[fl4tdriven]

Last weekend, I placed an order for a 2019 Kona Kahuna, which is my first bike purchase is 15+ years. I did as much research as possible (or so I thought) before I made my decision, focusing mainly on component specs. As I continued to read after purchasing, I noticed that the chainstay length seems to be quite long for a hardtail 29 (455mm).

I'm 5'8" and purchased a size medium. My concerns are that the bike will be limited in agility because of the longer CS length. I only plan on doing simple trails for now, but hopefully fully getting more techinal in the future.

Did I make a mistake with the Kahuna?

 

[Thaumaturge]

That does seem long, but the folks at Kona do seem to know what they're doing with geometry, so I'd try it, for sure. IMO, longer stays aren't a bad thing at all for your intended usage early on, and if you do start riding more aggressively on rowdier trails, you might find that any bike at that price point will have some drawbacks.

If nothing else, if you use it to get back into biking and then upgrade later, it could be a great commuter, sport-level cyclocross bike, fire road explorer/gravel bike substitute, camping bike, or maybe just something to have in the stable for when your other bike is in the shop. If you have the space for it, there's always a good use for a bike like the Kahuna.

 

[Redlands R&C]

Last weekend, I placed an order for a 2019 Kona Kahuna, which is my first bike purchase is 15+ years.

Did I make a mistake with the Kahuna?

Nope! You bought a new bike for the first time in 15+ years! Enjoy how the bike feels as you begin to ride it more and learn more. Then in 2-3 years (or less) you can begin to figure out where the bike is holding you back in your riding.
Enjoy it!