Submitted by
xkraigx
a Downhiller
from Peabody, Ma
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2008
Strengths: Bomb proof bike...i like the suspension and the rims.
Weaknesses: heavy bike, bike makes chatter sounds w/ high speeds and rough terrain, LX derailler
Bottom Line:
great bike. The price from wheelworld is unbelieveable, and the bike works amazing. Minus the LX derailler and such but for the price could you really ask for XTR? has taken a serious beating, two different trips with two different friends with their trek's and mongoose bikes resulted in 3 flat tires and 2 bent rims, but the KONA held strong. Climbing is more difficult but really thats not what i bought it for...get stronger legs and deal with it, cuz the DH capabilities are worth it. It has taken numerous 5-7 ft drops and the suspension is plush and reliable, with no serious bounce or bottoming out. I recommend anyone who wants a serious bike for the price to get one of these...oh and im 6 ft tall and 180lbs, with the lg frame, i had to cut the seat stem down so that the seat would be down far enough, but that is easy enough. BUY THIS BIKE
Strengths: Durability and adaptability. I've used it for DH racing, Freeride and as an everyday trail bike.
Weaknesses: Weight and only 6" of rear travel.
Bottom Line:
When I raced, I still had the stock 150 mm fork up front, but even so, there were only a few times I wished I had a bigger bike and with the new 180 mm fork I think it is even better. This year, even though I now have a full 8 and 8 DH bike as well, I will probably still use this bike for the courses that aren't as steep (i.e. Crested Butte). The only complaint I have on the DH course with my coiler is the high bottom bracket/center of gravity. I've also taken this bike off numerous drops in the 6-8 foot range and a few in the 10-12 foot range without a problem. I never have worried about the bike or any part of it breaking even though I weigh in at 180 lbs.
For cross country the bike is rather heavy, around 40 lbs stock and closer to 43 lbs the way I have it configured, but it does not pedal like a 40 lb bike. The geometry and suspension design allow for fairly efficient pedaling and as long as the ride isn't too long, the weight isn't a big deal. I typically draw the line at about 20 miles of steep technical riding, longer for easier trails. The high bottom bracket is usually a benefit on the trails as it is a lot easier to get up and over large steps/rocks.
Overall, I've been really happy with this bike. It liked the SX I tried a little more because it has an extra inch of suspension travle in the rear and is lighter, but for three times the price it isn't worth it. The 6.6 did not feel like it would be able to handle the freeride/DH applications as well as the coiler, but it was easier to pedal up the mountain (over 10 lbs lighter). I probably will end up replacing this bike with a lighter, longer travel bike when I have the money, but value-wise this bike is unbeatable.
Strengths: The stability, the back suspension system, the brakes, some of the components (seat, handle bars), the frame's overall feel, it can actually be pedaled uphill!
Weaknesses: The front forks are solid but quickly developed a nasty sound when all pressure is released from them. The frame vibrates at the point where the rear triangle is attached when going at a certain speed over medium rough ground. The front derailer does not fit properly to the chain rings making the chain click in some gears. The cheap feeling paint. The back shock was not the DHX 4.0 as stated but a vanilla R which is alright but not nearly as good as the DHX this fault however i think lies with evans cycles. Also the original price was very expensive at about £4000
Bottom Line:
This bike i think would be very suitable for intermediate riders except for the price which i thought was a bit steep even with the large disount i got. This is why someone who has fully used a cheaper bike and is now being held back by it might consider the upgrade in order to progress. As an alternative i would recomend checking out Iron Horse, Specialized, Orange(a little pricey for me), Other Konas or some Felts. The bottom line is although it looks like this bike has alot of flaws they are easy to overlook with the general quality and feel of the ride, if you are looking for a bike for freeride and have this kind of money i don't think you can go far wrong with this bike.
Similar Products Used: Iron Horse 7point3, Trek 6500, Specialized P-2.
Bike Setup: mostly stock i havn't really had alot of time to change but pedals and grips had to go.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Downhiller
from San Diego,California
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2007
Strengths: Front fork and back shock are awesome but everything on the bike is great. Brakes stop on a dime.
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
Great Bike. I just got one and love it. The front fork is bomb proof and eats up all the bumps and hard landings. It is a little heavy for a serious xc or all mountain bike but excells at freeride. I use it for freeride and xc. It hides its weight really well. Climbs like a mountain goat and the tires stick like glue. The frame can handle anyhting. This is great for someone who wants a jumping bike that is pedal friendly and can be taken on some xc. You definitely won't have to worry about what this bike can handle.All around awesome bike.
Strengths: very solid bike. can be pedalled just about anywhere. i'm a huge fan of the faux bar suspension and feel like it really tracks the bumps well and soaks everything up. i havent done any drops over 5 feet yet, but would feel plenty comfortable doing them. i can pedal this thing on rides of over 20 miles without a hitch.
Weaknesses: the stock grips sucked, i wasnt a fan of the bulky raceface dh stem or the wire beaded maxxis minion tires. one thing that i found out that i wasnt alone on is my dislike for the oversized chainstay width (see kona forums on this site). the front deraileur mech will bottom out on the chainstay if you dont properly adjust its height on the seat tube. the problem with that is your chain will then rub the front deraileur mech in certain gear combos, so if you are willing to sacrfice some gear combos, then slide the front deraileur clamp a little further up the seat tube to avoid bottoming it out on the chain stay. front end will wander on steeper climbs without an ETA fork.
Bottom Line:
After being on a Heckler for just over a year, I was looking to try something different. I had always had my eyes on the Kona Dawg and the Kona Coiler, but never got around to riding one. I sold my Heckler and went to test ride some Konas. I knew I wanted at least 5-6 inches of travel, my fear was that if I got the Dawg, I'd wish I got the Coiler, so....I ended up with the Coiler. My Coiler weighs in at 37 pounds, but I can pedal it anywhere. The DHX 4.0 coil rear shock is great, I crank the pro-pedal all the way clockwise for the climbs and it virtually eliminates any "bob". The faux bar suspension design really seems to be much more responsive to bumps/rocks/drops than the single pivot design of the Heckler, in other words, it rides much smoother than my Heckler ever did. I do wish I had an ETA feature on my fork, the front end will wander on the steeper climbs. Of course I lean forward to counter that, but then it makes it difficult to keep the lungs opened up. Eventually I will throw a Marz 66 SL on her, but in the mean time, the oem 66vf2 will suffice. This bike feels very stable to me at speed, just point and shoot and you can ride just about anything. I am aware of what my bike can and cannot handle and I believe my own fears of crashing will get in the way of overcoming an obstacle before an obstacle will overcome my bike. I ride pretty technical singletrack and love to bomb down the rockiest terrain I can find, this bike makes it a blast. Most of the stuff I ride involves substantial climbs to get to the fun stuff, and I have no problem getting there. This is a killer 6" travel all-mountain and/or freeride bike.
I have no regrets about selling my Heckler and picking up my Coiler at all! The "value rating" gets 4 flamin' turds because of the mix'n'match of LX and XT deraileurs/shifters, but other than that, its a great buy at $1800!
Similar Products Used: 03 Specialized Enduro then an 05 Santa Cruz Heckler
Bike Setup: 06 Coiler Deluxe, fairly stock with the following upgrades: crank brother candy pedals/lizard skin lock-on grips/thomson x4 90mm stem/kenda blue groove 2.35 dtc tire up front...Stans conversion kit coming soon in both wheels.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Downhiller
from Colorado Springs CO
Date Reviewed: March 29, 2007
Strengths: Its built to last. I've never made any adjustments to the Z1 fork other than rebound. The fox shock has been reliable as hell. Love the black/black paint scheme. Drivetrain is reliable.
Weaknesses: Stock headset is a joke, hayes brakes are terrible, grips suck, seat sucks, tires suck, pedals suck.
Bottom Line:
I used to race cross country in the jr-x norba national circuit. I bought this bike in 2004 after riding 2.5"travel XC bikes my whole life, and a few Big Hits here n there. This bike has since turned me into a dirt-jumping/street/downhill aficionado. I rode it for three years and my skill/stupidity is just now starting to exceed it's capabilities, barely. I have been dropping 12ft to flat this year, and the bike can handle it.
-It recently has started to make a death crack noise on huge impacts, but I think its the Z1 bottoming out, not the frame.
-I am not very impressed with the lx/xt drivetrain, but I'm used to full XTR race components. Not that I've had any serious issues with it, they have lasted the years and still shift smoothly, but I just can't seem to keep it dialed in.
-The cane creek crap headset was destroyed in a matter of days, and that was just from trail riding. Replaced it with a chris king and have had no problems since. Also, change the stock pedals, grips, seat, and tires.
I take it dirt jumping with ease, raise the seat, and can ride home comfortably and stylishly. With the right setup this frame can handle just about anything, even the '04 5"travel model. Worth the money. I'm now looking for a longer travel bike, and will most likely be sticking with the Kona clump series. If you need a bike that does it all and asks for more, this is it.
Similar Products Used: Old S-works fsr-xc's and bighits
Bike Setup: Hope moto-v2 f&r, maxxis high rollers, odi grips, specialized seat, chris king headset, azonic accelerator pedals
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Ryerse
a Weekend Warrior
from Bonney Lake, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2007
Strengths: This is a solid, stable bike. It has high quality components that I am confident will stay together as I ride it hard. The suspension is great, very nice for my fast riding style.
Weaknesses: Price, paint. I should clarify, I think it's a good value, but it's still a lot to pay for a bike. Most people I know wouldn't pay this much for a bike. I am fortunate my wife let me buy it.
Bottom Line:
For me I probably would have been fine with a King Kikapu or Dawg, but I wanted the best and after much research I ended up with this one. I don't drop huge cliffs, go off big hits, or do any serious downhill riding. I mostly ride fast in Victor Falls/Lake Sawyer area, with an occasional trip to Crystal Mountain or GreenWater area. Overall, I am very happy with it. At first I thought I got too much bike. However, two years later I can tell this will be a great bike for a long time. It will hold up well and there is no explanation for how fun it is going fast down big hills like wildcat mountain or crystal mountain. It just begs you to push the limits. That is how a bike should be, beg you to push your limits. Climbing is not the best with this bike, so I stick to flat, downhill rides, or easy uphill trails. For technical uphill trails with lots of tree-roots etc I would prefer front suspension only, but that's not why I bought this bike so no biggie. You can still get up them, but it takes more effort as would any rear suspension bike.
Similar Products Used: I grew up riding a front suspension only Schwinn. It worked at the time.
Bike Setup: Mostly stock, except for different pedals and some adjustments in the suspension.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Stewart Mitchell
a Weekend Warrior
from Mold, Wales, UK
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2007
Strengths: Bombproof, very robust design, excellent at descents, comfortable/ plush ride, suspension, great fun to ride.
Weaknesses: Heavy, cable routing, feels a little "cramped" on ascents. I got a hefty discount not sure I would pay the full asking price.
Bottom Line:
This is my first FS bike and I love it. It has transformed my style and enthusiasm. After a long hard ride I still feel human rather than battered to bits. The bike takes anything I can throw at it on descents. Its not as good on ascent as my old hardtail, but that was expected. That said the pro-pedal is very good and on bumpy semi technical ascents it is much easier to ride. I ride mainly XC but love trails with rocky fast semi technical descents and this bikes sucks it up!!
Bike Setup: Delux, Danger boy/levers,2007 STX shifters,Crank bros/mallets,Odi clamp on grips, NOS.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Pat Dempsey
a Weekend Warrior
from Cheshire,CT,USA
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2006
Strengths: The Coiler Deluxe makes you want to push yourself ...faster...steeper...
Weaknesses: Snapped a xt rear on the first ride ...lighter is not always better
Bottom Line:
I love this bike ...the first couple of rides took some adjustment as I was used to riding a older Haro X2...The bike makes you want to push yourself as it sucks up everything you toss at it ...the ETA on the Marzocci 66 does wonders for big climbs. The ass end of the bike has now bob or bounce so far pro pedal is only on the first click...Thanks to the DHX 4.o Shifting is ok I am an old shimano fan but more and more are saying sram is the way to go....Hayes 7's really smooth ..hope it lasts...if you are looking for a 6" Freeride toy you should definately consider the Deluxe ...Very happy with the this kona purchase
Strengths: the frame design is great... no reason to change anything.
Weaknesses: stock tires are way too small and thin, stock grips suck...
Bottom Line:
The frame rocks, the build kit is OK, you'll upgrade many things as you go along. Kona needs to start talking to other suppliers as far as the build kit BUT, still, it's a great bike over all.
Similar Products Used: Coilair, Transition Dirt BAg, Banshee and others
Bike Setup: all stock
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Klaus
a Cross Country Rider
from Berlin GER
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2006
Strengths: it's tough it never breaks easy to ride
Weaknesses: a full figured beauty, bigger brake-discs might be advisable some components are a bit cheap (tyres, hubs, ...)
Bottom Line:
I prefer riding long uphill trails over lifts, I don't mind being called XC and drop off 8ft cliffs, I prefer far-out over bike-park, flow over high speed, the natural over the Play-Doh line. I used DH-FR bikes and hated the uphill part, abused XC bikes on freeride trails. With my Coiler I found a bike that weasels down every line I did not dare before. Try to get rid of this stupid grin ever since I bought it...
Similar Products Used: GT-STS, Speci Enduro, some hardtails
Bike Setup: mainly stock, personalized setup regarding saddle, pedals, tyres, stem and changed the crappy stock hub to a set of swiss DTs
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Chandler, AZ
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2006
Strengths: Sturdy build feels indestructable. Very smooth over everything, and the suspension feels bottomless. Also climbs amazingly well
Weaknesses: Shimano drivetrain is a little inconsistant, but this bike was a rental so I'm sure the drivetrain has got some miles on it.
Bottom Line:
This was my first experience on a burly trailbike. I had originally reserved a Santa Cruz Nomad, but it was being serviced, so I went with the Coiler, which I had always wanted to try anyway. The bike is amazing, and makes you want to do things you wouldn't have thought you would do before. If I had to nitpick, I would say that Kona needs to start running Sram drivetrains on their bikes. The shimano stuff just didn't shift all that great under power. I think the part that stood out for me the most though, was the bikes ability to climb! If you stay seated and smooth, this bike will rip up hills like nothing I have ever ridden. My bike is a hardtail, and this Coiler would blow past my bike on climbs easily, and it wieghs 37lbs! This was a rental so I didn't explore it's drop capabilities to much, but I did go off a couple 4' ledges and the bike just ate it up. This bike impressed me so much that I am now looking to buy one. I was in no way disappointed that I didn't get to ride the Nomad, although I've read that it is awesome. This bike definately gets five turds!
Submitted by
Doug
a Weekend Warrior
from Calgary, AB, Canada
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2006
Strengths: versatility, construction (super-strong for an AM frame), handling, suspension, all of it
Weaknesses: the only one I can think of is the cable routing, and that's a nit-pick - my LBS did a great job with the cables/hoses
Bottom Line:
Mine is an '05 Dee-Lux.
I've got this bike built to what I consider perfect. I ride it to the local park (COP), about an hour each way, and it's smooth and effortless. I hit the DH course, and it's smooth and not quite as effortless, but more than keeps up to the richie rich teenagers on their freeride rigs. It rips the course as good as any of the other bikes on it, and in months of pounding (I'm 200 lbs), it barely squeaks on the ride home. I don't go for the big jumps (I'm 45), but it has easily handled 5-6 footers, and soaks up anything smaller like it wasn't there.
I needed a bike that would do it all, and I got that and more. Thanks to Mountain Bike City for the build and setup. This baby is bombproof for the riding I do, and not just all-mountain, but all-round. I got the frame used (about 3 mos old, according to the previous owner), and it has held up beautifully all season. If you can score any '05/'06 Coiler frame (or bike), you'll have a solid foundation for a great ride. Buy it.
Similar Products Used: none (hardtails and old-school fullys before)
Bike Setup: Travis Single Intrinsic, DHX 5.0, Hadley hubs, Sun MTX-S rims, SRAM X.O group, Juicy 7s, Saint crankset, Thompson Elite, Diabolus stem, Monkey Bar, ODI Rogues,
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
kevin
a Downhiller
from lake oswego oregon
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2006
Strengths: Everything.......
Weaknesses: If I had to come up with something......... outside of components.... dee lux would have been that much better with 8" rotors off the bat........ have found no weakness yet.
Bottom Line:
This bike takes a rookie beating and just BEGS for more! Feels like you are on a string at speed. Corners like a flipping dream.
I can't say that I would have ponied up the $2700 original price tag (I would have gone a different maker) but if you can get into one for under $2K, BUY this rig...... it'll change the way you ride!
