What’s the thoughts on these two bikes for do it all use from trail centres bit of enduro, trips up Cheviots xc etc
Both around the same price

my 153 is a great enduro, dh and big mountain bike, ive stuck some LB carbon wheels on to make it a bit easier as an all day bike

for xc and trail centres I prefer my 29er hardtail, the 153 can flatten everything out

Kimbers how do you find climbing on your kona? Does it feel heavy
Thanks

not a terrible climber at all, the carbon wheels helped, but i got round EWS on a 1×10 in E1 and theres plenty of climbing on that route
wont be getting many KOMs on the climbs, just sit and spin

Mates Whyte G150 appears to have cheese for bearings, but quite a few bikes suffer with UK weather…

Haven’t ridden the Kona and am biased, but I love my G-150. Bearings are holding up great on the 2015 bike, so much improved on the 2014. It’s been hammered for a very tough 1,400 miles since I had it in August and still going strong. Lots of uplift days, legitimate 40ft gaps, corner bashing and racing.

Fun bike to ride; it just springs out of corners, and no slouch on the climbs. Bit more of an all rounder than the Kona, by all reports.

https://instagram.com/peatylloyd/

One thing I worry about is moving from 3×10 to 1×11 on the G150, triple front is a bit old hat nowadays but having the granny ring is a good back up when things get steep! Is there much difference on the lowest gear?

Don’t think I am the best person to answer the gearing question. I run a 34t and have no problems and the 32t that comes as standard was too small for me. You could go down to a 28t so you should be fine.

legitimate 40ft gaps

Bastard gaps FTW 😛

Bearing life on my Kona has been very impressive, 18 months, still smooth and no play, ridden through last years wet as fk winter, raced all over uk + a super wet Megavalanche, my rear shock, dropper post, headset, front wheel bearings, bb and pikes have all needed servicing in that time due to water ingress
Legit 10ft gaps at best for me tho !

Don’t buy / not buy a bike based on bearing life. Bearings are cheap. Buy the bike based on how it rides.

Go and test ride one.

Euro – Member
legitimate 40ft gaps
Bastard gaps FTW

The Jon Snow of the hucking world.

Hi,

Never ridden the Kona but I understand its a good bit of kit. I have a 2015 G150s and it really seems to tick all the boxes. I live and ride in and around S. Wales where, we have a few hills… It climbs as well as I can pedal and really comes to life on the trails going downhill.

Thanks for all the help, trying to find a demo on the g150 is proving to be a problem and nearest. Kona dealer only has a 134 available to demo, might need to travel further afield to get demos

Mountain Mania (Reading / Didcot) have demo Whytes – I was supposed to demo one last weekend but the numpty courier lost it.

So if you see some TNT employee out on the trails riding a brand new top of the range Whyte, you know he will be riding it fast.

Trimix are you demoing the works or the s version? Struggling to get a demo up here in Scottish borders

Struggling to get a demo up here in Scottish borders

Whyte will have demo bikes at the EWS next weekend.

Really?? Need to popping up there at the weekend, think Alpine bikes have a 10% off bikes and 20% off clothing over the next couple of weeks so maybe get a good deal

Mountain trax near swinley forest have a whyte g150 demo bike

Just built up a kona 153, things amazing. Rode the DH trails at the FoD on sat, pedalled the push no problems. Plus I’m not amazingly fit at he mo.
Descents it really comes alive and inspires you to push harder and faster.
Worth a look as long it’s not places like swinley you plan to ride every week.