Industry Insider: Kinesis UK's Dom Mason

**timothy.john** · 23rd October 2012

**timothy.john** · 23rd October 2012

George caught up with Kinesis UK's designer, Dom Mason, at the Cycle Show. Here are Mason's thoughts on winter bikes and the joys of aluminium.

**Pete Appleby 3** · 23rd October 2012

The TK3 ticks a lot of boxes, it might be my next winter bike

**Greg Quinn** · 23rd October 2012

Yeah it does look good. Light, stiff front end, absorbent scandium alloy, plenty of clearance and guard mounts. It's a real world bike.

**Bally** · 24th October 2012

I just think some designs are over complicated. A 'winter bike' with BB30 limits crank choice and it looks like a press fit BB and it has a tapered headtube meaning different bearings top and bottom. Does this add to the cost for something you are unlikely to notice when you are shod with big tyres and mudguards? For a winter bike I'd prefer outboard cups that I can change and service myself on a regular basis, not need specialist presses/extractors. Just my thoughts.....
.
Seems a good price though for a frameset and I totally agree with this bit: "Building a bike is a labour of love,” he says. “There’s something really special about building your own bike; selecting the frame and each component, There something intimate about that”, which is what I do.

**Greg Quinn** · 24th October 2012

You have a good point about the bottom bracket Bally. I prefer the external cups. The headset shouldn't really be an issue though.

Yes building the bike yourself is much more satisfying. I don't think I will go back to an off the shelf build.

**Bally** · 24th October 2012

Don't get me wrong about the BB, I have a press fit in my Trek but they don't affect the carbon BB shell like my Giant did, that was chipped by the dealer replacing them. Sometimes it can't be avoided having to go with the design of a new frame you want, but a winter intended bike.....no thanks

**Dom_KinesisUK** · 24th October 2012

Originally Posted by Bally

I just think some designs are over complicated. A 'winter bike' with BB30 limits crank choice and it looks like a press fit BB and it has a tapered headtube meaning different bearings top and bottom. Does this add to the cost for something you are unlikely to notice when you are shod with big tyres and mudguards? For a winter bike I'd prefer outboard cups that I can change and service myself on a regular basis, not need specialist presses/extractors. Just my thoughts.....
.
Seems a good price though for a frameset and I totally agree with this bit: "Building a bike is a labour of love,” he says. “There’s something really special about building your own bike; selecting the frame and each component, There something intimate about that”, which is what I do.

Hi Bally, The winter bikes don't have BB30, I am talking about the new 'Superlight alloy' road frame p.type there.
For the taper headset, they are the same price as an integrated headset and actually easier to service than a 'standard' h.set because the bearings simply drop-in to a taper in the frame. We have had no reliability issues with head tubes or bearings, even on cyclocross frames. The taper fork really does improve the ride of a sportier frame.

**Paul Beckett 2** · 24th October 2012

As a TK3 owner I really notice the stiffer, more direct feel of the tapered headtube - particularly under heavy braking. The full carbon forks noticeably reduce chatter over cobbles and the like. It's a massive improvement over the alloy frameset with 44mm-ID headset that it's replaced. Much more lively and flickable, but still stable at speed. I'm loving it, actually!