[Closed] Kona 1988-1997 - WTF Happened Then?

Progress?

Search me. And I'm with you on the exact year range of coolness, too.

modified,

I have been modified because I swore that a certain thing good. or some stupid pisstaking rubbish. Get a grip on the freedom of speech equality thing.

unmodifid then. what's that about?

hello modifier! speak to me. I'm not dumb. tell ne how not to speak on a forum?!

Progress, maybe.

So how, or why were they left behind?

I think it is because I might have used a swear word or said something derogatory. Not to a person I might add. Mostly cos I have an opinion which isn't useful to making cash. fair enough.

thanks for making me look stupid btw.

You is opressed to be sure

You should write a letter to your MP and the Daily Mail

I am writing right now.

Nah, the mods would probably intercept it. He should just get a group of rockers to kick the shit out of the mods.

Does he live in Brighton?

This place has to be kept sharp. Fresh thought, chop the bullshit in half. There is some good stuff on here, that should not be moderated to death.

No, but he visited there once, and suffered erectile dysfunction in an alleyway.

Nothing like a holiday romance is there?

Maybe he's got that gift like Christopher Walken used have before he took to storing timepieces in his rectum and when he stuck it in her he got a glimpse of her in the future looking like a human-trout hybrid and Mr Floppy came to town.

So can anyone enlighten me as to how a bike co. producing metal as cool as a '67 Alfa Spider Boat Tail turned into the Kia of the MTB world in 10 short years?

Their focus changed IMO

Where they were once known for producing fine quality steel hardtails, they then started focussing on long travel full sus bikes capable of being beaten up day in day out by BC's most extreme freeriders. And their hardtails largely followed suit too.

Doesn't help that in the UK they started selling them in Halfords a good number of years ago either.

cool. I'm full of shit btw.

Kevevs - it's easy; stop typing. We all are (full of shit), but alcohol acts as a laxative for the brain....

it's so nice that everyone is nice.

If you've got nothing useful to say...etc...!

The modding on here has become pretty silly but there we are. Anyway, I reckon kona stayed cool until perhaps 2000. Quite apart from the steel hardtail thing do you remember the rasta themed stinky with the bendy downtube? Kona started to drift away from it's roots after that.

Yeah, kona's used to be brilliant, i reckon their peak was 94-97. Their early full sussers were great too, the ones that were just Turner copies. I reckon the new steel kona's look ace though.

what year did Joe Murray go to Voodoo?

I think Kona just became a bit me too generic. Their full sussers were perceived as a bit basic, the hardtails were no different to other brands and the spec on the bikes was typically not very good for the pricepoint. That coinciding with selling at Halfords didn't really help either.

My 95 Kilauea. Still cool as <naughty word I won't say>
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1994/5 but prob took a couple of years for his input to filter out?

turned into the Kia of the MTB world in 10 short years?

I disagree.

Their focus changed IMO

I don't think it did.

Sure, Joe Murray left, but IIRC from back in the day Mr Murray was a bit of a downhiller. Look at early 90s Konas: Unremarkable at the back, but look at that front end! Oversize headset (rare) tough, straight bladed forks, 2.2in tyre when everyone else was on 1.95in. All Kona/Murray branded parts. Now remember, this was when people went downhilling on the same bike they did XC on, and konas were built like that to make going downhill faster and more fun.
Over the years downhilling gained suspension, more speed, more requirement for toughness, and along came freeriding, which is more of the same really, but bigger!
Konas bikes follwed on, they got tougher. Even the hardtails did (Hoss) the same.

Some people have this idea that if a bike is sold in a certain shop, that makes it worse. Wrong. It just meanss you can buy one there, doesn't it?

I'll tell you right now, I've had several Konas and loved them all. (I've had more Konas than any other make actually) And Right now, I'd choose a Kona over a Giant, Scott, Lapierre, Focus, BMC, Commencal (Any of those Euro brands) Orange, Santa Cruz, Cotic, Cannondale and a few others I can't think of right now.....

I'd agree with PP. I've just bought an old steel Kona that I'm really looking forward to building up. I've ridden a few Konas over the years and for me they work. I disagree over the looks thing too, the new Operator is a thing of beauty.

Konas a built to do a job and they do it very well.

Kona's idea of investment over the years, is rather than just having tea, to have honey and buscuits with the tea!

Kona came out with some pretty iconic bikes post 97. The stinky is a brilliant bike and has been a benchmark for years. The Stab won world cups and world championships.

Kona might not be as trendy as some other brands but the product is as solid as ever.

suspension forks, that's what happened.

while some new Konas do look good, its always the classic rigid steel ones that look the best. the lines are messed up by having a higher front end.

this is a kona dawg:
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this is a cove hustler:
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spot the difference...

there's nowt wrong with konas

(if anything, i prefer the kona; swoopy tubes and a 1-piece rocker)

For hardtails imo Kona lost it when they stopped doing the steel framed Cindercone, Kilauea and Caldera. The Cindercone use to always win best budget racer/hardtail then they went to the gopping square/round tube aluminium and for me they were never the same.

Doesn't help that in the UK they started selling them in Halfords a good number of years ago either.

That. 'Serious' riders wouldn't want to be seen on something from Halfords.

I should add that this is not my position; but perception is primary for many people, including the MTB press, and Kona became a supermarket bike brand. Big shame, really.

well I still have a 97 lava dome It's my commuter now
then I got a 99 mini mula but snapped the top tube as my riding got more 'free'
then got am 02 bear deelux which I rode in 2 megavalanches , UK dh races and uplifyt days and xc all over the UK
then I built up an 02 stab for holographic and dh did the mega on it again then swapped onto am 06 stinky which is my dh bike
finally retired the bear last year for an 08 scandium dawg
kona never lost it they've kept making brilliant bikes - every one icr owned has been perfect for what it was designed for
and I'm considering the new operator as the reviews all say its the best value dh bike out there

kona haven't lost anything peoples perception of them has changed tho

A very similar thing happened with Saracen. Both brands had classic, well thought of steel and Ti hardtails which looked very cool (for the day). Kona then moved into burlier bikes, several changes in graphics and a marked decrease in the quality of components fitted. For Saracen, it was a change of direction into the cheap mass-market end of the spectrum (although Kona sort of aimed there too with moving into Halfords). Whatever you think about Halfords, it's far and away the UK's biggest bike retailer but the vast majority of people buying bikes there are doing so at <£300 so for Kona to be selling bikes there priced at £700, it's a difficult sell. Saracen on the other hand had the <£300 full sus market for quite a while but the serious MTBers went way off the brand.

Kona used to do all their own brand kit (Curve) which was mostly very good apart from the brakes which were universally shit. When they stopped doing Curve stuff and went to OEM, it was always a peg or two below comparable priced bikes. Specialized/Trek etc at £xxx would have Deore and RockShox, Kona at same price would have Alivio and cheapo Marzocchi which put the weight up substantially. Just not good VFM.

Combination of high priced bikes in Halfords (compared to the mass of cheap ones there) and poor VFM bikes in normal high street bike shops really damaged the brand.

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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/43121659@N06/4037146683/ ]1999 Kaboom![/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/43121659@N06/ ]Pablo's Feet[/url], on Flickr

There ya go.......a post '97 Kona that's cool as you like. I understand what the OP is getting at - the clumpiness of a lot of newer Kona's doesn't appeal to me either. But they ain't all bad and maybe a steel comes into fashion again, we'll see more old skool pretty looking bikes.

Kona's are ace, I Love them, they were one of my fave brands from back in the day.

Like their magic linky jobbo thingymebobins as well

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If I wanted a solid play bike I'd get definitely look at a kona

old uns,nice geometry compared to alot of the other stuff out there.

Things started to go off about '06 '07. Kona had invested massively in creating a reputation as a top gravity brand, they had top riders in all the big freeride films and Fabien Barel doing the business on the wc circuit. Then gradually things started to get stale.

The new generation of freeriders, McCaul, Berrecloth, Hunter, Sorge and co were missed by Kona and started creating amazing marketing for their competitors on progressive new bikes while Kona's new riders seemed more dj and slopestyle focues. Then Kona canceled their DH race programe. Like it or not freeride and particularly DH are the F1/WRC of mtb. They are what sell brands and Kona dropped the ball. While other companies were trying hard to be seen to be developing new technologies, Kona stuck with the faux bar. Year on year, the only thing to differentiate a new Kona from the old one seemed to be an uglier paint job and a bigger price tag.

They are bloody expensive for what you get too.

Kona are amazing. They are still producing some bikes that the biking world needs. And this prototype Entourage is one of the nicest looking bikes I've seen in ages:

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+1 for the Entourage. Me likey.

Oh yes Coyote, that Entourage has pushed me over the edge: I AM going to raw my Cannondale, because it looks so amazing.
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kona have got back into dh with some young Aussie whippersnappers and the operator apparently holds its own against the other top dh bikes despite using 'outdated' faux bar suspension

Kona hasn't really lost it to be honest. They just stopped doing much communication. Last year abracadabra wasn't to bad. Actually it was a very good bike (I have test ride on enough ;)) A bit steep front end wise, but not too bad. They have corrected it this year, so should be the dog balls.
They use to be the brand to have, stinky, dawg, hoss. All are amazing bikes. I think that they shot themselves in the foot in the UK by being sold in halford. And lets face it, none of the nichmonger here want to be seen in halford.

And lets face it, none of the nichmonger here want to be seen in halford.

I think we have the truth finally.

If Kona made a newer version of the A they'd have my wife's kidney in no time.

Shit bikes for sure!

i miss my 04 Kona stinky dee lux to this day, it was one of the best do all bikes ive ever owned and a real pleasure to ride (yea up hill too)i still kick myself for selling it ... Kona are great bikes IMO

new uns look ok..

the spec on the bikes was typically not very good for the pricepoint

Have to say the new full-sussers certainly look pretty good (2+2, tanuki, abra). It's funny that the like of Cotic/On-One/Ragley seem to be occupying what used to be Kona heartland stuff.

All about perception really. My father dumped my old Kona a few years ago after a long spell of idleness in the garage. (92 Fire Mountain). Great little bike that made mountain biking really fun and could outpace so much more expensive kit just by virtue of the small frame/snappy handling. Think the only thing for it is to see what ebay/retrobike turns up.....

original kona- cool steel hardtails with racy dropped toptube, and a reputation for being well specced for the money.

late 90s kona, completely synonymous with the birth of "freeride", dig out an early Kranked etc and richy schley, andrew shandro etc are all on Stinkys.

later kona, spec went downhill and became less value, halfords picking them up lost the niche cognescenti image.

Still got my '94 Lava Dome and Mr MC only sold his '04 Coiler to buy his dream bike (which he owned and liked less than the Coiler...)

Konas used to seem somewhat exotic, in the era mentioned I would have been daydreaming about owning one while looking through magazines. Then i think the branding changed, the exotic was replaced by availability through mainstream channels. I remember seeing one a year or so ago with a black and White jaggy paintjob and naff red fonts on it. It looked like a toy. Regardless of how it handled or how well made it was it just looked cheap and more suited to littlewoods pay weekley than a serious bike. Comparing it's looks to simular priced bikes from other manufactures it looked out of place, as though Kona had forgotten some of what they knew. However past succses shows when Kona try hard at something they get it right, the new ranges look great by comparison and I hope Kona continue to sell well regardless of the channels they use.

I'm so set in my ways, that I don't like anything after 91, and you still can't beat the original 88/89 Explosif (£699.99 in 1989) & Cinder Cone 😉
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Coyote - nice video

here are my konas ile expect abuse as they are after 1997 :D[IMG] [/IMG]

Are there other people out there who don't like the pregnant downtube arrangement?

Was it a Giant DH bike that started that off? Rob Warner era?

I can see the need for shock clearance, but beyond that, why use more metal than necessary? Greater length of tube, and I'm sure it could be thinner gauge and be the same strength if if it was straighter?

Bikes look best good they're purposeful. Most bikes are, and the best looking ones are purposeful as hell. Those 90's steel xc hardtails for example.

Nice brace of Konas there Mr. Brightside!

I was born Into the Early 90s mb scene and Konas were the shizzle. I finally got my explosif 5 years ago and here it is.

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I'm selling it at the moment. But half of me wants to find a quite corner for it in the loft - then build it back up for some classic single rack action.

But I also want a FS - I've got a long travel hardtail, an xc machine being built up at the moment and the Kona. Am I being greedy?

Don't know much about the new ones but the steel frames are as good as you can get.

Do not sell it.

Even if you've been made an offer you can't refuse, surely you'll regret selling that? Early Konas just scream singletrack fun, especially compared to the Muddy Foxes of the era. I wanted a splatter Cindercone more than anything, but never got one.

It's got Smoke and Darts on it! Don't sell it!

[b]ARRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I"M SOOO CONFUSED
[/b]
I want to keep it but - I also want a yeti asr5 [b] or [/b]a cotic hemlock [b]or[/b] pace 405

I've got a Klein Attitude race (building/updating to xc spec ) and a pace 305 at the moment (hardtail trail monster)

So do I sell the 305 frame and build the bits onto a FS or keep everything and have a angry wife - she's not buying the - [i][b] well you've got loads of bags and shoes analogy[/b] [/i]

Simple, change the wife.... Good explosif's are hard to come by, and that looks lovely

They made some decent bikes in the late 90's too - here is my 853 '98 explosif - I bought it in 1998, and I've ridden it every week since then. I've owned a lot of machinery in the interveening period, the explosif still seems to get used the most, becuase it is so much fun:

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Nasty nasty paintjobs these days IMO, which is shame because that and the pricetag mask some pretty good bikes, which never get the recognition of much more niche machinery.

I had a 98 explosif as well - it was too small for me really, so the wife - used it once or twice. Then I sold it to get the one above.

So she's just told me to stop whining and sell it or keep it - just to shut up about it!

[b} Is that a win?[/b]

If I keep it the FS project will be delayed - but then I'm not riding much anyway as we bought a *project* so most of my spare time is spent on DIY.

Is it sane to have 3 mbs that you don't ride much?

I have a blue 98 explosif frame for sale if anyone is interested, 17"?

sell the Kona and the 305 and get the Yeti.

you'll miss them but its a worthwhile replacement

Over the years I've had;

Kona Muni-mula '99
Kona kahuna '03
Kona Stinky '05
Kona Coiler '07
Kona Smoke '08

Loved them all (apart from trying to do XC on the stinky!).

Used to buy them in the end of year sales but they don't seem to be as reduced now, currently running a Prophet as the frame was cheaper than any second hand Dawgs I could find. I would still like another one though.

The halfords thing is rubbish, pure bike snobery, I'm sure people buy maxxis / panaracer tyres, camelbacks, thule roof bars, wd40, Sony car stereos etc etc despite them being sold there... I would check all the bolts / qr's etc on any bike I bought there before using it though!

I quite like the current dawgs but they are way overpriced. they do have an undestrucable feel and you see a lot of guides using them which must mean they're reliable. i think a lot of it is fashion and marketing .

eyerideit dont sell the kona you will regret it and never replace it. In 5 years time there'll be another cool FSer you like and I bet the ASR will never mean the same to you (whether you buy it or not) as the Kona.

Remember the n+1 rule. Tell the wife to google/wiki it.

So can anyone enlighten me as to how a bike co. producing metal as cool as a '67 Alfa Spider Boat Tail turned into the Kia of the MTB world in 10 short years?

Wtf?

You ridden a new Kona or just looked at pictures online?

My 2007 Heihei is absolutely brilliant. Love it to bits.

Ignore the dozens of Stinkys you see being ridden by teenagers on uplift days. Much more to the brand than that.

I can see the need for shock clearance, but beyond that, why use more metal than necessary? Greater length of tube, and I'm sure it could be thinner gauge and be the same strength if if it was straighter?

You see, I agree with you nedrapier, I'm normally a fan of straight tubes, simplicity, purposefulness. Yet seeing that Kona, it instantly hit me as a strong awesome looking bike: it made me want it. It took me a while to work out why I liked it.

I've realised a big part of it is the raw, no stickers, no logos, plain metalness of it. If Kona (or any company, really) had the balls to keep their bikes like that, I think there's a whole load of people out there who would be really drawn to that, and it would give a company that image of rough and ready bike-tool-gear, if you know what I mean.

gnore the dozens of Stinkys you see being ridden by teenagers on uplift days

no dont my stinky is brilliant on uplift days!

I still miss my Stinky. What a ****wit I was for letting it go.

I had a 88 Cindercone great bike but the U brake was shit why didn't they put cantilevers on the rear, the U brake just collected mud.

Is it just that FS has moved on - either genuinely in terms of technology, or disingenuously in terms of hype - and Kona hasn't? Either they haven't updated their suspension platforms or they haven't shouted about them.

On the hardtail side, I had a 2001 Kona HeiHei for 4 years and loved it; it was my first "proper" bike after a couple of GTs and secondhand Rockhoppers. But nowadays it doesn't stand out so much - the skinny steel frames are kinda rare, and the geometry has been copied by everyone else.

Mr MC only sold his '04 Coiler to buy his dream bike (which he owned and liked less than the Coiler.

+1 for coilers. Love my '06.

Is it just that FS has moved on - either genuinely in terms of technology, or disingenuously in terms of hype - and Kona hasn't? Either they haven't updated their suspension platforms or they haven't shouted about them

Er - did the Magic Link pass you by then? The most innovative suspension design in years and years...

Is the Magic Link any good? What does it feel like to ride?