After our poll for the readers we found most people tend to fall in the range of a $500 to $700 road bike. KHS’ offering for the entry level road bike, the Flite 300, fits nicely into that price range. Since my first impressions, I’ve had a couple hundred miles on the saddle so here’s the skinny.

Msrp: $659

Specifications:

Frame: Alloy 7005, Double Butted, replaceable derailleur hanger

Fork Carbon w/Alloy steerer

Headset Cane Creek Semi Integrated

Rims Weinmann DA-16 double wall w/CNC sidewalls

Hubs Formula alloy QR, Cassette

Tires Kenda Kontender 700X26C

Spokes 14G Stainless 32°

Front Derailleur Shimano FD-2203

Rear Derailleur Shimano RD-4500GS

Shifters Shimano ST-2200/2203

Chain KMC Z82

Crankset Alloy Forged 50/42/30

Bottom Bracket ISIS spline, Sealed cartridge

Cassette SRAM PG-850 11-26, 8 Speed

Pedals Monoblock resin w/toe clips & straps

Seatpost Alloy Micro-adjust

Saddle San Marco Ponza Lux

Handlebar Alloy drop 31.8 O/S

Stem Alloy 3D Forged, 31.8 O/S

Tape Padded Tape

Brake Levers Shimano ST-2200/2203

Brakes Alloy dual pivot

Color Black

Frame Size S, M, L, XL, XXL

Rider: I’m 5’10�, 160lbs. I’ve got longer legs and some short, Tyrannosaurus Rex arms. The medium frame size fit me perfectly. Absolutely no adjustments were needed rather than a saddle and pedal swap, but I’ll get to that later.

Frame: The double-butted aluminum frame was a solid ride. I could tell a slight difference in the rear end, going over potholes or bumps, but not much and certainly not enough to make the ride harsh. I also liked that it had a replaceable rear derailleur hanger. Crashes do happen so if you bend it don’t start crying, like I do, just grab $15 bucks and pick one up off KHS’ website.

Components:
The fork take just enough of the edge off potholes and messy streets to make it tolerable.
Granted it’s still a rigid bike but the ride didn’t seem that much harsher than my steel road rig.Entry-level bikes comparable to the Flite 300 are coming standard with carbon forks these daysand if you’ve ridden a rigid aluminum fork you’ll be thankful for the carbon, as I was.The Cane Creek headset was smooth and solid.

The Shimano derailleurs were the surprise of the entire bike.
Perhaps it’s the advances in technology but even components that were
considered low end are becoming amazingly durable and efficient.
Once I shifted the response was almost immediate. I say almost because
I’m sure you could get a Dura Ace and it would do better but for a
relatively low-end derailleur it performed smoothly and precisely every
time. Can’t ask for more than that. If durability became an issue, big
deal, a replacement is inexpensive.

Both shifters functioned properly but more along the lines of what I
expected for a lower end spec. They threw the chain accurately but
the shifting was harsh. When clicking the thumb shifter to downshift
in the front ring, the shifter button would resist a bit and then pop.
I found myself downshifting gingerly to avoid this noise, as it didn’t
sound very pleasant. Other than the loud pop it did do it’s job.
Again, just part of a lower end spec that is easy to live with if
you’re not too picky about stuff like that.

I hate wheels that are weak and require truing every other ride.
A good wheel needs to roll smoothly, quietly, and needs to be durable.
The Weinmann DA-16 wheels fit that description nicely. I purposely
trucked over any and all road obstacles including potholes, rough
asphalt, railroad tracks and whatever road imperfections came my way.
After 200 miles of abuse they’re still running true. People purchasing
this bike will obviously not be professionals so it’s good to now they
have a wheelset that can stand the abuses of a rider with a little less
finesse. No complaints about the hubs either. They rolled smoothly and
were silent. Wrapped on the wheels were the Kenda Kontender 700X26 tires.
I inflated them to 105psi and they had extremely little rolling resistance
and gripped in well during high-speed turns. The roads I was on have
considerable debris but not once did I flat.

Many of the parts on this bike are KHS house brand: seatpost, crankset,
brakes, bars and stem. I was expecting a little higher end component
spec but reserved my opinion of these parts until after I was able to
test them out. I’m a firm believer that it doesn’t matter what brand
you’re running as long as it is 1) functional and 2) durable.

Ah, the brakes. The most important part of any bike. They were a
little loose when I first got them but they were a snap to adjust
(I’m a horrible mechanic) and I felt confident with them. Commuting
to work I was cutoff by a lady making a right turn, requiring me to
brake extremely quickly. Mind you, I was running at a pretty good
pace and had to grab a handful of brake to avoid slamming into the
back of her car. The alloy dual pivot brakes were flawless and wiped
away any doubts I had about their abilities. If you think I’m going
to knock some brakes that saved my skin you are wrong! These brakes
don’t look flashy but they do what they were made for.

Drop bars and stem were solid as could be. 31.8 handlebars have
become the standard now as they provide more rigidity and strength
in place of the old 26.0 sizing. Not every entry bike in this price
range has them though, so it’s nice to see them on there.

I had no problems, whatsoever, with the crankset, the bottom bracket
or any of the chainrings. In fact they were completely silent and
did their job so well I forgot about them. A sure sign of a functional
product.

Here are the components I was not so happy with:
This San Marco Ponza Lux saddle was rock hard. I left it on for
the first 50 miles to give it a fair chance, however, my arse was
pretty upset at me for it. Saddles depend greatly on personal
ergonomics and taste and I’m sure San Marco makes nice saddles,
but I wasn’t diggin’ this one.

The toe clip pedals were my second beef. I understand that some
people enjoy the retro feel of these types of pedals but this is
a two ring road bike that is obviously built for a speedier rides
and even some climbing. I’d expect to see some type of cheapo
clipless pedal at the very least but I imagine KHS was also gearing
(pardon the pun) this bike toward commuters so no biggie. That’s a
cheap upgrade anyway.

The Ride: Climbing with the Flite 300 felt stable and never did I
hear any of the parts groan or creak under the strain. Descending at
high speeds, the bike felt solid and ready to go even faster. The tires
keep the bike moving quickly and with minimal resistance. The bike
just whips out of turns and is immediately ready to accelerate. Even
starting from stoplights, I was able to beat most vehicles through
the intersection so I could safely take the lane. That acceleration
is noticeable at any speed and going from cruising speed to an all out
sprint is smooth and quick. The bike feels comfortable enough to spin
on a casual group ride but still has snap and responsiveness to keep
up on high speed sprints.

Keep in mind this isn’t a race specific bike but probably could be used
in that respect. The frame and fork are solid and, if you wanted, you
could easily change out a couple parts to drop some weight. That’s only
if you’re extremely weight conscious though. The aluminum frame and
carbon fork do nicely in keeping the Flite 300 light and zippy.

Opinion: If I can buy myself a brand new bike and all I have to replace
are the saddle and the pedals I’m a happy camper. Saving money off a
higher priced bike that will function the same will leave you with plenty of
change left in your pockets to buy those simple upgrades. I was a bit
hesitant when I first picked the bike up, as some of the components were
not name brand, but the build feels well put together and the bike just wants to move.

I took a couple 30+ mile road rides with a friend of mine that runs a
bike with Ultegra components and was able to hang right along with him.
It’s easy to get hooked into more expensive component groups. You want
to feel secure you’re buying a quality product, but I think that a rider’s
ability is too easily forgotten. Yes, the Flite 300 is an entry-level
road bike but it delivers impressively on performance and durability,
doing it on a light budget to boot. And at around 22 pounds (this is
strictly a bathroom scale weight measurement) you’ll still be able to keep
up on group rides with much more expensive bikes. If you’re wanting a
durable, performance road bike at a very reasonable pricepoint, look no further.

Popularity: 25% [?]

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Bike Commuter Essentials at PricePoint.com