Road Cycling - K2 road bikes... who's sporting them?

today i went to rei to pick up a compass for my brother. rei is having a 20th aniversary sale. i saw a K2 road bike that is 9 speed, equipt with ritchey parts, shimano 105, etc. after a 20% off the bike is around $700+ i picked it up and it's pretty lightweight. so how many people would sport them or why you wouldn't sport them...

My FBS carries K2 bikes... including the roadbikes. They're highly underrated and I'm not sure why. I think it's because K2 just isn't known for roadbikes. I demoed a couple and found them to be nice bikes for the money.

you can catch some good road bike deals at REI in general. I saw a couple of Marin's last time that were '03 clearance and one was steel with carbon stays and 105 for $850 i think. i'm really tall though so i never find anything that's both clearance priced and my size.

good luck with it, in either case. sorry i don't have any first hand experience for ya.

My FBS carries K2 bikes... including the roadbikes. They're highly underrated and I'm not sure why. I think it's because K2 just isn't known for roadbikes. I demoed a couple and found them to be nice bikes for the money.

that's good to know. because some of those bike that i've seen at REI is pretty good. i love the way K2 does their top tube... it's oval shaped and it feels sooo smooth.

you can catch some good road bike deals at REI in general. I saw a couple of Marin's last time that were '03 clearance and one was steel with carbon stays and 105 for $850 i think. i'm really tall though so i never find anything that's both clearance priced and my size.

good luck with it, in either case. sorry i don't have any first hand experience for ya.

yeah i saw marin bikes over there as well.. some of them feels lighter than my sirrus. it looks pretty sturdy as well.

i guess both K2 and marin is underated then.

After researching and sampling a mod 3, I bought a 2003 new Mod 4 off ebay for a great deal. As it turns out, the seller was an owner of a LBS near my office. He is now my LBS. Anyhow, the k2 bikes are way underrated, IMO. The bike is ultegra, Ksyrium Elite, etc. The frame is a real sleeper. Beautiful use of tubing and melded well with the carbon seatstays. The fork is sweet too. Everybody who rides my Mod 4 loves the ride. It is a very responsive. They make great mountain bikes too. The stigma is that they are a ski company, but........I will buy another without question.

They make great mountain bikes too. The stigma is that they are a ski company, but........I will buy another without question.

The bike division of K2 is actually pretty old. They started out as ProFlex (a Rhode Island company I believe) before they were bought by K2 and transplanted to across the country to Vashon Island, WA. ProFlex also bought Noleen many years before the acquisition by K2. ProFlex was a pioneer in MTB full suspension bikes and designed and marketted the first successful mass-produced full-suspension MTB back in the very early 1990s. They're a relative newcomer to the roadbike scene however. Their roadbike lineup began in 2000 I believe.

The bike division of K2 is actually pretty old. They started out as ProFlex (a Rhode Island company I believe) before they were bought by K2 and transplanted to across the country to Vashon Island, WA. ProFlex also bought Noleen many years before the acquisition by K2. ProFlex was a pioneer in MTB full suspension bikes and designed and marketted the first successful mass-produced full-suspension MTB back in the very early 1990s. They're a relative newcomer to the roadbike scene however. Their roadbike lineup began in 2000 I believe.

there's an old proflex full-suspension in the used bikes section of the warehouse that i work in. i'm scared to death to work on it though...it just looks...scary to work on. it has these crazy forks that look like they were put on backwards from the dropouts, but on closer inspection, i can't see any other way that they could be put on...there is also one of those "auto-bikes," and i'm wondering if my boss wants me to actually fix it up for sale. i'm actually more scared of that one than i am of the proflex.

After researching and sampling a mod 3, I bought a 2003 new Mod 4 off ebay for a great deal. As it turns out, the seller was an owner of a LBS near my office. He is now my LBS. Anyhow, the k2 bikes are way underrated, IMO. The bike is ultegra, Ksyrium Elite, etc. The frame is a real sleeper. Beautiful use of tubing and melded well with the carbon seatstays. The fork is sweet too. Everybody who rides my Mod 4 loves the ride. It is a very responsive. They make great mountain bikes too. The stigma is that they are a ski company, but........I will buy another without question.

yeah i was looking at the MOD 4 as well. it looks very smooth. unfortunately the REI here doesn't have it in stock, so i couldn't test ride it. but perhaps later on they will carry it.

there's an old proflex full-suspension in the used bikes section of the warehouse that i work in. i'm scared to death to work on it though...it just looks...scary to work on. it has these crazy forks that look like they were put on backwards from the dropouts, but on closer inspection, i can't see any other way that they could be put on...

Are you talking about the cross-link forks? Why do they look scary? It's just a paralelogram linkage. And the dropouts face backwards but the offsets are the same because the fork legs are so far forward. The crosslinks are some of the best handling suspension forks ever made.

there's an old proflex full-suspension in the used bikes section of the warehouse that i work in. i'm scared to death to work on it though...it just looks...scary to work on. it has these crazy forks that look like they were put on backwards from the dropouts, but on closer inspection, i can't see any other way that they could be put on...there is also one of those "auto-bikes," and i'm wondering if my boss wants me to actually fix it up for sale. i'm actually more scared of that one than i am of the proflex.

Don't fear the Proflex! I rode an old 855 for years, loved it. Bought a K2 Razorback hardtail about 3 years ago that also had the crosslink fork on it. Just can't seem to get away from them. Add to my collection, there is a brand new k2 Mod5.0 in the box in my garage...i moved over the weekend, and have not had a spare second to open it up and put it together. KILLING ME! Hopefully tonight is the night for the build and christening ride....did I mention the K2 PistePipe Tele skis? K2 is doing it right, IMO.

Mod 5 is a bad arse ride, no 3! That puppy is light and yes, K2 is doing it right! Enjoy the ride and keep the tires down.

Don't fear the Proflex! I rode an old 855 for years, loved it. Bought a K2 Razorback hardtail about 3 years ago that also had the crosslink fork on it. Just can't seem to get away from them. Add to my collection, there is a brand new k2 Mod5.0 in the box in my garage...i moved over the weekend, and have not had a spare second to open it up and put it together. KILLING ME! Hopefully tonight is the night for the build and christening ride....did I mention the K2 PistePipe Tele skis? K2 is doing it right, IMO.

the mod 5.0 will look sweet. i wish i had one inside a box in my garage. but right now it's just tons of boxes.. cuz i'm moving too...

One of the owners of my FBS usually has his picks of bikes to ride every season so he's constantly swapping bikes. His favourites recently that he's told me (in order):


GT ZR 1.0 (2001)
K2 Mod 4.0 (2004) - He sold all his 5.0s
Lemond Victoire (2002)
Lemond Zurich (2004)


As you can see, the K2 beat out a full titanium and a steel/carbon hybrid bike. I've test ridden the Mod 5.0. It's a very quick bike both in acceleration and handling and it's as light as my Aegis although it's a slightly harsher ride but I would still ride centuries with it. However, you just can't beat the price. I've seen these things going for as low as $2500. That's amazing when you look at the specsheet.

Rui, Sierra Trading Post has deals on the 03 Mod 4. Have a look and see if it makes sense/cents.

One of the owners of my FBS usually has his picks of bikes to ride every season so he's constantly swapping bikes. His favourites recently that he's told me (in order):


GT ZR 1.0 (2001)
K2 Mod 4.0 (2004) - He sold all his 5.0s
Lemond Victoire (2002)
Lemond Zurich (2004)


As you can see, the K2 beat out a full titanium and a steel/carbon hybrid bike. I've test ridden the Mod 5.0. It's a very quick bike both in acceleration and handling and it's as light as my Aegis although it's a slightly harsher ride but I would still ride centuries with it. However, you just can't beat the price. I've seen these things going for as low as $2500. That's amazing when you look at the specsheet.

i saw the lemond victoire and zurich online.. they look so awesome!

Rui, Sierra Trading Post has deals on the 03 Mod 4. Have a look and see if it makes sense/cents.

that's sweet.. let me go check it out now.. thanks!

I forgot to mention that the only issue you might really have with the K2 bikes is that they do sizing like Giant in that they offer their bikes in XS, S, M and L. Check the geometry carefully to make sure the fit is right and I would definately advise you do as long a test ride as you can get away with.

One of the owners of my FBS usually has his picks of bikes to ride every season so he's constantly swapping bikes. His favourites recently that he's told me (in order):


GT ZR 1.0 (2001)
K2 Mod 4.0 (2004) - He sold all his 5.0s
Lemond Victoire (2002)
Lemond Zurich (2004)


As you can see, the K2 beat out a full titanium and a steel/carbon hybrid bike. I've test ridden the Mod 5.0. It's a very quick bike both in acceleration and handling and it's as light as my Aegis although it's a slightly harsher ride but I would still ride centuries with it. However, you just can't beat the price. I've seen these things going for as low as $2500. That's amazing when you look at the specsheet.

Did I mention that I got it for $1700...has 300 shop demo miles on it...Full D/A, Ksyrium SSC....did I get a good deal? LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK

Did I mention that I got it for $1700...has 300 shop demo miles on it...Full D/A, Ksyrium SSC....did I get a good deal? LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK

That's an awesome deal!

That's an awesome deal!
Tell me about it....it was just too good to resist. I did see some 2003 Mod4's, new, on ebay last week for $1299...that is $200 cheaper than Sierratradingpost has them for. STP also just has size Med left.

Tell me about it....it was just too good to resist. I did see some 2003 Mod4's, new, on ebay last week for $1299...that is $200 cheaper than Sierratradingpost has them for. STP also just has size Med left.

Nice... you can't even buy the components of those bikes for that price.

1200 for K2 Mod 4 is a good price! wow... good buy! what about the lemond? how much are they normally running for in the shop? i see them coming to SF on June 6th. too bad i'll be in taiwan for vacation. sigh!

Lemond Victoire (2002)
Lemond Zurich (2004)

1200 for K2 Mod 4 is a good price! wow... good buy! what about the lemond? how much are they normally running for in the shop? i see them coming to SF on June 6th. too bad i'll be in taiwan for vacation. sigh!

Lemond Victoire (2002)
Lemond Zurich (2004)

I can't remember how much the Victoire went for in 2002. I wanna say it was somewhere in the $3500 price range back then which is around how much a 2004 Victoire is going for now. A Zurich is somewhere in the $2200 price range at my FBS.

I can't remember how much the Victoire went for in 2002. I wanna say it was somewhere in the $3500 price range back then which is around how much a 2004 Victoire is going for now. A Zurich is somewhere in the $2200 price range at my FBS.

humm.. the victoire looks soo tempting.. going to add that to my future bike list.