Submitted by
Zach Rohe
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore
Date Reviewed: January 20, 2005
Strengths: Reynolds frame! I love hardtails, rode a Giant carbon, and this actually may be better! Components set is solid. Great geometry.
Weaknesses: some minor components, but nothing major.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike mainly for the frame. I read a lot of great reviews of it here. The reviews were all correct. If you can get a hold of this frame, get one. This may be the last frame I ride (after a nice powdercoating job!)
Similar Products Used: Giant Cadex 2, Giant Sedona, Giant Iguana
Bike Setup: xt shifters/brks/levers .. lx/stx derailleirs .. kore bar/titect stem .. race face old skool cranks .. etc etc
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Submitted by
Justin Hill
a Cross Country Rider
from East Kent UK
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2003
Strengths: Fantastic singletrack handling and climbs like a mountain goat
Weaknesses: No disc mounts
Bottom Line:
After 3 and a bit years, two very bad crashes and 3 paint jobs, you'd expect the old boy to be on his way out - No way baby!
Anyone in the UK who is new to biking or has heard the blurb about Kona bikes - buy one and believe it. All your mates on their Specialized or Trek 'shoppers' will be left in your vapour trail. Kona do offer a slightly lower spec than the others but it ain't about XTR or brilliant wheels or superlong forks. Its about ride quality. Kona wins - happy trails!
Favorite Trail: North/South Downs, Ridgeway, Hope Valley
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At: Cyclemart Canterbury Kent
Similar Products Used: Lots but none really stand out
Bike Setup: As factory except Easton carbon risers, all XT, avid ti brake levers and panaracer fire XC pro tyres
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Submitted by
Justin Hill
a Cross Country Rider
from East Kent UK
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2003
Strengths: Fantastic singletrack handling and climbs like a mountain goat
Weaknesses: No disc mounts
Bottom Line:
After 3 and a bit years, two very bad crashes and 3 paint jobs, you'd expect the old boy to be on his way out - No way baby!
Anyone in the UK who is new to biking or has heard the blurb about Kona bikes - buy one and believe it. All your mates on their Specialized or Trek 'shoppers' will be left in your vapour trail. Kona do offer a slightly lower spec than the others but it ain't about XTR or brilliant wheels or superlong forks. Its about ride quality. Kona wins - happy trails!
Favorite Trail: North/South Downs, Ridgeway, Hope Valley
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At: Cyclemart Canterbury Kent
Similar Products Used: Lots but none really stand out
Bike Setup: As factory except Easton carbon risers, all XT, avid ti brake levers and panaracer fire XC pro tyres
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Submitted by
Johnny Salidakis
a Cross Country Rider
from fort defiance , az
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2001
Strengths: Frame geometry is awesome. The bike really shines in tight singletrack and on climbs. Fork is plush.
Weaknesses: A litte jittery on the down hill The fork is alittle heavy but durable and plush.
Bottom Line:
This is the best! I'd sleep with it if my wife would let me.I had a sore butt until I switched from a Flite to a SDG saddle. Great climber, shines in the switch backs. Bomb proof frame. I would advise any one looking for a hard tail to consider a kona beacause of geometry and durability. My '93 Cinder Cone is still riding too!
My explosif is actually a '96 model (it's been a while). I love the pac northwest type geometry - small and tight, lots of standover height due to the sloped top tube. Mine came with hydraulic rim brakes, kinda rare since most people just go for the disk setup. This bike is seriously a blast to ride. I've ridden it in the pennsylvania woods and utah deserts. Even street riding is fun on this bike due to its overgrown bmx attitude. Quick handling, fun on downhills, lots of control. I have a rock shox judy that came stock, but I bet it would be awesome with a rigid fork, too. This bike is for someone who wants to ride a real bike, not a seat on springs.
Purchased At: nestor's full cycle in whitehall, pa
Similar Products Used: various crappy trek mountain bikes
Bike Setup: added a terry saddle, clipless pedals with big metal cages, panaracer fire xc pro tires
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Submitted by
J. Vracar
a Cross Country Rider
from Zagreb, Croatia, Europe
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2000
Strengths: Materials used, components chosen. Handling on the berms and turns. Geometry, most of all!
Weaknesses: A bit heavy. Anyway, it is hard to say cause of the ripp-off at my LBS: they claimed that the 18 was the right size for me (being a 175 tall (rather: short)). I'd prefer a smaller frame, but there were'nt any available at the moment, so I stick to this one.
Bottom Line:
Having it all said, this one fits better than the Schwinn. Feels alive and more responsive, though I'd feel more comfortable with size 17 or maybe even 16 (any ideas, anyone - please???) The feelling of traking and steering is much more intensive, the contact with ground is great, the frame accumulates the energy, yet feels forgiving on the bumps, but the rear triangle is what really gets the job done: being made of stiffer cromo tubes, it uses the energy more efficiently than the Moab (which is, don't get it wrong, excelent frame). Climbs great, rides perfect on a singletracks and takes care of your back and knees, unlike all the aluminum frames. Personaly, I feel a bit uncomfortable on the steep downhill sections, but this is mainly because of the fork that feels way too soft (I weigh 65 kg, yet have managed to knock it all the way down on the technical downhill details), and maybe for the size, again. On the old bike the fork felt a bit harder, but still it was an excelent plush. ProWind coil springs made it all look a bit unsafe, it seems the old Z2 Light handles the job better. Besides all this, there is no doubt that '99 Explosif makes the best steel hardtail I've ever ridden. It's a shame KONA changed it for a Scandium: you couldn't care less about the weight when you feel numb or sore due to stiff frame after a 6 or 7 hours of riding.
Similar Products Used: CrMo Schwinn MOAB Ltd. Anniversary Ed. with Zokis' Z2Light fork. Smooth rides, lots of fun, but low on efficiency. The other one: light aluminum frame and a lousy Rock Shox Indy SL, made it painful and bumpy on technical rides - the steel is real period.
Bike Setup: Changed the original stem for a bit shorter one from Icon (had to, you know). Barends added too. Currently trying to find new coil springs somewhere, cause these that came with the fork are really way too soft (what the hell did Marzocchi guys think when assembling it with ProWind, instead of Medium?!?)
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Submitted by
Adam
a Weekend Warrior
from Lund, Skane, Sweden
Weaknesses: A bit unstable at high speeds, Seatpost adjustability
Bottom Line:
I love my bike. I bought the frame and parts and built the bike myself, apart from the wheels. It´s so easy to control and turns so fast you can´t believe it´s true. The rigid front fork enhances this, but gives me a more bumpy ride. I´m going to buy fat Conti Vertical Pro 2.3 tyres and they should swallow some of the bumps at least. Most of my biking friends ride high end full susp. bikes, but i´m faster than they are apart from when it comes to fast downhill sections. Suspension is over rated. I used to ride a front susp. bike but prefer the rigid fork, even in the forest.
I recomend this bike to those who like fast single trails and tricks, and who enjoy the advantages of a steel frame.
Similar Products Used: Peugeot Team Line 1000, GT Karakoram
Bike Setup: Everything XT, Magura HS33 brakes, Mavic D521 rims, Rigid P2 fork, 16" frame (I´m 177 cm tall), Syncros rizer bar,
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Submitted by
Chas Sample
a Cross Country Rider
from Green Bay, WI, USA
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2000
Strengths: Quality components all around. Nice Paint and frame construction.
Weaknesses: Tires. The Tioga factory slicks are not suitable for use as a rear tire. Thankfully most bike shops will swap it out for somthing that is.
Bottom Line:
Great Bike! I was very lucky to find a '99 in my size because I really wanted the steel frame not the Scandium. If you want a cross country bike, and you can find one don't hesitate. If you want a bike for jumping or something similar, look elsewhere, because the Z-2 Atom Bomb while a tough fork, only has 65mm of travel.
Similar Products Used: Cannondale M500, Specalized Hardrock, Trek 800
Bike Setup: Stock with WTB Tyrannoraptors Front and Rear
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Submitted by
stevenr.
a Cross Country Rider
from Douglas County, Or., USA
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2000
Strengths: Climbs like a mountain goat, great mix of components for the price, likes the technical stuff, too too pretty (love that metal flake paint)
Weaknesses: Hmmm. . .for a hardtail steel I'd say it's at the top of its game. Well, o.k., it's a little on the twitchy side when you open it up for a long decent, esp. on pavement but also off-road. Also, the stock tires weren't a proper tire for coastal mountain range conditions, so I had the store credit me and put on a set of Geax Hook and Warps, light green sidewalls. A great tire!!
Bottom Line:
My first steel since junior high. A much more pleasant ride than my old Trek rigid aluminum. However, at 215 lbs the stock fork springs were too soft, and the extras were too tight, so I'm having to get yet another set of springs for the fork. Once that's settled I'll be much more pleased with the overall ride of the bike. But for a hardtail I don't think I'd have anything else, especially for the techical, steep and tasty trails of the Oregon coastal mountain range. But this bike's raised my taste for suspension, so I'm off to the land of Santa Cruz Hecklers and eventually a lighter, longer travel fork from Marzocchi, like the Z-1 X-Fly. Yum!! If you don't want the extra hassle of tuning suspension, don't mind a fork that's a little on the heavy side and may need different springs if you're over 180 lbs (at a modest forty bones for springs from Zokie) and want a bike that is a definite cross country goat, go for it!! You won't be disappointed. If, however, you want something that will inspire large air, downhill speeds, and low chiropractic bills, please look elsewhere. Consider a suspension seat post to really round out this bike.
Bike Setup: Zokie Z2 atom bomb, LX/XT, Ritchy front hub/pedals, Avid 4.0 brakes (gotta love 'm), SDG Bel Air saddle (numb's the boys).
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Submitted by
Phil Ward
a Cross Country Rider
from United Kingdom
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2000
Strengths: I have raced aluminium and steel bikes all custom built on stock frames. The Explosif is by far the most responsive yet forgiving ride I have ever experienced. 853 is also the best steel I have ever ridden. Because of its forgiving nature this bike is also superb for extended rides.
Weaknesses: NONE!!!(except that the Explosif now comes in alloy BIG MISTAKE!!!!!)
Bottom Line:
A combination of killer geometry, high quality frame building, and a sweet ride......NICE! This bike is great as a platform fo a custom build such as mine.
Bike Setup: Custom build with full XT, custom wheelset (mavic ceramics with Hope titanium hubs), Pace Evo IIIs (the best fork ever!) and syncros, bontrager, flight and Paneracer finishing kit.
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Submitted by
Kev
a Cross Country Rider
from Saskatoon
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2000
Strengths: stiff but forgiving frame atom bomb fork arch rival 40's work great
Weaknesses: makes me want to ride all the time but I can't (school, work)
Bottom Line:
so much better than aluminum... the 853 tubes are awesome. on tight singletrack the bike comes alive ALIVE, it sqirts from corner to corner like you see those UFO's do on cheezy Fox shows about aliens. It holds a line at speed yet is really easy to muscle through the technical stuff too. Not a lightweight, but it feels solid and I think it will stay that way for years. Five bloody dildos.
Bike Setup: stock, except for a Kore XC riser and Tioga factory XC's
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Submitted by
wag windrum
a Weekend Warrior
from victoria bc/london uk
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2000
Strengths: nice and controllable,very nice fork(read adjustable) i use this bike in london for courioring and it zips in and out of traffic like a dream. when i visit canada, the only modification i do is to throw on a riser bar and grippy tires. asthetically speaking, the bike looks great the frame absorbs alot of the bumps(yeah steel!) yet is strong enough to be ridden quite aggressively
Weaknesses: the rear end can be skittish at speed, and the stock handlebar needed to be replaced to bring out the bike's brilliant singletrack performance. why kona, a pacific northwest company, sold this bike stock with semi-slick tires is a mystery. real hardcore types would probably be better off with a beefier frame, such as a chute(no i don't work for kona)
Bottom Line:
maybe i'm a dying breed, but i love light, responsive steel hardtails.because, like most people i can only afford one bike, i feel my explosive can become a different bike for different styles without too much trouble. i've ridden konas and brodies for the past few years, and can honestly say that this is my favourite so far
Similar Products Used: specialized m2 klein attitude race
Bike Setup: basically stock except for the tires and handlebar i will be upgrading my cranks soon, race face maybe?
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Submitted by
Kim
a Racer
from Gainesville, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: March 2, 2000
Strengths: I bought just the frame and I love it! I am a small rider (5'2") and had previously had alumnium frames. The tight geometry on the small frames made the alluminum ride too rough. The Reynolds 853 Explosif is PERFECT. It soaks up the rumbles in the trail but is stiff enough to really crank up hills. I can see how the frame could be a bit flexy in the larger sizes.
Weaknesses: No complaints.
Bottom Line:
If you're looking for a light, high performance, small size frame, THIS IS IT.
