So how long did the Kinesis last, Rich?! Be honest, now... Did you have a feeling when you built it that it might not be long?

I hope you'll be continuing brainfarts in Australia too... Bon voyage!

Thanks buddy!

Was thinking I should finally remove the Easton decals from the seatpost and maybe pick up a Toupe Pro - carbon railed version - just to tidy things up a bit over winter.

Erm, reckon I've had it... oooohhh... 9 weeks?...!!


Yes, yes I did have that exact feeling! It was only ever intended to stick around until March though


Thanks, and yes I will - it's part of my life now!

Rich Ti - that frame deserves better!

I don't know about the Ti, but my partner has a KR810 with DA wheels and it rides very very smooth. Under-rated frames.

I'm taking my Baum with me, and buying another out there - no room for the Kinesis!

It is underrated though - preferred the ride of this to my Pegoretti!!

I properly rate the TK2 as a winter bike, but those wheels are all wrong - you need something heavy (and handbuilt)

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Too old to be fast, too young to be this slow!

Nah, I run Zipp 202s with Vittoria Pave tubs as my winter wheels on a titanium bike. Perfect for the winter.

Plenty strong enough, puncture resistant, and easily fixed with sealant on the rare occasion (rarer than clinchers) that you might puncture. As a last resort, I carry a spare tub which is as quick to change as a clincher.

Very rarely (and I am talking about once every few winters rather than every few weeks) when you have a show stopping puncture, and you have used your spare tub, I just put it down to 'Shit Happens'.

Unless you are really training for something why not enjoy riding all year round? Riding through the winter is miserable enough already without putting up with heavy wheels unless you really need the workout.

I do understand the need for strength, but strength doesn't need to equate to weight.

As the famous saying goes 'Strong, light, cheap - pick 2'. I do understand and appreciate that these aren't exactly budget wheels, but in the other 2 respects they are spot on.

I also understand that it makes sense to wreck something cheap with salt and grime. But I also understand the need to enjoy every minute on the bike. Those minutes are precious enough in an otherwise hectic life, so I choose to invest a bit more in making them as enjoyable as they can be.

For me the only difference between a winter bike and any other bike is grime protection (mudguards for you, regular cleaning, lubrication and ACF-50 for the bike) and perhaps more strength and reliability than you would expect from super-dooper WW raceday only or summer equipment. If something lets you down in the summer it is annoying, but in the winter it is somewhat less fun standing on the side of the road fixing it in the cold and rain.

That's all a slightly alternative view from 'the norm' I know, but it's the one I subscribe to.

exactly,

i do not like the idea of an extra winterbike for myself. it is more fun to always ride the nice quallity parts and not to sit on that stupid heavy cheap bike.

Then get a lighter bike for winter, solarider makes some good points.

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Auribus teneo lupum

it is more fun to ride my sub10lb bike all year around

I was being flippant - but its an interesting debate. I hate getting on my winter bike for those first few weeks as everything is so heavy and slow. But then as I don't ride for as long (bad weather) I appreciate the more intense workout. Plus winter riding kills kit and I wouldn't want to run a set of wheels with super thin seals for rims that will wear out too quickly. That said, winter riding is always the most expensive for me - I dream of long summer days and the joy of getting back onto something seriously light and fast and end up spending a fortune on my best bike in preparation (as I'm doing again currently!).

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Too old to be fast, too young to be this slow!

Partially obscured fm015. Built in october, should cross the 2k mile mark today.



Edit. Still winter

Nice bike but your dog is wearing too much eye shadow and mascara.