Price Paid:  $0.00 at Nytro

Favorite Ride:
Kestrel Talon

Bike Setup:
Full Ultegra

Summary:
I have read the reviews here complaining about the harshness of the Talon ride and I have to wonder if they are riding the same bike I am. The ride of an old Cannondale? Not hardly!! I have ridden aluminum and steel frames of many different makes and nothing compares to carbon fiber. The only possibilities I can see are 1) they had harsher wheelsets. There is a big trend now to radial spoking and it harshens up any ride, with only a tiny weight savings; 2) possibly the bonded rear triangle gives a harsher ride on a smaller frameset. I am 6'2" and the relatively relaxed backstay angle for that size frame undoubtedly contributes to the comfort. As for the seat tube angle, I found I could comfortably stay in the aero position for the entire Ironman bike leg when others around me were sitting up and stretching their backs -- as I went past them. So I suggest you do as you should with any purchase of this type: try it for yourself, then decide.

Strengths:
Very stiff rear triangle coupled with comfort at the hands and saddle.

Weaknesses:
The "aero" seat tube doesn't really do anything for aerodynamics. Purely a cosmetic treatment. Either you can put up with it or you hate it. Beware, frame CANNOT be clamped by the top tube.

Similar Products Used:
Specialized, Olmo, Cannondale, Bianchi, Battaglin, Kestrel 4000

Price Paid:  $1500.00 at US

Favorite Ride:
Anything hilly

Bike Setup:
Road -
Easton EC90SL forks
Full D/ace
Deda bars/stem
FSA Carbon pro cranks
Zipp 404 tubs/Mavic Open pro on Ultegra training wheels

Tri-
Oval A900 bladed fork
HED one piece aero bars
Bladed seat post with seat shifter
HED S/lite disc and H3 front

Summary:
I got a Talon in 2004 and set it up with low pro bars, forward seat pillar etc for triathlons. I was pleased and happy with it but felt it was not too good in a very forward position as the ride and handling was unbalanced. As I prefer a very steep angle (78 degs +) I got a proper tri specific bike (Softride) which was much better set up to ride the position I liked.

I then set the Talon up for road racing use with Dura Ace all round and Zipp 404 tubulars. This rode OK and I did a few races on it - again I was pleased with it until I compared it to other bikes (see below but I know some of these cost 3 times more but it gives a reference).

Now (2007) that I have ridden a variety of bikes in exactly the same set up as what I had on the Talon, I rate the Talon as average on performance and ride, but very stiff, and it is damn ugly.

It is a fair bike for the money but I think it tries to be all things to all men and does none of them very well. It is too relaxed (73 degs) for a tri bike and having a forward seat post upsets the balance too much. For road racing it is very harsh ride and gives a dead feeling (I tried all sorts of wheels to try to change it but no real improvement) and handling is not great either although it is stiff and does not twist when you churn it. However, the balance between handling/stiffness/weight is not great
overall.

Maybe I bought the wrong bike for me and I am lucky to be able to have numerous bikes to be ride specific. In the end I sold it and it now has a happy new owner who will probably hang onto it until he compares it to something else!

Strengths:
Price is OK but there is better around that don't try to be a road and a tri bike in one package. Don't think bikes can do both unless you ride a tri bike at 73 degs by choice (not because of lack of fit or suitable steep bike).

Weaknesses:
Limited as a tri bike, slightly better in road configuration but a bit dead and too harsh (as harsh as an old Cannondale but does not have the liveliness!).

Similar Products Used:
Numerous steel frames
Cannondale CAAD4
Specialized Roubaix Comp
Softride TT7
Time VXR
Merlin Titanium

Price Paid:  $2000.00 at The Bloated Roach

Favorite Ride:
'06 Talon SL

Bike Setup:
Talon SL
w/Ultegra 10 will have to do till I can afford the Campy Carbon group

FSA Gossamer Double Crank- It's stock but it does the job in the flats and suits my purposes.

FSA Drop bars- Again stock, but a good performer for my needs

Stock seatpost is absolute poo! But I am preparing to obtain the Kestrel Carbon Aero.

Stock Shimano Wheelset- Not Aero or as cool looking as HED, Specialized, or Zipp, but they will cover mucho miles and seem built like an Abrams

Summary:
After wrestling through the research and buying process, I chose the Talon Frameset. Though I test rode a friends Airfoil (and Loved it), I did not want to commit to a dedicated Tri/TT as I envision riding Group with climbing in the future. However, I was sold on Kestrel's experience and commitment to Carbon (Maybe there is something about Manufactures that start with "K" as I am a Klein enthusiast on the trail) I found the Talon a great choice for a rider that can't afford the space or $ to upkeep two top shelf bikes. I also probably could have got the Talon 700K as opposed tot he SL 800K and not noticed any difference whatsoever, but ego always get's the best of me with these types of choices. Kestrel could probably do away with one of there Talon models as the difference is negligible if not non existent.

In Summary, if my Talon were stolen, I'd buy another . . . . and that is the highest compliment a bike can get.

Strengths:
Stiff as Board

Climbs like a Billy Goat

Surges forward . . . really fast!

Lighter than my Cat

Serves duel purposes well (Road/TT/Tr)

Lifetime No Fault Warranty means more mentally aggressive riding with no reservation.

Kestrel has maintained this frame for some time so it will be a viable, serviceable, and current frame for the foreseeable future

A ton cheaper than the similar outfitted Carbon Soloist.

Weaknesses:
Kinda hard to justify that much more $$ for such a indistinguishable difference from the regular Talon.

Stock Seatpost is Heavy and looks terrible and out of place on such a beautifully Aero looking frame. Kinda like Vinyl seats in a Porche 911

Few Color Options (Only 2). The colors available in the SL Frameset are actually more attractive in the older Talon Framsets from 03-05. Kestrel's color schemes seem to be getting more boring or Dime a Dozen with each passing year. BRING BACK THE PLAIN SOLID CARBON WEAVE IN THE SL FRAMES!!

Seat Tube seems structurally vulnerable to cracking (Though I have not had a problem yet.

Similar Products Used:
'01 Klein Quantim
'03 Trek 5200

'01 Kawasaki Ninja :-)

Price Paid:  $1200.00 at Online dealer

Favorite Ride:
Summer....

Bike Setup:
2004 Talon w/ DA 10 and chopper bars from a '69 Schwinn Krate.

Summary:
Be careful, this bike is not for everyone. The joining technique used to attach the rear triangle to the rear requires a LARGE contact area=incredibly stiff ride. When this bike was first introduced, this design was probably an excellent compromise between cost and performance. Today, there are far better choices available at this price in carbon. Trek's 5000/5200 and Giant's carbon frames come to mind. The bike descended beautifully, this is the single attribute I miss about this frame. Otherwise, I was happy to be rid of it. Kestrel needs to stop production of the Talon, its time has passed. In 2006, there are better options available.

Strengths:
fast and stable descending.

Weaknesses:
heavy, clunky, painfully stiff, and flashy.

Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Six13, Synapse, Trek Madone, Madone SSL, Look 585, 555, Orbea Orca, (OK, I'm a shop guy)

Price Paid:  $750.00 at Kestrel

Summary:
I was riding a Kestrel 200EMS for years and had to replace it when the dropout snapped off in a freak incident. I sent the frame back to Kestrel for repair and was told they could not repair it and was offered a brand new Talon instead, so I snapped up the Talon. I built it up with the same parts I had hanging on the 200EMS and noticed on the very first ride how stiff the ride was. Gone was the plush, smooth ride of the 200EMS and in its place was a carbon bike that felt almost like aluminum. I rode it for about half a year and had to replace it. I just couldn't deal with it. The frame was great in many ways, but I couldn't deal with the lifeless ride quality. Any one out there with a slightly used 200EMS in a 54cm they wouldn't mind parting with?

Strengths:
S-T-I-F-F, nice finish

Weaknesses:
too S-T-I-F-F, horrible graphics/decals

Similar Products Used:
Specialized Epic, Dean Custom Steel, Klein Quantum, Colnago Masterlight, Kestrel 200EMS, Kestrel Talon, Cervelo SuperProdigy