I’m hoping to switch over from a 2009 Kestrel Talon to a 2014 Kestrel 4000. A bike shop a couple hours away is having a clearance sale of old models, so I’d be able to save a couple thousand dollars if I buy in the next few weeks. Here’s the catch, I’m in the army and won’t be able to make it off post to the shop until after the sale is over. Obviously, the ideal option would be to go and have the bike properly sized to me, but it doesn’t look like that will be possible. Is it absolutely critical that I find a Kestrel 4000 frame to test, or is my current model sufficient for comparison? Right now I ride a 57cm frame and it fits very well.
Stack and reach on a 57cm Talon:
565397
On a 57.5, 4000:
541440
You can see that they are very different bikes. The 4000 is longer and lower. I went from a 55cm Talon to a 55cm 4000 and I got a much better position. I was able to get lower and open up my reach, better all around. How far forward are you on the Talon? Do you ride it as low as you can? The 4000 will get you more forward and lower.
I ride as low as is comfortable for me in a 70.3 race, and I’d say I ride a little further back on the bike. It’s a fairly low position, but I’ve had to sacrifice a little bit of aero for comfort. When you switched to the 4000 did you find it less comfortable than prior, or did it feel as if the bike was meant to support an overall lower riding position?
I find the 4000 much more comfortable (position, ride, etc. etc.) than the Talon. My Talon is a 53 and my 4000 is a 50.
Here’s probably a good check:
What’s your stem length, angle, and is it angled up or down? How many centimeter of spacers under the stem? What’s your saddle setback?
Also, what aerobars, any aero spacers under your extensions?
Here are my two bikes:
Very different bikes and the 4000 is a huge upgrade in every way. Let’s try one more thing, give us your body measurements; height, wingspan, inseam (floor to crotch, not pants size) along with the info asked for above. We will be able to get you on the right bike.
Height: 70"
Wingspan: 72"
Inseam: 31.5"
Stem length: 100mm
Stem angle: 6 degrees down
Spacers: 3cm
Saddle Setback: 6cm
Aerobars: Profile T2+ that came with the bike, no spacers. I don’t sit that far forward on them either.
I see that you are all arms and torso and I’d say that you were put on a 57 with a 6cm seat setback to get your reach right. But, I think that this puts you in all the wrong position. Just looking at Stack and Reach, I’d say that you could most easily duplicate you position on a 57cm 4000, but remember, I say that your position is all wrong. Comfortable maybe, but you could be just as comfortable and more efficient on a 55. You could be more forward and lower in front. You’ll be faster and you will feel the difference.
I’m 6’0, 72 inch wingspan, 34 inch inseam and I rode a 55 Talon and a 55cm 4000. I had my fit pretty much dialed on the Talon, but everything became much better on the 4000. More forward, lower in front = More comfortable and much faster.
Awesome! Thanks for the advice. I’ve spoken with a few other people who are familiar with Kestrel bikes and 55 cm is definitely the consensus. On a separate note, I was 16 when I bought the Talon and we anticipated a bit more growth that never came. It was a chance worth taking, but lead to a fit that was not optimal.
There is a lot of information on ST about the 4000 since it has been around for a few years. Do a search and even Google it to find out it’s querks. Two tips about the bike. The bike has sliding rear dropouts, the first thing to do is to take the bolts out of the sliders, grease them, set the rear wheel setback and tighten them with a torque wrench. To make the rear wheel come out and go back in easier, remove the skewer completely form the rear wheel. If you check around the web, you’ll find that over and over, people are frustrated by the brakes. When the brakes are set up right, they stop just as well as a conventional bicycle brake but a lot of people, including shop owners, can’t figure them out. Have the shop put an inline cable adjuster in the rear cable up near the stem when they set up the bike. Now here’s my way to adjust the brakes:
Make sure the cable is a short as possible
Find the small centering bolts on the brake arms and set each of them in the middle of their range
Hold the brake in position, pull the cable as tight as possible and tighten the cable holding bolt (it takes three hands)
To center the brake arms, turn the brake adjusting bolts a quarter of a turn at a time, each in the opposite direction. Tightening should pull the brake out, quarter turn in on one side, quarter turn out on the other.
As the cables stretch and the springs set, it can take a couple of tries to get the brakes set. Once they are set, you are good to go.
Enjoy your new bike!