# Look KG196



## kevink

I just acquired a Look KG196 Monoblade frame, fork/headset/stem and Look carbon seatpost. I am trying to determine when these unique frames were made, and what the consensus is about them. It is not super light, but seems very aero and nicely constructed. Any Info will be helpful as I determine what parts to hang on it.

Kevin


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## Dave Hickey

I have the exact date at home in my LOOK catalogs but 1992-1995 is the general time frame. I'll check tonight and give you an exact date


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## GonaSovereign

1992-1995 sounds right. ONCE rode them (in the silver colour) for the 92 or 93 season, before switching to the KG171. They are really well made. Not light, but plenty stiff. Cool integrated fork and stem. FYI, the current iteration costs upwards of 5K for the TT and 10K for the track version of the frame.


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## trx0x

hey! i fellow KG196 owner! i bought mine new back in '94, and still use it today. like others have mentioned, the 196 isn't the lightest of bikes (all decked out, mine is about 9kg), but it is extremely strong and laterally rigid. the bottom bracket area is amazing. not only is it aerodynamically shaped, but incredibly strong. i recently just put on a Mega-EXO crank on it, and every ounce of pedal effort goes into forward propulsion.

the aerodynamic properties of this frame were engineered meticulously. Look has stated that if you can propel the bike past the 30mph 'barrier', the bike at that speed is more aerodynamic, and you can actually shave time off, say, a time trial. 

i could go on and on, but all i can say is, i love my bike. everywhere i ride it, people stop me and ask me what it is. and then they can't believe that the frame is 12 years old! it was way ahead of its time, in terms of design. some manufacturers are just now playing with aerodynamic head tubes integrated with the fork.

ask me any questions you may have. i think i have the user manual around somewhere, i'll see if i can dig it up, and maybe scan it, if you'd like.

tr


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## Loekie

*Pictures of you're kg196*

Hey people i own a kg 196 too, but the frontfork is broken for the moment. Anybody have an idea where to find anotherone?
Please put yu're kg196 pics in here. Mine is the repainted yellow one, i am going to pimp the parts next year after it has proven to be repaired again!!!


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## odeum

didn't this bike have a shock-damping suspension built into the integrated headset?

ahead of it's time by any means, to be sure.




trx0x said:


> hey! i fellow KG196 owner!


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## Loekie

Yes i read about that too!!!


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## trx0x

yeah, it does have a shock/suspension system, via an elastomer. they called it Vibtene. from the manual:

"VIBTENE: A brand of vulcanised rubber used as a buffer between the fork and the frame to dampen uncomfortable road shocks...The KG196 combines Carbon HM and VIBTENE. The result is a frameset that absorbs a great amount of road shocks and remains very rigid so that all the cyclist's efforts are transmitted directly to the road."

this frame was really ahead of others when it came out. some frames just now are coming out with aerodynamic head tubes.

Loekie, how is your fork broken? for a replacement, i'd try to contact Look, although i'm not sure if they would be able to help you, since the frame is so old. or if it's a repair that you think a carbon frame specialist like Calfee, maybe you could ask them.

as soon as i take a pic of mine, i'll put it up here.


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## Loekie

*Broken frontfork kg196*

It's not completly broken, but the left pat, that's the metal -c plate where the wheels are put in is loose inside the fork-leg. So when i went uphill or got out of the saddle en started pulling the steeringhandles the frontwhele pulled to the rightside. So it's maximum load was was about zero.

The fork is already send back to Veltec(read LOOK) and it's gone for about 5 weeks now, they said it would take 6-8 weeks, but today the repairsman said it already took an week extra for them to pick up the fork. 

You know the waiting sucks, now i am really using my BeOne carbon mountainbike to get my trainings. And he's having a hard time keeping up...........lol. They repaired it today because the seatpoststem was to loose in the frame. And i'm not really to blame, i'm not really heavy, about 85 kilograms.

If it goes on like this i don't have a bike anym more in a few weeks.................  :mad2: :mad2: 

Greetz to all of you Loekie, if anyone has a kg 196 frontfork for me please let me know!!!


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## Loekie

*about Calfee*

I like the site about Calfee but i have a little problem i live in Europe(the Netherlands).

Maybe i sent them the fork as it comes back without repair, or if i don't get anotherone.

Greets Loekie.


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## Loekie

*Fork kg196*

Hi all of you i got 2 frontforks of the kg196 today. One of them is like new in the gray color.
They have been standing somewhere for 10 year's. I got them from some kind of teamleader of a cyclingteam. He was happy to loose them......lol. I even got transfers or stickers for on the frame, bearings, streeringstem and other small parts.

So i am a happy guy for now!!!

Greetzz loekie


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## Stanley Prakoso

*Look KG196 stem*

Hi guys,

Just joined the forum today.
I own a Look KG196 long time ago..have not use it lately, but kept it in perfect condition.
I am now using a Cervelo Soloist set up for tri with Visiontech base and aerobar.

I would like to replace the adjustable stem of my Look KG196 so I could install a proper
basebar. A Profile cow bar is used at the moment with an old Profile aerobar.

Somebody there who can help me dis-assembling the Look stem and replacing this with
an ordinary stem so I can use all the basebars available in the market?

Thank you so much.


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## Loekie

Hi, you can't replace the stem with an ordinary racing stem. This stem is only made fot this bike and 496 als far as i know. The only possible solution for you is to buy a stem from the newer model 496. This one has a 2-screws handelbar mount so you can put on a timetrial bar!!! Nothing else is possible!!!!!!!!! The frontfork and stem of the kg 196 is specially made for this bicycle and not like any other oradiary fork and stem!!!!

I am a bicycle mechanic from the Netherlands and i drive a kg 196 myself and fixed a one for some other guy from Belgium.

Greetzzz Loekie.


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## The Green Hour

Loekie said:


> Hey people i own a kg 196 too, but the frontfork is broken for the moment. Anybody have an idea where to find anotherone?
> Please put yu're kg196 pics in here. Mine is the repainted yellow one, i am going to pimp the parts next year after it has proven to be repaired again!!!



LOOK needs to bring that color and graphics package back. The heck with keeping in trend with Specialized and Trek...this was LOOK's signature and was recognized just like Kawasaki green is to motorcycles. It needed nothing more than a glance to know it was a LOOK. 

The same goes for the 3 bands on the seat tube, that was a subtle accent that needed no other logo to know what bike it was. :thumbsup:


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## Stanley Prakoso

*Look KG 196 stem*

Hi,
Thank you very much for the reply and recommendations.
I will try to look for this replacement stem. I like this bike very much.. I think this is just one of a kind. Cycling forever..


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