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| Kettler Nena - Blue |
KETTLER is a German manufacturer of aluminum exercise items and furniture, including patio furniture, table tennis tables, kids toys, exercise machines, and bicycles. This bike, the Kettler Nena, is a good example of their line, and is currently on sale for only $760 with shipping, in the "Blue Nova" trim. (Regular price is $960)
Like all of the KETTLER bikes, the frame is aluminum, made in Germany(!), and the bike is designed for city use, with an upright seating position, a sturdy rear rack integrated with the frame, a 7-speed internal gear hub with coaster brake (in addition to front and rear v-brakes), front hub dynamo powering front and rear LED lights, and fenders, chainguard and kickstand.
Although integrating the rear rack with the frame can cause problems, this one looks right, and should work for most panniers as well as truck bags and cargo on top of the rack. The front suspension fork and suspension seatpost are probably unnecessary with the wide tires, but the extra weight can be forgiven.
Another interesting feature is the KBS "Kettler braking system", which allows a hand-operated rear v-brake to be used with a rear back-pedal brake. There is only one hand brake, on the right-hand side, which operates both front and rear rim brakes. According to Kettler, "KBS prevents the rear wheel from locking when the back-pedal and rear-wheel rim brake are activated at the same time. The brake force is transmitted unevenly to both rim brakes. This prevents the second rim brake from taking full effect".
While there are only a few retail stores selling these bikes in North America, several of the models are available directly from the manufacturer's website, or from online sellers such as Commuter Bike Store. Surprisingly, these aluminum alloy frames are made in Germany, and it appears the whole bike as also assembled there before being shipped to the warehouse in Virgina Beach. Bikes arrive partially assembled in a box; they claim all that is needed is to "turn and tighten down the handlebars, attach the pedals, adjust the seat and make sure there is enough air in the tires and you are ready to go", but we would recommend taking the box to a local bike shop for safe final assembly and a tune-up before riding.
Like all of the KETTLER bikes, the frame is aluminum, made in Germany(!), and the bike is designed for city use, with an upright seating position, a sturdy rear rack integrated with the frame, a 7-speed internal gear hub with coaster brake (in addition to front and rear v-brakes), front hub dynamo powering front and rear LED lights, and fenders, chainguard and kickstand.
Although integrating the rear rack with the frame can cause problems, this one looks right, and should work for most panniers as well as truck bags and cargo on top of the rack. The front suspension fork and suspension seatpost are probably unnecessary with the wide tires, but the extra weight can be forgiven.
Another interesting feature is the KBS "Kettler braking system", which allows a hand-operated rear v-brake to be used with a rear back-pedal brake. There is only one hand brake, on the right-hand side, which operates both front and rear rim brakes. According to Kettler, "KBS prevents the rear wheel from locking when the back-pedal and rear-wheel rim brake are activated at the same time. The brake force is transmitted unevenly to both rim brakes. This prevents the second rim brake from taking full effect".
While there are only a few retail stores selling these bikes in North America, several of the models are available directly from the manufacturer's website, or from online sellers such as Commuter Bike Store. Surprisingly, these aluminum alloy frames are made in Germany, and it appears the whole bike as also assembled there before being shipped to the warehouse in Virgina Beach. Bikes arrive partially assembled in a box; they claim all that is needed is to "turn and tighten down the handlebars, attach the pedals, adjust the seat and make sure there is enough air in the tires and you are ready to go", but we would recommend taking the box to a local bike shop for safe final assembly and a tune-up before riding.
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| Kettler Nena Black - 2010 |
Specifications:
Price: $960 shipped (Blue on sale for $760)
Frame: Aluminum 7005-K1 frame 47cm Step Through
Fork: Suntour CR 8V adjustable suspension fork
Shifter: Shimano Nexus twist shifter
Rear Hub: Shimano 7-speed Nexus internal gear hub with coaster brake
Front Hub: Shimano DH-3N20 dynamo front hub
Crankset: Kettler Alloy 3-piece
Rims: 28" Alloy Rodi Hypno rims with 2mm Stainless steel spokes
Tires: 28"Continental City Ride Tires [About 37 to 47 mm wide]
Saddle: Selle Royal Rio saddle [Foam padded plastic]
Seat Post: Kettler ALU RAD patented aluminum suspension seat post
Handlebars: Kettler Moon Cruiser handlebars [Alloy]
Stem: Aluminum adjustable stem [threaded]
Headset: Aluminum 1 1/8 semi-integrated headset
Brakes: Front and rear Kettler V-brakes with KBS braking system, plus rear coaster brake
Pedals: Non-slip Kettler aluminum City pedals
Kickstand: Single, center-mount
Rack: Integrated alloy rear rack [Welded to frame, painted]
Fenders: SKS thermoplastic fenders, with mud flaps
Chainguard: Resin, full-coverage
Lights: Front Basta Sprint LED headlight, Basta Riff tail light with standlight (capacitor)
Colors: Blue [on sale], Black, (Yellow, Green, Red - in Europe?)
Size: 47 cm only
Frame: Aluminum 7005-K1 frame 47cm Step Through
Fork: Suntour CR 8V adjustable suspension fork
Shifter: Shimano Nexus twist shifter
Rear Hub: Shimano 7-speed Nexus internal gear hub with coaster brake
Front Hub: Shimano DH-3N20 dynamo front hub
Crankset: Kettler Alloy 3-piece
Rims: 28" Alloy Rodi Hypno rims with 2mm Stainless steel spokes
Tires: 28"Continental City Ride Tires [About 37 to 47 mm wide]
Saddle: Selle Royal Rio saddle [Foam padded plastic]
Seat Post: Kettler ALU RAD patented aluminum suspension seat post
Handlebars: Kettler Moon Cruiser handlebars [Alloy]
Stem: Aluminum adjustable stem [threaded]
Headset: Aluminum 1 1/8 semi-integrated headset
Brakes: Front and rear Kettler V-brakes with KBS braking system, plus rear coaster brake
Pedals: Non-slip Kettler aluminum City pedals
Kickstand: Single, center-mount
Rack: Integrated alloy rear rack [Welded to frame, painted]
Fenders: SKS thermoplastic fenders, with mud flaps
Chainguard: Resin, full-coverage
Lights: Front Basta Sprint LED headlight, Basta Riff tail light with standlight (capacitor)
Colors: Blue [on sale], Black, (Yellow, Green, Red - in Europe?)
Size: 47 cm only
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| Kettler Nena - Sun |
Frame Geometry
Here is the English translation from Google, which is somewhat intelligible.
If anyone knows of other reviews, or had ridden this bike, please leave a comment.
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| Kettler City Cruiser 8 - Black |
15 comments:
Re the German translation:
Well, there ya have it, kids. Don't try to screw yourself unless you can get in the position. Better to go to a shop and have it done professionally.
I have ridden this bike, and others similar to it, in Austria. The super-low step-through frame and the dynamo lighting is very useful, but I am really not a fan of these aluminum frames with front suspension and low-end components.
Velouria,
Besides the aesthetic shortcomings of the frame and the (unnecessary) front suspension, where there practical problems with the Kettler bikes you rode? Had any of the components wore out or broken prematurely? Was it comfortable to ride?
Joseph - I did not ride them long enough to be able to comment on component wear. In the short run, some were comfortable, while others had wonky geometries (steep seat tube, hand pain from handlebars) - which is a common complaint I have about modern "city" bikes. I do not remember how Kettler compared to the other brands I tried.
PS: You might enjoy this!
Kettler Fahrräder (bicycles) are a very popular and well known brand name here in Germany. I was a bit surprised to learn that they had only a handful of US retailers because the bikes are so popular in Europe. Several of the best German bike manufacturers are not represented on the U.S. market at all___ a fact that would make a great follow-up post when you can find the time and have the interest.
I doubt very much if the frames for Kettler bikes are actually made in Germany but it is correct to say that design, testing, and assembly of many models does take place at the Kettler Werft. In regards to independent reviews of their bikes and specifications on the different models have a look at the Kettler Deutschland website link below:
http://de.bike.kettler.net/
There is a link on the German website to an English version of their catalog.
The German cycling enthusiast magazine aktivRadfahren (www.radfahren.de) and other German/European cycling magazines will most certainly have loads of reviews and reader comments on Kettler and other top German bike brands. Some of the news and reviews of Kettler bikes are available in the English language on European bike blogs (Bike Radar - UK) and Bike Europe (a news site for bike professionals and retailers).
Here is a link to an aktivRadfahren "heads up" article on the Kettler Nena from March 2009
http://www.radfahren.de/archiv/alle-rubriken/detailansicht/artikel/die-fahrradsaison-wird-bunt-mit-dem-neuen-kettler-nena.html
The link you have used to a review at ciao.de is to a website for price comparisons on all kinds of products sold in Europe.
I hope that this information helps you and your readers out a bit in re: Kettler Fahrräder.
P.S.
I really like the idea of publishing a blog about bikes and cycling "for the rest of us" back in the States. I shall be back soon to learn more about what's happening in the non-professional cycling world of people who just love to own and ride bikes .
Ooops! Correction to the following is necessary:
I meant to write Kettler Werk (factory) and Kettler Werft (shipyard/shipbuilding factory). Kettler designs and builds bikes, not boats.
Now a bike shop is no longer the only place to find a great bike, you can find one online and have it shipped to your door and assembled in under ten minutes.
bike grips
I have a Kettler Berlin Royal. Unlike the businesslike modern style women's Nena shown here, the Berlin Royal is a magnificent retro style bike, very large and very masculine - sporting a hefty cruiser-shape frame and finished in matte black, leather and chrome, and pre-fitted with everything a commuter could want, including fenders, rack, bag, and generator lighting. The bike is not cheap, but it is a good value, especially when you consider it's shipped to you mostly-assembled all the way from Germany (via a Virginia warehouse).
At 40+ pounds, it's no racer, but it gets more compliments than I can count--it really is sexy as can be-- and its ergonomic design (curved handlebars, balloon tires, shaped grips, sprung saddle) put a stop to the wrist and butt pain I had when riding my standard hybrid.
If I could change anything, it would be to move the front edge of the built-in rear rack back an inch or two, to eliminate occasional heel strike on the bag.
It is an adjustment to ride in just one way: with swept-back handlebars that don't comfortably permit much turn angle, and a very tall ride height, the best way to turn at speed is not to steer but to lean decisively--which might be a natural instinct on a flyweight road bike, but not on the bike equivalent of a lumbering luxury SUV.
The bike is BIG. I am a 6' tall man and Kettler advised the "small" frame size for me! The "large" presumably suits pro basketball players.
See the Kettler city bikes here: http://www.kettlerusa.com/paginate/category?category=city&division=bikes&max=3&sort=retailPrice&order=desc&offset=0&rowSize=3
Dennis Tivey-
I have the Berlin Royal as well. I love this bike!
Big, masculine and sturdy. I use it to commute 8 miles to work in an urban setting. I get compliments wherever I go. I sit up straight and can see over most cars.
Haven't had a single issue with maintenance or breakdown.
With regard to heal strike, I have to agree with you. I went to a metal shop and had them fabricate new rack bars that attached the same way the originals do, but I had them shaped so that the bars went up above the the fender, rather than have that drop bend in them. They were easily able to powder coat the new bars in the same Matt Black finish. This new shape raises the panniers higher, eliminating the heal strike.
Kettler is Germany's premier bicycle maker. They made the world's first completely aluminum bike in 1977. (Aluminum welding requires industrial expertise and trained engineers. Thats why I don't trust small 'boutique' bike makers.) Since I always had Kettler bikes, I bought the Nena Balloon and the Berlin Cargo models. While the frames are still sturdy aluminum, they replaced the fenders, chainguard with cheap plastic. That was unheard of before with Kettler. Also they snapped on a 1 euro bike bell. The gearing, including the 7-speed rear hub, is now cheap Shimano. It doesn't have the velvety smooth, completely silent run of Kettler bikes before. I am disappointed. Fortunately I have two Kettler bikes in Germany from the year 2000 that were still made to pass DIN-standard (German Heavy Industry Requirements). Big difference in quality. The new bikes look great, but cheap parts break down fast.
Hi , I have a kettler layana fun 8 speed Shimano city style step through cycle with suspension forks and saddle.After a few short rides I found I had to fit wider higher swept back bars to prevent wrist elbow and shoulder pain and adjust the seat back as far as it would go to optimise my comfort and power delivery to the pedals as I am 6 foot tall.The point is I now have one of the most comfortable effortless bikes anyone could wish to own for gentle riding around a town or city commute.The quality of finish is outstanding and I hope to enjoy this bike during the rest of my twilight years just blowing up the tyres occasionally and lubricating the relative parts as I am now 70 yrs old.
I just bought a Keller City cargo bicycle it's all gray can you give me any idea what it's worth
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