Kinesis Maxlight XC

[jpembroke]

I have an Inbred frame that I'm about to sell (top tube is too long for me) and was thinking about replacing it with a Kinesis Maxlight frame. Anyone got one of these? What are they like? Any recommendations on size. I'm 5'9" and considering the 16.5" frame. Will that be too small?

 

[spence]

I sort of went the other way, had a Coyote HT5 - a Kinesis built frame - and have ridden a couple of Maxlights, friends have both an XC Pro and XC 120. They ride very well but I found them very stiff and unforgiving, especially the frames with the square section Easton tubing rear ends. I find the Inbred much more complient and a better ride over all.

Have you tride a shorter stem, On-Ones are designed with longer top tube and short stems in mind.

 

[MichaelM]

Oh go on then.....

What size is the Inbred? Which version is it? (standard drop out/slot/sliding dropout/456) Do you have the canti mounts to go with it?

 

[theclaud]

I have an Inbred frame that I'm about to sell (top tube is too long for me) and was thinking about replacing it with a Kinesis Maxlight frame. Anyone got one of these? What are they like? Any recommendations on size. I'm 5'9" and considering the 16.5" frame. Will that be too small?

I've got a Maxlight XC2, which has a shorter top tube than the Pro and the other more recent ones. This is the model. It's the 18" and the size suits me pretty well - I'm a 5'7" woman with long legs and a relatively short reach. I have a fairly short stem on it though, so it could suit a man of the same height or taller with a longer stem.

 

[jpembroke]

I tried the short stem thing. I had an 80mm Inbred stem on for a while, which was nice on the downhills and flat but resulted in serious wheel lift on steep, technical ascents. Climbs I used to be able to manage on my cr*ppy old GT Aggressor were now really tricky on the Inbred. So I ditched the short stem and put a longer stem on. This improved climbing a bit but made the handling all squirrelly. I reckon, because it is a long bike, it means short a*ses like me can't get enough wait over the front wheel. I just reckon I'll better off with a shorter top tube. It's a shame because the Inbred is a really lovely frame.

It's a 16" vertical dropout (geared) Inbred, by the way. White one like this:

http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Not_Sliding_Dropout_31.html

 

[spence]

Shame. I know about the front lifting but that's mainly my fault. Took off and sold the 100mm Floats that I had on it and replaced with a set of TALAS (80-125mm) I had and very rarely wind them down...... Love the bike.