Comments on: Quick Review: KHS Flite 250 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/ Bike Your Drive! Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:39:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Abattoir worker nsw Aust http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/#comment-18498 Abattoir worker nsw Aust Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:01:40 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1711#comment-18498 Need a front fender do you? Sounds like you could do with some NUTS. HARDEN THE FUCK UP, I ride rain hail or shine you bunch of pussy's Need a front fender do you?
Sounds like you could do with some NUTS.
HARDEN THE FUCK UP, I ride rain hail or shine you bunch of pussy’s

]]> By: Mark http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/#comment-16681 Mark Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:17:23 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1711#comment-16681 Of course it's smooth. It has a low bottom bracket. When are people going to figure this out? If you want a bike that's stable, smooth, and easy to ride, it can't have a high BB. The other things you mention contribute also but it's the BB height that really does it. Your center of gravity is lower. And as a bonus - your feet reach the ground! The cross bikes, mountain bikes, and "hybrids" that are most often recommended for commuting usually have 11" and 11.5" BB heights. Likewise "road" (racing) bikes mostly have BB heights appropriate for criteriums. I believe that the preponderance of these high-BB bikes is a big factor in why riders don't cycle commute. Novices end up with bikes that are optimized for "sport", not city riding. The high-performance feel of these bikes makes them uncomfortable in the city element and therefore they just don't ride. I realize that experienced riders who already know how to commute can handle and enjoy these "sportier" bikes but non-enthusiasts should be steered away them. I set up a Salsa Casseroll (very low BB, steel frame) city bike and I love seeing the looks on friends faces when they ride it. Their reaction is much like yours to the KHS. They've never ridden anything like it before, and they love it. I do too. I've been looking for a lower-priced alternative to the Casseroll to recommend to friends. This KHS looks like a real find. Thanks for pointing it out. Of course it’s smooth. It has a low bottom bracket. When are people going to figure this out? If you want a bike that’s stable, smooth, and easy to ride, it can’t have a high BB. The other things you mention contribute also but it’s the BB height that really does it. Your center of gravity is lower. And as a bonus – your feet reach the ground!

The cross bikes, mountain bikes, and “hybrids” that are most often recommended for commuting usually have 11″ and 11.5″ BB heights. Likewise “road” (racing) bikes mostly have BB heights appropriate for criteriums. I believe that the preponderance of these high-BB bikes is a big factor in why riders don’t cycle commute. Novices end up with bikes that are optimized for “sport”, not city riding. The high-performance feel of these bikes makes them uncomfortable in the city element and therefore they just don’t ride.

I realize that experienced riders who already know how to commute can handle and enjoy these “sportier” bikes but non-enthusiasts should be steered away them.

I set up a Salsa Casseroll (very low BB, steel frame) city bike and I love seeing the looks on friends faces when they ride it. Their reaction is much like yours to the KHS. They’ve never ridden anything like it before, and they love it. I do too.

I’ve been looking for a lower-priced alternative to the Casseroll to recommend to friends. This KHS looks like a real find. Thanks for pointing it out.

]]> By: Evan http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/#comment-16654 Evan Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:10:26 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1711#comment-16654 I still think this is an awesome bike. It got some serious consideration from me after the high praise you guys gave it in its first review here a while back, but I wound up getting a Surly Cross-Check. To me the cross-check seemed like a better fit for the commuting, long day trips, and potential touring I hoped to do with it. I still think this is an awesome bike. It got some serious consideration from me after the high praise you guys gave it in its first review here a while back, but I wound up getting a Surly Cross-Check.

To me the cross-check seemed like a better fit for the commuting, long day trips, and potential touring I hoped to do with it.

]]> By: Ghost Rider http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/#comment-16651 Ghost Rider Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:11:45 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1711#comment-16651 That makes sense...but that doesn't stop plenty of other companies from specifying multiple forks for their lines. I'm guessing oversight, and I'm cool with that -- there ARE workarounds, of course. That makes sense…but that doesn’t stop plenty of other companies from specifying multiple forks for their lines.

I’m guessing oversight, and I’m cool with that — there ARE workarounds, of course.

]]> By: RL Policar http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/#comment-16649 RL Policar Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:56:55 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1711#comment-16649 "I’m with Mike…if they go to the trouble of adding eyelets to the frame, why not spec some on the fork, too?" I'm not speaking for KHS, but I would gather that when they spec'd out the Flite bikes, part of the build was to add carbon forks. So I would imagine it was easier and possibly cheaper to stick with one type of fork rather than having to order 2 different forks for their whole line. That's just my guess... “I’m with Mike…if they go to the trouble of adding eyelets to the frame, why not spec some on the fork, too?”

I’m not speaking for KHS, but I would gather that when they spec’d out the Flite bikes, part of the build was to add carbon forks. So I would imagine it was easier and possibly cheaper to stick with one type of fork rather than having to order 2 different forks for their whole line.

That’s just my guess…

]]> By: Ghost Rider http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/#comment-16647 Ghost Rider Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:01:34 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1711#comment-16647 Aaron -- pick away! Good to remind us of these things (grammatical and layout-wise)... I'm with Mike...if they go to the trouble of adding eyelets to the frame, why not spec some on the fork, too? Aaron — pick away! Good to remind us of these things (grammatical and layout-wise)…

I’m with Mike…if they go to the trouble of adding eyelets to the frame, why not spec some on the fork, too?

]]> By: 2whls3spds http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/#comment-16646 2whls3spds Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:16:44 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1711#comment-16646 I agree with Raiyn proper coding does help, but tinyurl works for the more technologically challenged. The reason I was picking is because in FF2.?? the link runs across 3 frames ;-) and off the side of my screen :-0 Aaron I agree with Raiyn proper coding does help, but tinyurl works for the more technologically challenged. The reason I was picking is because in FF2.?? the link runs across 3 frames ;-) and off the side of my screen :-0

Aaron

]]> By: Mike Myers http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/#comment-16638 Mike Myers Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:54:04 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1711#comment-16638 It would make sense that a steel bike with a carbon fork is smooth riding. Of course, a steel bike with a steel fork would be, as well. As for the fender issue, it would a simple matter for KHS to spec a carbon fork with fender eyelets. Nashbar sells 'em, and they're just a Taiwanese or Chinese fork. Probably cost no more to spec that than the one on it now. Things like that just baffle me. They KNEW the frame had eyelets---so why spec a fork without and make mounting fenders more of a hassle? It would make sense that a steel bike with a carbon fork is smooth riding. Of course, a steel bike with a steel fork would be, as well.

As for the fender issue, it would a simple matter for KHS to spec a carbon fork with fender eyelets. Nashbar sells ‘em, and they’re just a Taiwanese or Chinese fork. Probably cost no more to spec that than the one on it now. Things like that just baffle me. They KNEW the frame had eyelets—so why spec a fork without and make mounting fenders more of a hassle?

]]> By: Scott http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/#comment-16635 Scott Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:28:38 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1711#comment-16635 I don't really mind getting Rick Rolled myself. I actually really enjoy that song. ;-) That looks like a great bike. Come spring time I'm definitely going to check it out. Thanks for the review. I don’t really mind getting Rick Rolled myself. I actually really enjoy that song. ;-)

That looks like a great bike. Come spring time I’m definitely going to check it out. Thanks for the review.

]]> By: Ghost Rider http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/12/15/quick-review-khs-flite-250/#comment-16631 Ghost Rider Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:28:52 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1711#comment-16631 That's sort of why I post whole links...they don't look so good, but there's no surprise (I don't like getting "Rick Rolled" from a mystery link). That’s sort of why I post whole links…they don’t look so good, but there’s no surprise (I don’t like getting “Rick Rolled” from a mystery link).

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