Now that I have found out I like road biking, I am ready to upgrade to a better bike. After a lot of research and considering money available, I ordered Kestrel Talon 105. Carbon fiber frame, fork and seat post. All Shimano 105 components. I am not going in a race so don't need Ultegra or Dura Ace components to shed about 1-2 pounds with $500 of extra money.
Local shop was asking for $3200 (plus taxes) for this bike but got it in $1600 (plus taxes) from bikesdirect.com
I am so eager and excited to ride these new set of wheels.
| Frame | Enhanced
Modulus Hybrid 700k Carbon Fiber - Structurally optimized one-piece
modular Monocoque main triangle, Reinforced bottom bracket and
chainstays for power transfer, 2xH2O bottle mounts, replaceable
derailleur hanger,Frame weight = 1.2kg* |
| Fork | Kestrel EMS PRO SL 700k CARBON STEERER 1.125" tapered to 1.25" |
| Crankset | SHIMANO 105 53/39T |
| Bottom Bracket | Shimano 105 |
| Pedals | None |
| Front Derailleur | Shimano 105, Braze-on |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano 105 |
| Shifters | Shimano 105 |
| Cassette/Freewheel | SHIMANO 105 10sp 11-25T |
| Chain | SHIMANO 105 10spd |
| Front Hub | OVAL W524 |
| Rear Hub | OVAL W524 |
| Spokes | 20/24 Stainless steel |
| Rims | OVAL W524 |
| Tires | VITTORIA ZAFFIRO PRO Slick 700x23 |
| Brake Set | OVAL R500 |
| Brake Levers | Shimano 105 |
| Headset | FSA #44E 1 1/8" TOP 1 1/4" BOTTOM, Sealed Cartridge Bearing Threadless |
| Handlebar | OVAL R300S, SHALLOW DROP 31.8mm |
| Stem | OVAL R300 31.8mm Aluminum threadless |
| Tape/Grip | Kestrel Custom cork wrap |
| Saddle | OVAL SR500 |
| Seat Post | Kestrel EMS PRO Carbon |
| Seat Clamp | Ritchey Design Clamp System |
| Sizes | 48cm, 52cm, 55 cm, 57 cm, 60 cm Geometry Sizing Chart |
| Colors | Black+Red (as shown) |
SPECIAL FACTORY DIRECT PRICE $1,599 Save Almost $900 from $2499 MSRP!
This
bike comes 90% assembled.
We suggest you take it to your local bike shop for final assembly & safety checks. |
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Hey, nice ride. I was thinking about getting this one, too.
ReplyDeleteHow was the required assembly?
How was the experience with Bikes Direct? How's the bike performing?
This is a great bike. Looks awesome and professional. Light weight and sturdy. Gear ratio is really nice and you can feel it on longer rides. I have put close to 600-700 miles on this and it has been performing really well.
DeleteThough Bikes Direct says it will be assembled in 30 minutes but watching the video and assembling took me about 2 hours. Experience with Bikes Direct has been good as of now and partly because I did not have to contact them for any issues or problems. Got the bike as described with all parts in perfect original condition & packaging. Even got two small bottles (Red and black) of paint for touch ups if get some scratches after a while. Shipping was fast and nothing was broken or scratched in shipping.
Only drawback of buying online is that you will either service it yourself or pay a lot for small things such as wheel truing, cable adjustments, derailleur adjustments etc. But given the cost difference of about $1800 between local shop and Bikes Direct, it is better to do it yourself. So I invested some time and learned (Pretty quickly but with lot of effort & dedication) to do all regular maintenance myself. Thanks to youtube.
I would recommend this bike and Bikes Direct. Let me know if you need more information.