InsideTri.com is ramping up the gear reviews. Check us out each Tuesday, as our tech guru tells you what products rock ... and which ones flop. Now, how 'bout that Kuota SRAM Mix and those Kuota "Dura-Ace Build Kits ...

KUOTA SRAM MIX, $1,400 parts only

Drivetrain: This kit comes with luxuries that very few price-reducer kits come with-bike jewelry. A sharp eye will notice the carbon derailleur pulley cage on the Force Rear Derailleur and the stunning all-carbon TT Shifters accented by anodized red bits. The SRAM TT Shifters and derailleurs execute crisper shifts than even a Dura-Ace drivetrain. Kuota saved big bucks by using its in-house crank rather than a SRAM brand crank. Fortunately, they have an excellent house-brand crank, so the biggest thing they are sacrificing is bike-snob status. The Rival chain and cassette complete the first rate drive train without sacrificing an ounce of performance.

Ergonomics: The Profile T2+ Clip-on aerobars are adjustable in all possible directions. Since triathlon bike fit requires a more individual position than road bike fit, the ability to move the bars in all directions is invaluable. The aggressive S-bend extensions turn the nose of the bike into a spear tip. However, only some riders want their bars to feel like a weapon. The Profile T2+ Clip-ons force the rider to ride with a contorted wrist, leaving many people with sore arms.

SRAM Brake levers

The shape of the Profile Design QS2 brake levers provides a mediocre grip while braking. The gap between the base bar and the lever is so narrow, the lever nearly contacts the bar on even a well adjusted bike.

Braking: Thankfully, Kuota did not ignore braking performance when building this bike. Rather than saving every possible dollar by spec'ing the cheapest brakes available, the SRAM Mix kit comes with SRAM Rival brakes. These brake calipers solidly grip the rim and predictably slow the bike. They inspire the feeling of full control over the bike.

The brake calipers are pulled by Profile Design QS2 brake levers. Although the shape of these levers prevents them from being a favorite of mine, their return spring improves brake feel by pulling the calipers off the rim.

Overall: The SRAM Mix kit is $400 less than the Force kit. The critical question is: How much performance are you sacrificing to save the cash? Although the Force kit comes with the brand-name crank, the Kuota CK03 crank is excellent. The bars and wheels are the same in both kits. The extra $400 buys you upgrades at the derailleurs, cassette, brakes and the crank. These changes all add up to a small performance improvement because both kits are spec'd with nothing but fully functional parts. Your money buys you a few grams and a little status, but that's about it. If I was going to pull the trigger on a new SRAM equipped Kuota, I would save the dough for race wheels. The SRAM Mix is a great compromise between price and performance.

RATING (out of 10)

Drivetrain: 8 - Good components and great shifters.

Ergonomics: 8 - Bar adjustability is the name of the game.

Braking: 7 - The Rival brakes are very nice, but the QS2 levers are mediocre.

KUOTA "DURA-ACE" BUILD KITS

Since most triathletes put a fancy frame at the top of their wish list when shopping for a new bike, many tri bike manufacturers mix and match different level components when spec'ing their bikes. For the most part, these manufacturers are honest when naming their kits. But Kuota has decided to take a lot of creative license with its group names.

The company's "Dura-Ace Mix" kit has Ultegra brakes, front derailleur, crank, cassette and chain. It sports a Dura-Ace rear derailleur and bar-end shifters. Although this is a worthy kit for any frame, a group set that is 70 percent Ultegra and 30 percent Dura-Ace is hardly a Dura-Ace kit-it is an Ultegra kit with a couple Dura-Ace accoutrements. Calling it a "Dura-Ace Mix" is misleading.

Kuota's "Dura-Ace/Ultegra" group takes naming freedom to a whole different level. Other than the bar-end shifters, every part is Ultegra. Here's the catch-Shimano only makes Dura-Ace bar-ends. There isn't even an Ultegra option. Associating this group with the Dura-Ace moniker is blatantly dishonest. Following Kuota's logic, every Shimano-equipped tri bike out there is a Dura-Ace mix, regardless of the components on the bike.

Kuota's "Dura-Ace+" kit is the only group set it provides that deserves to be called Dura-Ace. The "Dura-Ace Mix" and "Dura-Ace/Ultegra" kits are ULTEGRA build sets, don't be fooled by Kuota's creative naming. Bad form, Kuota.

Aaron Hersh is the Technical Liaison at Colorado Multisport in Boulder, Colorado. He has been competing in endurance sports for the last seven years. Hersh has a B.A. in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado, focusing on biomechanics.

**All photos courtesy Aaron Hersh

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