2013 KHS Sixfifty Team First Look Review Breaking cowl on a giant scale this year ar those 650b/27.5in wheels, and KHS ar right within the vanguard with each full suspension and hardtail models.
Ride & handling: Responsive, high traction race or singletrack bike
The low weight is clear as presently as you kick some life into the pedals – the bike leaps forwards down the path. Even against equally lightweight 29ers the small wheel inertia is enough to squeeze it ahead within the first few strokes, and it’s shortly off flyweight 26ers either.
The stiff mainframe suggests that you’ll rope in your shoulders to assist rage the pedals spherical, and it’s properly punchy on smash and grab singletrack wherever you’ll solely get some cranks in between corners and also the rough bits.
Its compact dimensions and low weight mean the KHS could be a breeze to chuck around if merely turning isn’t quick or fun enough. There’s no have to be compelled to flip it in early or take the wide line like most 29ers (at least till you’re accustomed them).
It will often wander a trifle wide or keep stood up instead of diving into turns instantly when put next to a 26in-wheeled bike, however otherwise KHS have done an excellent job with their first generation 650b handling.
Before you begin inquisitive whether or not there’s any purpose in having the marginally larger wheels if all we’re speech communication is however shut it’s to a 26er for handling, associateswer|the solution} is an unequivocal affirmative – there’s a degree. whereas the monocoque frame, flexy hulled saddle and sleek X-Fusion fork provide a helpful degree of vertical compliance, the wheels definitely take the sting off path chatter and larger trash (we tried it with 26in wheels to form sure).
Traction is incredibly spectacular even once the sport Ralphs were out of their depth in ploughed-up mud, and also the tyres survive rocky piece of land at lower pressures than they’d in 26er format. we have a tendency to essentially had no bother with the rear tyre hindering, even on filthy season rides that left the full bike just about ossified.
You definitely have to be compelled to create plenty additional steering corrections to stay going forwards in uncomplete piece of land than you’d with a 29er, and it’s not as naturally confident on loose, high-speed descents either.
Interestingly, this can be borne go in the results prime racer Matt Page got recently, wherever this KHS significantly outperformed a 26in take a look at bike all told things however was outstripped slightly by a 29er in quicker, additional open piece of land.
Frame & equipment: All new, 650b specific carbon frame
The frame shows simply however heavily KHS is investment within the new size. It isn’t a stretched version of a 26in frame or a shrunken 29in rig, it’s a completely new, full carbon monocoque with several distinctive options.
The tapered head tube could be a given, however the sleek curve of the highest tube through the shelf around each the seat tube and into the seatstays is all new. It’s the proper thanks to use the longest – and thus strongest – carbon fibres in a very sleek, stress-spreading method.
The large diameter seat tube keeps weight and strength up, whereas the backside uses the newest post-style brake mounts for simple setup. rock bottom bracket could be a standard screw-in cup version – that limits chainset alternative – however the clamp-on front mech leaves lushly clean lines if you choose to travel 1×10 along with your transmission.
The kinked down tube provides fork crown clearance and also the serious oversizing creates most support at rock bottom bracket. It really includes a deeply convexo-concave face that hides the cable/brake lines terribly showing neatness whereas reducing the danger of wall flex.
Unfortunately it’s associate absolute nightmare for caparison mud, associated it apace lands up wanting like an inverted box as presently as you hit something sticky. And what it grows is significant. we’d seriously think about employing a strip of gaffer tape to cut back its capability for scooping in crap in inclementness.
KHS – like everybody else victimisation 650b wheels currently – ar having to find their own thanks to the correct pure mathematics, and within their numbers you’ll find similarities with the twenty six and 29in bikes in the vary.
The 71-degree head angle is that the same across all wheel sizes, whereas the 73-degree seat angle and sixteen.7in chainstay ar shared with the 26in Alite frame. rock bottom bracket height is raised to a similar height because the 29in Team, and also the prime tube is halfway between the large stretch of the large wheeler and also the shorter reach of the ‘regular’ Alite hardtail.
While KHS run 650b wheels through a full size vary, we all know different manufactures ar coming up with on victimisation them on the tiniest size choices in otherwise 29er ranges. They definitely set higher visually with the ‘small for a medium’ filler of the Team, and also the bike feels well balanced on the path.
KHS hurried US this bike for a feature in sister publication Mountain Biking United Kingdom, and as a result it’s neither the £2,499 Team or the £1,799 800 model. however what this XT-based sample will prove is that this chassis creates a seriously lightweight bike while not going silly on componentry… Or a awfully sub-20lb race freak if you are doing.
What the long run holds for the 3 wheel sizes of nowadays we actually don’t apprehend – you, the buyer, can decide that. however insatiably fast and pleasant bikes like this Team Sixfifty, with its light-weight responsiveness, sparkling gracefulness and tenacious traction ar already expressing a awfully robust case for the inbetweener choice.
Reference : bikeradar
