KVA stainless steel Form Revel
Moderators: MrCurrieinahurry, maxim809, Moderator Team
Any news about the '12 Red group. This is such a great bike!
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That's a beautiful bike. I have a Form Prevail 29er that Daryl & co built that I love.
Its being picky of course, but I agree about the fork logos: its sad that on a bike this nice that the thing that catches your eye is a fork sticker. My impression is that you've de-logo-ed the 3TTT stem, I feel like the fork could use the same treatment. Unfortunately the logo is under the fork clear-coat, so it's a bit of work to do... if you're not up for it maybe you could call Enve though and get an equivalent decal in stealthy black and just put that on top to cover the white?
The other thing that I don't love is the seatpost / seat clamp transition: I feel like a black clamp would look a lot better and I'd get rid of the dumb Fizik silicone washer as well. Right now I feel like they break up the lines of the bike.
Its being picky of course, but I agree about the fork logos: its sad that on a bike this nice that the thing that catches your eye is a fork sticker. My impression is that you've de-logo-ed the 3TTT stem, I feel like the fork could use the same treatment. Unfortunately the logo is under the fork clear-coat, so it's a bit of work to do... if you're not up for it maybe you could call Enve though and get an equivalent decal in stealthy black and just put that on top to cover the white?
The other thing that I don't love is the seatpost / seat clamp transition: I feel like a black clamp would look a lot better and I'd get rid of the dumb Fizik silicone washer as well. Right now I feel like they break up the lines of the bike.
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Awesome ride...I dig the painted look and tapered front end compared to my more traditional design (http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110792).
For those asking, I'd say the KVA stainless is definitely stiffer than XCR, though not quite as smooth riding, however a direct apples to apples test is indeed tough, since the tube shaping and geometry indeed varies somewhat bike to bike.
Not sure about 953 - I've heard great things but it is pricey and a bit harder to source these days.
Happy new year!
Mike aka Cip
For those asking, I'd say the KVA stainless is definitely stiffer than XCR, though not quite as smooth riding, however a direct apples to apples test is indeed tough, since the tube shaping and geometry indeed varies somewhat bike to bike.
Not sure about 953 - I've heard great things but it is pricey and a bit harder to source these days.
Happy new year!
Mike aka Cip
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Thank you for the comments, I am in the process of updating some things and will post some pics soon. First I have changed the saddle to a black fizik condor team edition with matching black and pink wrap. I like the look, but might not be for everyone.
I agree with the fork decal and am in the process of getting a covering decal from enve. I am currently building 2 wheel sets for the bike. The first is a retro styled set using h plus son tb14 hard ano, 32 hole front and rear,with silver white industries T11 hubs and Spain spokes. It should come in around 1600 g. I will be running grand bois Cerf blue (26 mm). These will be my gravel grinder goto wheels. The second set is a 58 mm deep carbon tubies using older zipp 404 rims, white industries rear T 11 hub and American classic micro 58 front hub. Will be placing some training vittoria rally 25 mm tubies on for now, plan on getting veloflex roubaix as the season gets under way.
I will be updating to the '12 red as summer hits, as I need to raise the funds. As my rings wear out I will be replacing the with some praxis rings.
As far as ride quality goes I love the feel of this bike. It soaks up much of the road with out being lifeless. I notice a very springy feel to the bike while out of the saddle either accelerating or climbing. While no true weight weenie bike, the bike climbs great, the frame material almost induces and perpetuates a climbing rhythm when the road turns up. Daryl tweaked the geometry to allow the bike to ride a little softer by decreasing the slope of the top tube, giving the frame a less " compact" shape. The bike has also been built to accommodate 28 mm tires. I hopped on my old crit bike yesterday, an aluminum hellafaster by van dessel, which I turned into a single speed town/bar bike and there could not be more of a stark difference in the ride. My KVA bike in one word is "refined"
Please stay tuned for photos
I agree with the fork decal and am in the process of getting a covering decal from enve. I am currently building 2 wheel sets for the bike. The first is a retro styled set using h plus son tb14 hard ano, 32 hole front and rear,with silver white industries T11 hubs and Spain spokes. It should come in around 1600 g. I will be running grand bois Cerf blue (26 mm). These will be my gravel grinder goto wheels. The second set is a 58 mm deep carbon tubies using older zipp 404 rims, white industries rear T 11 hub and American classic micro 58 front hub. Will be placing some training vittoria rally 25 mm tubies on for now, plan on getting veloflex roubaix as the season gets under way.
I will be updating to the '12 red as summer hits, as I need to raise the funds. As my rings wear out I will be replacing the with some praxis rings.
As far as ride quality goes I love the feel of this bike. It soaks up much of the road with out being lifeless. I notice a very springy feel to the bike while out of the saddle either accelerating or climbing. While no true weight weenie bike, the bike climbs great, the frame material almost induces and perpetuates a climbing rhythm when the road turns up. Daryl tweaked the geometry to allow the bike to ride a little softer by decreasing the slope of the top tube, giving the frame a less " compact" shape. The bike has also been built to accommodate 28 mm tires. I hopped on my old crit bike yesterday, an aluminum hellafaster by van dessel, which I turned into a single speed town/bar bike and there could not be more of a stark difference in the ride. My KVA bike in one word is "refined"
Please stay tuned for photos
Sorry for the Iphone photo quality, my wife seemed to have "misplaced" our camara. This is just a photo update, as I recently removed the fork decals. I will be picking up my custom gloss black decals tomorrow and will repost another photo. I also have completed my winter training wheel set. My 58 mm carbon wheel set is done, just waiting for tan wall tub tires, which should be here shortly. enjoy
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Oh, that's just delicious.
Exp001 || Other projects in the works.
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