| Not everyone has the cash to buy the Tour de | | | | aerodynamics, stiffness and weight. And being an |
| France wonder machines on the market. More people | | | | Italian design, a certain flare is apparent that you |
| are looking for a good value in a high performance | | | | don't see from a lot of the big brands. You will stand |
| carbon road bike. This is where bikes like the Kuota | | | | out on the local group ride on a Kuota Kharma, as |
| Kharma Race come in. Many of the features of the | | | | they aren't the standard cookie cutter bike. |
| higher end models with a much more modest price | | | | But that is just the construction. The ride quality is |
| tag. Four years ago a frame like this would have | | | | the real star of the show. When I stated earlier that |
| been on a $6000 bike. Now the complete bike is less | | | | this would have been a top of the line frame a few |
| than half of that. | | | | years ago, I wasn't exaggerating. I used to ride the |
| The Kharma Race is available as a complete bike or | | | | Orbea Orca and that is what this bike reminds me of. |
| frameset to build how you like. The complete bikes | | | | Stiff but not harsh. Light and responsive. Handling is |
| are available with Shimano 105 or Ultegra, or SRAM | | | | quick but not twitchy. Just very well balance with a |
| Rival. I tested the Rival equipped bike. While a review | | | | good road feel. When you jump out of the saddle to |
| of the group will be for another article, it works | | | | sprint or climb a hill, the power is driven to the rear |
| flawlessly. Shifts are fast and precise with a good | | | | wheel. This doesn't ride like a company's starter |
| lever feel. | | | | carbon fiber bike. If you put on a set of race wheels |
| The heart of any bike is the frame and what a heart | | | | on, you will be able to contest any ride or race you |
| the Kharma Race has. The swooping curve of the | | | | have the legs for. |
| top tube draws the eye to the aero seat cluster. All | | | | The build kit that comes with the bike is solid with |
| the tubes flow into one another. Unusual for a bike | | | | Deda bar and stem, Selle San Marco Ponza saddle |
| of this price, the frame tubes are aerodynamically | | | | and Shimano R-500 wheels. You may find the need |
| optimized to help you cut through the wind. This | | | | to swap cockpit parts as the fit of these won't be |
| includes a cut out for the rear wheel in the seat tube | | | | for everyone, but is usual with any bike. The only |
| and an airfoil shaped seat post. As wind drag | | | | area I would suggest upgrading if you want to race |
| accounts for over 90 percent of the resistance when | | | | or just get maximum speed, is the wheels. The |
| riding on level terrain, every little bit helps. The fit is a | | | | Shimano wheels are fine as a training wheel but the |
| little more relaxed than it's higher end siblings, with a | | | | aren't either light or aero enough for a race wheel. If |
| slightly shorter top tube for a given size All of the | | | | you haven't ridden deep carbon fiber rimmed wheels |
| tubes are shaped to give a good balance between | | | | then you won't find it an issue. |