Now that the UCI has legalized disc brakes on ‘cross bikes, the rush is on to find disc-equipped CX bikes, but one company has already beat most manufacturers to the market. Genesis Bikes has had their Croix de Fer ‘cross bike on the market since 2008, targeting the recreational cyclist and the oh-so-lucrative commuter.
The Croix de Fer comes equipped with Shimano Tiagra components, as well as Shimano BR-R505 disc brakes. But the bike isn’t legal right out of the box; the Croix de Fer ships with 25c Continental tires, so it would at least require a tire swap before being fully race-legal.The Reynolds 725 Cro-Mo frame comes in 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60 cm sizes.
It may not be the ideal racing machine, but at least you can be one of the the first on your area to race a ‘cross bike with disc brakes. The bike is currently only available through Genesis dealers in the UK, but some online outlets have them for sale and should be able to ship almost anywhere. The suggested retail price on the bike is £999.99. Check out the Genesis website for more info.
