this bike just makes you want to go bigger and bigger!considering the amount of rear travel it is amazing!...it is also a decent race bike,,pretty light for a dh bike it feels very fast! Like it is nine years old now , and this bike in my opinion is just as good as the new bikes being made at the moment!
Similar Products Used: specialized big hit, kona stinky, orange 223, giant dh glory,
Bike Setup: this frame, monster T's, mavic 321's, hope m4's, truvativ-stem,handlebars,crank set, chain device, shimano derailer + gears
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Submitted by
Jed Anderson
a Downhiller
from England
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2005
Strengths: first of all - i bought just the frame but put 8' monsters on it... very strong frame and works perfect with monsters, ive had no problems doing 25ft drops and looking to go bigger.
Weaknesses: only one problem with it really- i hate that my rear meach hits the frame when i land ....stuck some padding on the frame now and its fine tho.
Bottom Line:
I love it - best DH/freeride bike i've ridden - just perfect for me.
Similar Products Used: ATX1,Coyote DH3,Azonic Gravity,
Bike Setup: 03 monster T, halo sas 24' wheels 48spoke, also you can get a 220mm shock to give it 9' travel
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Submitted by
Jamie M
a Downhiller
from Cornelius, Oregon
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2003
Strengths: Rear suspension design is great. Monster T front fork is also very stable. Bike gives you confidence to go bigger. bike turns very well and is very solid going into tight turns.
Weaknesses: Welds around the head tube gusset. My frame has cracked on both sides of the head tube gussett and on the under side of where the down tube attaches to the head tube. I feel that the frame is beyond repair and it is also out of warranty period offered by kona. Another trouble spot has been the upper most pivot point of the rear suspension. When I purchased the bike, the threads were stripped out on both sides and it required replacing.
Bottom Line:
The bike worked great until the frame started to come apart. Be careful on this bike. I believe that is really does have some design weakness at the head tube. Inspect it carefully before and after going off anything higher than a curb. My frame broke after rolling over a very small obstacle. Maybe the monster T fork is too much for this frame to handle?
Bike Setup: maxxis tires, Monster T fork, Race Face Cranks and sprocket, Hayes hubs and brakes, Kona Stem and bars, odi lock on grip, xt rear and big boy seat
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Submitted by
Matt L.
a Downhiller
from Santa Monica, C.A
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2003
Strengths: Never had any problems from this bike ! Dropping up to 8' to flat!
Weaknesses: Haedangle could be slightly more raked.
Bottom Line:
Wonderful fun DH bike.I have had it for many years now doing hard DH runs at Big Bear.No worries about the bike.I believe in the linkage on this ride.It helps the pedaling & sprinting! Great for drops galore.
Bike Setup: Monster-T--Mavic 321's--Hayes brakes8"--Shimano XTR drivetrain.
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Submitted by
Mike bigkonarider
a Downhiller
from Knoxville ,TN ,,USA
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2003
Strengths: Great pedaler--doesn't bob around town on urban rides at all
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
Peadals great--suspension is working when it needs to be(not overly plush). stiff & stable frameset..Shifts perfect & doesn't throw chains! Best Freeride/DH bike i have ever had.It's a keeper !!
Similar Products Used: Azonic Eliminator--Giant ATXdh---Marin B-17--Bullet--
Bike Setup: Avid 8"---01 Monster-T---Hussefelt cranks/guide---24" D-Wide rear wheel 2.6" Gazzi---26" D-Wide front 2.7" Mobster sr----80mm Stem---600# spring Fox-rc
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Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2002
Strengths: Everything. Super-Plush (Monster-T/Fox Vanilla RC rocks!) Geometry is incredible, Nuke-proof strength, quiet, strong pivots, and the hayes hydrolics are the best.
Weaknesses: A little heavy, but really...? Get a medium front ring and a Granny-Gear for the back for the uphills.
Bottom Line:
Find a well-kept used one now! This is THE bike if you really want to give 'er. I've never been more inspired to drop higher, huck bigger, and tackle steeper technical terrain. I thought it would take a while to adjust to the front end, nope, about 10 minutes and I was riding better than ever.
Bike Setup: Stock baby, except for Intense DH 2.7 front, and 3.0 rear.
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Submitted by
Matt
a Downhiller
from Perth, WA Australia
Date Reviewed: September 19, 2001
Strengths: All of it, Monster T's Rock, Brakes are best and the wheels are sweet
Weaknesses: Wider Spacing on rear dropouts and bolt up rear end would be nice
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks. No problem with anything once i had brakes and forks set up properly. Looks awesome too, the down tube is sic lookin. Every component is well suited to the frame and everything works well together.
Strengths: Good Bike, Brilliant when new. likes too go very fast!
Weaknesses: Im 15, and weigh 10 stone. i have snapped the chainstay, and craked the seat stay in the last week. Very heavy. Took Kona over 3 months too send the replacements.
Bottom Line:
great bike if you can afford to replace it after a year. Other than that when it is working it rides like a dream, with full travel use on most courses.
Similar Products Used: M1, SantaCruz Bullit, GT DHi
Bike Setup: Whitebro ud180s, 4 pots, bulb/D321s, Middleburns and xtr.
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Submitted by
Ouellet Alexandre
a Downhiller
from Cowansville/Quebec/Canada
Date Reviewed: December 11, 2000
Strengths: Real stable, suspension works well, geometry rocks, pivots real strong
Weaknesses: frame is cracking!!!! Kona did'nt warrantied it... 155lbs rider.... 6 months used: cracked over the head tube and the disc mount/rear drop out
Bottom Line:
pretty damn good bike except for the frame strenght... cheezy, would need some more gussets like the new ones Kona did'nt respect their warranty. It was my last kona ever.
Similar Products Used: Hmmmm.... nothing works too well
Bike Setup: Monster.t home made stainless steel headset/cnc home made stem/home made cnc chain guide/kona bar/fox rear shock/
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Submitted by
dan rihm
a Racer
from manchester vermont usa
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2000
Strengths: super plush, fells stable on all dowhills makes me fearless of any thing. When i tested it i was doing big drops, super techincal sections, and stair drops with ease the monster T is awsomE!!! it comes with everything you need out of the box great in the wide open or in the wettest, tightest muddyest singletrack out there
Weaknesses: it feels heavy in the front end at under 5 mph, but as long as you keep it up to speed, the monster t feels as light as my xc fork, the faster you go, the lighter it feels (a little incentive to dust your oppents in the singletrack)
Bottom Line:
if you want a bike theat feels fearless down anything, with lots of travel get this bike, the new stab primo has more travel, but with this you lose2 inches but the bike feels so much better then the new one because of the wieght. just remember to keep it at speed and the bomber monster t feels 6 pounds lighter. the haye brakes stop good in anything, just a great downhill machene capale of winning races on keep up the good work Kona!!!
Similar Products Used: kona stab primo ('00) foes dhs tube, tomac 204
Bike Setup: Stock exept THE fenders (front and rear) intense 2.75 tire in front, 2.35 in rear odi lock on grips, avid rollamajig
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Submitted by
Andy Ayers
a Downhiller
from Oxford UK
Date Reviewed: July 22, 2000
Strengths: Awesome bike. Makes Downhilling too easy, it makes you go a lot faster. It seems VERY strong
Weaknesses: It's quite heavy, esp in the rear end.
Bottom Line:
If you can put up with the extra weight, you'll love it. Someone below said it was hard through technical sections, yet at Aston Hill (most technical in south of England, similar to North Shore type trails) there is a really sharp set of switchbacks over roots which is easy, and full table tops are just sooo easy to pull. I was able to do all my normal tricks in less than an hour, from picking it up.
Bike Setup: Hope Big Un's, Hope 4 pot DH brakes, Sun doublewide rims (24 inch rear rim), Gazallodi 3 inch tyres
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Submitted by
Tim
a Downhiller
from Big Sky, Montana, USA
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2000
Strengths: This bike is amazing! Strengths: Suspension, Geometry, components, SDG saddle!!!
Weaknesses: You're kidding right!?!
Bottom Line:
What can I say, inside and out this bike is a work of art. Beautifully constructed, lots of CNC'd parts, Geometry is killer. There is hardly any pedal induced bobbing, suspension works beautifully. If you can't handle the Monster-T, get stronger! This fork rocks, extra though was put into every aspect of its construction. What a bike! Oh yeah, it is Mountaon Bike Action's "Downhill Bike of the Year." Five flamin chillies all the way!!!
