KHS have teamed up with cycling writer Lennard Zinn to develop the Flite 747 – an XXL machine designed specifically for tall riders.
Zinn, author of the popular Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, is 6’6″ tall himself and has long been frustrated by the lack of options for lofty riders.
The American’s custom building company has made bikes for tall cyclists for more than 30 years and now Zinn has applied that knowledge to create the Flite 747 with KHS, incorporating his design philosophy at a more affordable price.
The 747 is made from mixed diameter Reynolds 520 double-butted steel tubing with a chromo fork and 105 drivetrain, a KHS 200mm compact crankset, 46cm handlebars, 36-spoke wheels and 130mm stem. Top tube length is 62cm and the headtube is 25cm.
Price is £1,399 and the Flite 747 is only available through special order by contacting KHS UK representative Steve Wingham on [email protected]
And for the rest of us?
KHS have also sent us details of two new machines in the Flite 500 range. The sub-£1,000 bike is based around a double-butted 6061 aluminium frame, with carbon chainstays and a carbon fork to help reduce road buzz.
The original Flite 500 is decked out with Shimano 105 front and rear mech, shifters and cassette (11-28t), while KHS provide the compact chainset (50-34t), with Tektro brakes, Mavic rims laced to 24/28 spokes on Formula hubs, Kenda Kontender tyres and a Velo saddle completing the look. That’s yours for £799.99, which looks great value given the Shimano 105-heavy spec.
The first of the new models is the Flite 500AK, a ready-made upgrade option which has been given a wheel and tyre swap to include the Mavic Aksium WTS wheelset, wrapped in Mavic Aksion tyres for £930. And the Flite 500 AK2 also sneaks under the £1,000 Cycle to Work barrier at £970, with your extra money getting a pair of Schwalbe Ultremo ZXHD tyres.
If carbon’s more your thing…
Finally, the Flite carbon range is set to arrive in the UK this year, with the 850g frame, raced by the CashCall Mortgages KHS squad in the US, to be available in three builds.
The Flite 950 will be fitted with Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 electronic groupset and Mavic Ksyrium wheels for £3,199, while mechanical Ultegra and Mavic Aksium wheels feature on the Flite 900 for £1,999 and the Flite 850 comes with Shimano 105 for £1,699.
