Cyclocross - kelly or kona?

about a year from now i think i might be picking up a cyclocross bike, just to give it a shot. i like kelly frames because well, i just think they're awesome. truth is i've never ridden one, hell, i've never even touched one, but based on what i've read and the things kelly has written on the company's website, i like what he stands for.

i also like kona's jake the snake. i think it's an awesome value, and i've also read nothing but great things about it.

my wallet tells me to go with the kona, but my heart says kelly.

If you have the money, go Kelly. Steel is real.

I too have heard lots of good things about kelly bikes, but I was in a one of my LBSs about 6 months ago, and was talking to the owner about kelly bikes, he likes the bikes but not too impressed with the man. a buddy of mine just got a sycip and I took it around the block, I was very impressed....7005 tubing, straight fork, high bb and very light! It rode very well and didn't seem to give up much to a road bike.

Fogrider, sometimes a curse from the devil is like a blessing from an angel. Ya know what im saying? I dont know who this LBS you speak of is, but I can tell you that the fact that they would say something derogative about anyone to a customer deems them quite unprofessional and low on character. FYI, I dont work well with shops that are unprofessional. Maybe that's the problem? The real truth is they probably dont even know me personally. In the real world remarks such as those are called "slander".

First rule of business -- never talk trash about people (even if they do suck) to your customers. Anyone who needs to elevate themselves by putting others down really has a problem.

The real bummer is however, that people actually believe this kind of stuff and it ends up killing companies like mine. One ought to think twice about the damage they might do before repeating bogus second hand garbage such as this.

all for now.

CK

My 2 pence (2 cents for Americans).
Too many people will rubbish someone else to try and make themselves look or feel better. I used to sell sports kit and at one product launch I had some punk telling me that the product had a reliability problem, before I'd sold one!
It's a shame but you have to be suspicious of people’s motivations at times.

Just bought a SS Knobby Cross, should have it in a couple of weeks. Talking to Chris was very nice, good guy. Go with the Kelly.

I was very carefull in my wording...it was not so much trash talk or put downs, but just how sometimes someone comes across as unimpressive. as I said, even with that impression, he said good things about the bikes.

fogrider, i guess you missed the point. perhaps you should give that thread another read?

CK