COREBike preview: Kinesis UK to launch Fernweh Ti frame

Visitors to next month's COREBike trade show will be among the first to lay eyes on a new titanium frame from Kinesis UK, as carried by Upgrade Bikes.

The all-new adventure frame has been years in development with Kinesis ambassador rider Emma Ossenton. The Fernweh will be available in bike shops in April, retailing at £2,400.

Product manager Paul Wilson from Upgrade and Kinesis shared with CI.N some of the detail in bringing the product to market in this short interview:

This one has been a long time coming – when did you start working on it?

This project started in 2019 – pre-Covid.

What is it for exactly?

The idea was to make the ultimate long distance off-road race/expedition bike.

What are the key features you wanted to include?

We wanted it to be tough and reliable, yet as comfortable, efficient, and lightweight as possible. If this was a car it would be a Paris–Dakar rally car. Titanium allows us to do that by using a flat yoke at the chain-stay/BB – we kept stiffness for efficiency but allowed vertical compliance [comfort] using the yoke as a leaf spring.

Who else has helped with this amazing frame project?

Emma Osenton was in on this project from the outset as a long-term collaborator and very experienced long-distance rider. In 2018 Emma rode the gruelling Grenzsteintrophy, along the old East–West German border patrol track, which helped define this project. Emma helped fine-tune the frame design to ensure good fit for the rider and as vital all the essential gear you need to take. She also came up with the name Fernweh – which is a German word meaning ‘a longing for far off places’ – the opposite of home sickness!

Spec sheet

In the trade and want to meet the Upgrade team? You can register for the COREBike show here.