Genesis (bicycle company)

File:Madison Genesis bicycles.jpg in May 2016]]

Founded in 2006, Genesis is a UK bike brand manufacturing adventure & gravel, road, urban/utility, e-bike and touring models.

Genesis is distributed by Sportline UK which is owned by H Young Holdings.

History

The first Genesis bike was produced under the Ridgeback brand as the Day One model in 2001. Due to its popularity, Genesis became a label in its own right in 2006.

In 2008 the original Croix De Fer was released.

In 2012 Victoria Wilkinson won the Three Peaks cyclo-cross on a borrowed Vapour disc after her bike was damaged in a crash, highlighting the brand's reliability.{{Cite web |title=Heritage {{!}} Genesis Bikes |url=https://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/heritage |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=www.genesisbikes.co.uk}}

In 2013 Genesis became the title sponsor of the brand-new Madison Genesis cycling team.{{Cite web |title=Heritage {{!}} Genesis Bikes |url=https://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/heritage |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=www.genesisbikes.co.uk}}

In 2015 Madison Genesis win the Tour Series and by 2018 Connor Swift won the British road race championship on his Genesis Zero SL.{{Cite web |title=Heritage {{!}} Genesis Bikes |url=https://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/heritage |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=www.genesisbikes.co.uk}}

Over ten years the range expanded beyond commuter bikes to include road, mountain, cyclo-cross, gravel, kids and fat bikes.

Genesis bikes became renowned for their use of steel tubing and ethos for function over form.

The bikes have been designed by James Olsen (2005-2011), Dom Thomas (2011-2013) and Albert Steward (2013-2015).

Croix de Fer

In 2008 Genesis launched its most successful model, the Croix de Fer. The steel drop bar model, which could take wide tyres, guards and disc brakes was an early incarnation of the burgeoning gravel bike.

Its adventurous credentials were proven in 2010 as Vin Cox set the Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle.{{Cite web|title = Vin Cox's Round-The-World Record Is Official {{!}} Genesis Blog {{!}} Genesis Bikes|url = http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/blog/03/09/10/vin-coxs-round-the-world-record-is-official|website = www.genesisbikes.co.uk|access-date = 2015-10-19|archive-date = 25 July 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150725035619/http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/blog/03/09/10/vin-coxs-round-the-world-record-is-official|url-status = dead}}

The Montane Icemen (Pete Sissons and Paul Cosgrove) underlined the bikes capabilities as they used a pair of Croix de Fers to circumnavigate the 1600-mile coastline of Iceland in 14 days.

In 2014, actor Harrison Ford was pictured riding a Croix de Fer in London, while filming for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.{{Cite web|url=http://road.cc/content/news/133296-star-wars-star-harrison-ford-snapped-riding-genesis-bike-london|title = Star Wars star Harrison Ford snapped riding Genesis bike in London|date = 15 October 2014}}

= Vin Cox =

The popularity of the Croix de Fer was helped in part by Vin Cox using a Genesis Croix de Fer when claiming the Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle in 2010{{Cite web|title=Genesis Croix de Fer|url=http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/croix-de-fer/croix-de-fer|publisher=Genesis|access-date=9 October 2012|archive-date=28 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028115217/http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/croix-de-fer/croix-de-fer|url-status=dead}}

Zero

In 2014, Genesis made its first production carbon fibre bike for the Madison Genesis road racing team{{Cite web|title = Genesis enters carbon-fibre market with Zero + video|url = http://road.cc/content/news/126886-genesis-enters-carbon-fibre-market-zero-video|website = road.cc|date = 19 August 2014|access-date = 2016-02-01}} – the Zero was subsequently updated in September 2015, with a lower weight and improved fork.{{Cite web|title = Genesis launches new Zero - Cycling Weekly|url = http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/british-brand-genesis-launches-new-zero-frame-at-tour-of-britain-190284|website = Cycling Weekly|access-date = 2016-02-01|language = en-US}}