Since then, Genesis has gone from strength to strength, producing some of the UK’s best loved bikes for all occasions, and has been the bike supplier and title sponsor of the Madison Genesis road racing team since 2013. At Genesis genesis bicycles we have a history of doing things our own way, whether that’s making bikes we want to ride, or heading in a direction that might seem a little crazy at the time. It’s who we are and we embrace that as we share our latest range.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). In addition to putting the wheels to the ground, I took careful consideration of the bikes’ construction and how easy they were to assemble, as well as how they arrived, how they were packaged, and whether they were missing any components.
To write this guide, I spent more than 30 hours researching bikes, dissecting their literature and componentry, and taking copious notes on how easy they were to put together. Then we handed the bikes off to eager young testers and let the steel and alloy cream rise to the top. Lightweight and highly adjustable in size, it comes pretty much pre-assembled, with removable training wheels, a midrange price tag, and REI’s reputable customer service. All versions come with the same 77.4-kWh battery pack, but according to the EPA, the all-wheel-drive GV60 Advanced offers up to 248 miles of driving range while the Performance model carries an estimate of 235.
Actual weight of the Genesis V2100 is in the pound range, depending on the accuracy of your scale. It wouldn’t be too much work to bring that down a bit by swapping the heavy steel riser bar for an aluminum one. genesis mountain bike Of course, any weight savings from the bar swap would be offset when it comes time to replace the pedals (after about two rides or less), as they seem to have earned a reputation as the cheapest pedals ever.
Advertised as 80mm (3.14″) of travel, most couldn’t get more than one inch of movement. Having a non-progressive spring rate means that it’s unlikely they’ll ever get the full travel out of either end. Compression isn’t adjustable, and rebound is exactly what one might expect from a spring. Out back, the four bar linkage looks the part, but the actual path of travel is an arc that wants to move the wheel forward as it goes upward. This results in poor handling, as the wheel cannot track over rough surfaces properly.
Then, when they’re used to the bigger bike, add the pedals and let them practice pedaling and braking in a flat area. If your child is 4 to 6 years old and you’re considering getting a first pedal bike, this guide is for you. Most kids have learned to ride a bike by the time they’re ready for one that’s 18 inches or larger. However, if your bike-antsy tyke is ready for a pedal bike early, check out our balance bike guide, which has recommendations for 14-inch balance bikes with pedal attachments.