[*OneSpeed*]

It's here, and it looks awesome. A couple reviews were posted this morning, very positive overall. Looks like a super fun bike that can take many forms and suite a wide range of riders.

Aluminum and carbon options priced $2,400-$6k. KONA BIKES | MTB | PROCESS

Tire clearance for 2.5" tires out back, short chainstays (427mm), long dropper insertion, long reach, option for coil shock.

When can I ride one?!?!?

Reviews:
https://www.vitalmtb.com/product/guide/Bikes,3/Kona/Process-134-CR-DL-29,27036#product-reviews/3600

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/first...r-gets-a-full-carbon-frame-and-29-wheels.html

https://bikerumor.com/2019/08/07/re...r-29-is-a-playful-well-rounded-trail-machine/

 

[*OneSpeed*]

Full product details here.

Miranda Miller Introduces Kona's 2019 Process 134 Lineup | KONA COG

Process 134 development explanation with Ian Schmitt.

 

[*OneSpeed*]

Well, here it is. I bought a base aluminum model, stripped it to a bare frame, and threw a bunch of new parts on it, most of which I already had. Only thing I had to buy was the shock and cranks.

The build

Aluminum Kona Process 134 frame
Pike 140mm fork with MRP Ramp Control cartridge and SKF seals
DVO Topaz T3 Air shock
Shimano XT 11spd drivetrain
XT brakes 4 piston front, 2 piston rear 180/180
SLX cranks with Wolftooth oval
Stole my DJ handlebars for now, steer tube too short on the fork. Working on another solution.
Minion Tires 29x2.5/2.3
Oneup V2 dropper 210mm
Wolftooth Light Action Lever
ODI Rogue grips
XT pedals to start, sort of have aspirations to put flats on this bike.
SDG saddle

Got the bike on Friday. Got it built and did a shakedown ride Saturday and everything went well. Made a couple tweaks but nothing major.

Sunday did a pretty epic 30 mile ride on the chunkiest terrain around. Rock gardens for miles. It was awesome. It pedals really well, tracks really well in the rock gardens, very fun overall.

I love the shock, but not too stoked on the fork. I've never really liked any Pike I've ridden. I'll spend more time dialing it in but I'm not sure I'm going to stick with it.

Overall I love the bike. Very well balanced and natural handling. I think Kona nailed it. I wouldn't change a thing with the geometry, but this bike is good enough that it deserves better wheels. I'm running the stock wheels for now until I can build some fancy ones. They're a little portly and the rear hub is underwhelming. The DL comes with slightly better wheels.

As awesome as the Minions are I may swap the rear tire for a Forekaster in the meantime.

Again, the handlebar and stem setup are temporary. For the record I'm 6'3" and need more steer tube. Here's some pics. Feel free to ask questions.

 

[*OneSpeed*]

 

[ATXZJ]

Like the green on this one.

 

[targnik]

Well, here it is. I bought a base aluminum model, stripped it to a bare frame, and threw a bunch of new parts on it, most of which I already had. Only thing I had to buy was the shock and cranks.

The build

Aluminum Kona Process 134 frame
Pike 140mm fork with MRP Ramp Control cartridge and SKF seals
DVO Topaz T3 Air shock
Shimano XT 11spd drivetrain
XT brakes 4 piston front, 2 piston rear 180/180
SLX cranks with Wolftooth oval
Stole my DJ handlebars for now, steer tube too short on the fork. Working on another solution.
Minion Tires 29x2.5/2.3
Oneup V2 dropper 210mm
Wolftooth Light Action Lever
ODI Rogue grips
XT pedals to start, sort of have aspirations to put flats on this bike.
SDG saddle

Got the bike on Friday. Got it built and did a shakedown ride Saturday and everything went well. Made a couple tweaks but nothing major.

Sunday did a pretty epic 30 mile ride on the chunkiest terrain around. Rock gardens for miles. It was awesome. It pedals really well, tracks really well in the rock gardens, very fun overall.

I love the shock, but not too stoked on the fork. I've never really liked any Pike I've ridden. I'll spend more time dialing it in but I'm not sure I'm going to stick with it.

Overall I love the bike. Very well balanced and natural handling. I think Kona nailed it. I wouldn't change a thing with the geometry, but this bike is good enough that it deserves better wheels. I'm running the stock wheels for now until I can build some fancy ones. They're a little portly and the rear hub is underwhelming. The DL comes with slightly better wheels.

As awesome as the Minions are I may swap the rear tire for a Forekaster in the meantime.

Again, the handlebar and stem setup are temporary. For the record I'm 6'3" and need more steer tube. Here's some pics. Feel free to ask questions.

View attachment 1274237

View attachment 1274239

View attachment 1274241

View attachment 1274243

L or XL frame?

How much does she weigh?

Would you go 150 up front?

I see one of these in my not too distant future

Sent from my Nokia X6

 

[*OneSpeed*]

L or XL frame?

How much does she weigh?

Would you go 150 up front?

I see one of these in my not too distant future

XL frame

I'm not the guy to ask about weight. Scales are for the big S crowd. It's a trail bike. It's just supposed to be fun.

So far I dig it with a 140 fork. I was thinking about a 150 if I end op replacing the Pike fork, but after riding it today I never felt it needed to be slacker or have slightly more travel. Only one real ride so far so will need more saddle time to form a strong opinion, but so far so good.

It's pretty sweet. I dig it!

 

[targnik]

XL frame

I'm not the guy to ask about weight. Scales are for the big S crowd. It's a trail bike. It's just supposed to be fun.

So far I dig it with a 140 fork. I was thinking about a 150 if I end op replacing the Pike fork, but after riding it today I never felt it needed to be slacker or have slightly more travel. Only one real ride so far so will need more saddle time to form a strong opinion, but so far so good.

It's pretty sweet. I dig it!

Just out of curiosity, what is the stack height?

Sent from my Nokia X6

 

[dbhender]

I have ridden the 134 DL 29er 3 times now in the last 2 weeks while waiting for my new CR/DL 29er to show up. My LBS has the Orange DL 29ers as their new rental fleet. Sweet bike. Kona has definitely got a winner here. Can hardly wait for it to arrive,

 

[yonsson]

I have ridden the 134 DL 29er 3 times now in the last 2 weeks while waiting for my new CR/DL 29er to show up. My LBS has the Orange DL 29ers as their new rental fleet. Sweet bike. Kona has definitely got a winner here. Can hardly wait for it to arrive, View attachment 1274349 View attachment 1274351

So you went all in then....cool!
I've got to say I love the toxic green color on the regular model though.
Really struggling not to buy one.

 

[yonsson]

*OneSpeed* - Thank you for the writeup! I think I can clearly see that they improved the dropper post size choices from your pics above. Nice to hear customer reviews since all the journalistic ones kind of say the same things. And thank you for the pics as well!

 

[David R]

This may be totally nit-picky, but it irks me that the frame looks like it's all straight lines (especially the flattened top tube and straight line from the seat stay through the rocker) and then there's this big swoopy S-curved down tube that totally goes against the look of it.

But other than that one really minor little beef, it looks like a really sweet bike!

 

[Sanchofula]

Asking bike designers to appeal to your aesthetics is probably a cause for not getting as good of a functional design, ie it limits performance potential .

I'd rather have an ugly bike that rides great, than a piece of art that rides like shite.

I can honestly say that I have never considered aesthetics when choosing a bike, color sure, but frame "lines", never.

This may be totally nit-picky, but it irks me that the frame looks like it's all straight lines (especially the flattened top tube and straight line from the seat stay through the rocker) and then there's this big swoopy S-curved down tube that totally goes against the look of it.

But other than that one really minor little beef, it looks like a really sweet bike!

 

[Brahm]

Nice, looks awesome! I have a frame only on order, got a few days on it during launch and am hooked. Going the DVO route also, I have a diamond from a previous build and need to pickup a rear shock when I stop in this week. Outside of that just need to build up a wheel set as well, can't wait for everything to show up.

 

[David R]

Meh, maybe I'm shallow, but if I'm spending thousands of dollars on a luxury item I've gotta like the way it looks, or at least not find it ugly. Like I said it's a pretty minor nit-picky thing, I'd probably still buy one as I'm sure in person where you're not looking at the frame from square side on (and in an even colour not the ugly green/silver two tone) it would be a whole lot less noticeable.

 

[Brahm]

I felt it looked great in person, really liked the two tone, I do think the lines are better on the carbon version but only ever so minor where the tubes connect on the alum, the transition is smoother on the carbon; the downtube also has less of an S curve to it on the carbon version.

I don't feel like the colours I've seen online however match the colours in person. The green on the silver / green isn't so muted in real life; it's a bit metallic. However, had they offered the black and blue in a frame only I would have picked that colour over the silver and green just so I can go with a blue lower on my dvo fork. The dvo green is a lot brighter than the green on the silver & green

To me at least, I think the frame lines look better than my spartan which has that split top tube with the > shape in it; but I do like the look of both.

 

[*OneSpeed*]

Just to elaborate on my ride impressions, the bike felt more planted and stable than my other bike, by a lot. Whether I was grinding through rock gardens at slow speed, Plowing through rock gardens at high speed, rolling big rocks, or sending it, the bike was really amazing and fun. Huck to flat the bike felt rock solid.

I was rolling unfamiliar corners at speed with no brakes confidently. Yes the Minions are a big factor here, but I quickly discovered I could trust it and throw it into corners and know it would track well. That was really fun to be weaving through the trees, hopping roots, and taking fast turns just letting it out without even covering the brake lever.

 

[JMac47]

Just to elaborate on my ride impressions, the bike felt more planted and stable than my other bike, by a lot. Whether I was grinding through rock gardens at slow speed, Plowing through rock gardens at high speed, rolling big rocks, or sending it, the bike was really amazing and fun. Huck to flat the bike felt rock solid.

I was rolling unfamiliar corners at speed with no brakes confidently. Yes the Minions are a big factor here, but I quickly discovered I could trust it and throw it into corners and know it would track well. That was really fun to be weaving through the trees, hopping roots, and taking fast turns just letting it out without even covering the brake lever.

Congrats! How many more rides til the FS yuck is gone? ??

 

[Sanchofula]

Great review, sounds like it rides well, but seriously, how does it look?

Is the bike aesthetically pleasing?

Just to elaborate on my ride impressions, the bike felt more planted and stable than my other bike, by a lot. Whether I was grinding through rock gardens at slow speed, Plowing through rock gardens at high speed, rolling big rocks, or sending it, the bike was really amazing and fun. Huck to flat the bike felt rock solid.

I was rolling unfamiliar corners at speed with no brakes confidently. Yes the Minions are a big factor here, but I quickly discovered I could trust it and throw it into corners and know it would track well. That was really fun to be weaving through the trees, hopping roots, and taking fast turns just letting it out without even covering the brake lever.

 

[mtnbkrmike]

I suspect I am going to get **** all over for saying this, but I was waiting for this bike to land for a loooooong time and had to move on. I currently have 7 Konas in my garage, including my daughter's 2015 134. Breaks my heart. Way too much crossover with my Druid though to jump on the train now.

All that said, congrats *OneSpeed*. I have absolutely no doubt that that bike is dialled AF. I LOVE Konas. More than any other bike.*

*except perhaps my beloved Druid