I have been doing plenty of research into steel and Ti frames in a view to building a nice looking summer bike that can also be used for long one day rides and also for light touring.
However, everywhere I look the Kinesis lightweight range of Alu bikes are coming up with recommendations and great reviews. For less than £1500 I can get the shimano triple groupset I am after plus really nice spec on all the other components. They have proper mudguards fitting and room for them, and crucially have rear rack mounts.
The Vn Yukon was my alternative but spending a grand less seems very appealing- plus I think they look really nice and are less common than things like the equilibrium and Yukon
Anyone got one of the new 4s models and would care to post a review and pics would be very much appreciated.
http://roadcyclinguk.com/gear/core-bike ... es-4s.html
Anyone toured on a Kinesis Frame?
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- Posts: 70
- Joined: 23 Nov 2013, 12:58pm
Anyone toured on a Kinesis Frame?
For solo lejog and more....http://claridgecyclingtocurecancer.com
Re: Anyone toured on a Kinesis Frame?
My Tk has been my do-pretty-much-everything-apart-from-serious-off-road-and-ice bike since 2008. Touring-wise it has mostly been used for supported trips (so only day stuff in a rack bag) or carrying stuff to a fixed location & ride out from there, but I have done light camping trips.
Unloaded & lightly loaded (up to ~6kg) it behaves impeccably. If the rear load gets up to above 10kg it has a slight tendency for the tail to wag the dog as I find you need to push large panniers (i.e. running Ortleib rear rollers rather than front rollers on the rear) back as far as possible to give heel clearance with the relatively short chainstays. Having said that it isn't dangerously so, just that you notice the load pushing the back of the bike around on winding descents and have to hold it on line whereas it runs like it was on rails with less load. With a trailer on I can haul 20+kg of stuff (plus the 5kg of trailer) without any trouble, apart from the effort of getting up steep hills.
Hope that helps
Rick.
Unloaded & lightly loaded (up to ~6kg) it behaves impeccably. If the rear load gets up to above 10kg it has a slight tendency for the tail to wag the dog as I find you need to push large panniers (i.e. running Ortleib rear rollers rather than front rollers on the rear) back as far as possible to give heel clearance with the relatively short chainstays. Having said that it isn't dangerously so, just that you notice the load pushing the back of the bike around on winding descents and have to hold it on line whereas it runs like it was on rails with less load. With a trailer on I can haul 20+kg of stuff (plus the 5kg of trailer) without any trouble, apart from the effort of getting up steep hills.
Hope that helps
Rick.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
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- Posts: 70
- Joined: 23 Nov 2013, 12:58pm
Re: Anyone toured on a Kinesis Frame?
That is more than helpful! Think it's time to start finding a local supplier!
For solo lejog and more....http://claridgecyclingtocurecancer.com
Re: Anyone toured on a Kinesis Frame?
Sounds great although I wouldn't think seatstay rack mounts are crucial in a dealbreaker sort of way,for the uses described, unless for aesthetics. P clips work fine.