Kilo WT - First Impressions

Searching for something with less aggressive geometry and the ability to fit wider tires, I came across the Kilo WT. For five hundred US dollars it seemed decent for the price. Other bikes I looked at were the Fantom Cross Uno, All-City Nature Boy, Surly Cross Check, and Surly Steamroller. My requirements were: singlespeed, ability to fit large tires, mounts for racks and fenders, and a steel frame. I ended up going with the Kilo WT because I was familiar with the Kilo TT, it was what I was looking for, and a complete bike was only a hundred more than the frame set for a Surly or All City.

I plan on keeping it stock for a while. I bought this bike to be my commuter to school (a twenty mile round trip) and to take out on the dirt mountain bike trails on the weekend. I live in Savannah, Georgia so there are no rocks, just roots and stumps. The frame is great, I can vouch for the Kilo frames after bending back and then putting a couple hundred miles on my friend's Kilo TT. The wheel set also seems good; I've read good reviews of the Alex rims (a popular budget option), and the cartridge bearing formula hubs have a good reputation for what they are. The bottom bracket is sealed, and the Sugino crankset seems pretty nice. Areas at fault are the pedals, the headset, and tires, but these are all easily and fairly cheaply replaced when the time comes.

The Kilo WT is completely ride able out of the box with no upgrades. Underneath padded bike shorts the seat can barely be felt, and the pedals, while very rough, can be turned. For five hundred dollars, if you're looking at your first single speed/fixed gear, I would definitely recommend it. The bike can ride dirt, smash city streets, and cruise country roads. The only upgrade I've made so far is the addition of a Delta rack for panniers.  I've put a little over two hundred miles on it so far and plan on making it to 1000 before I switch out any of the stock parts. I'll be sure to post a follow up review in the coming months.