Submitted by
mitch Mitch
a Cross Country Rider
from canada
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2002
Strengths: The shocks hold up.Not bad of crank. Good shifters.
Weaknesses: rimms bend easy. Tires have no grip. Could use an upgraded derailleur.
Bottom Line:
Not bad for just starting out mountain biking. The components are worth the money. Good for serouis riders getting into the sport. Handles well. Not bad for $700 Canadian
Strengths: Great handling. This bike can fly down singletrack, over doubles,round berms, up hill, down hill. BUT, it does it better than most bikes I've ever ridden, including specialized, Trek, Giant, et al. It sounds like its gonna be a mega expensive bike, but You can pay more for a bike in your local supermarket. Miles better to buy one these than a cr*ppy "full suspension", "extreme" bike, by someone like B@rr@cud@ or @pollo. Strong, light, fast. The best.
Weaknesses: Standard Equipment Can make the bike look a bit more expensive than its rivals, but the money goes into the quality frame, which is the important bit.
Bottom Line:
If you are buying £300 bike, dont fall into the trap of buying a rubbish frame with suspension and mudguards and crap components, just becuase from a distance it looks like a Monster DH bike, Or its got a frame with tubes like yuor thighs, and more gussets than your nans Knickers. This Kona will- Last longer -Go Dh faster -Go uphill easier -Jump better -Be lighter -Look cooler in the dark(check the Graphics!). You'll get miles better customer service, Like Kona newsletters and ownership benefits. And, You'll get hooked on Kona, which is good 'cuz they make the best bikes in the world. (No, I dont work for kona)
Similar Products Used: Specialized Hardrock and Rock hopper, Various Treks , Cheapo "imagey" bikes from halfords,
Bike Setup: Mine is now full customised- Instead of just buying a new bike every Year, Ive been able to upgrade the great frame.-> Manitou Forks Shimano Xt Disc XT Hubs,D521 Rims Tiogas, Deore cranks Other drivetrain bits. But, I've kept the great monster handlebars, big wide risers.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Derrick
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria,B.C,Canada
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2001
Strengths: very light,risen bars r good
Weaknesses: too light..if u pop a wheelie u land on your ass
Submitted by
Danny Boy
a Cross Country Rider
from vancouver, BC
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2000
Strengths: cheap, very light for the prive range, or maybe I just think its light compared to my old raleigh. love the riser bar. glows in the dark.
Weaknesses: rough ride, especially on the rear. acera shifting leaves much to be desired, you have to hold the shifter down to get into 3rd gear up front and it wont shift going uphill, or shift into 7th on the rear anymore either
Bottom Line:
the RST fork is pretty bad, though not useless. I got the Z4, which is much better. shifting sucks, i like gripshift better, rough ride. i ride to and from school for transportation and offroad for recreation but dont have a large budget. good bike for both, but not great, I prefer the vertex, but then it cost my friend $2400 cnd, about $1500 american, and i spent about $700 cnd with then fork, a quarter of what he spent.
good bike, so 3 and a half for overall, rounded up, i guess. but an easy 5 for value cause i got it so cheap
Bike Setup: bought bike w/o fork and put a 2000 Z4 on instead
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan Millrt
a Cross Country Rider
from Athens, TN
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2000
Strengths: Good bike for the bucks, nice riser bar to make the ride more comfortable, plush seat
Weaknesses: fork bottomed out on the big air, pedals were poor for hard riding, had two rear cassettes bust on me in two weeks
Bottom Line:
Good bike to begin with. It is a little heavy, so be ready to pump hard. The bike rides and handles well, but it would not be very good to race. The fork was a little weak for me, but I am also over 200 lbs. It is an excellent choice for anyone that wants a cheap but good quality bike to take out on the weekends to have a great time.
