Genesis has just revealed three exciting new prototype bicycles, including an innovative all-road model that is poised to become the next iteration of their Equilibrium line, crafted from custom Japanese steel.
At the recent IceBike show in Manchester, Genesis, a UK-based specialist in adventure and touring bikes, made waves with these prototypes. Among them was the new all-road model, which many believe will soon be officially named the new Equilibrium. The chief engineer of Genesis was present to discuss some of the noteworthy features of these framesets, shedding light on the design process.
While Genesis hasn't definitively confirmed the names for the prototypes, it appears highly likely that the all-road design will adopt the Equilibrium name, the gravel model will be a rejuvenated Fugio, and an eye-catching gravel bike outfitted with trendy 32-inch wheels will join the Vagabond lineup. For the purpose of this article, we’ll refer to these models by their anticipated names, focusing particularly on the promising new Equilibrium, which aligns with the interests of road.cc readers.
Ryan Carroll, the chief engineer at Madison, Genesis's parent company, explained that the conception of the new Equilibrium began with exploring how different grades of steel could be utilized in various parts of the bike to enhance performance:
"We’ve combined different materials for different areas instead of going with one super premium, ultra stiff front triangle.
When you appropriately combine these materials, you achieve a bike that offers a more engaging riding experience."
The design team concentrated on key components such as the down tube, bottom bracket, and chain stays. Instead of opting for standard materials from well-known suppliers like Reynolds or Columbus, Genesis took the unique step of having the downtube custom-made in Japan by one of their own suppliers.
"This is a very premium heat-treated steel," Carroll stated.
He further explained, "The chainstays are constructed from heat-treated chromoly, allowing these two elements to work together to deliver precision and power in the bike’s performance."
As for the top tube, it features chromoly, which provides riders with the classic smoothness and compliance typically associated with steel. Additionally, the bike boasts a new carbon fork that connects to a robust head tube. To maintain proper proportions, Genesis has selected a taper of 1 1/4 inches at the head tube, steering clear of a larger inch-and-a-half size that Carroll felt was excessive.
Designed to accommodate 40mm tyres and tailored for wireless electronic groupsets, the bike features just one rear brake cable routed through its frame.
Pricing and Availability
Let’s keep this straightforward, as there isn’t much information available yet. However, we expect fully branded versions of all three prototypes to hit the market sometime in late 2026. While pricing details remain under wraps, we can infer that the new Equilibrium, designed around cutting-edge electronic and predominantly wireless groupsets, will not be a budget-friendly option. Currently, a model from the previous Equilibrium range with a mechanical 105 groupset retails for £2,699.99, so we can reasonably anticipate that the production version of this prototype will be priced significantly higher.
The revamped Fugio gravel bike is set to offer a budget-friendly variant with mixed components, alongside higher-spec versions featuring full Shimano CUES groupsets—all sharing the same frameset design. As for the 32-inch wheeled Vagabond model, we currently lack any information regarding its pricing, but we hope to provide updates as we receive official announcements in the spring.
We’ve also requested test bikes, so stay tuned for detailed reviews of all three models later this year on both road.cc and off.road.cc.
