# Kestrel Talon Road?



## Rovah (Nov 1, 2008)

I've been riding an Immortal Force for a couple of seasons and like it. Like most of us, I'm getting a bit itchy to try something different.

I've been looking at the Kestrel RT bikes as well as the Talon road with SRAM red that was put up recently.

I love the look of the Talon frame, but wonder if anyone has one that they use as their primary road bike? I'm not a Tri guy, but do want to go with a more aero frame, with internal cable routing, if possible.

Any feedback is appreciated. I've read nothing but good reviews on the RT framed Kestrels here.

Thanks, John


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## girona10 (Feb 1, 2010)

*Kestrel Talon*

I'm riding a Talon frame that's 7 years old. It's not the quickest bike but it's comfortable for long rides. The Rival equipped bike could be different since it's more current. You can read an unbiased review in the March 2010 issue of Bicycling magazine.

www.bicycling.com


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## Rovah (Nov 1, 2008)

Thanks for the feedback Girona. Seems like more companies are going with more aero road frames that split the difference between pure road and tri frames. Looked at a Felt AR4 in a shop here in San Diego today, and it stuck me as a somewhat similar design.


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## aaronis31337 (Apr 7, 2008)

FYI, the description of the Talon is incorrect for the new models on the BD website. The new models are the Talon SL which use the 800 carbon. It's lighter and better than the 700.


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## Rovah (Nov 1, 2008)

Mike, can you confirm these are the SL frames?


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## billips1002 (Jun 11, 2010)

Rovah said:


> Mike, can you confirm these are the SL frames?


I emailed BD yesterday... 

"I have a question about the Kestrel Talon TSR3 on your website. Does this bike have the Talon frame or the Talon SL frame? In the pictures, there is a Talon SL decal on the frame."

And their response was:

"Hello,

It is a Talon SL frame.

Thanks,
Chris"


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## Rovah (Nov 1, 2008)

Thanks for getting that info Chris. Are both the TSR 1.0 and TSR 3.0 frames SL or just eh TSR 3.0? I'm not seeing an SL decal in any of the gallery pics for either frame.


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## billips1002 (Jun 11, 2010)

If you look through the pictures of the TSR1 or the TSR3 you will see that there is a white/red decal on the seat tube just above where the seat stay meets the seat tube that reads: "Talon SL HIMOD M30S/HR40 Hybrid." I don't know what all that means, but apparently both the TSR1 (Red) and TSR3 (Rival) bikes use the Talon SL frame.

It's a mystery why the Bikes Direct website says these bikes have the 700K frame.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

*BikesDirect Please Straighten This Out*



billips1002 said:


> I emailed BD yesterday...
> 
> "I have a question about the Kestrel Talon TSR3 on your website. Does this bike have the Talon frame or the Talon SL frame? In the pictures, there is a Talon SL decal on the frame."
> 
> ...


I asked a similar question: 

_What year is the frame? 

The frame in your photographs looks older than the frame on the kestrel website. The downtube is and steering tube appear larger on the bikes on kestrel's site. I know that they made some changes to the talon in 2009. _

Bikesdirect Replied: 
*Hello,

The frames are 2009 spec, but produced in 2010, so the bike is a 2010 model.

Thanks,
Chris*





Yet the pictures depict a 2008 frame. So I emailed Kestrel:

_Is this picture of a 2009 or newer Talon SL?
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/kestrel/images/kestrel_tsr1_2100.jpg
Or is this a 2008/older frame?

Bikesdirect (via email) says they are selling 2009 model frames built in 2010. But there appear to be significant differences between your 2009/2010 frames and the images on their website (different head tub, down tube, seat screw setup, etc)._

Kestrel replied:

*This is a 2008 frame, not a 2009/10 frameset.

STEVEN HARAD | KESTREL & OVAL Brand Manager*





Five days ago I sent this email to Bikesdirect and have not heard back: 

_Thank you for your reply. I'm still curious about the Kestrel. Is it the SL model? 

I ask because the image gallery you have on your website appears to show a 2008 (or earlier) model. The differences I see are the head tube and down tube (both are larger/more aero on the newer model), and the seat adjustment screw (it's near the top tube on the older model and in a more traditional position on the newer model). 

Your geometry sizing chart links to a 2010 talon SL. 

I really appreciate the information and I don't mean to be a pest with these questions. I'm just really interested and $2500 is a lot of money to spend without knowing exactly what I'll be getting. 

Talk to you soon,_




Bikesdirect, are you guys on here? I realize that it was a holiday weekend. But I'm ready for a new ride and this money is burning a hole in my pocket. 


Are you selling the 2009/2010 Kestrel Talon SL w/ SRAM Red for $2495? If so, are you selling a bike different than the one in your photogtaphs? A Kestrel manager says that the bike in the pictures is 2008 but your website describes the bike as "2010 Kestrel Talon Road+SRAM Red" what are you selling? 

Thanks!


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

Local Hero said:


> I asked a similar question:
> 
> _What year is the frame?
> 
> ...


 Seems there is lots of confusion here: with everyone

What determines year model is when something is made. In other words if a Trek is built in 2010 with the same frame design as used in 2006 - it will be a 2010.

Kestrel TSR and new Evokes we are getting in are made this spring/summer
so they are 2010 Special Editions

There are serveral molds on Kestrel frames: some molds were made in 2007, some in 2008, some in 2009, some in 2010. The molds determine the style and geo of the frame. When the mold is used to produce the bike determines the year model.

So a bike made after August 2010 with a new Sram Apex group would be a 2011 bike - even if the mold was built in 2007 or 2008. New year models start in the summer of previous year. 

It may make more sense to think of what are the specs - that determines the ride more than the 'year model'.


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## Rovah (Nov 1, 2008)

Just an update on my quest for a new bike. I finally ended up purchasing a 2010 Talon SL frame from BCM on ebay. Price was good in my size. The frame is beautiful and weight seems very low. Working on the build list and think I'm going to go with SRAM Force and my FSA K-Force light crank from my Immortal Force.

I was recently in Orlando and stopped by Cycle Spectrum and met the owner/manager Chad. Got to see some Motobecanes, Windsor and other bikes in the flesh. Nice guy and nice shop. Picked up a Motobecane jersey as well.  Check them out if you're in town. Wanted to see one of the Titanium Moto's but he didn't have any in stock. He had a couple Le Champion CF's that looked sharp.

Unsure if I'll be keeping my Immortal Force or moving it along. It'll be interesting to see what the difference in ride is between the two.


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