HomeNews & Events2018 KHS Team 29 Carbon Frame Can Run 29, 29+ Tires

2018 KHS Team 29 Carbon Frame Can Run 29, 29+ Tires

The 2018 KHS Team 29 is clearly meantĀ for going fast. From its carbon frame, bars, and seatpostā€“totaling a claimed weight of 22.5 lb.ā€“this bike is an XC racerā€™s dream. But donā€™t be fooled, like I was, into thinkingĀ this bike isĀ too racy to be any fun onĀ rocky trails.Ā KHSĀ Factory Racingmanaged to build a carbon XC race bike that doesnā€™tĀ feel harsh, andĀ they even found a wayĀ to make the frame compatible with plus tires.
 

 
Starting atĀ the frame,Ā the all-carbon construction features Boost spacing and is said to be compatible with 27.5+, 29, and 29+ wheels and tires. The bike will actually ship with 29er wheels, and itā€™s important to note that whileĀ the frameĀ is compatible with plus wheels, componentsĀ like the fork mayĀ need to be swapped out.
 

 
A quick glance at the frame reveals the wildly asymmetrical chainstays with an elevated drive-side stay. This is a radical departure from last yearā€™s model which featured a more traditional arrangement. KHS is not offering a small frame for 2018; only medium, large, and extra-large bikes will be available.
 

KHS Team 29 parts spec

 

 
For 2018, KHS is speccing theĀ Team 29 hardtailĀ with a mostly XT, Shimano 11-speed drivetrain. Last yearā€™s model utilized SRAMā€™s X01 Eagle drivetrainā€¦ but the 2017 versionĀ cost $1,070 more than this yearā€™s model. Whether theyā€™reĀ Shimano fans or not, most buyers will probably be OKĀ with losing a singleĀ gear to save over a thousand bucks.
 

 
To be fair,Ā the entire price drop isnā€™t due to the drivetrain alone. The 2018 KHS Team 29 hardtail features Foxā€™s newish Stepcast 32 fork with 100mm of travel, whichĀ might justĀ be an improvement over last yearā€™s RockShox SID. Other notable components on the 2018 Team 29 include Shimano SLXĀ hydraulic disc brakes, a WTB SL8 Pro saddle, DT Swiss wheels, and Maxxis Ikon 2.2ā€³ tires. The 740mm Wren carbon flat handlebar is a new component spec forĀ this year, as is the Wren 80mm forged stem. The build I tested does not includeĀ a dropper post.
 

 
Iā€™ve tested several carbon hardtail mountain bikes over the years, and in general I find them toĀ feel uncomfortably harsh on the trail.Ā WithĀ this in mind, I wasnā€™t looking forward to testing the KHS Team 29 on theĀ rough, rocky, desert trails at Bootleg Canyon outside Las Vegas.
So I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed pedaling the KHS Team 29 around the longest test loop at the Interbike Outdoor Demo last week. Sure, it wasnā€™t an all day epic by any means (or even a long ride really) but I got the sense that this is a race bike that doesnā€™t beat riders up. And that makes sense: todayā€™s XC courses arenā€™t just smooth paths through the woods. Most modern race courses incorporate plenty of technical elements from rocks to roots, so an overly rigid carbon bike just isnā€™t going to cut it for manyĀ riders.
I was also impressed with the performance of the Fox 32 Stepcast fork. The fork felt lightweight but also performed really well, soaking up the chatter but not getting in over its head when encountering larger drops.
 
Original article

KHS Pro MTB
KHS Pro MTB
KHS Bicycles Pro MTB Race Team. Featuring champion mountain bike racers holding the title as the #1 MTB race team in the U.S.A.
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