Kinesis GTD V2 review

There’s no doubting the endurance ambitions of the new Kinesis GTD V2. A titanium frame should last a lifetime and Kinesis’ stunningly finished take on the material is designed for year-round use.

The butted, custom-specified tubeset is replete with fittings for mudguards, racks, a third bottle cage and internal cable routing, while the carbon fork is compatible with a bike dynamo, covering you for just about every eventuality.

The GTD’s fixtures are all welded in place rather than riveted, attention to detail usually only found on premium custom frames.

Its cable ports, which can be adapted to both mechanical or electronic drivetrains, are another nice touch.

Kinesis GTD V2 geometry

Kinesis’ Swiss Army knife approach to fixtures may make you think of the GTD as a touring bike, a luggage-bearing workhorse for the leisure rider. But it’s much more than that.

Its all-new geometry is sportier than ever, its 600mm stack and 403mm reach making it even sportier than Giant’s Defy.

The GTD feels like a classic road bike in the saddle. The liveliness of titanium delivers a ride that’s smooth but also taut and responsive on out-of-the-saddle sprints and when you’re powering up steep slopes.

The 71.5-degree head angle, which is slacker than a race bike’s, imbues the steering with the sort of stability you crave after a dusk-till-dawn epic avoiding potholes, which has left your legs heavy with fatigue.

The racy 73.5-degree seat angle puts you bang over the cranks, so the GTD is an efficient pedaller.

Kinesis GTD V2 ride impressions

My build meets the £4k budget with parts from Kinesis’ owners Upgrade’s stable, alongside Shimano Ultegra (as it’s custom-built, the choice is yours).

It has pretty aggressive 52/36 and 11-28 gearing and, though I didn’t find the range wanting, I’d have appreciated a 30-tooth sprocket on the final climbs of some of my longer test rides.

As a result of supply issues, the Ultegra hydraulic brakes came with a Dura-Ace Ice-Tech front rotor and a 140mm Tektro rear. These worked well together, with Tektro’s rotor only feeling a little ‘softer’ when braking on the limit.

Thomson’s alloy bar and stem are exceptional stuff, delivering a rock-solid feel and contributing to the GTD’s direct yet stable handling. Repente supplies the bar tape and saddle. Its tape is designed for maximum grip and shock absorption, and I found it impeccable in both wet and dry conditions.

The short Quasar saddle has a swoopy profile, and with its generous pressure-relieving channel and high-density padding I found it ideal for long days out.

My only niggle was the seatpost clamp. The aluminium post and titanium frame are both smooth, and the post started to slip if it wasn’t tightly clamped – which isn’t unusual, but the Kinesis clamp isn’t ideal.

The recess for the hex key head is shallow, so ball-end keys don’t fit tightly enough and you have to be careful you don’t chew the bolt head if you’re using a flat-ended key. I’ve replaced the clamp on my own Kinesis with Hope’s more robust design.

I had no such issues with the GTD’s Sector wheelset. The R26 alloy wheels have 26mm-deep tubeless-ready rims, they’re very well put-together and feel like a lively match to the bike.

They’re paired with luxury rubber in the form of Challenge’s Strada Bianca tubeless-compatible 30mm tan-walled tyres. Their supple ride adds to the GTD’s all-round smoothness, with their lightly textured tread gripping well in corners.

Kinesis GTD V2 bottom line

The Kinesis GTD is a rare example of a bike that is a master of all trades. It’s equally at home on fast group rides, solo tours, laden with luggage, commuting to work or on epic weekend excursions. It looks good too.

The brushed-titanium finish is flawless, and the frame even sports a proper titanium head badge.

A titanium road bike is often described as one to ride for life. Well, Kinesis’s GTD V2 is a bike that will broaden your cycling life.