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Submitted by
Rick Landers
a Cross Country Rider
from Reston, Virginia
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | WO&D Trail | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike's USA | | Strengths: | Very supple ride with stiff enough bb to keep rides lively when desired. Lightweight frame compared to my old steel bike (Bridgestone), very smooth ride for long rides. | | Weaknesses: | Paint chips pretty easily, as others have said. | | Similar Products Used: | Tom Kellogg Custom Steel and homebuilt recumbent | | Bike Setup: | Straight from Kestrel with Ultegra components, Rolls saddle..etc. | | Bottom Line: | I've owned this bike since 1993 when it was new and I've ridden it on a series of long training rides and countless century rides. Responsive and smooth ride and it doesn't rust...my other road bike, a Tom Kellogg Custom Steel is to die for...but, the Kestrel holds a special place in this cyclist's heart...I'd rate the Kestrel as a 5, except it doesn't have top end components or wheels...still solidly equipped for any ride I'll likely do.... | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joseph Stanczak
a Racer
from NE Ohio
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere the sun shines! | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | Self-built | | Strengths: | Light frame, though there are lighter. Very stiff, responsive, and yet comfortable. Lifetime warranty on the frame. | | Weaknesses: | Paint chips too easily, but Kestrel will provide touch up paint. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 2000 Aluminum; Ciocc steel | | Bike Setup: | Dura Ace 7700 brakeset, STI shifters, front derailleur, bottom bracket; Dura Ace 7800 rear derailleur; SRAM 12x26 R9 cassette with PC89R chain; Thomson Elite seatpost and X2 stem; FSA Carbon Pro crankset; Kestrel EMS Pro handlebar and fork, Neuvation wheelset w/Michelin Race Pro2; Look A5.1 pedals; Koobi Enduro saddle. | | Bottom Line: | Like a home sick angel! She just wants to fly for me!
I don't understand the other reviewers complaint about BB stiffness (or lack of). I'm a heavier racer and sprint a lot, including aggressive hill climbing in the rolling hills of NE Ohio. This bike responds and accelerates extremely well, handles like a dream in hi speed downhill and turns, and is very comfortable. Maybe it's my Dura Ace BB and FSA cranks, maybe it's those wonderful Neuvation wheels, but I have no issue with acceleration. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert Smith
a Racer
from Bethesda
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | EBAY | | Strengths: | I have ridden every type of bike material, aluminum, Ti, carbon, steel and a few of each and I have to say this is the smoothest, tightest best handling bike I have ever owned, bar none. I am a big rider, 190 lb and this bike holds tight when I am hammering up hills or carving into fast speed turns. In fact the guy who gave this bike before me only two chilies has no idea what he is talking about. He said it was soft and not stiff. I owned a Trek 5200 and although a nice bike it doesn't compare to the Kestrel. The 200 soaks up the road better and is still stiffer and handles better than the trek. I'll be honest with you I didn 't know what all the hoopla was about carbon when I owned the trek. It wasn't until I got the Kestrel that I was enlighted. Stiff and plush. | | Weaknesses: | The white paint isn't the best. Chips easy. I am going to ding them a chile on this one. Shame on you guys. | | Similar Products Used: | Merlin, Trek, lite speed, lots more | | Bike Setup: | Top of the line campy record carbon fiber and Mavic wheels, king, salsa, etc etc. the good stuff | | Bottom Line: | If you can get a used one like I did you will get an incredible deal like I did. Do yourself a favor. Buy it. you will not regret it...
Good riding | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kent
a
from Palo Alto
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Smooth plush ride. | | Weaknesses: | Not particulary responsive or stiff. Very poor performer as far as acceleration and out of the saddle climbing capabilities compared with the Trek 5200 and the Calfee Luna bikes. This is a bike you get if you want a very subdued ride. It is not what you get for racing or serious hill climbing. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 5200, Calfee Luna | | Bike Setup: | Ultegra, Mavic Open Pro's. | | Bottom Line: | Good bike for a weekend cruiser and a good tool for training rides which speed is not a concern. Not for racing or fast hill climbs. It weighs more than a comparably outfitted Trek 5200 or Calfee Luna, but even more important, it lacks the stiffness in the BB area of those two bikes and really doesn't want to accelerate or be ridden hard out of the saddle. Plush, but very mediocre performance ride. Way, way too expensive for a frame with this little performance. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a
from Sonoma County, CA
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Wine Country roads | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Jonathan's, Santa Rosa | | Strengths: | Fast but comfortable | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Calfee, Trek carbon, LOOK | | Bike Setup: | 200Sci, Chorus triple, Rolf wheels, Chorus Aheadset. | | Bottom Line: | This is the bike you buy and stop dreaming about an upgrade. There's no frame that would give me a better ride at any price. It's fast, rigid, but comfortable. The Rolf wheels are harsh - it would be a softer ride with other wheels, but the Rolfs stay true and are strong and very light.
I saved weight by getting the threadless fork - and easier to change fit by swapping out stems. I could save more weight with a double chainring and changing my Brooks saddle (540 gms!), but it's still a light bike.
In California wine country the roads are terrible - rough and potholes - after riding steel, the Kestrel is a dream. I can do 60 to 100 miles and feel relaxed at the end instead of shaken like a martini.
Bicycling Mag. recently said it was overpriced and too heavy - I don't agree. The frame & fork cost $1,550 which compares with LOOK and Calfee, but only Kestrel has a lifetime warranty. Both LOOK and Calfee frames have a harsher ride. If you want to save a pound, get the EMS frame.
This is definitely the bike to get if you want speed and comfort. If you want just speed, get a LOOK or an aluminum frame. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Racer
from St. Charles, MO USA
Date Reviewed: February 8, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | 30 mile w/hill repeats in St. Charles | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | The frame is beautiful. It has European geometry for all day riding comfort. It soaks up road shock better than anything that I have ever ridden. It climbs like a mountain goat and descends like a bolt of lightning. This thing soaks up the shock but still sprints like a scared cat. The Best. | | Weaknesses: | I bought the one of the last frames made in japan with old technology, and my bottom bracket shell came unbonded from the frame. Kestrel paid for it to be sent back to the factory upgraded/fixed the frame and even painted for free. The new design (built it in the US) should not have the problem. | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale, Giant, GT | | Bike Setup: | Full Ultegra STI with Rolf wheels and Specialized Body Geometry saddle | | Bottom Line: | This is the best carbon frame on the market. Well worth the price! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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