The 2013 RoadCyclingUK winter bike is nearing completion.
The addition of wheels, tyres and a saddle to a build which has already seen the frame, finishing kit and groupset take shape means the Kinesis GF_Ti V2 is fit to hit the road.
Fulcrum’s Racing 5 wheelset provides the first rolling stock of a machine which will become the second test rig in the RCUK stable after its aluminium sibling, the Kinesis Racelight TK3. The Italian firm’s 1,690g hoops, which sit second-from-bottom in the range, are a popular choice for riders who want factory built training wheels with a budget of £250.
The wheels are wrapped in Continental’s Grand Prix GT rubber. The tyres, available in 25mm width only, are a new addition to Conti’s range and are said to combine the reliability of the Gatorskin with the performance of the GP4000S thanks to the use of a wide, puncture resistant PolyX Breaker and the German firm’s fast, grippy Black Chilli compound. The UK’s slick, debris-ridden roads will provide as good a test as any.
Finally, Prologo have provided the Zero II saddle. It’s a perch which first arrived at RCUK on the De Rosa Milanino Training and it’s flat profile is well-suited to this derrière, so the Italian saddle manufacturer’s UK distributor, i-ride, kindly sent us another for the winter bike.
Jon Hayes, mechanic at Ride in Dorset, is our man for the build and puts the finishing touches to this year’s winter bike by trimming the carbon fibre fork steerer and wrapping the handlebar.
And so the 2013 winter bike is almost ready to hit the road, but there is, of course, one vital component missing – mudguards. No winter bike is complete without them and the GF_Ti has eyelets for full ‘guards and bags of clearance should we later choose to fit 28mm tyres.
We’ll complete the build by fitting mudguards before heading out on the road and filing a first ride report.
