Kuota Kalibur Review

by KF
(Seattle)

I tested a LOT of tri-bikes prior to purchasing my Kalibur. Before this I was riding a P3. I wanted to be 100% sure that I got the right bike, and I would definitely say that I made the right choice. My main reasons for choosing the Kuota were the quality of the build, and its stiffness and stability.

Here are some numbers/info about it:
• SIZES: comes in S, M, L, XL frame sizes
• WEIGHT: 18.1 lb. (M)
• FRAME: Monocoque carbon fiber
• FORK: Kuota Kalibur carbon monocoque with carbon steerer
• COMPONENTS: Shimano Dura-Ace derailleurs, bar-end shifters, Ultegra crankset, brakes; Xentis Mark 1 carbon 4-spoke wheels; Vittoria DiaMante Pro Light tires; Profile Designs T2 Wing basebar and T2+ aerobar

It has an adjustable seatpost – 76 to 78 degrees, and a short head tube (with a 1 ¼ inch lower bearing that tapers into a 1 1/8 inch top bearing that which significantly improves stability, according to Kuota) so you can get really aero.

I got my Kalibur with Xentis Mark 1 carbon clincher wheels. They're one-piece, with no joints and are nice and light. Plus, the four-spoke design is easy to control in the wind.

In terms of performance, the Kuota is a great bike to ride. It is light, and therefore great for climbing.
I don’t feel like any energy is wasted, power is transferred fully. The bottom bracket is super-stiff, with pretty much no flexion, so acceleration is superb. It is also laterally stiff, and so precise to handle that I feel very much in control and confident, in particular riding downhill. The bike goes where you want it to go, no questions asked. Sharp turns and fast descents are a breeze! It goes where you want it to without anything funny going on. It is also very stable and smooth. I think the frame is designed for optimal shock absorption, with the rear stay connecting more with the top tube than the seat tube. You have to ride it to see how good this bike feels!

I’m a big fan of the look of the bike too – the colour scheme is awesome, and the finish, paint, joins etc are all perfect. I do have a preference for internal cable routing, but that’s just a personal preference and to be honest this isn’t much of an issue.

The one (small) niggle with the bike is that the frame design means there isn’t much weight at the back, and I’ve found the back wheel to slip a bit when climbing in the wet.

Overall though, a great bike and one I would highly recommend.

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