30.09.2018 | Reading time - 26 min(s)

Winter Commuting - Genesis Bikes

Posted in: Gravel/Cyclocross, Safety, Hybrid Bikes

A good winter commuting bike will save you a lot of hassle and money in the long run. Winter cycling generally involves wetter, icier weather and salted, gritted roads so it is therefore not advisable to take good road bikes out as there will be dramatically more wear on these metal components, more road spray and potentially more salt water getting on you and your new bike.

To combat this, a good winter bike will have less gears and sometimes only one to limit the amount of wear and damage the salt water does. These bikes will also have mounts for full bike mudguards to keep the worst of the salty water off of you and your bike and will have wider bike tyres or at least the ability to fit wider tyres for more traction.

Genesis bikes have been making incredible bikes for many years and many of their bikes from their range work incredibly well as winter bikes. In this article, we will have a look at some of Genesis top models and why they work as winter commuter or gravel bikes. We will then go on to offer some practical advice for safe cycling in winter. But first, a look at Genesis bikes.

If you are cycling through winter months, don't forget some thermal clothes for cycling.

Contents and Quick Links

Genesis Flyer
Genesis Fugio 20
Genesis Croix De Fer 20
Genesis Fugio 30
Winter Safety Cycling Tips

Genesis Flyer 2023 Adventure Road Bike

The Genesis Flyer the ultimate winter commute or leisure bike. This bike is a single speed so only has one gear thus vastly reducing the chain wear and there is no cassette to wear out - only a single sprocket. This bike also offers the added bonus of having parts that are cheaper to replace, as a single speed chain is relatively inexpensive and the sprockets last a long time due to no gear shifting.

This bike also offers two other essential winter features - plenty of mounting points for full mudguards, rack and bags while also coming with 35c wide tyres. for excellent traction and comfort. And for a bonus, it comes with puncture resistant tyres for winter road detritus and disc brakes for great stopping in all conditions (compared to classic rim brakes).

We told you it was the ultimate winter bike! And it makes an excellent, hassle free year-round commuter ride too.

Genesis Fugio 20 2024 Gravel Bike

The Genesis Fugio 20 represents quite a step up and offers a number of excellent winter features. A single chainring reduces wear on the chain and cassette compared to a double chainring set-up while the disc brakes give confident stopping in changeable conditions. One of the main winter features of this bike are the wider MTB tyres. There is a huge tyre clearance of up to 52c with the 650b wheels or up to 40c on 700c wheels so this increases traction whether off-road on trails or commuting in winter. The Fugio offers all the rack and guard mounts expected on commuter, bikepacking, gravel riding bike.

Genesis Croix De Fer 20 2023 Gravel Bike

The Genesis Croix De Fer 20 is a downright classic. With an incredibly strong and comfortable steel frame, this bike can be used for your commute, bikepacking, light touring or winter cycling. It features mounts for rack and guards but also extra mounts for all sorts of luggage options. The Croix de Fer is renowned for it's versatility and you can see why.

2 x 10 Speed Shimano GRX gears are brilliantly balanced for the uphills and the downs while the dual-pivot mechanical disc brakes are the best of their kind.

Genesis Fugio 30 2024 Gravel Bike

We are including the Genesis Fugio 30 as it is an exceptional bike but maybe a little too highly specced to be winter bikes. It is the upgrade to the above Fugio 20 and has full hydraulic disc brakes for effortless stopping power in all conditions while having the robust and reliable SRAM 1 x 11 groupset. We know what you're thinking - 'that sounds like the perfect winter bike' but the only issue is when it comes to replacing parts; higher spec amount to higher replacement prices when you do have to replace. But apart from that, it works for gravel riding, the commute, racing offroad, on tarmac and mixed terrain. About as versatile as you get.

Safe cycling in winter

There are a number of ways you can make yourself safer while cycling in winter. As there is more rain and sometimes ice on the surfaces you will use, not to mention wet leaves, it is handy to get as much traction as possible. Thsi can be done by opting for wider tyres as we mentioned above but another way to improve traction significantly is to reduce the pressure in your tyres so they have a larger contact area to the surface. You can do this with regular tyres with tubes but an excellent way to reduce the pressure and not risk pinch flats is to set your bike up tubeless.

Another very simple safety tip for cycling in winter is to check the weather forecast to see if there is ice, snow or other adverse weather conditions on the way. Once you do this for a while, you will be able to tell which days will likely have ice in the mornings if you would rather avoid these conditions.

If you would like to go out in all conditions then you can even fit studded tyres that give you some grip even on the iciest conditions. Be warned through, your legs will know when you travel any distance on these as the downside of the grip is the very high rolling resistance.

Aside from these pieces of advice, the usual safety tips apply - wear a helmet, get good lights and high vis clothing and stay warm. Cold hands can make it harded to use the brakes and gears.

Conclusion

We hope you have enjoyed this article on the best winter cycling bikes and that the safety tips help you if you are considering cycling all year round (good on you!). It is also a great time to pick up discounted Genesis bikes for sale for all types of cycling.

As always, we are happy to discuss any questions on any of the topics covered above so please give us a call or visit us in any of our stores in Aberdeen, Leeds, Newcastle or three stores in Edinburgh - Bruntsfield, Canonmills or our newest store in Stockbridge (Giant and Liv bikes)

Shop By

Popular Filters

Top Brands

Buying Advice

Bike sizing guide

Shop By

Popular Filters

Top Brands

Buying Advice

Size Guides

Bike Bags & Luggage

Bike Locks

Bike Pumps

Bottles, Cages & Nutrition

Books, Maps & Guides

Car Racks

Child Bike Seats

Tech & Accessories

Bike Lights

Bicycle Helmets

Kids' Accessories

Other Accessories

Reflectives, Bells and Mirrors

Tools & Maintenance

Turbo Trainers

Top Brands

Brakes

Brompton Spares

Controls

E-Bike Parts

Drivetrain

Mudguards

Pedals

Saddles & Seatposts

Tyres & Tubes

Wheels

Other Components

Shop By

Popular Filters

Top Brands

Buying Advice

Size Guides

SALE - Bike Categories

Popular Categories

Popular Brands

SHOP BY PRICE

SHOP BY TYPE

SHOP BY PERSON

Winter Commuting - Genesis Bikes

Genesis Flyer 2023 Adventure Road Bike

Genesis Fugio 20 2024 Gravel Bike

Genesis Croix De Fer 20 2023 Gravel Bike

Genesis Fugio 30 2024 Gravel Bike

Safe cycling in winter

Conclusion