Kinesis RTD '26 Road Frameset

The new Kinesis RTD is the ultimate endurance aluminium road bike frameset. Built to be ridden hard and fast across cities, counties and continents, the RTD lives up to its name — Race The Distance — whether that’s the daily commute, a Sunday club run, fully loaded bikepacking, Audax riding or events such as The Transcontinental Race.

The new RTD geometry has been meticulously refined to deliver a rare balance of responsiveness and stability. The handling remains confident and predictable, whether riding unloaded at speed or carrying bags for long-distance adventures, making it an exceptional endurance road bike frameset. The Kinesis RTD represents the culmination of more than 25 years of aluminium frame design and manufacturing expertise. Built from an advanced 6069 aluminium alloy, this all-new road bike frameset proves that when the same level of engineering investment is applied, aluminium can rival carbon for performance — while significantly outperforming it on value, durability and real-world usability. While much of the industry has focused exclusively on carbon fibre, Kinesis has continued to push aluminium technology forward. The RTD is the result: a lightweight, stiff and refined frameset that delivers exceptional ride quality without the premium price tag.

Features

• Refined frame design – The RTD went through multiple prototype iterations to fine-tune both geometry and tubing profiles. The result is a road frame that remains stable when loaded, confident on long descents, and responsive when pushed hard — whether climbing alpine passes or riding fast on home roads. An oversized down tube, flared top tube and tapered head tube create a laterally stiff and precise front end, while flattened seatstays and a slim seat tube introduce carefully tuned rear-end compliance for long-distance comfort. The Kinesis RTD is proof that aluminium, when done properly, still belongs at the very top of modern road bike design.
• Cable routing – Fully integrated cable routing sees gear cables and the rear brake hose enter through the head tube, eliminating down tube cable ports. This allows the use of lighter tubing while giving the RTD its clean, uninterrupted lines. Adaptable cable ports allow the RTD to be configured precisely for mechanical or electronic drivetrains, in either 1x or 2x setups.
• Full carbon forks – The frameset is completed with the all-new Kinesis RTD carbon fork, featuring a full carbon monocoque construction, internal routing for brake hose and dynamo cable, and threaded mounts at both the front and rear of the crown.
• Thru-axle setup – As with our premium GTD titanium frameset, the RTD partners with GW Engineering, supplied with their patented Switch Lever hollow thru-axles with removable lever for a clean aesthetic and easy wheel changes.
• Frame mounts – Multiple bottle cage mounts and full mudguard compatibility ensure the RTD can be built for everything from fast road riding to long-distance endurance adventures.

Specification

• Frame: New Super Plastic Formed 6069 aluminium
• Fork: Kinesis RTD Dynamo carbon monocoque fork
• Axles: 142x12mm Thru Axle rear spacing. 100x12mm Thru Axle front fork. GW ‘Switch Lever’ axles front and rear
• Tyre Clearance: for up to 34c tyres. Clearance for up to 30c tyres with guards
• Drivetrain: 1x / 2x mechanical or wired/wireless compatible
• Mounts: Three bottle cage mounts
• Mudguards: Mudguard mounts
• Bottom Bracket: 68mm BSA English threaded BB
• Seatpost: 27.2mm seat post required
• Seat Clamp: 31.8mm front mech clamp required
• Headset: Kinesis designed tapered headset with ACB bearings 1 1/2" to 1 1/8"
• Warranty: frame 5 years/fork 1 year
• Frameset supplied with: fork, headset, seat clamp, front & rear through axle, frame ports and cable guides.
• Weight: 1400g (51cm frame)

Geometry