I have been interested in the Cervelo Soloist for my next road bike however there are some pretty sweet deals on the 2006 Kestrel Talon these days. There is no nearby dealer for a test ride so I would like your Kestrel Talon opinions please …
If you could, try to address some or all of the following (and whatever else you want to share):
Ride comfort and handling
Durability, any issues?
Aerodynamics (is it comparable to a soloist?)
Is there much difference going with the SL other than .5 pound frame weight?
I am 5’8" barefoot with 31" inseam and currently ride a 54 cm road bike and 51 cm P3C. Would the 52 cm be the likely size for me?
Talon is a great road bike. Handles and rides very well. Plenty stiff in the bottom bracket. I have ridden aluminum bikes (several), two different titanium bikes and currently a steel bike and the Kestrel is the smoothest for sure. The only complaint is the internal cable routing. I like to do my own wrenching and the internal cables are a pain. Talon is not a tri bike though. If you want a dedicated tri bike, look elsewhere. I had to use a drop stem to get my aerobars low enough. Not a big problem though. Kestrel makes great bikes. VERY durable and well constructed and great warranty service.
I can’t see spending the extra money for the SL version.
I already have a TT bike so this would just be my road bike. I would put my Hed Alps on it for racing and use it for some road races and when training permits, weekly practice road races.
You will probably be very happy with it. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it climbed and handled on descents. I took it to the Tour de Georgia and did some good climbs (Hogpen Gap) and fast downhills and the bike felt very good. It was really in it’s element there. It is an all around good road bike. Also, you will never show up at a group ride or race and see every third person on a Kestrel (like Trek). Nice to have something slightly different. If you can get one at a good price, go for it.
Great handling… I do love the soloist though and would love to ride it.
However, if ever used as a TT bike… not the greatest even with full modifications to saddle and handlebars.
Durability. Incredible… I kick the sh#T out of all of my gear and have crashed this thing 3 times hard… Not even a crack! Really great, plus the no flats warrante is nice.
Flex… now i’m only 6ft 152 lbs, but if you hammer… it will flex a bit. Not too much and it’s great compared some other lightweightt, but this may be the up cervelo has.
Other comments… as far as aerodynamics, they’re not magic… are the nicer than a standard round tubing bike… yea… but 99% of that will be appearance than anything. Both bikes look great, but in the end it’s the engine and the fit.
I have a Talon SL and am very pleased with the ride. It is my first carbon bike and i was very surprised on how much road chop it ate up. It handles well on corners and decending.
Durability, any issues?
None yet
Aerodynamics (is it comparable to a soloist?)
No idea but it looks the part. Speaking of looks, that bike gets more stares than Paris Hilton.
Is there much difference going with the SL other than .5 pound frame weight?
My Sl is 17.2 lbs with Ultegra gruppo and Nuevation wheels. Light enough for me.
I am 5’8" barefoot with 31" inseam and currently ride a 54 cm road bike and 51 cm P3C. Would the 52 cm be the likely size for me?
I have a Kestrel Talon that I used as a road bike and later as a TT bike, and then again back to road… Great bike! Very comfortable and aero enough (the fork probably brings down the aeroness… nothing scientific thoúgh… just a gut feeling).
It’s probably as durable as they come. I’ve had a couple of accidents with it and it’s still in perfect shape.
I don’t know if the SL is worth the extra money. Frankly, I didn’t notice a difference from weight, but the SL does feel a bit more alive (not that the standard Talon is bad mind you)
How much a difference is the carbon seatpost, and where do you get one? I have a Reynolds seatpost that came with my Talon SL and the bike does feel heavy.
I have had my Talon since 2001. I really like it. It rides really nice, I think its fast, its sturdy (im 210+ and had many rough rides and some accidents) and I believe its aero(but not sure how it compares to soloist). It is a road bike, but can be adapted to tri geometry. Im 5"10 and ride the 56.
I’ve noticed some amazing deals on ebay as buy it now for $1499. for a Talon with 10 sp Utegra. That’s one heck of a bargain, especially when compared to a carbon Soloist.
I’ve ridden Kestrel bikes since 1993 and I presently have the Talon SL. When I purchased it , I to was trying to decide what size to buy. I previously rode 53 or 54 depending on manufacturer’s sizing. I’ve owned and rode on the following bikes:
Guerciotti, Vitus, Zeus, Peugeut, Monshee (track bike), Klein, Kestrel EMS and now Talon SL.
I’m also 5’-8" and after much research, chose the 52 over the 55. I use a longer stem to compensate for the shorter top tube. As to ride quality:
Both Kestrel bikes are very comfortable. I have riden them up to 230km on a single ride and had no discomfort. The handling is as good as any of the other bikes. Climbs very well and is very responsive.
Aerodynamics - can’t say scientifically anything about it, except I consistently finish top in my AG on the bike and always 1st or second in my AG in Hawaii as to the bike split. So I can say it’s aerodynamics, good or bad hasn’t affected my ride time.
I bought the Talon SL (around a 1/2# lighter then Talon) because I got a good deal from the manufacturer. I really don’t think the 1/2# makes a lot of difference accept in climbing and acceleration. I also do road racing, so the little 1/2# sometimes means the difference btwn getting dropped or not. As fa as tri’s go, you could use either bikes and probably have the same bike split.
Finally, I stayed with Kestrel after my first EMS bike, because they have a “trade-in” policy, so you get a reduced price on your next bike. When I retire this one, I will more then likely purchase another Kestrel.
As one person said earlier, "it really comes down to the engine, with any of these good quality bikes.
I’m 5’9 with a 29/30 inch inseam, weighin in at 150 race day and I had a 54cm 2005 talon SL. Loved it, light as hell and looks pretty hardcore. I raced it at st croix and had a pretty good bike split, I got the dual position carbon seatpost and some clip-ons and I probably had the lightest bike on the course. I got in a comfy position and it didn’t feel too 'twitchy.
Durability: Mine had some paint flaking on it after about 8 months, I took it to a dealer and they sent me a new one about 4 weeks later (nice that it was new, bad that it took 4 weeks as I had to send them mine. I was talon-less for a month at least).
I also do my own wrenching, those internal cables are a pain. You can eventually get them ‘rattle-less’ but it will take time and maintenance to keep them that way.
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I did pull the trigger and purchased one of the new blue 2006 Talon Ultegra 10 speeds for an ebay special price of $1499 plus shipping. I’ll stick my HED alps wheels on it after getting some new blue decals and look forwards to some road races this spring and summer. The only down side is my wife telling me she wants the kitchen rearranged now, including cutting the granite countertop and cabinets to change location of refrigerator (not sure if this is related to the bike purchasea?).
