Road Cycling - How good is Kestrel?

I am thinking about upgrading from my Aluminum Specialized, to a carbon bike. Would like to hear about the experience others had with Kestrel, and how it compares to competing carbons from Trek, Cannondale, or Specialized.
Kestrel claim to be an only carbon shop, and so the best at this type of bike. is it true or hype?

Sorry, I have no experience with Kestrel but I do know that almost everything a bike manufacturer says is hype.

Kestrel is a top line bicycle. You can't truely compare it to Trek, Cannondale or Specialized except on a model by model basis.

But needless to say, Kestrels are as good a bike as you can buy. And it is a strong smooth riding frame with a good waranty that you can't go wrong with.

Be aware that there aren't "good and bad" bikes. There are only good and bad local bike shops. It is usually better to find a local bike shop that appeals to you with employees that give you confidence and buy what they recommend if you are unsure about what you want.

Amen. Kestrels may be nice (know nothing about them), but there are plenty of reputable carbon fiber frame producers. If you are new to this kind of thing, find a shop that you trust to help you and not rip you off. Do not be in a hurry and be a demanding customer!

depends on what you're looking for in a bike. i've used the same model for 12 years now(on my third one)and never been disappointed.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b56/doghair/Image002.jpg

depends on what you're looking for in a bike. i've used the same model for 12 years now(on my third one)and never been disappointed.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b56/doghair/Image002.jpg

nice ride dog hair....got anymore pics?

I bought a 2005 Kestrel Evoke this spring. I absolutely love it. It fits me perfectly and provides an extremely comfortable ride. Every now and then I pull out my Specialized Dolce Comp for a ride (alum frame with carbon fiber seat post and fork) to remind myself of how great the Kestrel is. There aren't many Kestrels out on the road. Everytime I see one, I speak to its owner, and they all love their bikes too. I've heard several stories of how great the company has been with their no-fault frame warranty.

However, it doesn't matter how great the company is if the bike doesn't fit. Try to get a bikefit done by someone that is not affiliated with a bike shop, then visit a few stores with your numbers to try to pick the correct frame. My first fit was done in a LBS in Manhattan. They sold me the Dolce which does not fit at all. After 1 year of riding the wrong bike, I had a bikefit done by an independent fitter. This led me to the Kestrel..and I now can ride faster and longer with no discomfort.

I have the Evoke and love it. Very refined and responsive.

Here is a road test: http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=2533

depends on what you're looking for in a bike. i've used the same model for 12 years now(on my third one)and never been disappointed.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b56/doghair/Image002.jpg

If it's such a great bike, why have you needed 3 of them in 12 years?

depends on what you're looking for in a bike. i've used the same model for 12 years now(on my third one)and never been disappointed.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b56/doghair/Image002.jpg

Now that bike has style. I love a bike like that where you can see it from a distance and say man i love those bikes have a buddy say what kind was that then rattle of the bbrand and model. And the bike was going through a cross street a 100+ feet a way.

Now i dont care so much for the colors but the patern of the colors is defently nice looking. Corse this is just a pic and we all know the real thing looks better.

If it's such a great bike, why have you needed 3 of them in 12 years?

geez...
way to read into things, man. as they improved the design over the years, i chose to trade the old ones in.

nice ride dog hair....got anymore pics?
thanks,man. yeah, i have a few more pics on a disk here somewhere. gona have to dig it up.



Now that bike has style. I love a bike like that where you can see it from a distance and say man i love those bikes have a buddy say what kind was that then rattle of the bbrand and model. And the bike was going through a cross street a 100+ feet a way.

Now i dont care so much for the colors but the patern of the colors is defently nice looking. Corse this is just a pic and we all know the real thing looks better.

yeah, i wasn't thrilled with the color at first, but it grew on me pretty quickly. and yes, it does look better in person! especially when the tires are both yellow =\

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b56/doghair/close.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b56/doghair/Image001.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b56/doghair/perf.jpg

No offense intended! :) That's cool, I wish the bike shops around here took trade-ins! I've seen plenty of Kestrels around and they look pretty sweet to me. You really got to trade them in?

Eh, that's such a nice bike. :/ I want one now.

No offense intended! :) That's cool, I wish the bike shops around here took trade-ins! I've seen plenty of Kestrels around and they look pretty sweet to me. You really got to trade them in?

no, i didn't take it that way! :lol: maybe i used the wrong smiley.
i don't think the lbs would let you trade them in. you can use the no-fault warranty and get a new one for $500. that's how it USED to work, anyway. i have no idea if you can still do that, so don't quote me. i think if i wanted to switch to a newer model, i'd have to keep this one and buy a brand new bike.

Kestrel a USA company started and made it's name back in the late 1980's on the Qween-K Hwy. at Ironman Hawaii. They were a small company making a carbon very "Aero" bike called the 4000. I had one back then and it was it was truly revolutionary. It was one of the most popular and sought after bikes of it's time for Tri's - and yet today you can still se a ton of KM-40's out racing in Tri's. I don't know much about their road bikes but many of my rodie friends use their EMS fork on their bikes.
Their new stuff is worth a look.

I have a 200 ems with a ems fork with ti steerer tube. It is a great riding bike. It fits perfectly. I've ridden alum bikes, I have a scandium bike, and 3 steel bikes...but the kestrel is a stiff, smooth riding lightweight bike.

The one thing I just don't understand is why they have yet to build a full carbon fork! I was talking to a local LBS owner and he said that lightweight forks can be built with alum steerer tubes and the alum tubes are more dependable.

A friend/hero of mine in my club rides a red Kestral he got in the late 80s. I'm convinced he has 1000,00 miles on it, easy. The guy does SINGLETRACK on his friggin' road bike for frap's sake. The frame has a little place on the left chain stay where his ankle or something rubs just a tiny bit, it's worn down and you can see the layers. He does clean his bike once in a while, once in a while. Did I mention this guy's my hero?

I've had a Kestrel for about 10 years and 10s of thousands of miles. I still love it.

I bought the first, or one of the first Kestrel 4000's in NC in the late 1980's. I rode the heck out of it, and cracked a top tube. Kestrel replaced it with another 4000. I rode it for several years, and cracked another tube. Kestrel offered a repair of the 4000 (they weren't making them anymore) or a new 200 SCI for 100 dollars. I took the 200 SCI. The bottom bracket shell expired after about 8000 miles. Kestrel sent me a new 200 SCI to replace it. That was around the mid 90's. I'm still riding that Kestrel. My bike of choice for long rides. The bikes have served me well, and the company has always stood behind the product, even though it was sold several times during that time period.

thanks,man. yeah, i have a few more pics on a disk here somewhere. gona have to dig it up.




yeah, i wasn't thrilled with the color at first, but it grew on me pretty quickly. and yes, it does look better in person! especially when the tires are both yellow =\

I hated my vitoria tire when ii bought it(before putting it on) its a bright green color. But once on the bike it looks much better.

I have all sorts of bike so I can talk about frame material.

Steel vibrates whenever you hit a bump. This is the source of the so-called "road feel" which is more like being inside a bell when it's ringing.

Aluminum also vibrates but not at the lower frequencies and it tends to dampen much faster.

Titanium rings but for some reason when you ride it you don't notice it. It seem relatively dead. Titanium ride is VERY FINE. You buy a Ti bike for the ride and not for the infinite lifetime.

Carbon bikes have absolutely the best ride. They don't ring at all, high low or medium. That makes road shocks seem a lot less since there's only the initial shock of a bump followed by the recover.

I don't know what sort of lifespan a carbon bike will have. There are plenty of 10 year old carbon bikes and I did have a Graftek bike built sometime around 1990 or so that my cousin still has though he doesn't ride anymore.