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Kona Kikapu, GF Piranha, or ???

676 views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  Bob408SS 
#1 ·
Hello all,

Just getting into bicycling again since being a kid. (My current bike is an old Muddy Fox that is about 16 years old...) Ive gone and test-rode several bikes, and am kind of down to the choice between a full-suspension and hardtail... I ride mostly on the street/commuting, but would like to have a do-it-all ride. Id like to keep the cost to a minimum, so the Kikapu is at the top-end of my price-range. If anyone has any suggestions, Im all ears !

Thanks !!!
 
#2 ·
A few to consider...

The Kikapu is a nice ride for sure and Kona is a great brand. You may be able to get a bit better component group with another brand though. I own a Kona and love it but I wish they put a better component group on the entry level Kikapu's and Dawg's. If you were also thinking hardtail you could get a better overall spec for your budget. Based on the Kikapu price I would guess your ceiling is about $1300. Then there are the 06 end of year sales your LBS's should be starting. The 07 bikes will start to appear and shops will want to move out the older stock. Guys I am sure will chime in with Internet based bikes and there are good deals if you are willing to buy a bike based on your measurements alone. I like to test ride many and really feel comfortable before I buy.
Of the dealer market bikes I would look at:
Kona
Specialized
Giant
Trek/Gary Fisher (same parent company BTW)
To name a few good ones. If you are thinking Internet I would consider the Iron Horse line as they have some nice bikes and their FS bikes feature the DW link rear suspension that works very well. Good luck and post back with your findings.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply !

I'd rather stick with an LBS, cause I dont like the idea of buying a bike sight unseen... Shipping to and from AK is usually big $$$ as well. Those Iron Horse bikes look like a smokin deal, but I just cant pull the trigger on a mail-order... As far as budget, Id really like to keep it under $1k.

I've checked out some Specialized bikes, but the LBS didnt have anything in my size on hand, as is the case with most local shops... They are having a special on Jamis Dakar series bikes, but it sounded like they weren't as sturdy as the others according to the forums here.

It might be a couple weeks before I decide, as the shops expect their 07's... Thanks again !

Hasta ~
 
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