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Submitted by
Metachemical
a Cross Country Rider
from Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Thunder Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Source For Sports | | Strengths: | Super light, fantastic quality, quick on single track and climbing | | Weaknesses: | A little too flexy for my weight (215lbs) | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Stumpjumper FS, Paramount 50, Jamis Dragon | | Bike Setup: | LX/XT derailleurs, Tora 318 Fork | | Bottom Line: | I managed to score an amazing deal on this - I worked at a Kona dealer and called Kona to see if they had an 06 Explosif in stock. They didn't, but they did have an 01 (the white and black Scandium one) in my size and only charged me $100 for it. Beat deal I've ever gotten. I built the bike up with a few new parts and some from my old stumpy, and got going. Super light, just flows like butter on single track, great climber. The only drawback is the frame has "worn" considerably in the last two years... the feeling has gone a bit. Apparently that's normal for a Scandium race frame such as this. I've since made this my second bike but I still love her.
This is a bike for old school cross country riders who like to get a good workout on the trail... you can't be lazy on this bike at all. It's a bike for those of us who remember riding bikes without susension forks and hydraulic brakes.
Gravity jocks need not apply. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hugh
a Cross Country Rider
from Glasgow
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Monadhliath | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Bothy Bikes | | Strengths: | Lively, light and nimble | | Weaknesses: | Paint | | Similar Products Used: | Nuthin like it | | Bike Setup: | Mavic crossmax (non-disc)& X-Flite saddle | | Bottom Line: | Bought the 98 Explosif 2nd hand from Bothy bikes in Aviemore for £850 in 1999. A lot of money but better than the rrp of £1449. A good bike was made a whole lot better with the considerably lighter crossmax wheels and the lightest tyres I can get when I replace them. Thought I'd add an updated review to keep the thread alive. 853 is excellent tubing but I've noticed a slight asthetic dent in the top tube. I reckon it will still do another 9 years and I might even get a good paintjob for it. Great for long distance XC and with maintenance friendly wheels a gran tourismo! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
a a
a Downhiller
from noha
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | a | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$1.00 | | Purchased At: | a | | Strengths: | nothing | | Weaknesses: | everything | | Similar Products Used: | U.R.M.U.M.S Kona Makena | | Bike Setup: | nizzle wontons | | Bottom Line: | crap | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jerry Meyers
a Cross Country Rider
from Edmonsprawl
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Brandon Hills | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | Doug's Bicycles, Belleville | | Strengths: | Superb tubing, sweet geometry, very durable, beutiful ride. | | Weaknesses: | I wish my 98 had disc mounts. | | Similar Products Used: | 89 Team Stumpjumper, KHS Team, Trek Y22, RM Element, Titus Loco Moto, Cove Stiffee, Turner 5 Spot and RFX | | Bike Setup: | In the 8 years I've had this frame it has had 97 Z2, X Fly 100, TALUS, P2, and Surly 1x1 forks, XC wheels, many tires, and cockpits. | | Bottom Line: | I can't even begin to describe the good times this fine ride has brung over the last 8 years. I love the ride and handling more now than when I submitted my first review way back in 98. If you can pick up one of these 853 beauties grab it up fast. Climbing, descending, turning, tight and twisty or just cruising it does it all well. The paint is a little chipped but the frame looks classic.
My current setup is a rigid SS/fixie and it excells on the trails. Throw on the gears and the 85mm TALUS and it's a sweet, up to date XC machine. The 98 Explosif has stood the test of time, definately a keeper. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Kerr
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver, but currently Toronto
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere my bike is beneath me | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | From a buddy | | Strengths: | The frame is over 10 years old an going strong, and if the wheels hadn't been stolen I'd still be on the original Shimano XT hubs | | Weaknesses: | Poor maintenance on the part of the owner (me) means that the paint is chipped and not the sexy black ride it used to be. | | Similar Products Used: | Had a Norco Sasquatch before this and nothing else since. | | Bike Setup: | Upgraded over the years, currently Bomber Z2, V-brakes, sychros rings that I just can't seem to bend or break, a grip shifts. The rear derailleur is finally dead but I only need the big or little ring anyway ;-) | | Bottom Line: | The only drawback is that I got the frame a little too big so it's tricky in the single track, but this baby climbs like there is no top in sight. I just saw some video of the start of a race I was in... once I was in the saddle I was "gone" up through the crowd of dualies and aluminums. The way this frame rides everything except serious vertical is amazingly smooth and it's only the fact that the frame is just a little too big that gets in the way. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
simon
a Cross Country Rider
from huddersfield
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | all parts sourced off e-bay | | Strengths: | 96 explosif great frame vrey quick responceive | | Weaknesses: | none as yet | | Similar Products Used: | custom built hard tails full sussers | | Bike Setup: | 96 explosif frame sram 9.0 esp groupset 96 xt chainset plus xt wheels u.s.e flat bars(96) control tech stem +seat post flite ti saddle manitou sx ti forks | | Bottom Line: | i allways wanted a explosif when i was younger but never got round to buying one till i bought a frame off ebay for 58 pounds about 3 months ago then biult it up with 96/97 parts. man what a bike quick responcive not to heavy it reminds me what mountain biking is all about. a friend of mine said nothing rides like a kona he was right!!!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Harcourt J. Whifflespliff
a Cross Country Rider
from Acton, ON, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | 4th Line Speyside, ON, Kanada | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Cash Converters | | Strengths: | Light as all get out, climbs like nobodys business, lightning quick responsiveness. | | Weaknesses: | I can't really find any thus far. | | Similar Products Used: | My buddy used to have a Rocky Mountain Hammer that was a steel frame. I was on an aluminium Stratos so we swaped all the time for kicks. | | Bike Setup: | Well I rescued this baby from a pawn shop and pretty much did a complete rebuild on it. So as it sits now it's spec'd as follows. RF tubines with XT bb, Magura rim brakes, XTR hubs Weimann rims, Mythos XC rubber, Monkey Lite lo-rise bars, Kona ti Flite saddle, Ritchey post, RF Thermo HS and Prodigy Stem, XT, Sachs Shfting, Salsa grips, and Duke Race forks. | | Bottom Line: | Alright I'm pretty much reviewing the frame as I have done a bit of a rebuild. So it was a 17" 96' vintage with the Columbus tube set and ugly green paint. I'm a small guy 135-140 lb on a good day and I'm standing at about 5'7" - 5'8". This a very sweet riding bike and it is hands down the most responsive bike I have ever owned. It tracks like it's on rails, the lightness combined with the
responsiveness can get you out of all kinds of dodgy situations in a hurry, and it climbs and climbs and climbs and climbs. Gotta love that Kona geometry, all the angles add up very nicely, and BTW the Dukes replaced the stock Judy XCs and did not affect the geometry near as I can tell. The same can also be said for replacing the stock flat bars with riser bars. I relaize the steel hardtail is a dying breed but this bike is quite the XC gem considering how much you would spend for one used. Unlike aluminium of course the metal does not fatigue as much, so snaping up an old one is pretty safe if you know what to look for so far as structural integrity is concerned. And lastly I just found out my favourite repair shop Bicycles Etc. in Guelph ON - who rebuilt my cherished ride - is no longer in business so thanks to them for the fine service and most useful advice over the years. Well that's my too sense, enjoy... | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy Radcliffe
a Cross Country Rider
from Isle of Man, British Isles
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Strengths: | Fine frame geometry, excellent paint job (design and quality) | | Weaknesses: | Could lose a pound or two,but is is a 1989 frame-what do you expect. | | Similar Products Used: | Rocky Mtn Blizzard. | | Bike Setup: | XT 8 speed with Rapidfire shifters, Titec stem and bars, USE seatpost, Flite Ti saddle, xt hubs, Mavic Rims SPD's.
Avid Linear pull brake on front, magnesium U brake on back with home designed ratio adjuster(to suit V brake levers) | | Bottom Line: | Probably the oldest Explosif reviewed here.
1989 with that Pistachio/Yellow spatter paint job (Still looks damn good too!)
Magnesium "U" brake at rear and Project 2 forks are probably the only original components.
Still a really enjoyable and satisfying bike to ride - all the updates that have been made to it over the years only add to this as the frame and fork are great (if not the lightest). I hpoe to be still riding this bike in another 10 years! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane, Australia
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | The Jinker Track | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Bought second hand | | Strengths: | Tough and Reliable | | Weaknesses: | Mine is an old 95 model, 0ne inch head tube with a threaded headset and rigid fork | | Similar Products Used: | My new Surly single speed, Specialized fsr XC | | Bike Setup: | Setyp fo commuting: WTB saddle, Control Tech barends, Specialized handlebars, Avid speed dial 1.9l levers and 2.5 v-brakes, rear deore 9s shifter, LX rear derailer, Truvative chain guide (only using one chainring), Specialized hubs and mavic 221 rims with IRC Metro tyres | | Bottom Line: | This is my first mountain bike. I bought the bike of a Canadian backpacker who needed the cash. It is the best purchase I have made because it introduced me to the wonderful world of mountian biking. The frame itself is reasonable light, tough and reliable. It has taken a battering over the years and I will never get rid of it, even though the frame is to small for me now. If I had not built up a single speed I would have bought another explosif | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Brant
a Racer
from Corvallis, OR. USA
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Lupine letdown\Southeside slip | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | BBB Dillon, MT | | Strengths: | Singletrack, climbing | | Weaknesses: | Seatpost, brakes | | Similar Products Used: | Diamondback ascent, Trek 7000, Bridgestone MB-2 | | Bike Setup: | Thomson seatpost, XT shifters/V-brakes, Mavic X517 wheels, WTB saddle, Kona project2 rigid fork! | | Bottom Line: | I ride a 95 Kona explosif.
I must say this is the the most responsive bike I have ever had!!! I ride this bike with a rigid fork and suprise alot of riders with it's ability on tight technical singletrack and on climbs.
The Columbus MAX tubeset is very comfortable and the Project two fork is a dream, I love this set-up!!!
I have had a Marzocchi and a Judy on it but I always go back to my project two rigid fork, I guess I am just used to it. Again..... I LOVE MY EXPLOSIF!!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, Australia
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Menai Bike Factory!! | | Strengths: | The ride!! Overall feel is superb: handling, ride quality, cool factor. Mmmm. Tasty. Good quality parts. Most OEM parts are still going strong. | | Weaknesses: | Poor tolerances and tube alignment. Minor details. Could be stiffer. | | Similar Products Used: | Mongoose IBOC | | Bike Setup: | '98 model 853 steel, Z2 Bam, XT, Woodman Saturn headset | | Bottom Line: | I still love this bike, but I have discovered a few interesting details that I did not notice before. It is always a joy to ride this bike no matter when or where. So versatile. Through the city, down rocky fireroads, up rocky fireroads, along singletrack. See my previous post for more details. Overall, Kona have got it spot on.
However, when you look at the details, you see some faullts common to most production frames, particularly when made in Taiwan. I noticed that one of my seat stay tubes is not aligned properly. It is rotated very slightly along its longitudinal axis. Obviously when it was being welded. No loss of performance, just a minor manufacturing inconsistency. It means the rack eyelet is not square, though.
Secondly, I recently replaced my OEM headset with a Woodman Saturn. Most people have not heard of this brand, but their tolerances are incredibly high. Possibly better than a King! The first time the mechanic put it on it was very stiff and would not spin freely. After a lot of work and a new headset later, he decided to face and ream the head tube. After that the headset spun soooo smoothly! The head tube was not square or flush, so it was preventing the headset from spinning.
Moral of the story: the head tubes of Konas are not faced with very good tolerances (like most production frames). This is not a problem with cheap (OEM) headsets since they do not have or need good tolerances, or are self centreing. However, if you are installing a high quality headset, face and ream your head tube first!!! If you read the Chris King headset installation page you will get similar advice.
That said, it is a sweet frame... for the price. But it does make you realise the value of a handmade, custom frame...
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mentre françois
a Weekend Warrior
from france
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | les vosges mountains | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | im the owner of a breezer lightning frame since 1994, great bike but because of a frame failure i got to change my bike no guarantee because breezer does not exist anymore .
for a littles more than 100 euros i'll become these days the owner of a new vintage explosif, dark green color and ultrastrong tubing. it seems to be a good bike as i read here. i'm new in the explosif family, i hope the handling of the bike will be as perfect as breezer's sorry for my english peace françois | | Bottom Line: | was passiert ? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Duncan Lewis
a Cross Country Rider
from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | MBR Coed-y-Brenin | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Used | | Strengths: | This bike accelerates so fast out of turns it's amazing. Lets you know everything thats going on under the tires, great feedback. Climbs very well. Reliable. | | Weaknesses: | Rockshox indy SL flex way to much. Front brakes rub when your out of the saddle. | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale F2000, Kona Cinder Kone, | | Bike Setup: | XTR front V brake - XT rear V brake. Rockshox SID XC 2001 forks. Michelin Wild gripper lite tyres. | | Bottom Line: | I purchased this bike second hand for just £600, i don't know what the US exchange rate was back then, but it sold in the shops in the UK for £1300. Because it was only 2 years old i considered it to be a bargain. For single track this bike is stunning, where i ride the terrain consists of tight trails with wet rocks and roots, so placement of the bike is imperative, picking the correct lines on the explosif is, well, not easy because i'm not that good, but lets say it makes my ride a whole lot of fun.
In a nut shell? This bike is just soooooo FAST! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DB
a Weekend Warrior
from Illinois
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$990.00 | | Purchased At: | Olympia Cycles Omaha, Nebraska | | Strengths: | Nimble
Sucks up the hits
Plush fork
Made by Kona | | Weaknesses: | Tires
Rims just ok
So pretty I'm afraid the Jerry Springer kids next door will steal it. | | Bike Setup: | xt/xt
Marzocchi z2 bomber
IRC Mythos | | Bottom Line: | Now I see why people love 853 steel. Kind of the best of
steel and aluminum. Bike is very nimble, frame is very responsive. It's hard to put into words. You feel the stones and bumps you ride over, but your body is being spared the hits. I got this old bike new over the internet. Without the big discount I wouldn't have been able to afford
it. Kona should be making high quality steel bikes. They seem to belightening up all of their bikes. They're losing their niche in the market and their bikes,except for the dh/freerides, just don't stand out like they used to. I've been a Kona rider, but if they don't start making decent steel bikes I'm going to buy from Rocky Mountain, Gunnar, or Curtlo next time. C'mon Kona, get back to the original game plan. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
josh novis
a Cross Country Rider
from new hampshire
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | bicycle bobs | | Strengths: | Reynolds 853 snaps you through switchbacks and is always nimble. It is great for any type of riding. I have had mine set up as a SS, as a race worthy XC race bike and now it's set up for dirt jumping! | | Weaknesses: | none. I mean the frame has none. The stock kit had some poor componants like LX BB, Tioga Factory Slicks, Ritchey front Hub with poop skewer (I have broken 5 of them and they are 12mm! They snap at the point on the QR side where whey have been machined back down to 9mm.) stem, seatpost. But all this is excusable becasue it is to make it reasonably priced. THe same bike from IF is 1000$ more. | | Similar Products Used: | IF Deluxe, Bridgestone MB-3/4, Salsa a la carte, but nothing as versitle. | | Bike Setup: | full 9sp xt, RaceFace turbine lp cranks, RaceFace TiBB, Cane Creek HS, Azonic Shorty stem, RaceFace AirAlloy Riserbar, Z1 MCR QR-20, Sun Rynolites, and some other stuff. It's fun. NO IT'S NOT FOR SALE!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Bottom Line: | Kona rules however, they should be repremanded for discontinuing the 853 frame. Sure the Scandium is nice but it is too expinsive and rather over-ratted. I will continue to recommend this bike to everyone. It is one of those frames which if seen in a local shop it should be bought. There aren't that many of them left out there and I'm sure that Kona will be swamped with calls asking how to get one. ONCE YOU RIDE THIS BIKE YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH IT!!!!!!!!!! Oh yea, I work at an LBS and I picked up the last frame from my shop. If I do ever brake the one I have I have a replacement! I'm not gonna let KONA try to replace it with a Cro-Moly Scab!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
funpig
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver, B.C. Canada
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Strengths: | Tange Prestige tubing
Light springy frame
grease nipple in bottum bracket | | Weaknesses: | It has short cage rear derailler which limits shifting at the extremes ends (eg. small chain ring and small sprocket) | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | 19" frame with Project 2 forks, XT everything (including 7 speed rear and cantilever brakes, hey its old) | | Bottom Line: | 1991 vintage Kona. It's got Joe Murray stickers over everything from the stem and forks to the tires to the water bottle and tire patch kit.
The bike is so light and springy. Except for the rolling resistance of the knobby tires, I find that it is lighter and climbs hills faster than my roadbike. The frame is very strong considering the thin tubing (I weigh over 210). I use it mostly for commuting.
Nine years and I have never had to take apart the bottum bracket. There is a standard grease nipple underneath the bottum bracket. Every year or so I get a standard grease gun and inject new grease into the bottum bracket until all the old grease, water and grit are extruded out of the cranks. It takes about ten minutes to clean up all the extruded grease from the frame, chainrings etc., but it's alot easier than taking apart the bottum bracket. Still smooth and solid after nine years!! The only thing I have to watch out for is that the grease gets pushed out through the brazing into one of the chainstay tubings and out a small drain hole; it just means that I have to wipe grease from the hole for about a week.
I'm not really into cross country riding and never felt the need for suspension forks (BTW why doesn't MTBR have a review section for rigid forks?) I can ride down stairs with this thing no problems (of course, I used to do that with my roadbike when I was younger and lighter).
I have XT cantilever brakes which have great stopping power. I have never tried or felt the need for v-brakes. It's funny. I have some old Mountain Bike Action magazines from 1991 (I only bought them when I was shopping for my bike. Recently, I checked out the latest edition at the bookstore; the bikes all look like motorcycles without the motor); there was a product review of the Shimano XT canti-levers complaining that there was a lack of modualtion and that it was too easy to lock up the brakes... Hmmm.
I have the original "push-push" rapidfire shifters. I still prefer these over the new shifters. Thumbs for shifting, two fingers for braking and two fingers to hold onto the bar. In retrospect, I wish I got the on-the-top friction thumb shifters. I have friction shifters on my roadbike; 15 years and I never have to worry about adjusting any indexing; it's so much easier to trim your deraillers on the fly. My only worry with this old technology: can you still buy a 7 speed cassette? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Antri Zhu
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere where I can ride | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | used | | Strengths: | the steel frame, Z2 fork, raceface cranks and the Magura hydraulic brakes | | Weaknesses: | the seat, the fork doesn't have enough travel | | Bike Setup: | Z2 fork, raceface cranks, Magura brakes, and the rest is stock | | Bottom Line: | the ride is amazing because it feels so fast once you are on it especailly on gentle downhills. The ideal buyer should be anybody who wants to go fast and Aluminum haters. The brakes are just awesome and they are so much better than V brakes. I am glad that it was upgraded. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
fjshfsa
a Cross-Country Rider
from fvk
Date Reviewed: December 28, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllll | | Weaknesses: |
absoloutly none | | Bottom Line: | IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII llllooooooovvvvvvvveeeeeeeee ttttthhhiis BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if I could I would give this bike a billion chiles. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Leonidas Raftopoulos
a Weekend Warrior
from Athens Greece
Date Reviewed: October 16, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
everywhere | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
853 Reynolds | | Weaknesses: |
painting job | | Similar Products Used: |
quite a few & twice expencive as the Explosif bike | | Bike Setup: |
XT, AtomBomb. | | Bottom Line: | This is 853Reynolds '98 Explosif. An Excelent bike. It's not dead like the most alu ones but alive & kinky. A pleasure to ride, excelent geometry as well. As there is no local rep for KONA in GREECE I brought this from UK. I already own a $3000+ bike but the Explosif is something else. This bike is the best choice ever. That's why it is ranked that high within the reviews (obviously, single 5star votes are not to be taking in concideration), despite the fact that it is not made from the US favourite material -ALU- and despite the fact that its a bit heavier than a few hundreds of other bikes that they are ranked -tough lack- in a lower position. It's really a pitty that KONA stopped the production of the 853 Explosif for year 2000. The reasons are obviously understood and always dictated by the market. I hope that we will see this great material in the future again and KONA will continue to be an exeptional company who sets their own standarts to the bike market. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alan
a Cross-Country Rider
from Vermont
Date Reviewed: July 6, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Great Frame
Smooooooth front end
Likes abuse and loves mud | | Weaknesses: |
Seatpost | | Similar Products Used: |
Cannondale
Trek
Marin | | Bottom Line: | After riding many brands and models because some scum bag stole my Cannondale, I chose the Kona - Great frame, great fit, loves the Eastern slop.
This is a compliment to a mtn. tandem my wife and I ride so it fits in nicely. Great bike to do anything with. You can race on Saturday and go for long offroad tours on Sunday. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ukiah CA
Date Reviewed: July 3, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Boggs Mtn. | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
handling, fit,
853 steel,
customer service | | Weaknesses: |
none yet | | Similar Products Used: |
every brand available in my area | | Bike Setup: |
built up explosif frame with XT, Judy XC and various choice parts. | | Bottom Line: | I had a built up '97 Kilueau frame with the above mentioned set-up and discovered a frame crack in the seat tube/seat stay junction. My LBS called Kona regarding the crack and they replaced my damaged frame in two days with the Explosif frame, at no extra charge. (They had no Kilueau frames left.) Way to go Kona! They stand behind their product.The Explosif frame is great! The 853 steel is amazing. It has a stiff BB-no flex, yet has a smooth ride. The stiffness reminds me of the aluminum frames I tried, but they all had a rough-bone shaking ride. Aluminum is fine for racing, but for long rides steel is better-you're not as tired or beat up. I wonder how many people would not switched to full-suspension if they rode a good steel frame as opposed to aluminum? The 853 steel has the stiffness of aluminum with the shock absorbsion of steel. Suddenly, it seems I'm 20% stronger. As with any Kona, the handling is great. It is nimble at slow speed singletracking and stable on dirt roads at 35 mph. Should my bike get stolen or run over by a truck, I would replace it with another Kona. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
fvff
a Weekend Warrior
from dcdfv
Date Reviewed: June 12, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
dcvfvwe | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
dwfefdwdfcs\ ef | | Weaknesses: |
frf rfgrv | | Similar Products Used: |
gbtretfg gb | | Bike Setup: |
bgefbv rgb rfrf r b | | Bottom Line: | fgb rb fg b fgbbfg b | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris L.
a Cross-Country Rider
from Halifax
Date Reviewed: May 17, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
anything without mud | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
-Excellent warranty service from Kona, they actually answer emails!
-good value
-nice fork (Z2)
-Many good components
-very nice ride, in fact an Excellent ride, perfect for technical singletracking
-light frame
-capable of many different roles
-extremily upgrade worthy, you wont find yourself wanting to swap the frame. | | Weaknesses: |
-Crappy tires.
-Some lateral flex (this could be a strength. depending on how you look at it). Most steel bikes have this.
-You will become obsessed with this bike, and MTBing. You will loose all interest in golf, curling and other sports not involving dirt. | | Similar Products Used: |
just about everything hardtail. | | Bike Setup: |
originally a 97 bike, with a 97 Z2. The frame cracked and was replaced with a 98 frame. Ti bar, Z2, thompson post, SDG seat, 535 pedals, bonty rear rim and tires. | | Bottom Line: | (I reviewed this bike in98, under the handle yoyoma)
The Explosif of 97 appears to be to have been made as a lightweight xc bike - ei: the lightweight fork. The 98 took a different approach, using a Z2 bomber and other improved components for a better all round cross country bike.I rode my 97 explosif through just about everything, and it just seemed to keep asking for more. A few weeks ago I noticed a crack in the seat stay - seat tube junction. I immediately took the bike to the lbs, where they called Kona. Kona was great about the warranty, they sent a replacement frame out the very same day (and it was a friday)!!!Here is what I have learned about the frame. The seatstay-seat tube junction on the 97 model was brazed, due to the thin material. On the 98 this area is TIG welded . I think mine may have had a defect in it, the 98 and 99's should not have these problems.There are many other improvements I have seen on the 98 bike aswell. The use of 853 steel stiffens the ride a little - especially around the headtube-downtube junction. Another improvement is that the rear derallier cable housing used to run past the down tube. This rubed the downtube, and was easily contaminated. The 98 model uses top tube mounting, which I feel is far superior.The tires give a false impression that this bike is a poor climber. Put a Bontrager Jones tire combo on this bike and you will climb up things that will amaze you. This bike was truly made to climb. I find myself wanting to make this the perfect xc bike, for epic rides, or just fun rides. I see that the 99 frame has a higher MSRP for the frame, but the components are of lower spec. I wonder if the frame got even better (how?).In conclusion, this bike covers a lot of ground. It is light enough to race, competatively yet strong enough to support my 215 pounds. It can be set up like I have to do technical trails - with an emphasis on durability, not lightweight. I have replaced many of the components on this bike, but this is true of 99% of the bikes used by real mtbers, and a bike shouldn't really be judged by one or two of its components(every bike will have something marginal on it). The thing I'm most glad of now is purchasing the Kona name, the reputation is well deserved - because they will support you long after the sale is complete. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chad
a Weekend Warrior
from Nashville, TN
Date Reviewed: April 26, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Bottom Line: | Kicks Ass | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, Australia
Date Reviewed: April 18, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Frame and forks | | Weaknesses: |
Small details such as panniers, tyre changes | | Bottom Line: | This bike does everything the past reviewers say, but... I have noticed a few minor problems that could have been avoided. For instance you cannot get fat rear tyres off without deflating first cos they get caught on the brake pads. Also I have not been able to put a standard Blackburn rack on because the dropouts get in the way. Paintwork comes off pretty quickly too. Finally I suffered some major chainsuck with some FSA cranks. Other than that, its perfect. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a cross-country rider
from Austin,Tx
Date Reviewed: March 5, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Just gotta 97'Kona Hot in almost new condition. The bike is 853 and the ride is absolutely nasty. The geometry is so much better than my old Cannondale f2000. The dales top tube made me feel cramped. The ride is abosolutely solid and the with full xtr, sid, and race face, the bike can climb at a fairly light 22.8 lbs. I don't think I'll go back to aluminum. Thinking about a hei hei or kahuna. Great job Kona. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luc Masse
a cross-country rider
from Loretteville,canada
Date Reviewed: March 3, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I like the tughness of the bike. The handling is very good in single track and technical section. The mist (every bike ave a mist) is the Mavic 222, very light but it's not tugh.
Velo tres solide en general. La conduite est tres plaisante et tres agile surtout dans les section technique et les single track. Son default (tous les velos on un default) les jantes Mavic son tres legerte mais pas tres solide. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jerry Meyers
a cross-country rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: September 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had the 98 frame for about a month now and have been on a wide variety of trails. I am coming off a full suspension bike and it took a few rides to get used to riding a hardtail but once I did I was very impressed. The frame has good looking welds without the high zoot wishbone stays or ovalized tubes which probably keeps the cost down. I bought the frame and put my own components on, including a Z2 BAM so I won't comment on the parts except to say that the Z@ works very well with this frame. The first thing I noticed was that this bike steers quickl and precisely, it does just what you want it to. It feels stable enough on fast downhills, not twitchy. It will climb anything, if you can't climb it with this bike then it's you not the bike. Now this may sound cliche but it has a lively ride not dead like a heavy chromoly frame or stiff like aluminum. It just feels good and does a great job of absorbing shock, not like suspension but it is noticable. It has a nice looking blue paint job for 98 and rack mounts, which I feel are too often left off bikes to give them the racer look. I can't comment on all bikes with Reynolds 853 tubing but it works very well in this frame. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
G GREEN
a weekend warrior
from ABERDEEN SCOTLAND
Date Reviewed: September 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I BOUGHT A KONA BECAUSE THEY ARE THE BEST BIKES MONEY CAN BUY, IF YOU COME TO ABERDEEN SCOTLAND YOU WILL FIND ME AT KIRKHILL. ALPINE BIKES IS THE PLACE TO BUY A KONA, THEY ARE FAR BETTER THAN TREKS OR CANONDALE. KONAS ARE VERY WELL BUILT AND ARE VERY RELIABLE.THERE IS ONE THING THAT USED TO PISS ME OFF WAS THAT THE SEAT PIN WAS A SMALLER SIZE AND YOU COULD NOT GET ANY QUICK REALEASE DEVISE TO FIT. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BC
a cross-country rider
from Ottawa.Ont
Date Reviewed: July 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought one of the best hardtail bikes you could buy. Got a great deal from a LBS and the great riding starts now. I took the Explosif to the Hills and to the technical spots and it shined in both areas. I also have a GT LTS2 and they are both great bikes. I like the rear suspension because of my bad back. The two problems with the GT is the damn squeeking and weight of the machine, so after doing the Kokanne 12 hours of Adrenline I decided that I needed both a hardtail and a full suspension that would best suit me for the type of riding I want to do, so I picked up the Explosif. The shocks (Atom Bomb) are amazing and work better the Rock Shox Judy XC that I have on the GT. The frame is another great feature and I also own a Schwinn road bike that uses Reynolds 853 tubing and it is the best ride you could have in that price range for steel. I used to be a aluminum rider but now I perfer to ride with steel. The drive trail is speced out great with XT and Avid brakes. And my wife really likes the paint job so I better lock the bike up. hehehe. The ride is really smooth compared to other bikes I tried in the same price categorie. If you are looking for a bike with steel then this is your best bet because of the new Shimano 9 speed LX, XT, & XTR you should get a great price from your LBS. My friend is driving a Moab 1 Aluminum and he is thinking about buying a new Kona like mine. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
NGUYEN
a weekend warrior
from France
Date Reviewed: July 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a KONA EXPLOSIF 96. It was a good bike but after some modifications (Avid 3.0 break + Paul 98 Lever, + Front wheel crossmax ) it's really a fantastic bike. - Climb wery well (*****)
- Stability (***)
- Maniability (*****)The Only Problem are Tires (Panaracer Scratch) which are very bad on WET roots and WET rock. So I wil change it to Michelin Wildgripper
It climb wery well
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jack Burton
a weekend warrior
from Waterloo, ON
Date Reviewed: June 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Being a weekend warrior sucks, when I'm too busy to ride on the weekends that means I have to wait until next week to be warrior again? Got the '98 Explosif frame(blue). Good points: Reynolds 853 tubing, long front-center, shortish chainstays, pretty light, stiff seat stays (=stronger braking), love the really sloping top tube. Bad Points: rear derailler cable routing could be a little smoother, chainstay tire clearance is a slim. The bikes been doin' me good for all types of ridin. I have it built up better than stock with riser bars, FAT tires, mix of XTR/RaceFace/Syncros/Kore/King/WTB stuff. It makes a great trail bike 'cause the geometry is a solid foundation for different set ups. Set up for cross-country, and it just feels fast/loves ta climb. Set it up for trials/downhill/cruisin' and its still great at carving corners, slammin' berms, doin' jumps, tricks and other stuff. very versatile. If you like da ride of steel bikes check out ones utilizing da new 853 tubing, its stong and light enough to give aluminum a run for its money. will last longer too. what do you think? Respond in one of da reviews to this one. word life. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Chapman
a cross-country rider
from England
Date Reviewed: June 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I own a 1995 Kona Explosif. I've been mountain biking for over 7 years now, and I've owned the bike from new. Basically, here's the deal; there is no better bike company than Kona. After 3 years of riding the bike, nothing has ever broken (with the exception of a saddle quick release!).
I race the bike, and it's never let me down. I've even won a few races. I've ridden many bikes of all different types and my Explosif is the best climbing bike of them all. If your an inexperienced rider, I wouldn't buy this bike, simply because it's strtched out geometry and extremely responsive handling could be too much of a handfull. But if you've been riding for a while, once you get on this bike you won't want to stop riding it. It's very close to being the perfect cross country racer. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason McRoy
a cross-country rider
from Bournemouth, England
Date Reviewed: June 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I use the explosif for trick riding. I love it, It`s a custom Green, 12.5 frame, and I got it custom colour at bike 98. Kona sent me the decals, and it has my name on it. :) Its a lovely bike to ride, i done it up with Full XTR, and Z1 BAMS. AZONIC handlebars etc, beautiful controlability, even with those ridiculous forks!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a weekend warrior
from Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: June 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought a '97 Explosif on closeout, dropping about $500 off the price tag. Out of the box the BB was a bit narrow for the wide lower stays, the shop replaced the BB for free with a slightly wider BB and the clearance problem went away. The front wheel went noticeably out of true within the first 100 miles but I chalked this up to break in. The shop I bought it at trued the wheels and checked all shifting at about the 100 mile point and all has been fine since. I love this bike, it climbs like a dream. I have heard some complaints about the tires but for Northwest riding they are the bomb. Remember those remote control monster trucks that had animal claws that popped out the tires? I swear those little claws are built into these tires, they just hide when I'm looking. No problems clogging up with mud but I haven't spent much time in real soup yet, whadda ya know, a dry spell in Seattle? The frame is a great compromise between stiffness and compliance, it responds immediately without feeling jarring. The Rock Shox Indy SL is adequate. It's not the best fork on the market, but it softens things up and is laterally stiff and almost as light as a SID. My first real upgrade is going to be DirtWorks Otis (dual coil oil-damped coil springs made for Indys!) Be warned that the '98 has quite a different set up than my model. This review really applies to the gold colored '97 with Colombus Nivacrom tubes. The '98 has Reynolds tubes and weighs a few pounds more, mostly thanks to the superior Marzocci Bomber fork. All in all I highly recommend this bike, espescially if you can still find a '97 for a great deal. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trevor Stead
a weekend warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: May 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, I decided to go against all current trends and buy a steel bike. The exlplosevf
was it cause my AA was getting worn and small and I wanted a little better
components. Man, I sure miss the climbing ability of the aluminum. This bike has
been nothing but trouble so far. I've bent a crank arm, worn off half the paint
replaced that space needle of a stem and taco'd a rim. I can't really blame the
frame for this (except for the paint.) but I find the Reynolds tubing too unpredictable
In addition, this thing singletracks like a pig. What happened, my AA was so good. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ruvain Baechle
a cross-country rider
from Los Angeles, CA
Date Reviewed: May 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought a 95 Kona Explosif, and I am satisfied with it. However, it has a poor finish, and chain suck is a problem, big time. Otherwise, it handles very well. It climbs nimbley and tracks well. A good bike in city traffic, very responsive. Needs V-Brakes and WTB Velociraptor 2.1 tires. These upgrades make the bike complete. I would give this bike 5 chilies with the above improvements. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nat
a cross-country rider
from NY
Date Reviewed: May 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had my Explosif since November of '97 and thus far am enjoying it tremendously. I had the Atom Bomb put on instead of the Indy XC and have since replaced the seat and seat post. I found the Italia Expedia very uncomfortable and I bent the Kona Racelite seat post. I have several minor complaints, first, the paint job is terrible, it chips very easily. Secondly, the bike gives new meaning to the term chian suck, be prepared. Finally the top tube dents easily, although that's probably the price you pay for lightness. On the up side the thing hops over everything, practically on its own. I find the bike very forgiving over the chop and love riding it. Should this frame ever give I will get another Kona. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Yan Stuart
a cross-country rider
from Aberdeen , Scotland
Date Reviewed: April 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I (did) own a '94 Explosif , until some rekcuf knicked it.....
I upgraded with Lawill Leader 3's, manitou 150mm stem an a decent rise, put some shannon risers on it, magura's HS22's, an some ritchey tatties.. Sugino cranks were poor bent two righthand cranks within a week.. replaced with LX cranks...
I have a dodgy back so I raised the front end a bit the geo wasn't affected.. Really burly Since then the ride didn't suffer at all QUALITY piece of kit from the door step challenge
cool 94 colour too.. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin Neustadter
a cross-country rider
from Ponca City, OK
Date Reviewed: March 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Just bought the Explosif and I really enjoy it. I weigh in at between 200-210lbs, so the frame material (Reynolds 853) is the best choice for me. When I was looking for a new mountain bike, I considered several other bikes using the same material, along with Cannondale and Klein's aluminum frames. I ride a Cannondale road bike, but I decided to stay away from aluminum mountain bikes. The Cannondale F1000 and F2000 both had a 5yr warranty on the frame, which wasn't good enough for me. Steel seemed the only way to go. Especially with a Kona 25yr warranty on the frame.Another requirement was for the bike to come with mostly Shimano XT. Mine came with all XT, except Avid 2.0 V brakes. I also wanted a front shock that I didn't have to fuss with all the time (such as lubricating it). I got a Marzocchi Z.2 Bam which uses oil bath technology, illiminating the need to lubricate the shock. Just change the oil each year. unfortunately, the fork weighs in at about 4.2lbs. The reviews on the shock said not to worry about the weight as it handles so well. They were right.The entire bike (19) weighs in at about 16.5lb, which is a little heavy for Norba racing, but you could cut some of the weight by buying a lighter fork if you wanted to. I want a bike that performs when you want it to without a lot of fuss. I got it.About the price: I bought mine for about $1500 from my local shop, and was told that maintenance was covered by that shop. This was hard to believe. Especially since this bike is the cheapest Reynolds 853 bike that I have found. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jjta
a weekend warrior
from Washington DC
Date Reviewed: March 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
As a former messenger and a one time sport racer I ahve found the Kona Explosif to be a solid machine with a great feel. I have yet to find any flaws/faults with this bicycle. I have yet to find any true limitations. I will continue to try and test its limit (and mine as well) and we will see how things feel overtime.
I am 6'4 tall, weigh currently aroun 240, plan to be 220 on race day this year at canaan. I will be there with my kona, hopefully my view will not change by that point. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dr. hoo
a cross-country rider
from Los Angeles, California
Date Reviewed: March 9, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
List price on the 1998 is $1650 us, but i got mine for a steal at $1320. I got the 18 and am 6' tall, 225 lbs. I usually ride fairly technical singletrack, with the occasional fireroad thrown in for good measure.Pre-ride stuff... the wheels came both out of dish, making the bike pull strongly to the left. also, the bike came stock with a 110mm stem 20 degree(?) rise stem (kind of short for an 18 i thought). i swapped the bar for my old 150 titec and the stem for a 130mm 6degree rise bontrager ($20). Also swapped for heavy springs in the marzocchi. that added $60 to my cost, but the position is dialed in completely and i don't expect to spend anything else on the bike for a long time. One last thing, i was getting lots of flats on the RIM side of my tubes. best i could figure is the skinny rubber rim strips were allowing the tubes to get between the strip and the rim, causing a small cut. wider Velox rim tape stopped this problem.FRAME:
853 reynolds main triangle, ??? rear triangle, welded in taiwan. The welds are even with very regular, small beads. very consistent throughout. i checked the alignment (after the pulling left incident) and it was spot on. Traditional kona geometry with a long top tube and extended seat tube, steeper angles than most bikes (a 74 deg seat tube angle).SPEC:
darn near full xt. XT cranks (5 bolt spider!) front and rear derailleurs, rear hub, shifters and brake levers. LX cassette and bottom bracket. Avid sd-2.0 brakes. Front hub is a house brand (beefy looking Java the Hub), as is the seatpost (the bar was too, stem was a tahoma). Tires are house brand Enter/Break. Mavic 220 rims (440grams)with DT 14/15/14 spokes. Fork is a Marzocchi Atom Bomb. Saddle is a Sella Italia XO leather. pretty good so far, not as comfy as my old WTB, but good enough to keep.THE RIDE:
My weird body makes this the best fitting bike i have ever thrown a leg over. short legs and long upper body make a bike like this kona almost a necessity. The frame is stiff, thanks to the oversize tubes. in top gear sprinting i can get the chain to rub a bit when i WAIL on it, but after all the years of riding i have done, and my weight, i can get any bike to do the same. The front end is solid. Overall, stiff but not too stiff, the quintessential steel ride!
The rear triangle provides a bit of cushion on the bumps. not as much as my buddies old prestige tubed kona, but some. Overall, the frame is light, solid, and forgiving when run hard through the rough stuff.
The Atom Bomb is GREAT! combined with the geometry the fork gives confidence for the most technical trails you can find. Any faults i find on my rides now are due to me, not my kona. from slow speed switchbacks, to roots filled climbs, to bombing down rockfields, to fireroad descents, this bike is dialed in. If my memory serves me, older kona's had a 72degree head angle, while this one lists at a more conventional 71. this might be the reason that, while i have read kona's give something up on fast decents, i have yet to notice any problems.
The spec works fine. xt is good stuff as most people know. I really like the fact that the brakes are avids (no linkages to get sloppy over time) and the levers are xt (i like the variable cable pull). After the dish problems, and the flat problems, the wheels have given me NO further trouble. Perhaps this is because the shop had to re-dish the wheels and did a good job with the tension when they did.
A note on the tires: they are pretty good in the dirt. They have a bit of vaugeness when just starting to lean, but lean a bit more and they bite hard. When they break loose, it is in a predictable way. good at climbs, good at slippery loose climbs as you would expect from kona tires. HOWEVER, the square knobs are really bad on the pavement. the tires are squirrely on the road. So if you use your bike on pavement to any extent ( i do NOT ) i suggest something else.
Yesterday i went on a 5 hour ride on new trail. This bike never let me down, and often kept me up. I think the true test of bike and rider is riding unknown trail, having to react to what nature throws at you. No complaints and lots of praise.
Test one of these. I think that for the money, the frame, fork, spec and most of all RIDE of this bike are hard to beat. 5 big habenero chillies. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
yoyoma
a cross-country rider
from The East
Date Reviewed: February 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had this bike for over four months now, and its great. The ride is
excellent, it's very lightweight and can fly up the hills. It seems to
soak up the bumps. The name explosif is appropriate, it surges with
every pedal stroke. A great bike for Eastern single track (not dual
slolam).
There are some weak components on the bike, though. I bent the handle
bar in no time, so I put a titec 150 bar on. The Indy SL that came with
is inadequate for heavy riders, so before I bought it I swapped for a Z2.
The cable routing isn't great either, the rear derallier cable rubs on the
downtube. The routing would be better if it was on the top tube (like
litespeed). The weight of my 18 bike is just over 25 pounds, and thats
REAL pounds - but you could shed a lot with lighter stuff (cogset, fork..)
These minor complaints shouldn't discourage anyone from buying it. I
see that the 98 model uses reynolds 853 tubing, and has some better
components (cranks, frame, ATOM BOMB!) - Kick arse! So go get one if ya
dont have one already. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Atle Kleiven
a weekend warrior
from Norway
Date Reviewed: December 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had five bikes during the last two years. One cheap steel bike, one expensive alu. full susp. bike and two Cannondales (M2000 and F1000). NOW I HAVE A KONA EXPLOSIF. IT IS GREAT. The frame is fairly light and more than stiff enough for me. The geometry is very good for all kinds of riding and I have nothing bad to say about this beautiful bike. I like it much better tan my late C'dale F1000. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wild K
a downhiller
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: November 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have been riding the 96 model for 18 months now and it is well and truely trashed. The ride is awesome, pretty stiff for cro-mo but makes for an excellent x-c racer. The magura levers suck, and chainsuck is a big problem. I dented the frame within its first month, so this must be why the bike is quite light ie thin tubes. Kona geometry rocks and am soon to purchase the Kona King Kahuna. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark-o
a racer
from London
Date Reviewed: October 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've got a '94 Explosif and it's fantastic on every type of trail. The bike surges forward with each pedal stroke and makes molehills out of mountains. Over rocky, technical stuff the bike is precise, and the low cross bar helps to inspire confidence (or at least takes away a bit of the fear). The brakes are fine, but an upgrade to XT V brakes makes stopping as easy as you'd expect. The XT 'thumbies' shifters work easily and reliably - there are days when I prefer them to rapidfires - and the rest of the chainset (XT from various years) is the same, precise and reliable every shift. If I could give it six chilis I would. If you see one, buy it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Tracy
a cross-country rider
from Falmouth, Maine USA
Date Reviewed: September 22, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Great, light frame that seems to float across the rocks, especially the bumpy stuff. The bike climbs like an ape...up and up and up you go. Best climbing MTB I've ever owned. Shimano components work awesome. Love the paint job and the stickers. Also like the fact that you don't see many KONA's on the trails. Everyone's always checking out MY bike. That gets me going.The only problem that I've encountered is that the bike is not very stiff side to side. That's the price you pay for a bike that floats over the hard stuff. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alain T..
a cross-country rider
from Québec city
Date Reviewed: August 3, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I first got a 91 nexplosif XT, the frame broke after 25,000 Km. of hard trail riding and touring. Now, I own a 96 explosif with that different tubing (Colombus), It is now lighter and the ride's smoother than ever, and it climb better too! This is a real good bike to have, no hassle for sure | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Fynn
a cross-country rider
from Vancouver, BC
Date Reviewed: July 28, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a (truly) vintage '93 model, as it came with Suntour XC Pro 8spd thumbshifters and a rigid fork. It also had the Tange Ultimate Superlight tubes and the Ti rails and bar. For all the aluminum and steel bikes I've test ridden, I've never felt a ride as responsive as this rigid Explosif. Even the Rocky Mountain Blizzard, which was (and still is) the quintessential steel bike, does not accelerate or track as well as the Kona. Of course, the flaky brake levers and Ritchey cantis gave way to some Real machined 4-finger levers and some LX V-brakes. Now I also ride with a specialized Ti stem and FSA headset. The frame on this bike seems to LOVE to be twisted through the kind of twisty singletrack that leaves my hardtail-mounted buddies behind. The thing is 23.? lbs, and with the Ritchey WCS Alpha/Omegabite tires, I almost enjoy the climbs as much as the descents. The first thing people notice when they ride it is that it seems to want to leave the ground. (Although the lack of suspension and the ultra-light front-end makes this a dangerous reality on bumpy downhills.) But on the cross-country trails, I surprise my friends by becoming airborne over the terrain they need to plow over with their heavy MCUoilairspringwhatever front ends. I do, however have plans for a '98 Z-2, but we'll see.. Overall impressions: A sexy-looking, aggressive steel bike that will bolt from a starting line and fly up the hills. From a frame standpoint, I have crashed the bike a LOT.. for a 'superlight' frame, it is pretty bombproof. Not a dent. I have heard that the new models are specced out nice, and have good Columbus tubes. If they ride ANYTHING like the vintage Explosif, you'd be crazy not to test 'em. If you're looking for a Blizzard, DeKerf, Brodie or any other high-end steel hardtail, give this Kona a ride. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim Maybee
a racer
from Lethbridge, Alberta
Date Reviewed: July 27, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have been riding a full suspension bike for the last three years, and thought that
I was on top of the world. But recently I have had a desire to go fast, and my Gary Fisher
Joshua Y wasn't feeling too speedy. So I picked up the Explosif frameset, and slapped my parts
on it.(basically Bombers, ESP, and LX). I am home. I forgot what it feels like to ride a bike
with good singletrack handling. A dream. The frame is super stiff and fairly light for cromo .
The long top-tube and tight rear triangle make it climb like a mountain goat on 'roids. If you want
a stiff, durable, light, singletracker, climber, then this is the rig! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
C.
a cross-country rider
from Columbia, MO
Date Reviewed: May 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a 94 vintage Explosif (Prestige Concept and Ultralight pipes, with the ribbed for your pleasure downtube) and I love it. Kona did a terrific job with this frame; the Concept ovalized seat-tube is flex-free at the bottom bracket (the guy who builds Rock Lobster custom framesets told me it’s the best seat tube he’s ever used) but the overall design makes the best out of steel's special “flexing” properties: the frame seems to sort of spring forward when you pedal. It just feels fast. As far as the handling goes, the long and sloping top tube/extended seat tube geometry makes moving the bike around trees and switchbacks quick and easy, but not so quick as to be unpredictable. The small and stiff rear triangle makes for efficient climbing, though the front end has a tendency to wander a bit on steep climbs--you have to move your weight rather far forward to keep the front wheel going where you want it to. Still, this tendency does encourage good climbing form, even if it does mean you have to think a bit while you’re spinning up hills. A few things I don’t much like: the finish is not all that great. Mine seems to scratch and chip easily, and I’m thinking of getting the thing repainted--Kona says they’ll send me some new decals. I’ve also made some component switch-outs: Dean stem (much better than silly Race Light stock stem), Prolong Selle Italia saddle, Onza HOs (not great, but all that float is nice on the knees and they were cheaper than Frogs), and I’m on my third seatpost (a simple Kalloy Uno since my Control Post bent). All and all, though, most of the Kona spec. was well done and has been very reliable and durable.The current Explosif is made from Italian pipes--the Columbus tubeset Max. I understand that Max is Colubus’s most oversized, thus stiffest, tubeset, and it is also radically ovalized, and this makes sense for mountain bike frames, though few road frame builders use Max, apparently. I also heard that the Tange brothers were not getting along so well these days, and so procurement of Tange steel was getting a little difficult, making the switch to Columbus logical from a production angle. In any case, prior writers seem to be saying that the Columbus Explosif has very similar ride qualities.The upshot, then, is that the Explosif is a terrific steel frame, either vintage, or, it seems, new. Maybe we should form an Explosif fan club or something?
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a weekend warrior
from New York
Date Reviewed: April 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a 1995 Explosif. The bike is very responsive (nice for singletrack riding or weaving in and out of traffic in NYC). The bike came with a sensible mix of components. I've upgraded a few things: Avocet saddle, Paul's break levers, Cook Bros. cranks, Manitou 4's, 747's, Answer stem. It seems that the Explosif is no longer Kona's top-of-the-line production steel bike (or they're putting more emphasis on custom bikes) so some of the parts on the newer bikes might not be as nice. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matthew Shanks
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: April 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I'm reviewing the Kona Team bike, which has the identical geometry to the Explosif, but has a full Columbus Max frame, including the chainstays, which aren't Nivachrome on the Explosif.I bought this bike custom, built up to my specs, with a Marzocchi Z2 Bomber, full XTR and Raceface components, so it will last forever.So far, I am incredibly impressed with the ride. The standover height and crotch clearance are exceptional, and power transfer and shock absorption are much better than a standard chromoly frame.I find that this bike is very nimble, with great steering and handling at slow speeds.If you're looking for a bike that flies, this won't disappoint. The back end is so stiff that I find it easier to raise the back end when bunnyhopping than the front.Anyone looking at the Explosif bike will no doubt be equally impressed with the ride and handling. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DANIEL TROTTER
a cross-country rider
from REDCAR, ENGLAND
Date Reviewed: March 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
THE 97 EXPLOSIF LOOKS A GREAT BIKE, BUT I HAVE JUST RECENTLY GOT THE NEW KILAUEA THE KILAUEA FEELS THE SAME AS THE 95 EXPLOSIF, SO I HOPE THIS BIKE HAS IMPROVED. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a weekend warrior
from Southampton, England
Date Reviewed: March 4, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had a '96 Explosif for around 6 months and it rocks! I love all the components on the bike except for the cack cranks and front mech.
I dropped the magura's for some XT V's and levers, then came the roosties and the X-Lite saddle and I'm happy to say that now it is just
the way I want it. Ufortunately I cannot say the same for the '95 Sex One of which the forks snapped in about 2 months.
All I say is that steel Kona's are the best production steel bikes around at the moment, so if you're looking for bombproof, light responsive
frames then Kona's steel sre your best bet. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marek Frey
a cross-country rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: March 4, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
What canI say. Kona bikes are the best I have ever riden. At this time I own a '95 AA and I just love it. I'm thinking of getting the Hey Hey. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Gruner
a weekend warrior
from Prince George BC
Date Reviewed: March 3, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I am writing this on the Kona Sex Too, a full suspension ditty that kicks.
This is my first full suspension bike that I have owned but I have ridden
quite a few. I really enjoy the bike although I do wish at times that it
was a little bit more rigid in the tail for climbing. The air over oil
rear suspension is super plush and it is absolutely amazing on the downhill,
I have taken it down some pretty severe single track and my time has
definitely increase over when I was riding a hard tail. The price is right
at $2600.00 considering the components are all xt, the frame is light and
it comes with hydrolic breaks (those are cool). I would definitely
recomend the Kona, even over the high end pro-flex. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Love
a downhiller
from Loughborough University of Technology
Date Reviewed: February 28, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I am trying to get hold of a vintage Explosif or Kilauea from 1992.93
19(OR 18)inch frame size
no structural damage (rust & corossion)
Please e-mail J.Love-96@student.lboro.ac.uk. if you have one (any condition) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a weekend warrior
from england
Date Reviewed: February 26, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been blasting around on my '92 Explosif Pro since it was new. I started off racing it for a couple of years and it was absolutely fantastic, it took everything I could throw at it. After a severe lack of fitness due to a broken bone (went over the bars) on went the curvy bars and flat pedals, dropped the saddle. It is now a totally cool trick bike capable of, well, what ever you want. Basically I would say the Explosif is the most adaptable and versatile bike out there. BUY ONE!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stacey J
a racer
from Las Vegas
Date Reviewed: February 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Probably the best value in a Steel Frame on the market. I have a '94 vintage back when they still used the prestige tubes (with the ribbed for your pleasure downtube). With the shaping on seat and down tubes, the BB is rock stable under power, but the rest of the frame is quite resillient. This combined with MONSTER seat post exposure makes for a rather pleasant ride. Smaller frame sizes (16) have a slacker steerer that makes for a more stable ride at speed, but overall short wheelbase makes for a very quick singletracker! Original components have nearly all been broken or lost, but then, that's mountain biking! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dan
a weekend warrior
from bc canada
Date Reviewed: February 21, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
this bike can take a beating! the bike is definately fun to ride, i can't say much about the components of this years model as i got a crummy list of components ( of which i have almost completely replaced) when i bought it in 94, but because of a paint defect i recieved a 96 frame and the only problem was chain suck until i upgraded my drivetrain (i now use blackspire chainrings instead of the stock stuff). also judy dh's throw off the geometry too much to climb steeps properly. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken Whitney
a cross-country rider
from Fort McMurray, AB, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I own the '96 model and I love it! My first real serious race season was last year and the Explosif made it all the more fun. I made a few changes, though. First, the defective curve cranks got chewed up (twice), and the company gave me the Sugino Mighty 900's. Next, off with the tires. The Scratch and Sniff sucked in the mud, especially over slich roots. I mounted the Continental knobbies for a great improvement. Also, I changed the heavy Magura brakes (which were constantly leaking on me before races) to Onza H/O cantis, with Mattenhauzer pads and Avid 2.0 levers. Oh, and I also slapped on some Yeti speed grips, presta valve tubes and a new chain.This year I'm getting a new Flight saddle (the cover ripped off the Selle), a Control Tech stem, new spd pedals, Syncros seatpost, new tires, and a whole new drivetrain!What can I say? The frame kicks ass! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Geddan Ruddock
a cross-country rider
from South Africa
Date Reviewed: February 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently aquired a '97 Kona Explosif (sponsored). I havent put in alot of miles on it yet, but it is definitely lighter and somewhat stiffer than last years model. The seatstays use to flex , but the '97 model has beefier stays that hardly flex, even with the standard issue V-brakes (awesome power-Ive already endo'ed because of them!). I would have preferred a Judy XC/SL upfront, since it compliments the Kona's ride rather well, but the Indy SLs are never the less very smooth. The only other things I'd like to change are the pedals, tires (Sniffles and Scratches suck!). Do any of you other Kona riders have problems with chain suck? This is one area where the Kona designers still need to do a bit of work (either more chainstay clearance or different chainrings). Otherwise the ride is still thoroughbred Kona and I'm looking forward to Exploding (excuse the pun!) into the racing season aboard this reliable and understated,yet ultra-cool looking steed! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken Whitney
a cross-country rider
from Fort McMurray, AB, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I own the '96 model and I love it! My first real serious race season was last year and the Explosif made it all the more fun. I made a few changes, though. First, the defective curve cranks got chewed up (twice), and the company gave me the Sugino Mighty 900's. Next, off with the tires. The Scratch and Sniff sucked in the mud, especially over slich roots. I mounted the Continental knobbies for a great improvement. Also, I changed the heavy Magura brakes (which were constantly leaking on me before races) to Onza H/O cantis, with Mattenhauzer pads and Avid 2.0 levers. Oh, and I also slapped on some Yeti speed grips, presta valve tubes and a new chain.This year I'm getting a new Flight saddle (the cover ripped off the Selle), a Control Tech stem, new spd pedals, Syncros seatpost, new tires, and a whole new drivetrain!What can I say? The frame kicks ass! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cricket
a racer
from Montreal
Date Reviewed: February 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
An excellent product! So much that it's my second Explosif!!! That's a bike who is very responsive, the geometry is very cool. Kona rocks! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Curtis Poff
a cross-country rider
from Portland, OR
Date Reviewed: January 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I also have a 96 model, it RIPS, I worship it!! I've dumped the nappy R.S. XC for a Halson PDS (unfortunatley also the stem (syncros) and headset(dia-comp=( )) Great singletrack performer!! Next upgrade will be a WTB saddle. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Lennington
a weekend warrior
from London, UK
Date Reviewed: January 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I own the 96 version of this bike. I love it. I only changed two things - dropped the wellgo pedals for spd's and the scratch & sniffs for velociraptors.The handling is fine even at high speed. Most of the crashes I've had have been in slop or loosing traction on wet hard top. I wouldn't change anything on this bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Norris
a cross-country rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: December 12, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
THis bike handles great & VERY VERY Quike! BUt as most say about this bike it is over-responsive, when at high speed. This is not a bad thing in my mind!!! I've got a 96 and love the components on board,The hydralic brakes are real cool stoppers, infact I've only changed the stem, to a longer one and the seat to a flight, because a personal preference. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dennis
a cross-country rider
from Montreal
Date Reviewed: December 10, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Give me steal, or give me death. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a racer
from Palo Alto
Date Reviewed: November 12, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The Explosif is a great bike. Stiff like an aluminum frame, but rides like steel. I have to agree that it's a bit more nervous at speed that some other bike. i.e., Cannondale Super V DH bike. It's nothing you can't get used to though. I guess that's the trade-off for being such a sweet bike in singletrack. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ted
a cross-country rider
from PA
Date Reviewed: November 5, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Kona makes a great bike with a great frame. Mine is a few years old
and I can't speak for the components on new ones, but the Columbus
frame rocks.For a mass produced bike, the geometry is very nice. Steep angles
plus long top tube makes for a very nice ride.To those who complain about twitchiness at speed, I say to
you: Learn to steer, wuss! I've had my Explosif over 45mph
on fireroads lots of times and it feels just fine. It has lots
of standover height and the smaller frame sizes would build
nice slalom or trials bikes.My only complaint is that the top tube is a mere 0.4mm thick
in the middle section. I've got quite a collection of dings
and dents, but nothing life threatening. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eddie
a cross-country rider
from New York
Date Reviewed: August 20, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The Explosif has great handling for tight eastern singletrack. It always feels
like it's right underneath you, even in twisty hairpin turns. It also climbs
really well because of its short chainstays and stiff Columbus Max tubing.
(An economy measure is that the Max tubing is only used for the main tubes and
not the stays). Because of its tight geometry, it is not the best bike around
for pedal-to-the-metal downhill runs. Over a certain speed, the bike gets a
little twitchy. I've replaced the Kona tires with Spec.Team Control/Master
tires which seem to make the bike break traction while cornering much more
predictably than with the Kona tires. The Kona grips are pretty ineffectual.
They have ridges that run around the grip, instead a more logical across the
grip pattern. I also don't like the Gripshift that comes on the bike, but
that's personal preference.
| | Overall Rating: |
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