Kestrel Talon? Feedback Needed
 

I am shopping for a road bike, and came across this 07 Kestrel Talon. It is carbon with all ultegra components and fulcrum racing wheels. I am not very familiar with Kestrel, so I was wanting some feedback.

It is a little above my price range, but with the all ultegra, and the upgraded wheels it comes with, I was thinking it is something I may should consider. Also, I have been looking at alum frames, so this carbon one is an upgrade as well.

http://www.rscycle.com/s.nl/it.A/id....category=18702

thoughts?

I think proper etiquette might be to create just one thread for this, instead of starting a new one for every bike you consider.

In that price range, you really can't go wrong with any particular one. Trek, Specialized, Cervelo, Kestrel, Felt and others all have an entry in that range, and they're all good. Which one is the best for you will depend on which one you like riding the best.

That looks like a good deal on the Kestrel, to me, but I believe it's a fairly aggressive geometry, which may be uncomfortable to you as a beginner. No one but you can make that call, though, as you're the one who has to sit on it for five hours at a time.

At Bikesdirect.com you can get the Kestrel Evoke for the same money or a Kestrel RT700 for $200 more. Both are higher up in Kestrel's lineup.

Are they actually higher up in the lineup or just made for different purposes? The Talon seems like it's intended more as a triathlon or time trial bike, whereas the others are more conventional road bikes.

+1. Just get out there and ride bikes man; we don't know how any of them will feel to you.

I race my 05 Talon SL in crits all the time. It does have the aero seat post which lets it function as a TT bike, but it can be configured as a road machine just as easily.

The only complaint I have is that a crack developed in the internal seatpost binding collar in the frame. This lead to a slipping seatpost. Rather than replacing my frame, Kestrel gave me the aero seatpost that can be used without the shim, which gives the cracked collar enough seatpost to actually hold the seatpost up. Other than that, a fine bike.

The Talon is designed to be manufactured for less money. The rear triangle is glued (i think) while on the RT700 it is molded to the main. Still a separate piece but joined differently.

Talon: Lower cost road/triathlon (note I did not say cheap. I think the talon is nice bike)
Evoke: Full on road machine
RT700: Higher cost road and can be used for trialthlon w/ dual-mode aero seatpost. Note that the RT700 is basically a UCI compliant AirFoil.

Talon is the oldest design, then Evoke and then RT700. I would think, but do not know, that the technology increased the newer the design. Kestrel markets the RT700 as the pinnacle of their technology. Until the RT900 comes out later this year.

I have the same seat post problem on my Kestrel Talon 2003 model. Is replacing with an aero seatpost the only way to go? I hope it works...

Try to contact Kestrel. It worked for me, but your case may be different.