Product Testing.
Up for test review:
click links to see reviews on this page
Thomson's new X-4 stem and Mastercraft seatpost.
08 XC TEAM Wes
KHS XTC 555
07 KHS: KHS Full-sus (Christian)
Middleburn Cranks
Review of the 05 KHS XC 904 full suspension bike
Christian Fontaine:
How long have you been using the product? 4 months
What did you use similar to this before? I had a gary fisher race full suspension the previous year, didn't like it as well.
What does this product do for you that others do not? It handles better overall, and
the rear end feels better and dosen't bob. I also have a fork lockout on my handle
bars.
What is the best part of this product? The pivot points of the rear shocks.
What is the worst? not sure
What is the general feeling you get when using it? I feel like riding more.
How does this make you faster? The weight and how easy it is to steer.
What do you think about the weight of it? The weight is very good.
How does it handle? It handles much easier than any other bike that I have raced.
What are some of the characteristics of it? It is easy in the corners.
Is it easy to use? extremely easy, Everything works great.
What one or two things would you like to say about this product? its easy to use, light, and not as expensive.
note: The KHS XC 904 uses the Specialized Horst Link with a Fox pro-pedal shock which combine to elliminate pedal induced bob. The frame is very light and does handle very well. No time was needed by anyone to get used to the bike. With a slightly shrter wheel base and a slightly relaxed head angle the bike handles very well.
Team bikes are speced with Thomson post and stem, Kenda Tires, sts bar-ends, Rock Shox SIDs, Sram shifting, and FSA cranks. Formula Brakes for the disc brake bikes.
Kenda tire review
Christian Fontaine (Kozmik II front and rear):
How long have you been using the product? 2 years
What did you use similar to this before? everything
What is the best part of this product? the way they shed mud and the grip
How does this make you faster? i can slide easily through the turns and catch grip on the uphills
What do you think about the weight of it? they are very light
How does it handle? very well
What are some of the characteristics of it? how the tred seems to shed mud easily
Is it easy to use? yes
Andy Johnston:
Kozmik II and Tomac Short Track 2.0
The Kozmik II is what we call the sleeper. It is a great tire, despite it's meager appearance. The tire tread has a low profile (semi-knob) that would look like it would not grip in many conditions. We rode this tire in Pisga National Forest in damp conditions over slippery rocks and roots and were amazed at the gripping power of this lighweight tire. In these conditions a deep tread wasn't needed, rather the short treads were perfect as they did dot fold or bend under extreame pressure.
For muddy conditions the tire will shed mud easily, but does require advanced pedaling efficiency to not slip up steep hills. It's not intended for muddy conditions, but we use it in the mud a lot.
The tire rolls very fast on hardpack, much like a semi-slick will.
The only weakness is as a front tire when turning in hard-pack trails with sand overlaid.
The Tomac Short Track amazed us with its grip. So little there, yet it bites the ground. The tire is a semi-slick with a 'file-tread' pattern all over and small knobat the edges for turning. It feels like a slick when riding on the road, but grips better than a lot of knobbies on dirt. Since it has so much more contact with the ground (as opposed to all the spaces regular tires have between knobs) there is more rubber on the road. Even in wet conditions the tire hooks up. The side knobs provide plenty of cornering traction, but don't slow the rider when riding in a straight line.
Tire has been used on the rear only so far. It looks like it would work great for the front as well.
Single Track Solutions Rear Fender:
Such a simple design, yet so functional.
The sts rear fender is a shaped plastic cut-out that fits nicely under the rails of the saddle.
It installs easily on most any bike, but some saddles require cuting the fender to fit.
In wet conditions the fender keeps you chamois cleen and dry, and saves you saddle the wear and tear assiciated with sitting on mud and dirt while riding.
Some even use the fender on their road bikes to keep spray off their shorts.
It's nice not to get hit in the back-side with water or mud while riding.
It weighs nothing.
THOMSON X-4 stem
Simply incredible. The new stem takes holding the handle bar to the bike to new heights. A lot lighter, yet still stiffer. The X-4 uses the newer style 31.6 mm bar clamp, which makes everything stiffer - less flexy.
The styling is smooth, yet retains that machined look.
We have replaced the steel bolts with titanium bolts with no problems or breakage.
SHAIN Helmets
Wow! ...is the first thing you say when seeing this helmet for the first time.
A well made piece of equiptment. Shain has taken the science of helmets to a new height.
First off, it's a really nice looking helmet.
Second, the construction beats anything I have ever seen. Ours uses integrated metal mesh in the front of the helmet, which can bee seen crossing through the vents. The metal mesh acts like an internal skeleton of sorts and strenghtens the helmet. It also keeps you hair from poking out ;-).
Several models use what they call "re-up foam". It is supposed to take an impact and then spring back out instead of becomming dented. We have seen our riders crash on their heads and hit hard, but not damage the helmets (or their heads). A re-usable helmet in the case of a crash!
All models have a twist-ratcheting mechanism on the rear to tighten around the head for a perfect fit.
KHS ALite Hardtail racer
Here's a KHS bike review by Jaymes Halgat:
When I first got my KHS Alite 4000 hardtail, I rode it on a group ride in the Georgia mountains. The frame's geometry not only allowed me to climb much more effectively than my previous bike, a Trek 8000, but it allowed me to descend much more comfortably and feel more in control. On ascents the back wheel never slipped on loose gravel and it stayed "glued" to the trail. To any cyclist, ascending and descending are super key when comparing bikes. Along with descending and climbing superbly, the frame is incredible light. Compared to my previous bike, the KHS is lighter by pounds. When racers are trying to save grams, a difference in pounds is incredibly important. The bike's craftsmanship is first rate as well. All in all, I would rate this hardtail bike one of the best you can buy. Jaymes
Kenda Karma Tires
The Kenda Karma tires are by far my favorite. I have used these on front and rear this year. I made the change from my Kharismas as a last minute thing before a very, very muddy race. Man, have we had a lot of muddy races this year! Anyway, it was an excellent decision. They shed mud like it was dust! It was the best decision I have made this year, considering I have raced in the mud for 75% of my races. I really like the traction I get when cornering and climbing. They are a great all around tire.
My brother, Jansen is using the Kharismas on both his front and rear. He really likes the low resistance and that great feeling he gets when he hammers through the flats during his races. He is totally stuck on this tire and promises that it is the reason he can sneak past all those men on the long climbs. He won't use any other tire!
My mom uses the Karma on the front and the Kharisma on the rear. She really likes the combination of speed and stability that this set-up gives her. She feels more comfortable taking the corners fast with the grip that the Karmas give her and likes the quick turn the Kharismas give when climbing in a difficult, technical section.
I guess I just have a Kenda family all around! They have been very good to us. Thanks!!
Everett Lindner
SHAIN Helmet BK-90
My Shain helmet is great! The wire grids keep all the leaves and branches out, (you'd be surprised how many branches can find their way into those little holes on my past helmets!) plus keeps the helmet well ventilated. It is the most comfortable helmet that I own and it's well padded on the inside. The ratchet style adjustment in the back rawks! It is so easy to get the right fit. Did I mention how cool they look? The grid stripes on the sides look great.
Everett Lindner
KHS ALite 4000
Review by Andy Johnston (pro xc racer)
I was sure I would never own an aluminum hardtail, ever. Since 1995 I have either been riding titanium, carbon fiber or a full suspension bike. The few times I had ridden hardtails on borrowed bikes have been steel, carbon or aluminum, none of which rode well. Aluminum had always been too stiff a ride for my taste.
My current race bike is the KHS XC904 full suspension rig, which I am very happy with. I had enough parts to build up a race worthy bike and only needed a frame, so I built the parts onto the KHS hardtail. I have it set up almost identical to my other bike save for the frame differences.
It built up very light.
The first ride was the new Pinhoti trail between Bear Creek and Fort Mountain in North Georgia. There was a little getting used to not having rear suspension, but not much. Wow! This bike is awesome! I could not believe this was an aluminum frame. How many times did I stop to make sure my rear tire was not flat? The frame really handles the bumps better than any hardtail I have ever owned.
My bike is a 21-inch; a size not usually known to be the quickest handling. This bike carves up the trail and snaps through the turns like a champ. I told my friend, who always rides this same bike, that I was no longer impressed that he could keep up with my full suspension rig. He is not at much of a disadvantage on the rough sections.
The frame is nicely made and much attention given to detail. Both the chain stays and the seat stays are shaped to maximize stiffness and suppleness where needed. My frame is disc specific so has no brake bosses, which I like.
Because I am considered lightweight for a rider, and think this frame is just right for me, I might not recommend it to a Clydesdale, but would for any racer wanting the best.
NOKON Housing
The Nokon housing involve light weight aluminum housing pieces and a liner that enables you to seal your cables from end to end.
The housing pieces almost look like jewelry. They simply slide over the cable liner to make the desired length. Each piece fits the next via a concave/convex shape to allow it to bend without altering the distance between ends. The liner is the key. A sealed system simply last a long time.
I first installed Nokon in March of 2005 with PowerCordz. Little adjustment and no maintenance were needed for the remainder of the year.
Unlike traditional housing, the Nokon does not compress, so shifting is always solid.
Nokon is a sponsor we chose because of their quality. I want my riders on the best equipment, and it pays off in reliability.
For 2006 I installed new housing on my new bike and moved the old Nokon to my newly built hard-tail bike with no problem. Installation is very easy now, but did take some thinking the first time; don't over-think it. But do make sure the liner runs the entire distance of the cable.
Nokon comes in several colors: black, silver, blue, gold and red.
Middleburn Cranks.
Test 2008 >
Reviews of our 2007 products:
2007 ALite Team (17")
This weekend I did the Elizabethtown, KY mountain bike race. It was the KY series opener, and had a time trial and short track on Saturday, and a xc race on Sunday.
I also stumbled into the KY KHS rep, his name was Jason Holzworth. He was really happy to see me riding a KHS. He gave me all sorts of stickers to put on the truck and so forth.
The bike worked flawlessly, and earlier this week I converted to stans. I was carving around the turns, and have the bike dialed in. It rides great, is very soft over bumps and the bottom bracket feels really stiff when I pedal hard. I feel great and can't wait until next weekend. Brad
Review of ALite4000 TEAM 2007
by Tristan Cowie
Butter, smooth as. That's the first thing that comes to mind when I first rode the KHS Alite 4000 hardtail. I've tired several hardtails over the years from Cannondale, Epx, Kona, and GT and I have to say that this is the smoothest bike I have ever ridden. To start off, the bike is super light, I think my bike weighed about 22 pounds right out of the box. This was a huge difference for me as my last race bike (a 2004 Kona Nunu) was about 28 pounds. Even the Cannondale was 25 or so!
Super light bikes are sometimes not very stiff. Bikes have to have stiffness because the less flexible the bike is the more power can go straight into propelling the bike forward. This can also go the other way when bikes are so flexible it feels like riding a wet noodle-no power transfer. Really stiff bikes are not usually comfortable on the trail because they never soak up the bumps. The Alite hardtail has a good balance of stiffness to flexiness. This great balance makes for a amazing ride. The first time I rode it, I kept on looking for the rear suspension. The bike floats over the rough stuff so easily I thought I had a flat tire. I stood up and hammered, nope no flex there. I laid it down in a corner, still not flex. I rolled over a set of rocks, yes there's just enough flex to take the bite out of the bumps.
Stiff in hammer mode-good. Stiff in corners-good. Flexy on rocks-wicked. Hopefully you'll being seeing me and my KHS hardtail on many podiums this year. And even better I get to ride a KHS XC 904 too.
Alite4000 Team 2007
by Dustin Roadaway
The KHS Alite4000 rides alot better than my old bike. Before I got the
KHS I was riding a Gary Fisher which weighed like 25lb. My KHS only weighs
around 19lb. or there about. It does really well over all of the bumps like
rockgardens and roots, especially on downhills. It is really fast ,and when you hit
the bumps it tends to just float over. Also, over really bad root
sections the bike just does flex enough to make you feel like your gliding
over them, but in tight fast corners it is nice and stiff so that it
doesn't slow you down - partly due to the stiff Reba fork. It is also really great at climbing hills. It climbs about as easy as a motor bike, it's like I don't even have to pedal in order to make it go up the hill at a good pace, but I do, and it's not so hard on the ALite.
KHS's new XCT 555 is a long travel XC/free ride bike. Perfect for a Super-D race too.
I got the complete bike, but just put all my 2007 XC race bike parts over to it.
I just put my race wheels on it and it weighed around 25lbs, the scale says less, but I don't believe it; this is with an xtr level build and
Reba.
In FL, where we rode, you really only
"need" a hardtail for most trails, but I found
that sitting through dips was doable with
5.5" of travel (it didn't pop you out of the
saddle), and it easily smoothed out all the
little bumps. The rear end was more sturdy
and carved corners much better, and I had
an easier time controlling drift. My friend
commented that he couldn't even hear me
behind him; we got about 10 hours of riding
that weekend, all trails and double track.
I've also ridden some urban assault extreme
stuff, and at a free ride park with big drops
and jumps. I skipped the huge jumps- not
up to that yet, but did the table tops and
easier doubles, and some big drops- still big
stuff. It's nice to be able to ride like that
again (I used to do freestyle, bmx, dirt bike
many years ago).
[Update: I spent a week at Florida's Santos Trails System which had a lot of free-ride sections including BMX jump, huge drops, roll-ins, and platform drops. After not riding jumps for a long time, years, I was a little nervous to take the plunge. Plunge, literally, the platform drops ranged from 5 feet to 24 feet. I opted to stick with the smaller ones for safety. I was able to enjoy most of the park's features and never felt like the bike's rear end was under-gunned. The biggest free-fall I took was probably not more than 8 feet, and that was landing on a slope. The shock did bottom out, but I could not really tell except for the rubber o-ring falling off.]
For XC riding the Reba's 100mm travel seems to work fine, although I have not ridden this with a long travel fork yet. This bike is destine to be my Super-D bike so will get a 140 fork one day. It has a 1.5 steer tube, nice.
Now we just need to get Sram to put a bottle cage mount on the shock. I can defiantly see myself racing this in some cross country events.
I don't know if it's the rear shock being not as supple as a higher end model, or if it's all thanks to the linkage design, but the frame does not seem to have much pedal induced bobbing at all - in any gear, even if I use very bad pedaling form. They tell me that the 555 has a rising rate at first, then get much more linear. It feels so nice on the big landings too.
My weighing method is bathroom scale - weigh myself, then subtract that from the weight of myself holding the bike. So, yes, it's seem a little over a pound heavier, not more than 2 as my TEAM bike came in around 23.5lbs with that same build.
It's a good frame.
For free riding I will use my training wheels which have 2.35 tires on them, but for racing will use the light XC wheelset.
bike build:
Original- frame, headset, saddle, shock, chain and f der.
xtr cranks, xtr r der, xtr brakes, xtr cass, aluminum rotors, speedplay frogs ti pedals, sram rocket shifters, carbon bar, thomson post and stem, nokon housing, canecreek hubs/ti spokes/ZTR Olympic rims 28 hole, Kenda karma & Kozmik tires, no-tubes sealant, Reba Team. -Andy
2008 KHS XC TEAM
by Wes Lamberson jr Expert
And yeah, I got the bike up and running. This thing is awesome. It is definitely the fastest bike I have ever ridden. The floodgate is perfect for climbing, and with the shock in the open position it just floats over everything. When I start going downhill it just floats over everything. You can tell that KHS uses a bearing in the chainstay pivot, because it is so much stiffer than a pivot with a bushing. Normally when you have a pivot on the chainstay (like a Horst link), it is a lot less stiff. With a bearing though, that stiffens up the pivot and you can really tell when you crank down on it. It is an awesome bike, and it is just gonna keep getting better...
