kbarch

Generally not my style, but the distribution of white and the graphics on the frame are hot-ish.

IFPCL

They're cages man, not everything needs to be plastic. It's muddy because I ride it.

StanSeven

Haha. That's not the way this thread works. If it's not perfect, prepare for boo's.

OnyxTiger

Definitely Hot!! Nice color scheme and attention to details. Sweet looking bottles even...

TimothyH

Loose the zip tied sensor and the cartoon sticker. Neither belong on a fork like that.

Fox Farm

Nice bike. Not sure if it qualifies as a hot bike but I would certainly enjoy a gravel bike like this in my stable.

IFPCL

Alright ha, those are better critiques. Good alternative sensor placements? Also @fox it's not a"gravel bike" persay because it can only take 28c tires but it does fine on gravel and clay. Thanks.

ravenmore

Ok be nice.

kbarch

No. That's the ugliest Giant I've ever seen. The frame and fork are totally disproportionate and the graphics irredeemable, so unfortunately, both approaches are doomed to awkwardness.

ravenmore

Sorry, I was celebrating New Year's Eve's Eve with a neighbor and had just enough adult beverages to decide to joke a bit with this thread. However if that is sarcasm and you know what I am referring to then well done sir.

Fiery

sced

Go Campy!!!

Danny01

2016 Kestrel Talon 105 with full Ultegra, Chinese 60mm rear 50mm front wheels, aero saddle "bag", top cap mount bottle cage.
I need to slam that stem though...



"naked", right after assembly, no bottle cage, saddle "bag", and wheel upgrade

TimothyH

The guy who first decided to market flat black bikes should burn for eternity.

Please decide whether you want it to be a road bike or a tri bike. Nothing wrong with either but please decide on one or the other.

At least the logo on the tires line up with the valve stem, unlike some of the other bikes on this page. Extra credit given for no visible wheel magnets.

I want the sofa. Please get that sharp chain ring in the orange bag away from the leather.

GlennR

Not all matte black bikes are "Aero" bikes.



Don't be a H@TER

Danny01

I decided that I wanted an aero ROAD bike and that's what it is. The geometry is road bike, not tri or TT and so are the handle bars. I don't know what tells you that the bike is having an identity crisis. It's 2016. Aero road frames are a thing. Come out from under the rock. But maybe at the speeds you ride, aero doesn't matter.

kkapdolee

That black and red color on the Kestrel is pretty hot.

You mentioned Talon 105 with full Ultegra. Why did you get a 105 just to switch to Ultegra? Did you like the color better? How much extra did it cost to go full Ultegra with carbon wheels?

SundayNiagara

Post of the Century!

Danny01

They wanted $200 more for the Ultegra version, which included the same Oval Concepts crank and Tektro brakes as the 105 version. I would have upgraded the brakes and crank on the Ultegra model, which would cost about $250. So that's $450 over the base 105 model for full Ultegra. Buying the 105 model, selling the whole take-off gruppo, then purchasing a full Ultegra gruppo cost me $300. $150 cheaper to get the 105 models and upgrade it. The included wheelset on the Ultegra model, at ~1700g, is 200g lighter than that on the 105 model, but I wasn't planning on keeping the stock wheels on it anyway. Plus, the Ultegra model is blue and orange. I think the black and red looks nicer.

TimothyH

I didn't say anything about aero bikes. Those are your words, not mine.


If you can't take a little criticism then don't post your bike in the hot or not thread.

A aero road frame is something. The cap mounted bottle and XLAB style bag are not road things. That sofa tho.


If you guys keep it up then I'm gonna post my fixed gear bike. Don't make me go there.

Danny01

I get it. You don't like the sofa or the bike. Honestly I don't like the sofa either, that's why it's in a storage room. And the saddle bag, I can't stand bike mounted man satchels. They don't belong on road bikes. I've never seen one that isn't ugly. XLAB doesn't make anything like the Aeroclam that I have mounted. They make ugly satchels like every other brand. So it (the Aeroclam) is definitely not tri, TT, or "XLAB style". OTOH you have a point regarding the bottle cage position. Its not there to be aero, like it is on tri bikes when placed between the aero bars. Actually it probably adds more drag than having it on the down tube since I don't have aero bars. But its there because I hate reaching down to grab my bottle. I'd rather reach for the bottle in my middle jersey pocket than on the downtube. I looked at handlebar mount cage holders, they all looked dorky. This was the cleanest way to mount it somewhere easily reachable.

I've spent a bit of time going back and looking at A LOT of HOT bikes on this thread, but it seems every time I came across one of your replies, it was always negative. Come on, you must think some of these bikes ARE pretty HOT.

VW611

You did align the valve stem with the label. The stem cage is weird and will probably slow you down. The saddle is pointed down too much and there's too much rise on the stem and handlebar for someone who looks like he wants to go fast. If that's your fit, then great but you definitely cannot play the part with that setup. It's a NOT for now but has potential.

Danny01

Thanks. My position is pretty upright. Flexibility is a non issue. Stem is getting slammed tomorrow.

VW611

Don't cut it unless you are sure, that's pretty obvious and don't do it for looks. It still has to work. Take a perpendicular and head on video of yourself on a trainer. Analyze it and get your back as flat as comfort would allow; just my opinion. Have fun.

Xherion

Hot bike. Can you enlighten me if you needed to take out the bottom bracket adapter to fit the Shimano cranks? I have the same crankset and haven't been able to find out any info on the adapter and what shell Kestrel uses on their frames?