Description Kharma is a new frame built up in all of its parts with carbon fibers. It’s available in four sizes, sloping geometry and integrated head tube with full carbon fork and inox bearings. The excellent co...
Bike Setup: Fulcrum wheel set
Koobi saddle
Kuota 90mm carbon stem
Kuota Viking bars
Dura Ace Rear
Ultegra front
Kuota carbon seat post
Vitoria tires
Look Keo pedals
Summary: Bought a 2008 Kharma in the black and white on closeout from Nytro (First rate seller). First thing you notice is this bike is beautiful. The handling is predictable and no surprises.
Strengths: Price.
Looks.
Not a very common bike.
handling and for the price you get Dura Ace and Ultegra components!
Weaknesses: Cranks could be better. It came with the Shimano 6500 compact. Also the entire bike is carbon so had to upgrade the bars to carbon as they come with aluminum. No biggie but you need to put something in this spot.
Similar Products Used: specialized- All types
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Summary: Check your frames carefully. I know 7 people who have purchased Kuota's in the last 2 years and 4 of them have cracked frames - not a coincidence.
The frames included 2 x Kharma, 1 x Ksano & 1 x Kredo with the cracking including head tude, seat tube, rear chain stay & bottom bracket.
Strengths: None - you have been warned!
Weaknesses: The frame.
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Bike Setup: Kuota M frameset, Shimano 105 groupo, Specialized Alias saddle, Mavic Aksium wheels, Deda stem & bar
Summary: Great bike. Just as stiff and quick as my Cannondale was, but the ride is a lot easier on my bod. Lets me kick ass riding with the younger group that I hang with.
Strengths: Very stiff frame, great climber. Great looks. Unique.
Weaknesses: None so far, except that people have a hard time pronouncing KUOTA.
Bike Setup: Ultegra 6600, 52-39 traditional crankset, 12-23 cassette, Fulcrum 7 wheels, Selle Apside saddle replaced the heavy Selle Kuota saddle. Speedplay Zero, Cateye Micro, Profile carbon cage.
Summary: 2008 model with Ultegra and DA rear derailleur. A good component build and the reasonable price attracted me to this one. Enough of the box bikes have different cranks, generic house brand stems-bars and brakes to cut costs. Finding a near full group usually amounts to paying for it. The stem and bars here are lower level Deda as is the lower line Selle San Marco saddle. Overall, it comes pretty complete. I had the compact R600 crank swapped for a 6600 Ultegra traditional.
At 150#'s, this bike has nice road qualities for this leisure rider. No surprises; it hands well, doesn't transmit lots of road buzz. Feels smooth without lots of obvious flex or harshness to road variations. It isn't as quick handling as my steel frame with more aggressive angles but this one still takes it well and requires a hair more more nudging. Not a deal breaker since it does the rest so nicely. The Shimano 6600 Ultegra is a solid gruppo and performs as expected. On sprints, this small sized frame is solid for me. It responds to input and it is ready to move.
As noted for some builds, the Fulcrum 7 wheels are ok. This is one of the cost cutting but they aren't offensively bad. They do as they should and are basic wheel set. Sufficiently stiff but on the heavy side. I think a slight bump from Kuota for a Fulcrum 5 or Easton Circuit level wheel would be nicer compliment. The freehub ratchet is loud but I'm not freewheeling enough for it to annoy me. They came properly dished and true.
Victoria Rubino Pro tires nice...no issues.
Strengths: Overall good build with nice components. A solid performing bike at this level.
Weaknesses: Some lower level cost savings parts as expected but nothing horribly "bad". All livable for me.
Similar Products Used: First CF framed bike...no direct comparisons.
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Summary: This is the first race bike I've owned so I don't have much else to compare it to, but the Kharma to me is pure joy to ride. Smooth as a flying carpet, agile as cat and has the precision of a sewing machine.
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