The Hornet Takes Flight!

It's been a long wait... okay, maybe not. Less than two weeks after the accident that took my lovely Airfoil, I finally took possession of her successor. Airfoils cannot be bought new anymore - they have long since been discontinued - but the next iteration of high-end Kestrel racing bikes offers more than a glimmer of hope for continued comfort and speed.

I kept Steve and Eric (Bicycle Doctor) over normal store hours today, and for me the wait was worth it. The bike was nearly completely finished, only missing the pedals and one small modification that will be added later. That aside, I would be taking my Precious home to do as I would.

She's a thing of beauty. Carbon fiber frame, Ultegra shifting, slotted saddle (for comfort), and perhaps my most difficult decision, HED Jet 5 23 cm aero wheels. The wheels take advantage of recent wind tunnel testing that (supposedly) prove a wider tire can be more aero. The idea is the wider front section reduces drag by forming a more airfoil type section, reducing turbulence. It sounds good, and actually resonates with my personal experience as a pilot and model aircraft builder. So, taking a leap of faith, I went for it.

The weather was spotty, but you know I had to ride. I found my window of opportunity and headed south in the early afternoon hours. The radar showed rain around the area, but the immediate area was clear - for a while. If I didn't dilly-dally, I could probably get through unscathed.

I'll try to break down the first ride by components.

Frame: carbon fiber absorbs road vibration, and after a week or so of riding aluminum, I instantly remembered why I love carbon so much. It's just so much more comfortable. I didn't notice any flex, and power delivered from my pedals instantly transformed into usable speed.

Flight deck: though made from cheaper aluminum, the base bars and aero bars were placed in a similar orientation to my previous ride, so there was no real discernible difference between the two. It was easy and comfortable to lay across the bars and ride for distance. Moreover, when I did need to apply power, a firm grip on the bars helped stabilize me so I could really push on the legs.

Brakes: this is perhaps my least favorite part of the bike. Cheaper quality Oval brakes are used, employing scissors (rather than calipers). It will likely be okay, but on something this expensive it looks cheap, kind of like putting a bucking sow pig hood ornament on a Cadillac. You could do it, but... Anyway, the braking action was solid, so I suppose I shouldn't worry about it too much.

Wheels: the first thing I noticed was the hum. This is not a pure carbon wheel, rather a box set with a carbon shroud. It wasn't distracting, just different from what I normally hear. The second thing I noticed was acceleration seemed better than on my Airfoil. Is it the wheels? Possibly, as they are lighter than the Mavics. They aren't as deep as the Mavics, a fact that was brought home by their complete indifference to cross winds. They seemed to hold speed well. Overall I'm quite pleased.

Shifters: Shimano has a distinctly crisp shifting pattern, and the Ultegra group here performed well. It's 11-speed, and I wondered how the geometry might work out. I did notice clicking on the outer 3 cogs on my cassette. I'll chalk that up to being a new bike and needing to be adjusted. It will probably just be a couple of twists on the barrel adjustment to get it right. That minor aspect aside, I never felt like it wanted to throw a chain, nor did I think I couldn't get any gear I wanted. Just a little tweak necessary, I think.

Helmet: I went with the John T. recommended Giro Air Attack Shield. I'm absolutely glad I did. I was able to use the magnetic shield over a pair of prescription glasses, meaning I don't have to take my sunglasses if I don't want to. This works better in warmer weather because I like to be able to go without the glasses if I sweat too much. With the shield, it's a non-issue. The helmet is considered a compromise between a regular helmet and an aero - that seems fair. I lucked out another way too... I've never tried one on, but I ordered a large. I pulled it out of the box and put it on. Perfect fit. and it was set almost as if it had been made for my head. Can't beat that.

I took the combination out on the regular route, though I added a side trip to a particular segment - Mill Creek Hill. It's a pretty good test of a combination of factors. It is a big hill both going down and up, so with speeds reaching nearly 50 mph I'd know if the frame felt twitchy at speed. The following uphill is steep, so there would be the ability to measure sustainable speed and climb. The Hornet came through with flying colors. I dropped 2 seconds from my best time, and the bike really isn't tuned in yet. The top speed is nearly a mile an hour faster than my best attempt. The frame felt stable throughout the speed range.

The rest of the ride was pretty much a joy, though I did notice a bit of hip pain around 20 miles in. Interesting thing happened about then... I sat up to relieve the pain and the saddle moved nose up a bit. I stopped and reset, this time going a bit more aggressively nose down, and rode home. No more hip pain!

For sure there will be more adjustments, but I believe things will be just that - adjustments. The bike itself is a solid offering and at the very least a good lateral movement from my Airfoil. Potentially it could be a leap forward, though it will take some time to tell for sure.