MtnBikeRiders.com

MtnBikeRiders.com first heard about the KHS SixFifty 606 just before Interbike 2009. Excited with the 650b concept, I couldn’t wait to see it in person in Las Vegas. To date, there are only a few manufacturers entertaining this wheel size as part of their line-up. The 650b (27.5”) is the third option in mountain bike tire size. It falls in between the established 26” and the revolutionary 29er (29”). The 27.5” tire is fairly new in the current MTB arena however the tire size itself has been around for many years. The 650b is designed to roll faster than a 26” bike, yet is lighter than a 29er and will fit smaller riders.

BIKE SPECS:
Frame
650B” Full Alloy, Hydroformed Tubing, Gussetted Headtube
Fork X-Fusion Velvet, 650B
Headset Cane Creek A-Headset 1-1/8″
Rims Weinmann XM280 Disc Specific, Doublewall, Black, 650B
Hubs Alloy 6-Bolt Disc, QR, Cassette
Tires Kenda Nevegal Folding Kevlar, 650B x 2.1
Spokes 15G FT/14G RR Black Stainless, 32°
Front Derailleur Shimano Deore
Rear Derailleur Shimano SLX
Shifters Shimano Deore Pods w/Optical Gear Display
Chain KMC Z9000 w/Master Link
Crankset Truvativ Fire 44/32/22
Bottom Bracket Truvativ GXP outboard cartridge bearing
Cassette SRAM PG950 11-34, 9 Speed
Pedals Wellgo Alloy Platform
Seatpost Alloy micro-adjust
Saddle WTB Siverado
Handlebar FSA XC300 31.8, Alloy
Stem FSA OS190 31.8, 3D Forged
Grips PowerTools Dual Density
Brake Levers Hayes Stroker Ryde
Brakes Hayes Stroker Ryde, 6″ rotors
Color Gloss Red w/White Panels
SIZES: S, M, L, XL
MSRP: $1199

ABOUT ME:
5’10” 195lbs, 40 year old male, mountain biking enthusiast.

TESTING GROUNDS:
SoCal’s finest: Aliso Woods, Whiting Ranch, Fullerton Loop, Santiago Oaks, Turnbull Canyon and Santa Ana Mtns. (Coal Canyon & Skyline).

THE BIKE:
The KHS SixFifty 606 was ready to ride from the day it was picked up from the KHS office. Already pre-assembled, there were only minor adjustments and changes that I had to make. First were the pedals. The SixFifty 606 came with the generic plastic flat pedals. To give it a thorough testing, I installed one of my Crank Bros Candy pedals. I then made an adjustment with the handlebar position pushing forward by a few degrees. With its initial set-up from the factory, I felt cramped the way it was laid back. Last were the throw on the brake levers of the Hayes Stroker Ryde. These seemed to be installed right “out-the-box” where they were too far for my index finger to reach. From here I was ready to go! Later on I installed Ergon GC2 grips with integrated bar-ends.

AESTHETICS:
The KHS SixFifty 606is truly a good looking bike. The top tube is a unique hydro-formed shape that resembles a hexagon shape. It’s a solid hardtail frame. I love the color scheme of red, black and white. Looks very sharp and FAST!!!

COMPONENTS:
The components paired up with the KHS SixFifty 606 would be considered mid-level. Far from the top of the line, however the performance was exceptional. First is the Hayes Stroker Ryde. Like its predecessors, it provided excellent stopping power. At high speeds I was able to control the corners on a fireroad descent with light dabs on the lever. The Shimano Deore shifters and the SLX rear derailleur performed really well. The shifting was precise and crisp. (during a race I had minor issues with shifting; it was later resolved with adjustments).

The X-Fusion Velvet is a very good fork. For a 100mm of travel it performed really well through the trails I frequent. Although geared for XC, I did take it on a few runs down technical/rocky sections such a Rock-it in Aliso and portions of the Troy Lee trail in Corona. Short of additional travel, it handled the well.

Rounding it off with Kenda Nevegals. All of my bikes are equipped with the Nevegals, so off the bat I’m already partial to it. Needless to say, it performed well to my standards.

PERFORMANCE:
Climbing: Ascents on the 650b, whether it was on a long grinding fireroad or technical switchbacks, the semi-big wheel motored up without any issues. You are centered in the best position to make a quick fore-to-aft shifts in upper body weight that make a difference in handling. I always felt balanced on the SixFifty 606. When I was crawling up tight switchbacks the 650b felt like a 26” bike. On sandy sections where I had struggled on my 26” bike, the semi-big tires motored through it. Finally, climbing on and off the saddle felt great… off course it’s a hardtail.

Descending: Through the various trails that I rode the SixFifty 606, there were never any descents where I was uncomfortable on. The bike felt great and rolled exceptionally well over rocks. Off course I didn’t ride it on a six inch (or more) required gnar-gnar trail… after all, it is a XC bike. But for the likes of Chutes (Santiago Oaks), Rock-it (Aliso Woods) and portions of the Troy Lee Trail, the SixFifty handled really well. The 90mm stem placed me in a better position than the traditional 110-120mm XC stems.

Cornering: The SixFifty 606 was very nimble. It felt light and responded quickly to my steering.

I had the opportunity to race the SixFifty 606 at the Mt. SAC Fat Tire Festival. The course laid out dry, sandy un-groomed trails as well as hard-packed dirt. The bike plowed throughout the course. Then somewhere in the middle of the race I started experiencing “ghost” shifting which hindered acceleration on certain areas. Never the less, I finished the race however did not place.

At the same race but in the Pro category, a better testimonial came from a Charles Jenkins, Professional Racer who won on the KHS SixFifty 606. See video below:

WEAKNESS:
I found no weakness with the SixFifty 606’s performance. Other than the mis-shifting that I had encountered during a race the bike has performed exceptionally well on the trails. The gears shifted on queue, the fork was plush and reacted well to the trail.

One thing that it can benefit from is a diet. At 29lbs, for a hardtail there are plenty of areas where lighter components can be used. Short of wheel selection for the 650b size, the rest are standard in the market. However with an MSRP of $1199.00, it’s spec’d appropriately with the components listed above.

SUMMARY: The Good just got Better…
Since taking possession of the KHS SixFifty 606, I have logged approx 300 miles on it. Riding the 650b I did notice a faster rolling bike. In the beginning I wasn’t quite convinced, however I rode it frequent enough were I eventually felt the difference. It has many characteristics of the 26” yet the benefits of the big wheeled 29er. I would often switch between my 26” bikes and the 650b throughout the week and on the same trail. The SixFifty is so enjoyable to ride, that I would have smiles for miles on the trail. I wouldn’t mind having a 650b in my stable however I’ll have to rid some of my 26” bikes first

For more information on the KHS SixFifty 606 visit www.khsbicycles.com.

FTC Disclaimer

Popularity: 10% [?]

I struggled for a couple days to write the review of the KHS Lucky 7.  I kept transitioning from reviewing the bike to telling stories about the bike.  Finally, I’ve decided that’s exactly what I’m going to do.  What follows, is the story of my time aboard this bike.  The trips, the rides and the races that the KHS Lucky 7 carried me through.  Watch for the review in the upcoming weeks.

The Lucky 7 has been my go to gravity bike this year. Team sponsor KHS cycles has been nice enough to grant me extended time with this demo bike, on the condition it is raced and that I share the results.

Though designed for free-ride use, the Lucky 7 is the go to bike for the KHS race team at smaller DH race courses. However a thorough resume is not a prerequisite for hopping aboard the Lucky 7 and getting the most out of the experience.  I was a casual mountain biker, I owned one trail bike and rode two or three times a month.  I had other hobbies and interests that split my time.  From 2006 till November 2008, that was my riding experience.  That’s when I met RL through this very blog and eventually the rest of the Mtnbikeriders team.  Which led me into single-speeding, then XC racing and eventually DH racing.  So as I, a true newbie to downhill, I began my time with the Lucky 7.  The first race [Southridge Winter Series, 2/22/2009, 13th out of 14] was a disaster!  I did manage to get the durability testing out of the way immediately, though!

The next race [Southridge Winter Series Finals, 3/22/2009, 10th out of 20] was a lot better!  With no dirt naps in-store for me.  I began to see the capabilities in the bike and the potential I had to become competitive [in Beginner Men 27-34].   Unfortunately, I would be without the Lucky 7 after this point until a shuttle session at Telonics a couple weeks before the 3rd race of the Golden State series in Fontana on 07/12/2009.

In Telonics I got to ride some real DH terrain on the Lucky 7 and it was amazing!  It’s just a forgiving bike that soaks up the small and big hits.   We had a ton of fun and burned through a set of brake pads in the process!  Now onto the race, with a two run format and no “wall” to pedal, this is the closest to a true DH race located in So-Cal nowadays.   With a fresh new attitude on DH riding and fresh legs (normally I race XC the day before the DH race), I was able to put together “the run of my life” I recall telling Tony at the bottom.  What a rush!  To have a clean DH run, one where I honestly felt I rode as fast as I possibly could, clean without any mistakes, I get excited thinking about it!  The result was a 3rd place and my first DH podium.

Next up was Mammoth mountain, now this is a true DH race.  On a mountain with loose pumice, a nasty rock section, a wall ride and a finish through the 4x track.  Mammoth lived up to its name, with a fast race run coming in 4 minutes, the track was over a minute longer than any Fontana run.   The Lucky 7 was beautiful here, through the steep sections, over the jumps and pedaling the straights.  We were a team, and we were determined to make it to the podium.  Well, we did better than podium, we won!

So, now here we are near the year end.  The 18th annual Southridge classic has just concluded (though I’m gonna make you wait for that story).  Be sure to check out the upcoming Lucky 7 review and review the 1st impression here.  It’s funny, we’re so used to reviews coming from expert and pro riders.  It’s true that they can push a bike to it’s limits, but couldn’t they ride almost any bike down the Mountain?  Wouldn’t a bike we (mountain bike enthusiast) consider stable and comforting seem slow and unresponsive to them? Anyways, if you don’t want to read a review from a Beginner DH racer, don’t worry.  I’m moving up to sport the first race next year.  I’ve got to say thanks one more time by the way to KHS Bicycles and their our Lucky 7.  Don’t forget to check out the KHS SixFifty 606 too.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Last week MtnBikeRiders.com  took possession of the spankin’ brand new KHS SixFifty 606.  We have been featuring this bike prior to Interbike 2009.  For those that are not familiar with this bike, it sports the 650B tire size, a *new size that places itself in between the established 26” and the revolutionary 29er. (*new in the current MTB world; but the 650B has been around for quite some time.)

SixFifty 606 at the top of Mini Moab

I had my first ride on the SixFifty 606 this past Thursday.  I picked up the bike from David “Sho-Gun” Sanderson.  The bike is absolutely beautiful… much better looking than I had remembered it from Interbike 09. I guess with the thousands of bikes I saw at the show, I had forgotten the finer details of the SixFifty 606… for one the hydro-formed top tube with a unique shape… see below.

The ride on Thursday wasn’t what I had planned for the first ride of this bike.  For one, it was a night ride; secondly with rain from the previous day, some sections of the Loop were too muddy which diverted from the normal route; the Loop typically holds up well after rain.  All in all there were too many distractions for my first ride on the SixFifty 606.

This Sunday, I took the SixFifty 606 up to one of my local training grounds – Coal Canyon.  I started the ride from my house in Corona and rode all the way to the top, which is commonly called Mini-Moab.   I was joined by my friend Val.  On the way up, we traversed through mainly fireroad and on occasion sandy sections.  From time to time there were corners with small baby heads.   The climbed to the top went exceptionally well.  The hardtailed SixFifty 606 climbed like a billy goat.  Crossing the sandy sections with the semi big tires, the bike motored through it where I had struggled through in the past with my 26” bikes.  

Reaching the top at 2300ft, we took a short break at Mini-Moab.  The long ride down Coal Canyon is always a treat as we’ll hit sections at 40+ mph (per Garmin 305).  The SixFifty 606 felt natural on the descent.  It was nimble and handled great on the steep sections.  Coming through the corners with baby heads, on the few that I couldn’t avoid, the SixFifty 606 rolled over them with control.   On some of the wider turns, I tried taking a sharper turn through them however I had a difficult time.  No biggie, this was my first real ride on the SixFifty 606.  As soon as I get acclimated to the bike the handling will be much better.   

Notes from the first two rides:  climbed great – on & off the saddle; nimble for a semi big tire, descended well.   I also felt taller, but obviously I have bigger tires.

I’ll be riding this bike through various trails in OC as well as a few races.  Stay tuned as I put miles on the SixFifty 606 and provide an in-depth feedback. 

About me: I’m 5-10″, 190+ lbs, 40yrd old mountain biking enthusiast.

                       X-Fusion Velvet 650B

27.5 x2.10 Kenda Nevegals

Both Kenda Nevegals, 2.10″ tires. 26″ (L) & 650B (R)

Below are the specs:

Frame
650B” Full Alloy, Hydroformed Tubing, Gussetted Headtube
Fork X-Fusion Velvet, 650B
Headset Cane Creek A-Headset 1-1/8″
Rims Weinmann XM280 Disc Specific, Doublewall, Black, 650B
Hubs Alloy 6-Bolt Disc, QR, Cassette
Tires Kenda Nevegal Folding Kevlar, 650B x 2.1
Spokes 15G FT/14G RR Black Stainless, 32°
Front Derailleur Shimano Deore
Rear Derailleur Shimano SLX
Shifters Shimano Deore Pods w/Optical Gear Display
Chain KMC Z9000 w/Master Link
Crankset Truvativ Fire 44/32/22
Bottom Bracket Truvativ GXP outboard cartridge bearing
Cassette SRAM PG950 11-34, 9 Speed
Pedals Wellgo Alloy Platform
Seatpost Alloy micro-adjust
Saddle WTB Siverado
Handlebar FSA XC300 31.8, Alloy
Stem FSA OS190 31.8, 3D Forged
Grips PowerTools Dual Density
Brake Levers Hayes Stroker Ryde
Brakes Hayes Stroker Ryde, 6″ rotors
Color Gloss Red w/White Panels
MSRP: $1199 • COLORS: Gloss Red w/Whie Panels• SIZES: S, M, L, XL

Popularity: 8% [?]

At Interbike 2009, one thing definite that I noticed was the abundance of carbon frames. As I walked the convention, speaking to different manufacturers (big or small companies) it seemed that they all had at least one carbon frame – road or mountain. The monocoque frames were just beautiful to look at!

Below are just some of the bikes we saw the last three days:

                            KHS XCT Carbon, w/tapered headtube
SASO MB1

LOOK

LaPierre ProRace 900

Rocky Mtn/Maxxis Team Edition

CarboTec

Morpheus Oracle-4X

Titus

Ellsworth Enlightenment

BOO Bamboo Bicycles, carbon-bamboo

Ellsworth…

In addition to the frames, there were ample of carbon components to compliment them.   Below are just a few that caught my eye.

RaceFace Carbon Next cranks

Carbon Wheelset from Sun Ringle

 

Popularity: 5% [?]

First Impression by David “Mini-Mal” Sanderson.

 

The world famous Moe has been tasked with the envious duty of performing in-depth reviews on the KHS DH200 downhill and Lucky 7 freeride bikes.  Due to the technical difficulties associated with attempting to ride two bikes at once, I did Moe a favor and spent some time aboard whichever bike he wasn’t on, spending most of the time aboard the Lucky 7.

 

 

The Lucky 7 is a value in the freeride bike marketplace, spec’d with a full complement of capable durable components from Truvativ, WTB, Sram, Hayes and FSA and highlighted with a Fox Van R rear coil shock providing 7.3” of travel along with a Marzocchi 66RCV fork giving 180mm up front.  I’m also impressed to see Hussefelt cranks, stem and bars by Truvativ on here.  Full part specs are provided at the end of this article.

 

                          Marzocchi 66RCV

Truvativ Hussefelt cranks 

Our testing grounds were the Southridge DH course located in Fontana CA.  The course features a couple small rock gardens, several banked and flat turns along with a couple of long pedaling sections.  It is by no means a future World Cup stop but Donny Jackson and the crew at Southridge Racing Co have done well with what the terrain has provided them.  A small note also, several members of the KHS Downhill team reach for the Lucky 7 at this particular venue.

 

Practice at Southridge.

 

The Lucky 7 is by no means a bike I would chose for an all day climbing epic, but with its dual ring drivetrain and horst link suspension and long seat tube adjustment range, you just might find yourself skipping the shuttle line (when its long anyways).  You can’t stand up and hammer the pedals efficiently, but if you stay seated and spin you’ll make acceptable progress up hill.

 

Pointed downhill the Lucky 7 hits its stride, the plush travel absorbing bumps, rocks and ruts smoothly while the slack head angle keeps things stable and is definitely confidence inspiring at speed and allowed me to push harder and faster downhill than I ever could on a trail bike. 

 

               Downhill Winter Series

Frame New Design AL6061, 4-bar Horst bearing linkage, 7.3″ travel

Rear Shock FOX Van R, rebound adjust

Fork Marzocchi 66RCV, 180mm, rebound & compression adjust

Headset FSA Pig, 1-1/8″ Threadless

Rims WTB Speed Disc XL, Double wall

Front Hub: Formula Disc, Sealed Bearings, 20mm through axle

Rear Hub: Cassette 12mm x 150mm

Tires WTB Prowler MX 26×2.5, Kevlar bead, 60TPI

Spokes 14G black, 32°

Front Derailleur Shimano SLX

Rear Derailleur Sram X-7

Shifters SRAM X-7 Trigger

Chain KMC Z9000 w/Missing Link

Crankset Truvativ Hussefelt w/guard, 36/24t, 175mm

Bottom Bracket Truvativ Howitzer outboard bearing splined

Cassette SRAM PG950, 11-34 9-Speeds

Pedals Alloy platform w/crmo axles & replaceable pins

Seatpost Truvativ XR

Saddle WTB Pure V Comp

Handlebar Truvativ Hussefelt, 31.8

Stem Truvativ Hussefelt, 50mm

Grips WTB WeirWolf dual density

Brake Levers Hayes Stroker Trail

Brakes Hayes Stroker Trail, 8″ rotors

Color Gloss White

Frame Size S, M, L

 

Popularity: 14% [?]