Genesis Equilibrium Disc Ltd review

A top bike from the British brand, but is the Genesis Equilibrium Disc Ltd a little bit pricy?

Cycling Weekly Verdict

At a time when weight, for most, is still pretty much everything when it comes to buying a new bike, many will overlook the Equilibrium Disc Ltd in favour of a carbon number — and as a result, they may miss out on an excellent bike. It feels like all your pedalling power is going into propelling you forward, and when that speed needs tapering back for a sharp bend, the disc brakes deliver just the right amount of stopping power. If you’re looking for a strong workhorse to ride all year, you can’t go far wrong with this.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Comfortable ride

  • +

    Great brakes

  • +

    Excellent frame and fork

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Perhaps a bit pricy

  • -

    Won’t suit weight weenies

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Part of the British brand’s new range of disc road bikes, the Genesis Equilibrium Disc Ltd is the second best offered. The range topper comes in titanium, making this Genesis’s best offering in its signature steel.

Genesis Equilibrium Disc Ltd

Got your eye on a Di2 upgrade?

Frame 

The frame is made from heat-treated Reynolds 725 chromoly, a heavy but robust material. Though weight is a concern to most people when looking for a new bike, to me the extra kilos made no difference while I was riding. I threw this bike up and down the many lumps and bumps of the Isle of Wight as I successfully completed 2014’s Festive 500, and at no point did I rue the 10+ kilos below me.

Like most non-professional cyclists (although I’m in the minority who’ll admit it rather than just buy a lighter seatpost), I’d benefit more from losing a bit of weight off myself before worrying about the weight of the bike, and I’d choose this strong, stiff, responsive steel Genesis over a liquorice lace, low-end carbon any day.

On top of all this, the frame has clearance for 28mm tyres and full mudguards, to keep you going when most other bikes are hiding in a garage.

Genesis Equilibrium Disc Ltd

The left fork kinks out to accommodate the hydraulic disc calliper

Specification 

As explained later, the specification of the final build is not as high end as the price would suggest. A saving grace of this, however, is that the frame comes Di2 ready, so some further investment after a year or so of riding and you could have a very good machine on your hands.

Genesis Equilibrium Disc Ltd

The bright green is eye catching and looks great out on the road

Price aside, the set-up worked very well. The 11-speed Shimano 105 drivetrain was slick and instilled confidence when under strain. The FSA mid-compact chainset was a welcome step-up from my normal inclination to always spin a compact, and the hydraulic disc brakes were near perfect. Many of the rides on this bike were in the rain or on wet roads, and the brakes worked just as well as on dry days. They were so good, I’m considering switching from rim calipers when the time comes for a new bike.

Genesis Equilibrium Disc Ltd

The heat treated Reynolds 725 frame is a quality, but slightly heavy, build

Riding 

It was love at first ride for the Equilibrium and me. Free from weight-based snobbery and fear of anything not being ridden by a WorldTour team, I enjoyed each and every one of the 850 miles I rode.

It accelerated quickly and held its speed on the flat thanks to the responsive frame and efficient power transfer. The hydraulic disc brakes meant confident stopping on wet winter rides, and the fit was comfortable without taking on the position of a Dutch shopper.

Genesis Equilibrium Disc Ltd

The Shimano 105 shifting is precise and assured, but would Ultegra suit this price bracket?

Value 

The most important thing to say about the Genesis Equilibrium is that it was simply a joy to ride. However, though I enjoyed riding it, for the price, the final build does not offer the best value for money, and as such has been marked down. The frame and fork are very good, the 105 groupset changed through the gears with ease and the hydraulic brakes were excellent — but when looking at departing with the best part of £2,000, Shimano Ultegra mechs or a better finishing kit would be expected, too.

Genesis Equilibrium Disc Ltd

Shimano RS685: superb hydraulic braking and mechanical shifting - win, win

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Jack Elton-Walters hails from the Isle of Wight, and would be quick to tell anyone that it's his favourite place to ride. He has covered a varied range of topics for Cycling Weekly, producing articles focusing on tech, professional racing and cycling culture. He moved on to work for Cyclist Magazine in 2017 where he stayed for four years until going freelance. He now returns to Cycling Weekly from time-to-time to cover racing, review cycling gear and write longer features for print and online.