Similar Products Used: Cinder Cone,Caldera,Hammer,and more
Bike Setup: stock pluss add ons
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ian
a
from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2003
Strengths: Frame construction is a thing of beauty (despite having been made in Taiwan)- e.g. inclusions of proper braze-ons for disc brake hoses, beautiful welds, durable paint-job and decals. Compared to my GT i-Drive frame, this frame construction really shows a high level of quality and quality-control. Lots of attention to detail in the frame design and manufacture.
Weaknesses: Original seatpost seemed too flexy for my liking. Original saddle and pedals sucked.
Bottom Line:
Rides great - a bit slacker geometry with the longer travel fork, but no real problem.
Flat (narrower) bars make it feel less like a technical trail-bike (one of the bikes' original strengths), but it does feel "racier".
Although I liked the Avid Arch Rival original V-brakes, I do prefer discs.
My only regret is that, alas, the era of the hardtail seems to be drawing to a close. I do find I get a sore back when riding a hardtail over longer distances, which seems to be improved by dual-suspension. I may swap all the new components over to a light-weight dualie over the next year or so. If I do, I think I will always miss this bike in a way.
Bike Setup: Further review to my earlier review below, I've since upgraded every single component on the bike in an effort to lighten it down for (hopefully) some XC and maybe some ultra-endurance racing(the only remaining stock components are the grips): 2003 Marzocchi Marathon SL air-sprung fork (105mm travel), 2003 XTR integrated crankset/BB (44,32,22 Chainrings), 2003 Hayes HFX Mag Lite hydraulic disc brakes (6" rotors) with carbon fibre levers, 2002 XTR shifters, 2002 XTR front and rear derailleurs, XT 11-34 cassette, XT disc hubs, Mavic 317 disc rims, Specialized Comp Saddle, Thomson Elite Seatpost, Race Face Deus Stem (90 mm, 15 degree), Easton EC-70 carbon fibre flat bars, Panaracer Fire XC Pro tires, Shimano 545 pedals (may upgrade these to Eggbeaters, or something else that's lighter).
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Charlie P.
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, Arizona
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2003
Strengths: This bike has been THE best bike I have ever ridden, no joke. my freinds are really into freeriding or something of the sort, and I have had no trouble keeping up, even on a hardtail. I got it used, but even after someone elses wear and tear, and its still running great. I ride quite hard, too. The geometry feels wonderful, heavenly even. My freind has a top of the line Rocky Mountain, and not to rip on them, they are great, but it felt wildly out of control, and never very stable compared to the 2000 Pahoehoe. I had some semi-slicks on there for a while, and I'm an unbeleivably clumsy rider... but the balance of weight led to minimal crashes due to slipping on this unpredictable desert pack. Uh, what else, it had a bag of goodies on there like the Marzocci z-3 fork, the raceface prodigy cranks and the brakes. ahhh, yes the Avid arch rivals. good choice, Kona.
Weaknesses: I dunno, I have no quams. do I have to have one? probably the front derailleur. But that is more of a minor preference.
Bottom Line:
Decievingly great. Flies up hills and points VERY easily... Great stock, even without pricey ad-ons and a good psuedo trials frame if you ever wanted to convert it. Lighter feeling than the scale reads... jovial and agile, yet dependable like some sort of really muscular rodent. Ok, thats a bad image and this is a pretty bike, but you see what I'm getting at. It is more than I could imagine from a hardtail for under 1500, or even from a bike going for more than that. I strongly reccomend this to ANYONE, from racers, to average trail riders, to really ridiculously demanding riders. I never had ridden a Kona before this, but I am now a devoted customer. Maybe if you are picky about forks and XTR everything, you should keep looking. But for the kind of person who just wants to ride, looking for a bike you can get and forget about, this is it. (Applicable for most athsetic cravers and technoweenies too.) I would not hesitate to take this on the 24 hour race here... and I'm not even a racer. An amazing bike, really.
WOW!! This is an awesome bike! It blazes thru the trickiest singletrack without a hitch!! I test rode a Trek 8500 and it felt like grandma's buick compared to the Kona. I can't describe how quick the bike reacts to the rider- telepathic! It begs to be ridden fast! It screams up hills and tracks very steadily on the steepest downhills. (Screw FS!) If you are looking for a race ready xc hardtail, this is it!! Get rid of the Wellgo pedals, though. Good components - especially if you like to upgrade. It's the same frame as the Kula, but comes w/ LX shifters and front deraileur. BUY THIS BIKE!
I bought this bike to start racing. I felt with $1000 I could get a more race-worhty hardtail than a full suspension. Boy was I right with the Kona. The ride is confidence inspiring. It decends great and climbs like a scared cat. It enjoys twisty single track and has made me a much faster rider. With a few upgrades I am sure it will help me compete at the next level.
Bike Setup: Time ATACS, XT, Rock Shock Sus. Seat post
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ian
a Weekend Warrior
from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2001
Strengths: This is the first mountain bike I've ever owned, but I'm glad I do - I LOVE this bike. It's like having a very good, dependable, solid friend on the trail. It's light, climbs well, manoeuvers nimbly, and takes obstacles in stride. The frame (and its paint job) are tough and durable. I have never bottomed out the stock fork yet. I haven't had any problems with the stock Mavic rims at all. It has the same frame as the Kula, so with a few component upgrades down the road, you basically have the Kula. I constantly get compliments on it when I'm out riding.
The people at Cove Bikes were great (thanks Jay!!!), and they continue to give me great service whenever I deal with them. I feel that I can continue learning technical X-country riding skills on this bike without ever coming to any limits on the bike's end of the partnership.
Weaknesses: Even when it's tuned up, the LX front derailleur feels a bit more sluggish and "heavier" than I would like when shifting up to the bigger rings. I'm not sure whether this would be helped by upgrading to an XT front derailleur or not (maybe I'm just too used to shifting on road bikes), but I'm thinking about trying it.
Within 3 weeks of purchase, and after a weekend of what I thought was some reasonably hard riding, I somehow broke a few teeth off the middle chainring. The guys at Cove Bikes were great about it - I'd thought I'd hit a rock and was fully prepared to pay for it, but they mentioned there may have been a few problems with those rings. So they replaced it and installed the new ring free of charge. No problems since then.
The frame paint job, while very tough, is a bit harder to clean than glossier paints because it has a "rougher" surface.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike for those interested in a raceable performance hardtail that will really deliver and keep delivering, at a purchase price that's affordable without limiting its potential down the road. I would recommend it to anyone.
Favorite Trail: Intermediate rocky/rooty/muddy stuff in Squamish, B.C., and high elevation singletrack
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At: Cove Bike Shop, North Vancouver
Similar Products Used: Tried Rocky Mtn's Oxygen Race in a parking lot - also felt good, but I got a better deal on the Kona - and there was not sufficient time to properly compare the two bikes.
Bike Setup: I upgraded the stock Avid 40 brakes to 50s (cartridge-type with speed-dial) as part of the purchase, and I put on Shimano 545 pedals as I like their extra width/pedalling platform.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
MikeD
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2001
Strengths: -good priced -very confident ride -super good handling -light -durable -very good deal
Weaknesses: nothing yet
Bottom Line:
I just bought this bike and a very impressed, t's super fast and has a very nice confident ride to it. I can ride more difficult trails on this bike than I could on my M2. It's a dream on the DH's and climbs realy well too. It isn't the lightest of bikes but it does have a very nice ride to it and I'm very happy with my new kona. The race face cranks and polished atom 80 added a little to the cost but made a good bike even better. A definite 5 flamin roaches for this one.
Strengths: Stiff and strong frame, glow in the dark rocks, solid selection of components.
Weaknesses: Grips twist, looked too cool and was stolen, Bas-tards!
Bottom Line:
I went into the shop to buy a stumpjumper and test rode the Pahoehoe. Needless to say I took the Pahoehoe home. The bike fit me extemely well and handled like a dream. The bike screamed to me to go faster and jump higher. The bike climbs well and does exceptionally well in tight technical stuff. There was no flex when I hammered it, the brkes worked well, and the shock ate up everything. My confidence and riding skill got better on this bike. I accidently left my garage door open and some bas-tard took it and left my wife's stump jumper, at least he had taste. I am replacing it with a 2001 Kula since I am a new Kona convert. I would recommend this bike to any hardtail rider that wants a tough fast bike. Kona Rocks!
Similar Products Used: Trek 930, stumpjumper, ancient KHS tank
Bike Setup: Wildgrippers, specialized ti "groin saving" seat, specailized ti pedals, otherwise stock 16".
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Hermiston
a Weekend Warrior
from Summerland BC CANADA!!
Date Reviewed: October 29, 2000
Strengths: light weight!!! my bike only weights 23 pounds. handles like a dream climbs like a mountain goat very well constructed frame
Weaknesses: front shocks-just overall weak front shocks!! get a pair of manitou sx-r's or x-vert's grips (they twist and then when you try to shift you cant cause the grip is blocking it fron moving,those of you who own one will know what i am talkin about) pedals-i upgraded to some shimano 545's cause they will be better for what i do
Bottom Line:
excellent bike,handles well,takes the big drops and launches very well and stays in one peice!! this is a great xc race rocket for those of you who race and have a smaller bugdet than those races who buy titanium frames. And for those of you who are not that heavy (like me) and like to freeride,but cant fork up enough cash for a chute or roast,this one does the trick quite well. I do recoment replacing the grips and/or cutting them, switching the stock shock, and if you want to do a bit of freeriding, get some DH pedals or flats.Overall the best bike i have owned yet. PS:KONA RULES.....go out and get yourself one soon!!
Bike Setup: stock except manitou sx-r's,shimano 545 pedals and soon some new grips!!
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
TODD
a Cross Country Rider
from SMITHFIELD, NC
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2000
Strengths: Solid frame, good components.
Weaknesses: Haven't found any yet.
Bottom Line:
Got this bike as an end of year deal. I can't complain. The first day on the bike was enjoyable due to the great handling, super ride, and component group. I haven't been this comfortable and confident on a bike since my Stumpjumper. The bike is smooth and predictable at any pace.
Bike Setup: Basically stock except for the pedals, now Ritcheys, and seat, now serfas.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Blaine
a Cross Country Rider
from Chemainus, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2000
Strengths: Everything - Custom Built
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks. I have been riding various bikes for years (both road and MB) and this is it. I can do anything on this thing. I can climb like snot, jump, take 6-foot drops, scream downhill, you name it. I am hard on bikes and this one is indestructible, yet light enough to ride for long rides. I have done 100+K cross country rides on this thing as well as demanding North Shore and Urban Assault forays. I don't care what anyone says, the Marzocci fork rocks - low maintenance and great performance. The Avid Arch Rival brakes work great. I had to go with all XT instead of the LX. This bike outperforms any full suspension I've ridden. The geometry is right on and it really is a point and shoot machine. Makes you a better rider. If you want to do it all, this is your bike.
Favorite Trail: Urban Assault, Any freeride, Crosscountry
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Similar Products Used: Various HT and FS
Bike Setup: Shimano 545 pedals, All Shimano XT spec'd, including hubs, shifters and deraillers. HTI flat pedals for freeriding, urban assault.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Shawn
a Weekend Warrior
from Littleton, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2000
Strengths: Sweet frame. Sweet fork. Great positioning for trail riding.
Weaknesses: Components could be better for the money. Wheels should definitely be better, or at least the rims should be better any way. Made in Taiwan! You people at Kona have not sold your selves out have you?
Bottom Line:
This is an awsome rig. I think I love this bike (I hope my wife never reads this). I am having to get used to the weight of the frame because it is so lite that it feels fragile. However, I have had no problems whatsoever with it. It has been holding up under my fat ass over small jumps and drops, so it must be nearly indestructable. I have never really ridden a suspension fork other than this one, but it is very sweet. I can now haul ass down hills that would have killed me with a rigid fork. The components seem to work okay, but I think, for the money, Kona could have given me a little more love in that department. Particularly since they saved so much money having the frame made in Taiwan. I really, really think they could have done better with the rims, if not the wheels as a whole. As far as grips go, I have the Kona glow-in-the-dark kind and they are not red. Red grips would not make this bike look at all cool. If you get the red kind, take them off and install some Kona glow-in-the-dark kind. They are way cool and they nicely complement the best thing of all things about this bike, and that is the glow-in-the-dark stickers on the frame. My Kona glow-in-the-dark stickers ROCK! Finally, (I'm kind of a long winded S.O.B. aren't I) I would recommend this bike for those who want a trail bike that is lite, strong, climbs okay and decends like a dream. If I were to take up cross-country racing, I think I would spend more money. I would get a bike with better components as well as a frame that is better set up for serious climbing. It could be an okay bike for doing a little racing here and there, but this is mainly a kick ass trail bike in my opinion. This bike could make a hammer head out of me all over again.
Similar Products Used: Muni Mula, but only in a parking lot, and my old Schwinn KOM S-7.
Bike Setup: Stock except I put some Shimano DX pedals on it because I like a wider pedal.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Summerland BC Canada
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2000
Strengths: rides great!! very light compared to other aluminuim frames, STRONG, and extremly agile
Weaknesses: the shocks......very heavy, and the pedals which are not good for anything put flat riding
Bottom Line:
great bike infact the best i have ever had!! very light frame makes for a great bike that is race worthy. do anything with this bike and it will keep on ticking. but i sugest removing the stock marazzochi shocks and going with something a little lighter and maybe some more travel and definatly get rid of the wellgo POS pedals and go to some shimano ones. otherwise this is a great bike that you need to ride!
Similar Products Used: specialized hardrock A1 comp (POS)
Bike Setup: stock except 2000 manitou sx-r's and shimano 545 pedals
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Robert Hayes
a Weekend Warrior
from Breckenridge, CO
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2000
Strengths: The main strength of this bike is the way it rides. I have tried many bikes, but you just have try a Kona to understand what I mean. The Kona frame is the key. It's design and geometry distributes your body weight evenly between the front and the rear of the bike. You can feel that more of your body weight is forward and that you are better balanced as you ride the bike. This, combined with design of the handlebars, creates much better and easier maneuvering while you are riding. You'll notice it instantly. The other huge strength is that it comes with a 20 Year Warranty. The components that the bike ships with are excellent, but I did upgrade some of them (see below).
Weaknesses: The Bike has none! And it's made in the USA.
Bottom Line:
This bike rules. I ended up spending $1,700 and got exactly what I wanted.
If you wanna buy a bike that rides almost like a full suspension bike, add the Thudbuster seat post like I did. You can keep your hardtail and still bomb down the hill... you've got ass-saver!
When you get on the trail this bike's maneuverability will amaze you. It lets you pick your way through almost any terrain. It's just an incredible ride! Even if you don't buy one, you should try a Pahoehoe!
Bike Setup: Bomber Air Shock front suspension. Kona headset with Pro-Design grips. All XT shifters, levers & derailleurs. I upgraded the front derailleur to XT (was LX). I also upgraded the Avid brake levers and the shifters to Shimano XT integrated. I bought a Thudbuster seatpost (amazing product) and put the liberator seat on it cause I kinda got a big ass. I also added the Krytonite KC2 lock which is attached by the lock's carrying bracket to the seatpost.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Joe Barron
a Cross Country Rider
from Allentown
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2000
Strengths: frame, component spec (marzocchi, raceface, wtb, LX and up components), aesthetically clean and simple
Weaknesses: LX Shifters (matter of opinion)
Bottom Line:
I've found the frame (Easton Ultralight) to be very stiff, but no harsher than any other HT I've ridden, of any material. I'm thrilled with the Avid 1.9l levers and the AR 40 brakes. In particular, it's the first speed-dial equipped bike I've ridden, and I've been very happy with the ajustable modulation. All the way in, they lock up when you touch them, but backed off just a bit on the SD knobs I find that I have perfect control over if/when I will lock the wheel with no loss in stopping power whatsoever. The rear brake does visibly flex the stays, but I have to squint to see it, and I have not found it to hamper braking at all. As a SRAM devotee, I'm not to happy with the LX rapidfire, but most of my complaints stem from not being able to trim the front derailleur. I also don't think that the front shifts as smoothly as I would like, but some have mentioned that race face rings aren't ideal relative to the shifting performance to be gotten from Shimano rings, so maybe I'm blaming too much on the shifter... I had some trouble with chainsuck from the MIDDLE ring on the first couple of rides, but after I readjusted the cable tension the first time, it seemed to go away... My ineptitude with Rapidfire, an adjustment problem, rings wearing in, I don't know... I've been very happy with the Race Face Prodigy cranks. I'm pretty big at 6'3", 200+ pounds, and have not noticed any perceptible flexing. However, these are undoubtedly the highest end cranks I've ever ridden, so the fact that they feel so stiff may only be because I'm used to noodles... :-) Most of the other drivetrain components are pretty stock-standard: LX front derailleur,some shimano BB, XT rear, Mavic X221 rims (which I've heard not so great things about, but I've not been gentle on them at all and they are still perfectly true), LX hubs. The marzocchi Z3 M80 has can be tuned only by spring stiffness, oil height and oil viscosity. It does have SSV damping in both directions, and aside from spring stiffness (too soft), I've been very happy with the fork. I don't see myself really missing the adjustable damping at all. It's stiff, and even being a tad undersprung as it is now, I have not had any real problems with bottoming or bobbing relative to the coil-spring converted Manitou Pro-C I was previously riding, and it handles the small, washboard stuff with ease. I ride a 21", and I find it to be responsive, but not twitchy. I have supreme confidence on downhill sections on this bike, but it is very capable (IMHO) in twisty singletrack as well. Oh, and it BEGS to be jumped. I'm no master of big air, but I may just become one on this bike. I find myself jumping everything I possibly can just because the bike is whispering in my ear to get airborn all the time. On my first attempt with this bike, I was able to climb a fairly steep, somewhat loose, long enough to be hurting in the granny, hill which had beaten me one way or the other every time I had attempted it except once in the distant past. Not only did I make it to the top, I still had some left when I got there... rear wheel traction was spot on the whole way up, and I was able to save alot of energy compared to my usual climbing experience on this hill. (And I'm far from being in peak shape, I assure you. hehe) Based on this, MHO is that it's a pretty good climber.
The true bottom line is that while everyone has their own taste in bikes, I can honestly say that this bike is perfect for me. It has a nice component spec, a great frame, it rides like part of my body, and it looks good. (Hey aesthetics ARE something for this amount of money, and I like the fact that it is basic, unassuming, and not flashy.) I would say that if you ride one, and it feels good, buy it. You will not be unhappy.
I'm giving it a 5 for value, because *I* didn't find anything else which mixed a good frame and a component spec I liked this much for the same money or less. I feel like I got a good value, but your mileage may vary.
