Kestrel 500 SCi

Price Paid:  $2000.00 at E-bay

Favorite Ride:
l'Alpe-d'Huez

Bike Setup:
profile bull bars with Carbon aero bars
mix of Shimano 600 and Ultegra components
Diacompe reverse brake levers
dura-ace bar end shifters
San Marco Azoto saddle
Velomax Tempest front, Zipp disk rear

Summary:
I built this bike to race in local time trials and sprint triathlons. What I noticed right off was my ability to ride HARD in the Aero position with greater comfort. The ride quality of the bike is very much improved over an Aluminum framed bicycle, especially one with aero shaped tubes.

The bike is very much more aerodynamic than a trditional road bike, all of my personal best times over the last four years have been bested on this bike.

I think that you could get pretty much the same level of performance from the bike regardless of components, I intially build mone with used shimano 600 to help make the bike a little more affordable. I would focus most of the budget into good wheels and aerobars.

There are a lot of older models of these frames kicking around, many are NOS in the box bargans. Even if you buy the frame new and swap components over from another bike, you'll end up with a great racing machine.

Strengths:
Super Aerodynamic, but without a weight of stiffness penalty.

Super comfort. The ride is similar to Trek OCLV bikes, but with a little more compliance because of the lack of a seat tube.

Weaknesses:
Standard road geometry, you might need to set your seat all the way forward on the seatpost, or get a forward seatpost.

Similar Products Used:
Trek 5200, Cannondale CAAD4 Aero, Quattro Assi Pro

Price Paid:  $0.00

Favorite Ride:
The drier the better

Bike Setup:
Ergobrain-equipped Campy Record 10sp, Nimble Spiders, bpStealth carbon post, Selle Italia Prolink ge

Summary:
I'm a USAF member and the bike's custom-built using earnings from 3 deployments. Frame/fork was from a LBS in Colorado, drivetrain from Ireland and Florida, wheels from Nimble. Even though I have 2 other bikes, I've put about 1200 miles riding this the most due to it's climbing agility and explosive sprinting. FYI: if you've never been, come to Okinawa for a bit of everything including year-round awesome weather. Anyway, it's been a tradition with me to purchase a bike with every promotion but it looks like I may have to find other things to spend my $$ on since I don't think I can top the sweetness of this bike, except perhaps a Colnago CT1...

Strengths:
ACCELERATION!!
Overall smooth

Weaknesses:
somewhat shaky downhill confidence, perhaps for the most part due to my unwillingness to push the envelope

Similar Products Used:
1999 Litespeed Classic, 1997 Pinarello Monviso (Euro version with 7020 Oria aluminum)

Price Paid:  $2200.00 at Colorado Cyclist

Favorite Ride:
Kestrel 500Sci

Bike Setup:
Ultegra group, Dura Ace ders and hubs, Ti spokes. Have multiple stems for swapping out configuration

Summary:
I use this bike as an all day machine. I've competed in several 24 hour races on it. It's the most comfortable bike I've been on. The lack of a seat tube helps eat up the bumps and yet the bottom bracket is a rock when I get out of the saddle. It's held up fine for 4 years without a glitch. I'm still in love, it's a dream and quite possibly the last bike I'll have for quite a while.

Strengths:
All day comfort. Convertible to tri configuration. Climbs pretty well. Ideal for the long torso'd guys ( I got the 58).

Weaknesses:
650c wheels limit your aftermarket choices. Colors aren't special- I sent mine out for a custom job. Not super quick in the handling department.

Similar Products Used:
Owned Cannondale, Klein, and Diamondback road bikes.

Price Paid:  $2300.00 at LBS-bro deal

Favorite Ride:
terrible two

Bike Setup:
DA, Ultegra, Ibis Ti stem

Summary:
Purchased frame in 1991, built it up, re-built it. Used it for everything from triathlons to centuries and road races. Very quick, climbs like a mt. goat. Not terribly stable on descents over 40 mph, but I corner like a wuss. Part of this may be 650 C wheels, which are less stable at speed. Some feel little wheels are better in the corners, but no for me. On the flats it is steady and rewards all effort quickly, and predictably. Frame has lasted for 10 years and nearly 10 K miles. This debunks much of what is said about lack of durability in carbon frame. Plus, as mentioned, few bikes turn heads like this one--mine is black

Weaknesses:
Cornering, high speed confidence when descending--this may be in part due to my 13 cm stem--as I have a long torso. If they made bike in a 58 cm, this might rectify the problem.

Similar Products Used:
Kestrel 200, Moser Laser scandium, Cannondale, Softride

Price Paid:  $3100.00 at The Spokesman Bikes (www.spokesmanbicycles.com)

Bike Setup:
Ultegra

Summary:
I'd researched bikes for a long time and was confident when I made the decision to buy the Kestrel. It is true you need to take out a 2nd mortgage to buy the thing, but the comfort you receive while riding it is well worth it. I was fortunate enough to get a tour of the facilities and saw many bikes being built, or refurbished, or repainted. All in all, they are great bikes and deserve two thumbs up. Way to go Kestrel.

Strengths:
Comfort, stability

Weaknesses:
NA

Similar Products Used:
None