Thinking outside the bike box – the K2 Bike T:Nine Alliance Team way

As one way of thanking our T:Nine Alliance Team for the passion, thought and time that they dedicate to improving our women’s bicycles, K2 Bike provides them with at least one new bicycle every year.

This year, we simply offered each team member their choice of any model from our 2006 K2 Bike catalog – T:Nine or not.  We asked them to choose a bike that would expand the riding experience for themselves and/or someone they care for.  As if we needed any more proof that our women are exceptional human beings in addition to being great cyclists, here are some of their stories.

• Ali Spain selected a new, top-of-the-line T:Nine Tempest.  However, she didn't replace either the Spire Road or T:Nine Ruby (with child seat) already in her garage, but gave the new bike to her favorite riding partner instead.  Now Teresa can share the fun of being part of the T:Nine Alliance with Ali on every ride they enjoy together.
• At 5’2” tall, Diane Faber represents the shortest member of our Alliance Team.  Therefore, we were shocked when she requested an Extra Large K2 Apache 6.0 full suspension mountain bike!  It turns out that her son’s mountain bike was stolen last year.  Since Diane already has K2 mountain, road and triathlon bikes of her own, she took the opportunity to not only remedy her son’s loss, but hook him up with the best men's mountain bike we make.  Moms rule!
• When we lent a testing sample of the new T:Nine Tempest to Heather Johnston, she wouldn’t give it back.  The improvements we made to our premier road bike for 2006 were so noticeable to her that she favorably compared it to her fully-custom, titanium Hampsten with Campagnolo Record components.  Heather was particularly impressed with the feather-weight American Classic wheels on her new Tempest, so she arranged with us to source another pair for a friend that was looking to shed some weight from her bike.  Our pleasure, Charlene.
• Courtney Coe still owns the basic Trek mountain bike that served as her introduction into the sport of cycling years ago.  Its lack of suspension, heavy weight and less-than-optimal unisex sizing have discouraged her from further exploring the local trails around Seattle and developing new off-road riding skills.  No more, as she will soon be enjoying a new T:Nine Summit, which will provide her with the efficiency of lighter weight, the comfort and control of dual suspension, and the women’s specific fit and function built into every T:Nine model.  Happy trails, Courtney!
• Last, but not least, what bike do you pick when you already own one of every imaginable type?  That’s the dilemma confronting Danielle Crandall, our resident racer and bike collector.  Due to racing team sponsorship obligations, she often needs to ride another brand of bike on weekends, although you’ll often find her logging weekday training miles in the greater Seattle area, riding her Spire Road.  While this story doesn’t yet have an ending, undoubtedly it will be a happy one, and we’ll update you about the details once she decides on her new ride.

Comments

[Courtney Coe]

Ahh - I'm excited about the Tempest! TK and team let me test one for the Chilly Hilly ride. It's a smooth and very lightweight bike. I really noticed an improvement in handling and over the 05 Spire. Also the lightweight frame was a super plus on the up-hills! I'm not sure if I was in really good shape or WHAT, but the Chilly Hilly hills were not that bad -- I'm sure it was the bike!! I plan to do a roadride in Moab in May - I'll probably take the Tempest for another spin if TK allows it! Have you checked out the latest April issue of Outside Magazine? The T:Nine ad is posted and out in shiny print!

[Craig]

So close...

Comfort is very important to my wife. But if the bike isn't the right color - forget it. She's now looking for a men's bike with appropriate geometry AND the right color.

Didn't the women you consulted tell you that color choice is almost as important as fit?

Hmm..

[Janet]

I'm a wife and a mother and I think my new red T-Nine Ruby is one nice bike! I'm 5'2" and the XSmall frame fits me perfectly. I tested many bikes that were all wrong, and as soon as I sat on this one I knew it was for me.
Now that I've looked all over your site, I'm wondering why I don't see it here? Is this an older model or a newer one? I see the breast cancer awareness pink ribbon low on the seat tube, what is the significance?

[vashon]

Janet,
We love the T:Nine Ruby around here, too. It's a current (2006) model year bike that we built exclusively for one of our largest retail partners - The Sports Authority.

Basically, if you take the 2006 T:Nine Tailwind model and apply the deep red-on-red colors from the 2006 T:Nine Whirlwind, you end up with a 2006 T:Nine Ruby.

To answer your other question, K2 donates over $100,000.00 a year to the Breast Cancer Research Fund on behalf of all of their women's products in the skiing, snowboarding, skating and cycling lines. That's where the pink ribbon on your bike comes from.

Enjoy riding your new bike!
T.K. Malone
K2 Bike

[vashon]

Craig,

Color is such a personal preference that we can't satisfy every woman's tastes every time.

Certainly, our Alliance Team is very involved and opinionated when it comes to selecting the colors and graphics for our T:Nine bikes.

They agree with you and your wife that women deserve more choices for bicycle colors - not just one color per model.

By shifting this year's most popular T:Nine colors to other models next year and offering color choices on the best selling models for 2007, we hope to provide bikes that combine appropriate fit, performance and looks that please more women than ever before.

Thanks for your feedback,
T.K. Malone
K2 Bike

[Scott]

Does anyone know of a child seat that will fit on the Ruby? I noticed on the front page that Ali Spain had one in her garage (with child seat).

Thanks

[vashon]

Scott,

Thanks for taking the time to write about the T:Nine Ruby. Sorry about my late reply, as it has been a crazy busy time in the life of K2 Bike.

Ali’s T:Nine Ruby uses a Topeak Baby Seat, but her bike may be a different design than the one you are familiar with. Her 2005 T:Nine Ruby (silver/purple) was a traditional comfort mountain bike with a high, centered seating position.

The 2006 T:Nine Ruby (red-on-red two-tone) is a more relaxed, luxury comfort bike built using our new Dream Ride Design philosophy. This positions the rider much closer to the ground and further back on the bike for added stability, comfort and convenience in getting on and off.

A bike shop with experience in adapting “one size fits most” child seats to bikes that pose challenges like this one may be able to help, if you already own one of these bikes. If not, our T:Nine Breeze model is more suited to carrying a rear rack or child seat than the current T:Nine Ruby or similar T:Nine Tailwind models.

Best Regards,
T.K.