"jim beam" <[email hidden]> a écrit dans le message de :
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Quoted message said:Chris Cumo said:I currently ride a Merckx Corsa 01 steel framed beauty, but my eyes have
been wondering to the new carbon frames I'm seeing on the road
everywhere.
I am very interested in the Kuota and Wilier Italian bikes. Does anyone
have experience with either of these makes? I'm 195 lbs and 5'9" tall.
I'm not a racer, but a very dedicated enthusiat who this year started
working with a cycling coach (lost 20lbs since I started). Obviously,
carbon is very strong, but I am concerned about durability of these ultra
light frames given my size.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
CC
carbon composites generally have much better fatigue properties than
aluminum and a lot of steel, so in that respect, you have nothing to worry
about. the only real concern for carbon is the execution of manufacture.
in that regard, i'd select a frame from a company with significant
production volume & historical track record rather than someone recently
arrived on the scene. trek, look & giant come to mind.
Kuota has been manufacturing both frames and forks for other brands for
years, already. Their independent entry into the market may be recent, but
their experience is long.
I have had the chance to ride the Krédo and the Khan. Both magnificent
frames, although the Krédo was a little unstable for me while standing on
climbs - could be different for shorter or lighter riders (I'm 1m83 and 78
kg). Both the company rep and the local seller said that for up to about 4
hours of hard riding, the Krédo is the choice, but it is less comfortable
than the Khan for longer rides. I went only about 3-4 hours each time I
used these bikes.
I ended up buying a LOOK 461, given the price and very close ride
characteristics. And I figured out that the extra 1500 euros spent would
save me about a second per monetary unit per year, so I chose slower and
cheaper. I'm happy.
The Wilier I rode belongs to a friend ; it was the Imperiale. Very, very
nice ride - plush even. Even if they aren't original manufacturers (which I
don't know for certain), they have plenty of experience in making great
bikes, so I wouldn't worry. The Imperiale has been replaced, it seems by
the le Roi, and what I have read is not much different than that about the
earlier model. The guy the bike belongs to is a former Elite 1 rider, who
chose to make money instead of racing. He doesn't buy a bike a year - holds
them long - so I assume he plans to be happy for a while.
Age (for me) brings a desire for comfort. If you are looking for a highly
competitive frame, I suppose there are plenty of other choices, Time being a
high contender. BTW, Time makes its own carbon sheeting from spools, and is
a complete manufacturer, in that way. Plus, they have the reputation for
high quality assurance, and seem to attract top calibre riders (of those who
pay for their bikes).
The LOOK I bought replaces my 9 year-old Kestres 200Sci, which serves as a
winter bike now (what a luxury). The Kestrel has changed only be acquiring
paint chipping decoration, but the ride is the same as new - I guess I just
got bored looking at the same bike for so many years, and bought new. It
went down twice, very hard, and never showed any damage, and still doesn't.
For their forks, I understand that they are part of lots of other bikes,
including (?) Cannondale, at least some.
Just personal observations, but I hope they can be helpful.
--
Sandy
Verneuil-sur-Seine FR
*******
La vie, c'est comme une bicyclette,
il faut avancer pour ne pas perdre l'équilibre.
-- Einstein, A.
