Submitted by
Dillon
a Downhiller
from roberts creek, bc, canada
Date Reviewed: December 12, 2005
Strengths: super strong frame
Weaknesses: its a bit heavy for xc but i only race with the school team and the rest of the time im doing freeriding/dh and dont like the hayes disc brakes for where i live(have to keep getting half calipers cuz the siezed up) the shocks are bad if u do any jumps that are bigger then 2ft and drops
Bottom Line:
awsome bike had it since it was new and only complant is the brakes and the shocks! but if u have this bike and want to upgrade the fork get 66vf they are the best for for this bike!
Bike Setup: 02 kona roast, stout 2.6 inch tires,avid bb7 disc brakes(8 inch rotar) 2005 marzocchi 66vf
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Submitted by
Brodirt
a Cross Country Rider
from White Plains, NY
Date Reviewed: October 28, 2004
Strengths: built like a frikkin tank...and I know cuz I break bikes, and I havent broken this one. Gorgeous burnt amber (yes a crayola reference) color.
Weaknesses: None so far, except if you take into account the fact that once you ride a Kona you must adopt the Kona attitude and you may not want to do so even though you love their bikes.
Bottom Line:
Fun fun fun. I set it up to and ride it pretty much xcountry only. Got this dirt jumper cuz I heard I couldnt break it and I have broken several other hardtail xcountry frames before including a steel Jamis (may it rest in pieces), and the rumors were right, I cant and I try. It is fast, nimble, fun, rides hard, takes abuse and can even climb. I admit it is overkill for a xcountry bike but for my very hard style and my hard east coast trails I am happy.
Bike Setup: Xt drivetrain and hubs, Mavic rims, race face BB crank stem bash guard and post, FSA headset, Manitou Black Elite 100-120 fork, Avid BB mech discs 6" front 8" rear.
Strengths: Great geometry, like the forged stuff (yoke, etc), pretty stiff; great value in a bike, BUT - see below
Weaknesses: The top tube buckled, with no prior dents, dings or scratches. Failed right where the tube's at its thinnest (they vary the wall thickness), where the profile goes from squarish to roundish. Pretty disappointing. A friend of mine had the same problem on his Stuff.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike, but if you're a heavier guy (I'm 210 lb) and ride hard, you might want to look for a little 'beefier' frame - hard to describe. The weakness is in the thin sections of tube, not the joints.
Otherwise, go for it - it's rad. But change the tires and look at getting a new fork, or at least expect to buy another when the stock fork breaks.
Strengths: The Frame...YOU CANNOT DESTROY THIS THING!!! NO FLEX! Im 6' and 230. Lynnwoods,Haahaa! Sharkstooth...Just Bring it!!! This is the PRO WRESTLER OF FRAMES. The 73 Buick Centurion of Frames
Weaknesses: The original spec. Aspirated sphinchter muscles!! The marsucki fork,Gimp wheels,Poser crankset,Oh the most important thing!!!! WHAT NUMBNUTS THOUGHT UP THE KRAPPY COPPER COLOR? John Deere Green, Desert Sand, Flat Black, or Caterpillar yellow thats more like it.
Bottom Line:
The most Bang for the buck frame!!! Great for chasing Roadies up RT 127 from Beverly to Gloucester or Playing up on whats remaining of Bowridge. Manouvers like its on rails great for trying to run over the walkers in Lynnwoods( Ever watch RollerDerby?) THIS BIKE WAS MADE FOR MOUNTAIN CROSS!!!!!!!!!
Similar Products Used: An Azonic and a Specialized P2
Bike Setup: Azonic 454 crankset with 4 SKF Bearings,36 spoke Rinolites,8" Hayes F&R,Ti Axel Marzochi front hub,Stock stem,saddle,post, Prisonbar-X steering stick,XT rear hub with Solid Ti axel and Ti Nuts, Bombshell BadBetty W/Hand made Cartriges ( Oil and Nitrogen Charged ), Flak Jacket Cables, 36 tooth upfront w/mrp guide, Weirwolf 2.5 F&R or Maxis Wet scream F&R.
Strengths: Nice frame, forged bits with beef and geometry for big stumpy-legged fat dudes, err clydes that is, who want to do it all. Climb long, clean switchbacks, drop the drops, descend like water flowing, and thrash the office park on the same bike. Playful, powerful, makes you do things you shouldn't.
Weaknesses: Spec at this price point is a joke, really. Deore mech, bottom-of-the-line nearly unadjustable marzocchi exc and hayes mechanicals on a $1200 hardtail? Tires were bad, warped, heavy, flexy sidewalls even at 55lbs, didn't grip anything all that well and snakebit at 40lbs, frequently tossed pebbles at paint-chipping and welt-raising velocity. Graphics unsubtle (but easily remedied). Hayes levers rattle and reach adjustment is nominal. Fork low on oil from factory, squeaky until first oil change, probably won't last the year.
Bottom Line:
Great frame, good bike for the indecisive / without room for separate XC and play hardtails.
Strengths: The frame is pretty strong and is really smooth over trails of any size. The pait work is pretty good too.
Weaknesses: The seat post has a tendancy to slip no matter how tight the clamp is. The bars could have been a bit stronger. They bent after 4 months.
Bottom Line:
A really nice bike tp ride. I have heard that the original forks are pooooo and they could have been better but i have never riden with them only DJ2 and then 3. The frame is definately worth it and maybe the whole bike!
Bike Setup: XTR front and rea mechs. XTR Shifters. Hope Mini Disc brakes front and rear. Mavic D321 CD rims on hope bulb titanium hubs front and rear. Bomber Z1 f
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Submitted by
joe bob homes
a Downhiller
from Chilliack, British Coumbia
Date Reviewed: October 15, 2002
Strengths: is very srrong and light. it can take a lot of punishment.
Weaknesses: the tires ware down very fast and they pop easy
Bottom Line:
it is a very durable bike and is very easy to controll and can take a big beating.
Submitted by
Jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from fort collins, co, usa
Date Reviewed: September 18, 2002
Strengths: Frame rocks, super stiff, great angles for hucking, handles 5" well.
Weaknesses: Haven't found one yet
Bottom Line:
Love it so far, I got used to hucks with a full suspension, but snapped it in half... the hardtail frames were cheaper, but it turns out to be just as reliable, and the take-off feels so much more controlled with a hardtail this sweet! 5" forks feel great on this, thinking wider tires might help some too. Haven't been off-road yet, so can't testify to how it climbs, but I imagine it rips downhill!
Similar Products Used: 98' Specialized Rockhopper comp
Bike Setup: Race Face riser bars, ODI lock-on grips, Fox Vanilla 125's in the front, Azonic shorty stem, Kona post, Azonic Hot Seat, Rhinolytes with Tioga 2.1 DH, Avid mechanical discs front & rear, LX drivetrain with Blackspire BashGuard, clipless pedals
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
corey
a Weekend Warrior
from washington, DC
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2002
Strengths: unbreakable.
Weaknesses: doo-doo brown color
Bottom Line:
fairly light and incredibly strong. bought this frame-only deal from the MTBR classifieds for a great price and love it. i'm about 200lbs and ride mostly urban. loading dock drops, stairs, dirt jumps... i fear no breakage from this frame. highly recommended!
Strengths: good geometry and fairly beefy set up the frame seems to be good sh*t
Weaknesses: most of the components i have broken and replaced with in the three months i've owned it. the fork is an ernomous heaping pile of dog dung
Bottom Line:
it is a good frame and i frickin LOVE my bike. it was a good value, but if you ride hard, i mean REAL HARD, look elsewhere. after three months i have poured another 1600 bucks into it due to breaks and rebuilds. save yourself the time and money and go get a bombshell sputnik. it is a better frame and the complete bike is almost indentical to my existing set up, but for only 1300 bucks! or have ben from unrealcycles.com build you a BADA** hardtail! 4 chilis for the frame but the bike is what i'm rating soooooo....
Bike Setup: 17” Kona Roast frame Kona Jacksh*t pedals/ grips Kona Clump stem Interloc seat post SDG seat SRAM chain Bombshell Wicked Wendy 5” QR20 fork Hayes mechanical disc brakes (8” front and 6” rear) FSA X-drive crankset Blackspire 22T chainring Truvativ Hussefelt bash ring Shimano 105 shorty rear derailler (best downill/urban/tech trail derailler in the world. and it's a road derailler. i found out about it through ben at unrealcycles.com. check 'em out they are it!)
front wheel: Chris King 20 mm disc hub 14 gauge Swiss spokes brass nipples Sun Singletrack rim Intense DH tube Tioga Factory DH 2.3 rear (it was on sale so i bough two)
Similar Products Used: 02 Kona Stuff, Norco Sasquach
Bike Setup: Stock (for now) saving up for better fork
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Eddie Gonzalez
a Downhiller
from Berkeley, CA. USA
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2002
Strengths: i put the bike together piece by piece.. so as far as the frame goes.. its rockin!! soo strong and great geometry for gettin' crazy!!
Weaknesses: no weakensses i can think of in the frame..
Bottom Line:
the bottom line is that this bike is super fun!! ive been riding it at Northstar at Tahoe and it ripps!! the bike just wants to tear through all the narly stuff and on the berms it just sprints right out, leaving the kids on the big bikes all looking sad ... on the jumps its great.. i took it on a Dual Slalom course and it felt right at home.. and hitting the streets of San Fransisco was killer fun too.. i was even able to climb some of the hills with it...
anyone who wants to build up a killer rig but wants a frame that is relatively inexpensive, needs to buy this one.. buy the frame and spend the rest on a nice fork!!!
Bike Setup: 4inch Marzocchi Mr. T Triple crown fork w/20mm thru axel, Hayes Disk, Black Spire chain guide w/medium ring, WTB wheelset, phat tires w/Intense DH tubes...
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Mark
a Racer
from Whistler Bc, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2002
Strengths: Geometry, frame strength and rims
Weaknesses: Forks
Bottom Line:
I searched high and low for a bike that would allow me to do the tricks and riding I want. I need to downhill, xc, technical and just about anything else. The geormetry of the frame is perfect for any situation except for possibly extreme vertical climbs. Being 6'5 and 270 this bike has held up to all the abuse I can give it in whistler.
As for the forks. They aren't the best but they still work well for ob. Ride em till they break and then through on a better pair. For 1500$ there isn't a better bike.
This is one of the (two) kid rides of the season, not to be miss!
The third "Kids-MTB-Ride" of 2009 will be Saturday (6/20) at 3:00PM. This ride will be followed by a Bonfire, W Read More »
That's right! Taking it up a notch! Robinson SP-Agawam
You don't have to have kids to join us. All are welcome!
Hey! The next Kid Ride is going to be Saturday October 3rd. Me Read More »
It's the Bonfire and Weenie Roast ride!!!
This is one of the two (per year) not to be missed!!!
* The fourth "Kids-MTB-Ride" of 2010 will be Saturday (7/10) at 4:00pm.
* Meet Read More »
Hi Everyone!
NIGHT RIDE! NIGHT RIDE!! NIGHT RIDE!!! ...Bonfire and Weenie Roast too!
[B][U][COLOR="Red"]Special info for this ride:[/COLOR][/U][/B] [B]1)[/B] This will be Read More »
