Strengths: light, if you use top components, responsive, confortable, reliable relative stiffness, excellent cost-benefit relation
Weaknesses: It could be more stiff.
Bottom Line:
I bought the frameset and put a Campy Mirage group with ksyrium elite wheelset. Very good bike at a cheap price, considering carbon frames. It has a fantastic acceleration and it is very confortable, I used for 2 seasons and got great results on competitions . Later I put a Shimano Ultegra group with Easton Circuit Wheelset and used just for training. I sold it last year to buy a Felt F5 SL.
This bike handles great at high speeds (I have had it at 60mph+ many times, forgiving in the bumps like full carbon should be, plenty stiff enough for the climbs. Good geometry, stable in the corners, including under hard braking.
This frame has served me well, KHS is a smaller company that spent the time and money to offer "one" really good carbon frame. Building this bike up has made the real difference in performance compared to its "off the showroom" counter parts.
Bike Setup: Bike was a build after selling my Kestrel frame set. Using the Time ASX Crank set and Pedals, Dura Ace group and wheel set, FSA Carbon Bars, Ritchey WCS stem and Fork, Thomson Post, Selle Italia Saddle.
Note my earlier review (below) was inaccurate. The frame is 100% carbon, not a carbon-alu mix as I had thought. See the comment I posted. Sorry for the confusion! This is a great bike!
Strengths: Comfort combined with strength.
Responsiveness combined with stability.
Good finish.
Love the Force, may it be with you, too.
Fabulous value.
Weaknesses: Doesn't impress my Pinarello and Bianchi/Ducati-riding mates!
The stigma of low price.
Bottom Line:
Bought the frame and Alpha Q GS10 fork new, built it up with a full SRAM Force group, Deda Newton stem and bar, Thomson Elite seat post, my old Look pedals and Selle Italia seat. Wheels are Mavic Open Pro rims laced to Dura Ace hubs, with 36 spokes in the rear 'cause I'm a big boy now.
LOVE the bike. Stiff but way more comfortable than my old alu bike. Faster steering but it also feels more stable, an unexpected combination. I use the bike for training and for centuries, no racing (except for the first-one-up-the-hill variety) so ultimate light weight isn't my priority (as you can tell from my choice of wheels). This frame, a 50:50 mix of carbon (fork and rear triangle) and aluminum (top, steering, down tubes)is a very good compromise for the kind of riding I do.
I'm delighted by the Force group.
All in all, an idiosyncratic build that suits me fine. Limited sex appeal ("KHS who?"), but the frame is very well finished and a delight to build. Highly recommended.
i know alot about the 555 but nothing about the flite team. trying to compare the two caus' i can a good deal on the flite.any comments will b helpful, negative or positive. thanks Read More »
I recently purchased the SLR Kit Carbonio and am not sure it will be pleasant on long rides. I noticed a lot of tour riders use the Selle Italia Flite Team Edition, with titanium Read More »
