Product Review: Windsor The Hour Vs Mercier Kilo TT

any inputs on this? i'm a noob

Kilo! The fork is superior, and if you can, go for the Kilo TT Pro. It's a better deal in my opinion.

they're both made by the same company and the windsor comes with better wheels.

Posted By: ClydeBarrowdon't get the pro though. its a waste of money. the hubs are just as bad as the ones on the regular kilo, and its not worth paying 130$ extra for the sugino crank.

the hubs on the kilo pro are rebranded formulas. and you get a brake.

Posted By: ClydeBarrow

Posted By: the rabbithey're both made by the same company and the windsor comes with better wheels.

Posted By: ClydeBarrowdon't get the pro though. its a waste of money. the hubs are just as bad as the ones on the regular kilo, and its not worth paying 130$ extra for the sugino crank.

the hubs on the kilo pro are rebranded formulas. and you get a brake.

I had no idea they were rebranded formulas. Everyone i asked about it before i got my bike said they were shit, lol. Sorry for the misinformation. I gotta admit though, upgrading the regular kilo tt with yr own choice of parts is real fun. But if that's what yr gonna do, might as well just order the frame. I've only heard good things about the hour.

yeah, the hubs on the regular kilo are shit. but on the pro, they are sealed, rebranded formulas

iro, formula, velocity, soma, milwakee, etc. are all the exact same hub, just rebranded and/or different flange cut outs.

im thinking about the hour because of its cheaper and i dont really have enough funds

Posted By: ClydeBarrowno....i can understand iro, milwaukee, soma, ect. but not the tt pro hubs. theyre the exact same as the ones on the tt, just painted black. plus they're shaped completely different from all the others. who confirmed this information for you?

no. the reg kilo has unsealed hubs. these are sealed. i've been around the hubs for long enough to know what's what. they're all made by the same manufacturer. they might have different size shells and different cut-outs in the flanges, but they are essentially the same hub.

kilo hub: not sealed.

sealed ball bearing and sealed cartridge bearings are two different things.

those sealed ball bearing hubs are "sealed" becasue they have that rubber seal on the outside, but they're still looseball hubs.

okay, so if they're made by formula why are all the other bikes on bd described as having formula hubs and this one is not? Dawes sst: formula, Windsor cloclwork: formula, Windsor hour: formula, Dawes sst AL: formula, KILO TT PRO: TrackSpec High Flange Aluminum, sealed precision bearings.

it does matter if they're giving you the same shitty hubs that are likely to strip.

still not formula

and whats wrong with the hour?

nuuuuuh uuuuh

Windsor and Mercier are both brand names that once had a great history, fell into ruin, and were bought out by companies using the name to badge average frames with a name that has more prestige. Kind of like "new money" marrying into an aristocratic family that has fallen on hard times.

No offense, but I'd buy neither. They may be inexpensive, but you'll get little or no support after the purchase, and eventually, you'll be left wanting more, and wishing you'd bought from a local shop rather than on the Internet.

I'll respectfully disagree with your opinion. I personally think that a "noob" as the original poster termed him/herself, could use a lot of the help a local bike shop could provide. You're not going to get that with a Windsor or Mercier after the sale. Nor are you going to get the free 30-day tuneup (useful for someone without tools or wrenching knowledge), or the same kind of warranty support a shop could give you. There's a lot of intangibles that you get for spending a bit extra money locally that become more obvious when you need help.

If you don't need that, fine. Also, because one set of frames is made by Kinesis or others :

a)Doesn't mean all are. There are multiple Chinese vendors out there.
b)Doesn't mean the same quality control is present on all frames. Many are built to vendor spec for carbon weave, etc. and so tolerances can vary from model to model. There's no guarantee that your BD model is built to the same specifications as one for a shop-sold brand; it's a "maybe-maybe-not" thing.

I have nothing against Chinese or Taiwanese frames of good quality, as a number are. However, you don't know with certainty what you're getting with the BikesDirect route.

i know

Posted By: ClydeBarrowoh and bike shops dont just cost 'a little extra'

Depends on your point of view. When your local shop squeezes you in for a last minute adjustment you didn't realize you needed prior to that century ride the next day, or takes the time to help you find a bike that fits, or rounds down on your labor because you're a good customer, or does a 10-minute drivetrain adjustment for free to take care of your shifting or that hop in one of your wheels, it all adds up.

When you're new to cycling, this is all a big deal. Most people new to the sport don't have tools or repair know-how, nor do they know how to fit their own bike properly, and we both know that fit is about a lot more than all of those old wives' tales of "If you have an inch of clearance over the top tube, you're fine" carp.

I don't get all of my gear through my shop, and they know it. That's in part because I can do some of my own wrenching. It's also because I've been riding on and off for twenty years, so I have a lot more experience to go on. However, there are some things that are very worth doing through a shop. I'm 6'4" with a 37" inseam; it takes time to get fit for a frame. I have a good shop that is actually willing to order me a large bike for a no-obligation test ride, something no other shop within 100 miles of me was willing to do. Because of that, they got business from me, and later from my 6'9" friend this past year, who was given the same option, and also bought a bike as a result. I'll also spend more to buy things like expensive shoes from them, since I'm guaranteed a good fit.

If you don't value bike shops, so be it. If you can do your own wrenching, fine. But I'll also still tell you that a Motobecane Immortal Force is not necessarily of the same frame quality as a more expensive Trek Madone 5.2, or an Orbea Onix TDF, or a Specialized Tarmac Comp. The components are the same grade, no argument there. But the frame and fork is the part of the bike that matters the most.

I'll also ask you --in case of the need for warranty service, who are you going to get better support from? Your shop-bought bike, or the one you bought from BikesDirect? I can guarantee I know which one will have less hoops to jump through.

My last post on the subject. I highly doubt any of this would change your mind, so you and I will just have to agree to disagree.

i kinda wish i got green instead of black, they look so sweet in person

theres no way a 44 cm will fit you if you are 5'6". thats a ten inch height difference (approximately). Try a 52 or so. Head to your LBS and have them fit you.

Remember, your height doesn't always tell your bike size. Look at the stand over height and match it up to your inseam length of your leg. If you have short legs and your 5'6", it could make a big difference.

Posted By: brooklynbombsA friend of mine is 5'10" and he rides a 57cm Kilo TT and it fits him perfect.

34" inseam on someone who's 5'10"? holy shit.
you don't want the standover to be the same as your inseam. ideally, your inseam should be between 1~2 inches above the standover height. i can ride a 55, but i'd have ~1/2" between my crotch and the tt. a little too close for comfort.

very true. but let it be known that merciers are sized c-t-c while a lot of bike companies are c-t-t which results in a huge difference in sizing.

haha its coool i love the responses

i was wondering if a 44cm would fit someone that's 4'8 so i can buy my little brother one too if i get into it

The hour and the Kilo have different geometry. The windsor has a shorter toptube for its size(which is preferable to me).

The reason the hubs on these bikes strip is cause they come with cheap stamped cogs that strip them. I've been running on the FW side with a soma cog for months, brakeless.

My experience with The Hour:
Stock seat was immediately replaced. should have replaced the cog immediately. Wheels are flimsy, constant trueing, broke 2 spokes so far. Aside from that it's been a dream, and i get tons of compliments on how good it looks.

Posted By: Sofa King Tiredi would give noob respect with a windsor or kilo rather than seeing someone learn on some glossy london/brooklynn/seattle langster that cost over $500.

because? because they bought a bike they liked/wanted?

okay, so you only spent $350 on your complete.
right away, replace the pedals/cages/straps ~$50
cog/lockring ~$30-40
brake/lever/cable (becasue you're a n00b) ~$40
(i would also say tires, b/c those kendas are junk $30-70)

so, you're $350 bike just turned into $480 realllllly quick.