# Kestrel Talon X



## zen_squall (Jan 24, 2020)

Just joined the group. Anyone else here with a kestrel talon X? Just got mine 2 days ago and finished assembling it yesterday.











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## DrSmile (Jul 22, 2006)

My (Shimergo) Kestrel is still the fastest bike I own... mostly because I have to be very thin and fit to ride with that much bar drop! I think the last 10 years have seen road bikes gravitate towards much taller head tubes to a) accommodate fatter riders, b) accomodate older less flexible riders and c) to avoid flipping stems like yours 










I will be the first to admit that there are many times when I can't ride my Kestrel unless the stem is flipped. But really it's a great motivator to get in shape.

The frame geometries of Kestrels are generally intended for a tri / aero bar setup.


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## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

Sharp lookin' bike! I'm wondering if you got too small of a frame? The rise on the stem at the top of the fork is _really_ high... but then again, I'm a biased "slam the stem" rider


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## zen_squall (Jan 24, 2020)

DrSmile said:


> My (Shimergo) Kestrel is still the fastest bike I own... mostly because I have to be very thin and fit to ride with that much bar drop! I think the last 10 years have seen road bikes gravitate towards much taller head tubes to a) accommodate fatter riders, b) accomodate older less flexible riders and c) to avoid flipping stems like yours
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> ...


Great looking bike. My stem looks like it could be flipped. The writing on the stem has both directions on it. But I haven’t tried flipping it yet.










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## zen_squall (Jan 24, 2020)

PoorInRichfield said:


> Sharp lookin' bike! I'm wondering if you got too small of a frame? The rise on the stem at the top of the fork is _really_ high... but then again, I'm a biased "slam the stem" rider


It seems just right for my height. I’m 5’10”. On the kestrel website it says my size should be 55. So I got the 55 


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## DrSmile (Jul 22, 2006)

zen_squall said:


> Great looking bike. My stem looks like it could be flipped. The writing on the stem has both directions on it. But I haven’t tried flipping it yet.
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> ...


Your stem is already flipped. A road stem has a negative rise, flipping it gives a positive rise like you have. Flipping your stem now will lower your bars, which may be tolerable or not. Ideally your head tube should be taller or you should have the fork less cut (not doable once cut) when you build the bike. Nothing wrong with a flipped stem except the looks and the shortened relative stem length.

EDIT - it looks like you've moved a spacer above the bars, if that position feels good undo that and flip your stem. Then it will be correct


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## zen_squall (Jan 24, 2020)

DrSmile said:


> Your stem is already flipped. A road stem has a negative rise, flipping it gives a positive rise like you have. Flipping your stem now will lower your bars, which may be tolerable or not. Ideally your head tube should be taller or you should have the fork less cut (not doable once cut) when you build the bike. Nothing wrong with a flipped stem except the looks and the shortened relative stem length.
> 
> EDIT - it looks like you've moved a spacer above the bars, if that position feels good undo that and flip your stem. Then it will be correct


Thanks. I’ll try to flip the stem and remove the spacer and compare what works best. 


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