GENESIS EQUILIBRIUM

A British-designed workhorse that copes with anything you throw at it

MODEL: Genesis Equilibrium Disc 20 GROUPSET: Shimano 105 5800 RS505 GEARING: 52/36t chainset, 11-28t cassette WHEELS: Fulcrum Racing Sport DB TYRES: Clement Strada LGG, 700x28c FINISHING KIT: Genesis AL-194 bars, Genesis Code 7 stem, Genesis Alloy seatpost, Genesis Road Comfort saddle WEIGHT: 10.16kg PRICE: £2,000 CONTACT: genesisbikes.co.uk

SAM’S SUMMARY

After seeing the Equilibrium tip the scales at more than 10kg I was initially reticent to swing a leg over it and tackle the climbs around Snowdonia, but the more I rode it the more I grew to like the bike. It’s true that the Equilibrium’s weight can be sorely felt when going uphill or accelerating hard out of the saddle, but there was range enough in the gearing to tackle most ascents if I took things steady. I found it carried good momentum, meaning on rolling roads I could clip along at a decent speed.

The Equilibrium definitely lived up to its comfortable premise. Clement’s 28mm Strada tyres soaked up all but the most rutted road surfaces and I found the frame geometry was spot on for our long day in Wales. The reach is shorter and stack higher than racier bikes so I could ride in a relaxed position.

I was left with the impression that the Equilibrium is a sturdy, placid machine that gets on with the job without fuss, which is what you really need from a winter bike.