On the hunt for a new frame, LBS has a Kuota K UNO on stock, saw its finish in the flesh and its an absolute beauty. The frame isn't so popular, and I wonder why AG2R rides the heavier KOM frame. The K Uno is quite a WW, 860 grams claimed for the size XS. (which is my size.) Any thoughts on this frame?
http://www.kuota.it/bike.php?IDCategori ... IDColore=1

The KOM is billed as purely performance oriented and has been beefed up a bit over the years (according to the marketing claims and weight). K-UNO is sold as a more forgiving "gran fondo" frame, so they might be able to save some material.

Personally I really like Kuota, and am looking forward to build a recently acquired (2nd hand, 2010 vintage) KOM. I'm really liking the understated, semi classic shape of the KOM with the straight tubes, at least as long as you look from the distance. For my taste the K-UNO's sloping is a bit too pronounced.

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Bikes: Raceur, Beateur

That K Uno is quite the nice frame. Somehow I missed the fact that Kuota now have a frame lighter than the KOM.

I love that fact that it is Italian and below 1kg for sizes over XS.

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Hi,

One reason why AG2R doesn't use K-Uno frames may be that they already have KOMs and are reluctant to change?
Keep in mind also that the sizing between KOM and K-Uno is different which would amount to quite a few bikes needing quite a few changes in the process.

That said, from what I've read in the press, it should be ever so slightly more comfortable than a KOM and IMHO it's a beautifully styled frame.
I still ride a KAHN and never liked the KOM for it's all squares and angles besides being far less comfortable to ride.

Ciao,

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

Ah I see... Thanks for the replies guys... If the K-uno was built for gran fondos and those type of rides, I wonder why the geometry seems more racier than the KOM... Head tube length alone is lower than the KOM.

I don't know if its just me but the K-uno looks like it can go toe to toe with the specialized Tarmac SL4 in terms of weight and looks, don't know about how it rides thou because I haven't test rode one. And Kuota's tend to be more unique than the major brands out there.

Hi,



The only Kuota I know of that was designed with gran-fondo use in mind was the Kahn with its longish wheelbase.
To my mind the K-Uno isn't designed with such use in mind. Certainly doesn't look like it.

Ciao,

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

Ok Grand Fondo might not have been the correct label, I checked again and it says "long distance race bike".

Anyway the geometries of KOM vs K-UNO are interesting, the small K-UNO sizes do indeed have a shorter HT than the KOM, while the big K-UNO ones have a fairly tall front.

K-UNO: XS 100mm, XL 205mm
KOM: XS 120mm, XL 180mm

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Bikes: Raceur, Beateur

In my opinion, it's a grand tour style of bike. built to be comfortable BUT fast. Able to be an all rounder and take anything that a GC contender might need to do over a long stage race: climb, chase, descend, sprint.

Similar bikes in the same vein would be the bianchi Infinito ( always misrepresented as a gran fondo frame- but robbie hunter sprinted on one and vacansoliel race them in the classics, for crying out loud- it's no granny bike!), the colnago M10 (used by voeckler at the tour last year ) the specialized roubaix, the BMC gran fondo (raced by phinney et al in the classics this year) and possibly the willier izoard.

If you only have room in your garage for one bike, then certainly these kinds of do-it-all bike is more than good enough for the majority of us. make sure the geometry is a good fit for you though.

Saw it yesterday and fell in love! I WANT IT!!!

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TREK Madone 5.9 SL #7

Hi,

And it's getting better still:

http://www.kuota.it/preview2013.php

Enjoy,

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

the more i keep looking at the K-Uno, the more i want the frame set ... LBS have my size available which is XS...
But just couldn't find some user reviews around....

And I thought Kuota was a US company pretending to be Italian and painting frames imported from China.

Hi,

You obviously think too much......

Ciao,

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

From Cycle Sport (JP)

Traslated:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.cyclesports.jp/articles/detail.php%3Fid%3D71&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dk-uno%2Bkuota%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DT6e%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26prmd%3Dimvns&sa=X&ei=NXjxT9b3HYrzrQea6am9DQ&ved=0CF8Q7gEwBg

Do you really think an Italian would have thought of the name 'Kuota' when there is no letter K in the Italian alphabet?