The standout bike on the Kinesis stand at the Core Bike Show was the stunning new Tripster ATR (that last bit stands for Adventure Tour Race).
The drawn 3AL/2.5V titanium frame is designed for enormous versatility, to satisfy riders who want a bike for almost any purpose. Indeed, the only things the Tripster isn't best suited to are road racing and time trials – with disc brakes, clearance for 40mm tyres, 45mm full mudguards, a rack, a mudguard and bottle mounts, a low bottom bracket height and a head angle that's been relaxed a little for stability, it can be a tourer, sportive or cyclocross bike or all-round adventurer.
The 530g monocoque UD carbon fork has excellent clearance, an integral hose clip and tapered steerer, which slots into the beautiful, hourglass-shaped head tube, sculpted from a titanium billet.
Available from late February, the Tripster will come in 48, 51, 54, 57 and 60cm sizes and framesets will retail for £1,499.99. We rather like the idea of riding a sportive one weekend then changing tyres and adding a rack for an expedition the following week, while riding to work in between.
Kinesis will also offer a few build packages for complete bikes.
Racelight Aithein
Continuing Kinesis' development of light alloy frames, the new Racelight Aithein uses the company’s Kinesium alloy to make a 1,200g (56cm) frame. A unique Superplastic seat tube flares into a rectangular shape at the bottom bracket, for great rigidity, and allows the other main frame tubes to be lighter.
The new Kinesis Racelight Aithein prototype in bare metal
The head tube is tapered and the Aithein has a BB386 EVO bottom bracket shell for ultimate compatibility and efficiency. Shown in prototype bare metal form at Core, the bike is an out-and-out racer or fast sportive machine, and has an 89kg (196lb) frame weight limit.
The new monocoque carbon fork has a tapered 1.5in steerer, an aero shape and weighs a svelte 330g. Coming in 47, 50, 53, 56 and 59cm sizes, the Aithein frameset will be available from April 2013 in orange or black, and retail for £649.99.
