shimano Tiagra FC-4700, 50/34T

Bottom Bracket - Shimano BB-RS500 68mm

Cassette - Shimano CS-HG500-10, 11-34T, 10sp

Rims - Alex Rims Draw 1.9P Tubeless-Ready (TCS), 32H

Hubs - Joytech RCC 6-Bolt, 32H

Spokes - 14G Stainless Silver DB (2.0-1.8-2.0) w/ Brass Nipples

Tyres - Clement X'Plor USH, 60TPI, 700x35c

Brakes TRP Hy/Rd-C w/ 160mm Rotors & Jagwire KEB-SL Compression-less Outer

Brake Levers w/ Shimano Tiagra ST-4700

Saddle - Brooks B17


Genesis Croix De Fer 20 Ebay

Genesis Croix De Fer 20 Ebay

Reynolds 725 frame



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If you're after the very best lightweight bike parts you're in the right place. Ultra light carbon handlebars, seatposts, stem, pedals, waxed chains etc all rigorously tested by us and a small team of cyclists. Click here to see more.



Recommended

Excellent

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Overall Customer Rating

Don't just take our word for it

From the community:

Fantastic customer service

Fantastic customer service.

I added a note asking if the purchase could be sent out in time for the weekend and it turned up next day, very impressed - thank you

SG

Stefan Gates

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Litebike are doing things right

great product and service, follow up e mails to make sure im happy with it is a nice touch, the seat post is well made and looks really good on the bike, size is perfect when measured

DS

d styles

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Rapid service, thanks

Ordered a waxed chain late on Friday evening with a cheeky note that I'm racing Outlaw Half following weekend and hoping to receive in time. Had a response at 23.00 saying they would dispatch Sat morning. Received it 10.00 on Monday morning.

Amazing service!!!

JB

Jeremy Brown

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  • Why is weight so important?
    Reducing weight is the most noticeable upgrade you can make. Lightweight bikes accelerate faster and are more responsive to the power you generate, helping you reach your performance potential. Lightweight means going faster and further, for longer. We help cyclists reach their goals - from competitive racers to weekend riders.
  • Do lightweight parts mean compromising durability?
    Most of our bike parts are made from carbon fiber which is lightweight, stiff for optimal power transmission, and flexible in certain dimensions making cycling more comfortable. We put every part through rigorous testing by us and our small team of cyclists. This means you can be confident that our parts will perform for thousands of miles.
  • How come your bike parts are so lightweight for the price?
    The cycling industry is full of gimmicks, poor quality parts and expensive marketing. We are flipping the switch. We work directly with the same manufacturers producing parts for the top cycling brands, avoid the marketing gimmicks and expensive packaging, to bring you top quality products at a fraction of the cost.
  • Are your products sustainable?
    We aim to set the industry standard for high quality bike parts that last. We are the opposite of fast fashion. We are slow fashion - for bikes.
  • Is your packaging recyclable?
    We use biodegradable packaging for all our products wherever possible. We reuse packaging that comes to us too.
  • How long will it take for my order to arrive?
    We aim to deliver all UK mainland deliveries in 1-3 working days.
  • How can I track my order?
    We use Royal Mail’s tracked delivery service. You will get an email with tracking information so you can keep tabs on where your order is and exactly when it will arrive.
  • Do you ship to Europe?
    Yes. Please choose your country at the check out. We charge a flat fee of £8.50, roughly €10.00, for shipping. This is less than it costs us but we don't believe in Ryanair-style add-ons! You may need to pay some taxes on delivery.
  • What’s your returns policy?
    We’re only happy if you’re happy. You can return any part you bought from us within 30 days and we will give you a full refund. Please return the item in its original condition, with any labels attached.
  • Do your handlebars have external cabling?
    Yes. Our handlebars are easy to install for the home mechanic. The cabling is externally routed in a groove running along the bottom of the bars.
  • Are your handlebars DI2 compatible?
    While some customers have fitted DI2 this requires drilling extra holes and we wouldn't recommend it unless you are an experienced mechanic. Please get in touch if you have any questions.
  • Can I fit your carbon handlebars with an alloy stem?
    Yes, our carbon handlebars can be fitted to an alloy stem, such as our super light UNO Kalloy x Litebike.
  • Will the tubes fit my bike?
    Our TPU inner tubes are size 700 x 18-32c and fit a standard bike wheel. Unless you cycle a Brompton you probably have a standard wheel. 18-32c means the tube will inflate to fit a range of tire widths between 18 mm and 32 mm. Our Litebike Performance 50g tubes are suitable for disc and rim brakes. Our RideNow 35g tubes are also suitable for rim and disc brakes.
  • Are your inner tubes difficult to install?
    TPU inner tubes are a performance product and should be installed carefully. This includes cleaning the rim and inflating the tube to a max of 8psi before installing in the tyre. Anyone can install TPU inner tubes at home, but if you are fitting them for the first time it's worth following the instructions on the box carefully.
  • You also sell RideNow gravel TPU tubes. How are these different?
    Our RideNow gravel tubes are sized 700 x 32-47c. This means the tube will inflate to fit the full range of tire widths between 32 mm and 47 mm.
  • Can TPU inner tubes puncture?
    Like with butyl and latex tubes, TPU inner tubes can puncture. However, studies have shown that TPU is more puncture resistant than other materials. You can take steps to reduce the chances of getting a puncture, for example by cleaning your tyre to remove any debris and not inflating the tubes above 8psi outside the tyre.
  • Are TPU inner tubes sustainable?
    TPU is made from renewable sources like plant-based oils and non-toxic chemicals, making it an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based synthetic rubbers and plastics.
  • What are the benefits of a waxed chain?
    You will go faster. Studies have shown you will save up to 7 watts. You will save time cleaning. Wax repels dirt. You will help the planet.
  • How do I wax my own chain? It sounds complicated.
    Chain waxing can be done at home with an old slow cooker and a few other household items. Once you have done it once it’s easy to repeat. If waxing is not your thing, but you’re still after the performance benefits of a waxed chain, we sell a small selection of top quality, pre-waxed chains. We wax them ourselves in our workshop.
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