BROSSARD, Quebec (BRAIN)—Kuota’s first task going into 2011 was to make a great bike better.
“Kom has been highly regarded as a climbers dream bike, but given its performance oriented build it didn’t make for the most comfortable ride for your average rider,” said Tino Chiappelli, U.S. sales manager for BiCo Bike, distributor for Kuota North America.
The 2011 carbon fiber Kom (pictured) will bridge that gap for Kuota between the performance demanded by the professional riders and the comfort requested by the more casual crowd.
“It should give us a special blend of performance and comfort, one that Kuota Italy has heralded as the most performance focused frame in the world,” Chiappelli said.
Kom sports a newly declassified grade of 3k weave UD (uni directional) carbon fiber that is 9 percent lighter than the 2010 materials. It also gets a new headtube and BB30 bottom bracket shell, both completely made of carbon fiber (no alloy inserts). Removing the alloy inserts helps the frame lose some weight (800 grams) over the 2010 model. Kom will be offered in eight versions for 2011 with price ranges from $5,300 to $9,400.
“On the Tri/TT side, the new Kalibur 2.0 is what we’re expecting to drive some excitement for us in that market,” Chiappelli said. “When reworking a classic, you have to be very mindful of what you’re working with and be cautious to tweak where necessary while still carrying over the nuances and values of the original.”
This year’s model is approximately 11 percent lighter than the material used on the older Kalibur, while retaining the stiffness. The new frame uses BB30 and internal cable routing which is Shimano DI2 compatible. It also features a replaceable derailleur dropout and 1 1/8-inch headtube.
The new Kalibur 2.0 will retail from $4,550 (Shimano Ultegra 6700) - $8,200 (Shimano Dura Ace Di2).
—Jason Norman
jnorman@bicycleretailer.com
