Kestrel Previews Legend 780g Carbon Fiber Road Bike (Frame)
Set to debut with all the details at Eurobike next week, the new Kestrel Legend is their lightest ever road bike (frame!) at just 780g (claimed). It features asymmetric chainstays for proper power transfer, curved “H-Stays” and an EMS fork to give it a bit of compliance. They’re claiming a proprietary tapered headtube and dual tapered downtube, both to enhance stiffness and power transfer. It’s aimed at the racing crowd. Look for more when we get to the show…
Comments
No offense to Kestrel as I quite like their most recent Tri bike offering, but this seems sort of like Chevy/GMC. Why would Fuji start allowing more overlap between the Kestrel and Fuji product lines?
Also, I know that the Kestrel of today is not the old Kestrel, but considering that BikesDirect still sells a few bikes under the Kestrel moniker, I always feel like it’s a cheap brand.
>> Why would Fuji start allowing more overlap between the Kestrel and Fuji product lines? <<
Seems they aren't brands so much as sales channels. Fuji for IBDs, Kestrel for mail order (except Tri).
So its not overlap, its the same bikes sold two ways.
Funny thing is Kestrel makes a nice bike but no dealer will stock them. And why should they. Dealers that do get burned because a customer goes to a shop, gets sized, and even test rides the bike then to tell the shop they are going to think about it. Then they find it on line at basically wholesale price.
So many, not all but many customers say they want to support the local shop but then will buy the bike online. And these are the same people that need the local shop for repairs and advice.
Yes things are less expensive online but support your local shop before they are gone. And never throw it in the face of a shop that you bought your bike online and saved a bundle. That’s jus plain rude.
And no I do not own a shop I just support them.
I love oval wheels. I mean, why should a wheel be circular?
I, for one, can’t wait to see this 780 gram bike!
Why, it’s only last year that the frame alone would have weighed 780g – now that’s the weight of the whole bike!
Must be some o’ them marginal gains . . .
“lightest ever road bike at just 780g”. Did you leave the word “frame” out?
hmmmm.. can’t wait to buy this bike off of bikesdirect.com! I could build a 600 gram frame and it would be light… it would also flex like rubber. Lighter is not always better. The kestrel name is crap, just like all bike brands when the sell out.
@ The Dude. It’s crap, but you haven’t even seen it in person. I hope someone hires you to review bikes and things.
I know I sort of started this, but there is a lot of misinformation in this thread. The bikesdirect.com Kestrel are in no way related to the Kestrel being discussed here. I don’t understand the technical breakdown of the transaction, but in some way, the old Kestrel frames still exist on the market.
This is exactly what I’m talking about though, the fact that you can get a $10k Kestrel seriously hurts sales when another guy thinks he has the same bike and got it for $1k.
I really like their tri bike, 4000SL LTD, and this bike looks nice, but I don’t understand why they continue to sink money into this trademark when they also have Fuji.
But then again, doesn’t Fuji make cameras.
The frame alone is 780. Not the whole bike. The wheels alone would be around twice that.