Kirk Revolution

[danson67]

Back to Kirk...

If you want a road Kirk, just change the wheels...All the early Kirk frames were the same size, and both the touring and race versions of the road bike used the same frame as the MTB. They just fitted a road fork and no canti bosses. After all, that's the same (possibly apocryphal) evolution of the Trek sloping carbon roadbikes by Mike Burrows from early OCLV MTB frames. By 1989, Kirk had expanded to 21" and 22.5" sizes, but IMHO it was always more of a 'trekking' bike than a mountainbike, despite the Dawes Genesis re-incarnation.

BITD I steered well clear of them too. I generally avoid anything that's revolutionary, and has won design awards. However, like Drystone Paul, I'd still be interested in trying out such a short-lived cul de sac in frame design from a Dagenham car parts designer

For a good, and honest, history: http://www.kirk-bicycles.co.uk/Kirk-History.htm

FYI Prague is Czech Republic, not Poland. Assuming that wasn't just another poorly judged joke, if you really must insult people, at least do it from a position of knowledge...You don't seem to have picked up much Politics, Geography or History from your au pairs. :roll:

All the best,

 

[captaincosmic]

and so it is, oops so is the kirk crap then ?
been to Prague as well oops lovely architecture and had a ride around the city in I think an old skoda mmm let me think ...you brew lovely beer I think ?
go on then kick me

 

[danson67]

You're quite right...the Kirk is crap, but it's our crap, plucky British Bluestreak, Black Knight, Dunkirk, Dan Dare, White Heat of Industry crap (see also BMC cars, Bond Bugs, the Ariel3 motor trike and Basildon), so I'd still quite like one...

Even the people who love them and keep their memory alive, like Simon at Kirk-bicycles.co.uk, are pretty ambivalent. It took only 3 years to go from being the bright new future to something derided and distinctly tarnished. You've go to love them for that alone. Often a brand's reputation is wholly undeserved, but in this case...

Have a look at the (s)crap pile outside the factory from Simon's site...

and the porosity of the casting where he sectioned one:

http://www.kirk-bicycles.co.uk/Kirk-Internals.htm

Neither build much confidence in the product...

All the best,

 

[lewis1641]

that scrap pile is shocking!

 

[captaincosmic]

When you put it like that its sad and a great shame at the time though I thought the marketing was rubbish like an outsider cashing in on the scene and making `victims `of those who bought into the idea I remember people buying things like Boss bikes Kirks and thinking they had something special and it just made me feel awkward for them

 

[Racin'snake]

Captaincosmic.....you speak sense....nothing but sense. They were SH*T when they were new and they're even SH*TTER now.....period. I know as I was unfortunate enough to ride(loosest sense) one.

 

[captaincosmic]

Racin`

just a shame that in mentioning it I have inadvertently become a bigotted racist
oh and it seems I do not have a very good grasp of Geography

just call me Alf Garnet

 

[johnnypie13]

kirk

i too was intrigued by a Kirk till i tried picking one up then it was a case of no way and i jumped back on my Aluminium Alpinestar LOL

as for retro bikes and who buys them it doesn't matter if its Aluminium(strangely what they make planes out of and fly for 40 to 50 years :shock, magnesium or monkey metal as so well put earlier (burns with real pretty colours if i remember chemistry right ) or titanium (or purest unobtainium as it is known to most :cry: ) or even steel (the true home of Rust ) they all break sometimes mostly because of the way they are used and in some cases how they are built

but that's what makes them collectible if they didn't break we would have mountains of them lying about and they would cost peanuts and retrobike wouldn't be the place it is

 

[CAPIN]

Racin`

just a shame that in mentioning it I have inadvertently become a bigotted racist
oh and it seems I do not have a very good grasp of Geography

just call me Alf Garnet

It ok Captaincosmic
At certain point i started feeling for you. Your apology reminded me couple scenes from Extras where more you said.. deeper hole you digged
Kirk ultimately does suck, there was some flawed design thinking from the beginning, but visually its very cool and different, so i can understand if somebody wants to have it..
My friends are into fixies and retro road bikes, and have a blog about design, so they want to have it. maybe just on the wall..

 

[johnnypie13]

kirk

i think from the postings that i can ascertain that owning a Kirk as a piece of wall art which then in itself represents a golden era of frame design using the trial and error method is OK

but to think of riding it is lunacy