Has anyone bought or even seen a new Kestrel Airfoil? I have ridden the KM40 for the past three years and am looking into the new design. Thanks.
Kestrel sent us a sample for a couple of weeks last November, but we were warned not to ride it. The first production frames should roll in around the first half of April, although not in every size.
Aside from the obvious changes to the look of the bike (the new one is much more angular), I think this biggest difference is going to be a significant drop in weight. We should wait for the final version, but it may be as much as half a pound.
And, of course, it will be available in a full range of sizes as well as 650c and 700c.
One of the guys at my LBS has been complaining about it, because it is no longer a single piece frame. The new model is modular (thus it is several pieces glued together). I don’t know how much of a difference it will make, but he was a big fan of the KM40 and is very disappointed in the new model.
----->Trent
Half a pound lighter… wow… you mean… a half-filled water bottle? 
I guess we have different notions of what’s a “significant drop in weight”…
As of 2004 all Kestrels are now using “two-piece modular” construction. The advantage, aside from allowing Kestrel production efficiencies, is that they are able to do away with the foam core of the rear end of models like the KM40. This is where much the “significant” weight savings comes from. Keep in mind we are talking about half a pound on a 3.5 pound frame. It may not be much compared to your weight or the weigh of your waterbottles, but it is 15% of the weight of the frame with no cost in performance or price compared to last year. Not many companies can claim to have done that one model year to the next.
Personally, I preferred the old Kestrel shapes, but the new ones are growing on me, which is good 'cause I gotta sell them!
Overall, the gluing issue is a small compromise to get what the '04 Airfoil delivers in terms of performance and sizes. Keep in mind an OCLV is made from ~11 pieces.
I was just at bicycle sports tyler and they made a comment that they were great fans of the km40 but had reservations ie the new bikes because of the multiple pieces and they are now being made overseas instead of in US. They are open minded but cautious.
We are a breed who will spend $500 to save 30 grams. Logic has nothing to do with this sport.
Where is the logic in swimming 3,8 k, bikeing 180 k and then running a Marathon?
regards,
Frank
I was a big fan of the old design. It was very unique and stood out. It was also very aerodynamic. I cannot remember a decent in which I was passed by anyone, including hitting 62mph at du worlds in weyer, austria in '02.
I like the way the new frame looks. At our shop we call it the “stealth bomber” b/c of the angular frame. I can’t wait until we get some in and get a chance to ride it.
The two piece construction does not bother me at all. Kestrel has always been on the cutting egde of carbon design and production. I think they will continue making excellent frames.
As for it being made overseas, that could be a plus. Some asian factories may have better technology/production models than some US factories. We’re not the best at everything in the world.
Let me tell you about the “single piece frames”- there is room for a LOT more problems with these. Bonding “modular” pieces will make a better frame, allow for more sizes, and make the bike cost significantly cheaper, especially when you factor in all of the sizes of the new Airfoil. The KM40 was a great-looking, eye-catching design, but it was cost-prohibitive to have more than three sizes. Now, all could benefit from the Airfoil design.
As it was mentioned before: OCLV frame is eleven pieces, and Calfees and Parlees, and Colnagos (their carbon frames) are multiple piece frames. I still would call them “one-piece” frames as the fibres end up bonded together when carbon lugs or modular pieces are bonded together.
Yes, I would actually be more afraid of a “one-piece” design than a multi-piece design. I could go into it in detail as to why, but it would take quite awhile from a fabricator’s standpoint in listing all of the pros/cons of it. BTW- F1 “monocoques” are quite the assembly of pieces.