sathor

I can't find a lot of info about them online, though I bought one from the LBS earlier this month, overall no issues the lbs couldn't fix in 5 minutes, I am happy with it, it has room for me to improve, and has mounts on the fork for a front rack. It is steel, but not too heavy.

Anyways, I was at a bike shop the next county over, and talking about the various bikes, and I asked if they had heard much about them, since I have only seen 1 other KHS bike, and it looked well used, but in good shape, and they said they have a few come in from time to time for random problems, and they treat them like 'department store bikes' 'like any bike without quick releases'

Now, I know the bike I paid 600 for isn't perfect (tax...) and aside from trying to get RD adjusted perfectly (it is SOOOO close, I know it's a 1/360th of a turn, but which direction...) Then again, in a year or two, I am hoping to convert it from a 24 speed to 20 speed. But the odd thing is still that I can't find any reviews online, and the very few places KHS shows up in searches here is nothing of value. The closest actual dealer is well over an hour from here (bike shop ordered one to check them out) so anyways...

what is the general consecious on what 'oddities' to watch out for? Why is the brand have so little info about them?

urbanknight

Back in the 80's and 90's, they were a common brand to see on race day (road, mountain, and velodrome). They actually had some innovative frame designs back then and some pro support. I think the company name has since been purchased by a big box company, but then again, so has Cannondale now. KHS isn't a mainstream brand now, but they're just as good as any Scattante, Fuji, etc. and the modern ones still show up at the start line sometimes. Like the other brands, they sell low end and mid range bikes, and which one you have depends mostly on the components.

MegaTom

A local shop here is a KHS dealer, though mainly BMX and MTBs. They seem like solid bikes for the money.

Muffin Man

I have a khs flite 9000 from 2007 and its pretty cool. I don't have have any complains.

HoytClagwell

That's funny, when I needed a new, inexpensive bike a few months back an LBS that didn't even carry KHS tried to steer me toward them as a very good, reasonably priced brand. I ended up buying a BD bike, but I looked at KHS and I don't expect to find anything comparable in Target...They're nice bikes at an OK price and I would not let the opinion of an LBS "bike expert" hurt your enjoyment of it or give you buyers remorse.

I'm guessing you bought one of the Flite models? If so, I had no problem finding reviews on roadbikereview and various forums.

abstractform20

that lbs sounds like a bunch of dicks.

nothing wrong with khs. as stated, every company has a range of bicycles (regarding quality).

i have a 96 aero turbo frame. steel, fairly light.

i guess having quick release is a sign of a quality bicycle? tools, the lot of them.

urbanknight

Yeah, I guess every track bike is of poor quality. BMX bikes, too.

deepakvrao

KHS is becoming popular in India, and the owners all seem very happy with them. Well built and very well priced [here at least].

sathor

from what I found online, it is still in the family that founded it, and they own United Engineering Corp, though I am not sure what other brands that factory produces.

sathor

Maybe it was because I was buying a pedal wrench and some grease at the time... (Hey, it is nicer than my 'gearwrench' type of wrench I had been using!) It might well just be that they don't expect to get much service money out of me, and hoped I'd panic and give them money.

Don't get me wrong, I can do much of what I need to on my bike, beyond the wheels. (The LBS where I bought the bike had to add a washer to the hub in some fashion to keep the chain from rubbing the frame, and for some reason, 700x26 tubes is a size not sold around here (the 700x25 will just have to do)

I just look forward to when I am pushing it to it's full potential, my 07 Schwinn didn't really have room for me to grow (gearing wise) and even though I never got to the big speeds at the highest gearing (not the greatest cadence, working on it) the KHS has room for me to push much farther. (it has a max of 52/12 on it now, it blows the 48/13 on the voyageur out of the water, and I am considering upgrading it to having an 11 on the cassette... dang, those gears are hard on my legs. (My 74 Varsity tops at 52/14, stem mount friction shifters... I like them much better than grip shifters)

As to the staff, I think it was just her. To be fair, I do creep people out at times. (Like the time I 'fredded' a Kestrel rider. She didn't like the info I gave at the end of the trail, she turned her carbon bike around, and went back. I rode my 74 Varsity (aka, the dear god that is heavy) out onto the road and onto a back country road, and got back to town in time to pass her as she tried to get onto the street from the rather linear path. You could almost feel her bike crying.)

DVC45

From my experience, they make nice bikes.

I am still kicking myself for selling this.


853 steel frame Flite 800.

' hope to come across another for a good price.

sathor

I'd be kicking myself too. Many of their nicer ones are part carbon part aluminum, the current 850 is carbon monocoque, and I don't think I want to go to carbon. (though a carbon saddle the other day was almost tempting, and I would have bought it too if it wasn't 2oo+ dollars) (and I admit, the 750 does look nice, even with some carbon, and there is something demonically fun about the way the TR-101 looks..)

That 800 looks sweet. (do you have Trek wheels on that?)

urbanknight

Nice to know. I used to want the track bike with the bent seat tube in it. Not sure why, I guess I just like unique things.

sathor

the only other one I have seen was a 700, and it looked like it had been through hell, twice. And it looked like it was getting ready for a third trip. It was impressive, though an ugly yellow color. (not that my red one is much better in the color department. the LBS focuses on hybrids and bmx. 80%+ of their business is BMX. He ordered the KHS flite 223 and a Fuji and I ended up buying the KHS. The fuji was bit more, AL instead of steel, and they were both basically the same color. (newest 3.0, not the colors of the one on Fuji's page at the moment though. The drive-train was essentially the same. (oddly, I can't find that particular Fuji Newest 3 on the Fuji website, it looks older than the 2011, but doesn't match any of them from 2006+ but I did see the box the day it came from the distributor.)

The extra 300 bucks (darn you sales tax) wouldn't have been worth it to me.

waynesworld

You don't need your tubes to exactly match your tire width. Most any 700c tube will work, as long as it fits inside the tire. So, buy the smaller size, rather than the larger size, and you're fine.

island rider

Something looks really wrong with that bike. Did you have six inches of spacers under the stem? Is that structurally sound?

DVC45

Not quite six inches. But no, that stack did not stay that way. That was only when I was dialing the proper fit.

DVC45

Yup, Bontrager wheels and fork.

dbruening80

I had an 06 Flite 700 that server me well up until this year. I bought a 11 Bianchi Infinito and sold the KHS. Other than just routine maintenance I had no problems.