Kinesis 4S disc a compromise & Gran Fondo Ti disc pricing?
londoncommuter
Posts: 1,550
What's the verdict on the "new" Kinesis 4S being set up for rim or disc? Is this just weird and you compromise either choice or genius?
With rim brakes:
Any drawback to having adjustable bolt in bits to reduce the dropouts to 130mm?
Mounting points for flat mount disc brakes aren't going to be overly attractive if you don't want them?
Presumably the fork and frame have been beefed up slightly to cope with discs so maybe heavier than they need to be?
For discs:
Have they missed an opportunity to optimise comfort by getting rid of or moving the rear arch (or is that needed there for guards)?
For both:
Is the chainstay length at 420mm right for both options or ideally would you have slightly shorter for rim as you don't need to worry about chain angle (I suppose full guards dictate this a little?)?
Just seems a bit odd as how many people would go to the expense of kitting it out with a rim groupset and then replace with disc later on? The shifters, brakes and wheels make up the vast bulk of the equipment cost so you're going to make your mind up before building it up.
I get it from a Kinesis point of view as why tool up for and stock two frame versions with all the additional costs.
The reviews all say it's a great frame and I know countless fans of the older rim only model so probably not an issue.
Another kind of related question. Why is the Gran Fondo Ti disc frameset £250 more than the rim? Profiteering as it's trendy or recouping years of expensive R&D.....
With rim brakes:
Any drawback to having adjustable bolt in bits to reduce the dropouts to 130mm?
Mounting points for flat mount disc brakes aren't going to be overly attractive if you don't want them?
Presumably the fork and frame have been beefed up slightly to cope with discs so maybe heavier than they need to be?
For discs:
Have they missed an opportunity to optimise comfort by getting rid of or moving the rear arch (or is that needed there for guards)?
For both:
Is the chainstay length at 420mm right for both options or ideally would you have slightly shorter for rim as you don't need to worry about chain angle (I suppose full guards dictate this a little?)?
Just seems a bit odd as how many people would go to the expense of kitting it out with a rim groupset and then replace with disc later on? The shifters, brakes and wheels make up the vast bulk of the equipment cost so you're going to make your mind up before building it up.
I get it from a Kinesis point of view as why tool up for and stock two frame versions with all the additional costs.
The reviews all say it's a great frame and I know countless fans of the older rim only model so probably not an issue.
Another kind of related question. Why is the Gran Fondo Ti disc frameset £250 more than the rim? Profiteering as it's trendy or recouping years of expensive R&D.....
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Comments
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Original Racelite and 4s . along with Ribble Audax are probably the most favoured club run winter bike out there.
A lot of lads in our club get a Kinesis or a Ribble frame and either build it up with bits in the shed , guards and an open pro wheel set, or like me drop the bits off the bike I ve been campaigning on all Spring / Summer/ Autumn on , and use it as an excuse for a spangly new gruppo for the summer bike come summer.
Admitedly I am lucky. but I don't think I am unique in the fact that a lot of Clubmen buy these as winter trainers and throw whatever gruppo and wheelset they have lying about onto the frame and don't care much if the Grit and Shite eats the gruppo away over the winter.
I wouldn't choose this frame if it was disc only for this reason, I m not ready yet to make the jump/ especially on the winter bike , were the advantages in Braking/ Rim Wear and clearances would probably be best taken advantage off.
From Kinesis point of view , I think they know their market and would like to nudge people onto disc frames but know if they dedicated each frame Rim or Disc the production costs would be a lot lot higher. If they went disc only on some models they d undoubtedly alienate their core market at present.
As for a £250 premium between a disc and rim frame ( think its also about £125 differential on the Aeithin) I m going to be charitable and say they are recovering some R+D and tooling costs ( nah , okay that's Bollox, they are just profiteering off the Trendy Wendys)0 -
Lots of MTB frames used to come with both V brake and disc mounts so it's far from unusual, the Cotic X did as well as I recall. As TW says people may well build up the frame with what they have lying around, then once the wheel rims have worn out it's easy to change to cable discs and eliminate rim wear. that's a big plus point for a winter bike.0
