KindHuman has been putting their bikes on the map the last couple of years and announced they are putting together a Continental Pro Team for the 2017 season led by seasoned pro Adam Myerson. We knew it wouldn’t be long before they started stacking the roster with talent, and due to the little teaser they gave us at Cross Nats, we are less than surprised that they also have a new road bike in the pipeline.
Check out why nabbing Starla Teddergreen was a key move for KindHuman, and the details on their new versatile Kampionne aero-road bike…
KindHuman’s procedure of putting partnerships over sponsorships is a unique approach that they hope creates a more in-depth relationship between rider and company. KindHuman’s new shining star… well, Starla is pretty excited to be named the first pro chosen to fly the KindHuman colors. With a proven record and most recently racing for Team Vanderkitten & Fearless Femme, Teddergreen will be roosting dirt in cross and mountain bike races in 2017. Though representing Kindhuman on the bike, Starla also has some pretty deep talent in graphic design. She will get to showcase her talents as a graphic designer with some limited edition “Starla Designs” projects that combine Starla’s creative expertise with KindHuman’s high-performance products. Even more fitting is that one of the companies she has helped to re-brand is Play Hard Give Back. Similar to KindHuman’s motivation to give back, they use the influence of athletes to help those in need.
Starla had this to say:
“Being able to inspire and encourage others to live healthy, active lives and to fuel someone’s passion for cycling is what inspires me to keep going and building a strong, positive cycling community. I am honored to be part of the KindHuman family, to share my story on and off the bike, with hopes to inspire others”.
“I am really looking forward to the design collaboration opportunities ahead! It’s going to be an awesome experience, and for the first time, fans will have access to not only the bikes I ride but bikes I design with the KindHuman team!”
The Kampionne road bike has been KindHuman’s best selling model so when you go to do a redesign, you don’t take it lightly. The ultimate goal is to make it go faster, but rather than just take a bunch of lab results, they wanted to apply as many “real-world” benefits to the bike to give it more realistic capabilities.
Working with manufacturers, composite specialists and Formula One engineers, KindHuman’s new Kampionne was designed with a Kamm-foil downtube that tapers from an abbreviated airfoil shape to a wider Kamm-tail contour to provide more torsional stiffness under load. With speed in mind, a razor thin chainstay was considered, but the frame’s compliance under harsh road conditions was a concern so bullet seatstays were chosen to improve ride quality with a minimal effect on aerodynamics. The Kampionne’s wide bracing fork should add to the bike’s handling while providing better aero-ness.
Constructed using Torayca T800 and T700 carbon fiber, the Kampionne is a five-piece monocoque assembly using a balanced tubeset to improve ride quality and an asymmetric rear end for increased stiffness. The frame come in at 950g and has clearance for most 28mm tires.
The Kampionne’s headtube is designed be better fitted to riders with a spacer system that gives you negative rise of sorts. The frame will work with any cable or electronic shifting systems.
FEATURES
• Unidirectional, Torayca T800 ultra-high modulus and T700 high modulus carbon fiber, monocoque assembly
• KammFoil aero tube shapes for increased aerodynamics
• Wide Bracing Fork design increases handling precision while simultaneously increasing aerodynamics
• Bullet Stay seat stays increase vertical compliance while improving aerodynamics
• Asymetrical rear design for efficient power transfer and ride quality
• AeroFit integrated head tube design offers three stock head tube shapes to fit a wide range of fits
• Tapered head-tube features 1.5” bottom bearing for handling precision
• Internally routed for Di2, EPS or mechanical shift and brake cables
• Race-oriented and time-proven sloping geometry
• BB86 bottom bracket
• Fits most brand’s 28c tire size
• 950-grams