Looking for advice on the better framset.

This Kilo (Reynolds):

https://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ls&ProdID=1084

or this SE (chromo ?):

https://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ls&ProdID=2497

Thanks.

Kilo TT

i feel like i might have heard of this kilo tt before. Anyone?

I find this meme kind of tiresome.

Although I suppose other people find it tiresome to have a constant influx of threads asking for "cheap fixies," so I dunno.

Also, I had no idea that the dragon Premium Brew had a MATCHING SEAT:

That's . . . horrifying.

Also, every time I see that bike, I feel so sad. It looks like such a nice frame, and you would think it would be cheaper to paint the bike just one color.

Kilo TT amirite?

I'm thinking with a little bit of white electrical tape, that thing could be rideable.

And matching top tube ball protector?

Rattle can would work on that SE too.

I like the matching top tube pad better.

Is that what that is? I couldn't figure out what the hell it was.

Paint job and shotty saddle/tt pad aside - still the Kilo? To be honest, I could give a hoot what the paint jobs are - I am looking more into the quality of the steels. I read that the Kilo is Reynolds 520 tubing and the SE is just stating chromoloy, so maybe 4130? I am not that educated in different steel grades, and both bikes being the same prices is why I ask. The SE does come with a bottom bracket and headset so that helps a little?

520 is the same as 4130.

Also, you can buy either bike complete, which would save you time and money (unless you wanted custom parts or something).

Kilo: https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...rome_paint.htm
Premium Brew: https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/se/premium_brew.htm

The premium brew may be ugly, but it is a nicer frame than the kilo. Lugged, with investment cast dropouts. 520 is just a fancy label for 4130.

Kilo TT

Because the paint, and the quill stem.

EDIT: To clarify. Kilo TT, because the SE has a quill stem, and I don't like quill stems. Threadless ftw.

The things that matter most in a frame.

I'm confused. Quill stem? The SE is threaded.

Errr those are bread n butter...

Yes, the alloy may be the same in both frames but there is butting and tube shape/diameter to be considered. IIRC the down tube on the Kilo is not a regular cylindrical tube. Maybe the SE is double butted too, I don't know. Other times a bike will have 4130 "main tubes" with high ten stays and fork.

The SE comes installed with a threaded headset. The Kilo doesn't and comes with a partially threaded fork with the option to be cut off an ran threadless. This probably means the threads will have to be extended in order to fit the frame ($$$$$) if you wanted to go with a quill setup.


The SE is the better frame and a much better deal, the problem (as pointed out by many) is the paint which is awful.

With the Kilo you need a headset, and if you go threaded you will need to extend the threads ($$$$ unless you can do it yourself)

With the SE you are good to go, and you can get a professional powdercoat done to the color of your liking if you think the stock paint is ugly (which it is)

IN THE END, the money spent if you can't do anything yourself (powercoat/fork labor) will actually be very similar (based off rough estimates in my head) to complete a finished frameset to your satisfaction.

Yeah. My post didn't make any damn sense. I meant: Why is the quill stem a plus for the Kilo when the SE is the one with a threaded headset?

FTFY; long night?

I'm not sure we're looking at the same thing.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I had no idea that Reynolds 520 was the same as 4130 - which is why I asked, and glad I did. Again, the paint scheme of the SE doesn't bother me much and can be redone at a later time.

With this now known, how about the likes of the Sette Whipp frameset for much less money - again 4130:

https://www.pricepoint.com/detail/214...e-and-Fork.htm

Is it the quality of the build/welds that marks the price of the Whipp quite a bit lower than the other two? Will the welds be pretty bad? Thanks for all the help.

Personally, I wouldn't touch that Sette frame if someone threw it in my front yard.

That the Premium Brew comes with a BB is pretty stupid considering different cranksets use different length spindles (and there's no mention of the included BB's spindle length). When is Bike Island/BD going to learn that people want specs?

Ooh, cheap. It looks like they only have one size though (50cm).

I don't know anything about the bike unfortunately, but I imagine it'd be a fine starter frame (i.e. I highly doubt that the bike is going to fall apart on you).

Also because there appears to be some confusion:


This is a threaded stem a.k.a. a quill stem.



This is a threadless stem.

So, the Kilo has a threadless stem, and the SE has a threaded/quill stem.

Yeah, I would not want the SE because of the quill (threaded) stem, hence why my answer was Kilo TT. I don't like them, I'd avoid it if I had a choice. I guess I could have been more specific.

How is the SE frame better than the Kilo, wasn't it just discussed that they are pretty equal?

Also, how is the SE more "ready to go" than the Kilo?

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING TO ME BRO?!