The Kinesis Racelite TK3 is a bike that’s truly greater than the sum of its parts, a proper race bike for all conditions that’s just as at home on the commute, the chaingang or trundling round the lanes.
Phrases like ‘power bulged top tube’ and ‘tapered carbon monocoque fork’ are normally seen in the marketing blurb of the latest handbuilt carbon superbike – not aluminium steeds designed for mudguards and 28mm tyre clearance. The Kinesis is a little different though.
What you need is a bike that can be ridden hard in your race position regardless of the conditions, something like the TK3.
The frame is manufactured using Kinesium tubing, an enhanced 6000 series alloy developed by Kinesis’s engineers and built into a frame 25% stronger than a 6061 alloy frame with comparative weight. The first thing your eyes are drawn to is that bulging top tube as it leaves the head tube, travelling back about a third of the length. Full UD carbon fibre with a monocoque construction, on a winter bike? Our test bike is the full bike option but you can also go for the frame and fork only which includes the seat clamp and tapered headset all for £549.99. The paint job, as always with Kinesis frames is beautiful, a decent thick coat along with smooth welds gives a look of a frame costing twice as much. Little touches like the engraved bulge on the top tube increases strokability too.
Kinesis’s own brand seatpost and saddle finish things off along with Tektro brakes and full chromoplastic mudguards. Oversized alloy tubing normally means a harsh ride but those hourglass seatstays and fork legs are obviously doing as they’re designed to do. Five to six hour rides are completed in relative comfort thanks to the frame and the bit of extra give of the 25mm tyres.
The ride is still as engaging and you can cover miles and miles without realising it.
The TK3 has become the bike to grab out of the shed at the moment, regardless of the weather or if I’m commuting, out on a club run or going for a long base miler. I’d just drop a size if I was buying and run plenty of seatpost. Practical, comfortable winter bike with the spirit and stiffness of a racer.
