How Good Are Kona Mountain Bikes?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Kona isn't a huge entity compared to some other global bike brands, but it enjoys iconic status.

They're best known as a “freeride” bike company, but have made road and ‘cross since the beginning

. And their city bikes are some of the coolest, most practical options around.

What is Kona bikes known for?

Kona bikes are famous for

manufacturing a wide range of bikes, including cross-country, all-mountain, cyclocross, downhill, and road bikes

. Kona is best known for designing and producing the first freestyle bikes with three chains and a 5-inch of suspension travel and durable frames.

Who makes Kona frames?

Made by

Altitude Cycles

, Ku is the first aluminum mountain bike frame produced by Kona in the USA. Altitude produced over 3,000 high-end steel and aluminum bicycle frames for Kona, their first US customer.

Are Kona bike frames good?


Kona frames are worth it

! Konas do seem to have a lower spec than other brands but I have found the handling of the frames just makes you love them. Certainly the steel ones are very highly regarded and people (including me) hold onto them for many years.

Do Kona bikes run large?


You're supposed to be on a large at your size

. If you dont like the large, the kona might not be for you. They designed it as a long bike, going small kinda defeats the reason to buy that bike.

Are Kona gravel bikes good?

The Kona Rove LTD is the company's

top end gravel/adventure bike

that offers an excellent ride feel, loads of mounts for those epic trips off the beaten track, and plenty of tyre clearance. The thing I like best about it, though, is the way it handles.

How much does a Kona bike cost?

For the

base model at $1900

you get a 29er with Kona's unique “Scandium” frame material – aluminum reinforced with a rare earth element that adds strength without much weight. The Hei Hei DL and Supreme models add superior components and will set you back as much as $5500.

Does Kona make women's bikes?

Mountain bikes with women's-specific touches

We make bikes that are meant to be ridden hard by everyone. And

our line of bikes for women is no different

. Designed and built to Kona standards, these bikes are durable, comfortable, capable and ready to shred without the shrink-and-pink mentality.

Where are Kona bikes from?

Type Private Industry Bicycles Founded 1988 Headquarters

Ferndale, Washington , United States
Key people Dan Gerhard, Jacob Heilbron

Where did Kona bikes start?

Kona co-owner Jake Heilbron submits to Matt Dennison's lens. We could have listened to Jake's stories for hours. Jake Heilbron and Dan Gerhard founded Kona in 1988. They met while working at

West Point Cycles

, the same shop that gave rise to Rocky Mountain.

What does Kona mean in Hawaiian?

Kona means

“Leeward”

in Hawaiian. In Ancient Hawaii each island had a “Kona” district. Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, sometimes called Kona Town. Kona Department, a department in Mouhoun Province, Burkina Faso. Alternative spelling of Konah, a town in Guinea.

Are Kona bikes Hawaiian?


The Kona Bicycle Company was named after the major island of Kailua-Kona in Hawaii

, which held a special place in the hearts of the owners. Once established they began producing a range of elite MTBs, touring and racing bicycles … with fantastic and creative names.

Who bought Kona bikes?

SEATTLE (BRAIN) — Kona Bicycles has been acquired by

Kent Outdoors

, a Ohio-based company that was known until Wednesday as Kent Water Sports. Kent Outdoors owns several outdoor sports and watersport brands, including the Arbor snowboard brand.

Who owns Kona cycles?

34 years after founding Kona Bicycles in Vancouver, B.C., the pioneering company's original owners announced they are selling the brand.

Kent Outdoor

, an Ohio-based company that owns several outdoor brands. Kona was born in Canada way back in 1988. It has since moved south of the border to the state of Washington.

Is the Kona Dew a gravel bike?


The Kona Dew Plus is a 650b road/gravel/commute with hydraulic brakes

, coming in at $699. We at 718 have been working with Kona for over 7 years. The Kona Dew series of bikes has evolved into quite a well priced and excellently spec'd ride.

Where are Trek bikes made?

Treks bikes is a company which makes bicycles of all ranges. Their manufacturing unit works in

Waterloo, Wisconsin

but more than 80 % of bikes are manufactured in asia and european countries, Still it is the U.S largest bicycle company. Trek has been a household name in the biking world for decades.

Where are Cannondale bikes made?

Although Cannondale bikes are an American brand,

most bikes are produced overseas in Southeast Asia

. Higher-end Cannondale bikes are manufactured and assembled at facilities in Taiwan, whereas some of the more affordable models are produced in Vietnam. However, some assemblage still takes place in the United States.

How do you size a Kona mountain bike?

Kona recommends

a minimum standover height of 29 inches for the 17-inch frame and a minimum of 29.75 inches for the 18-inch frame

. Ride on a 19-inch frame if you have a minimum standover height of 30.5 inches. The 20-inch frame is appropriate if your standover height is a minimum of 31.25 inches.

What size is a Kona medium frame?

Height/Inches Height/Metric CoCo 5'0′′-5'3′′ 152-160cm Small 5'2′′-5'7′′ 157-170cm Small, Medium
5'6′′-5'10”


168-178cm

Medium
5'9′′-6'0′′ 175-183cm Medium, Large

How much does a Kona Rove weight?

SPECS AND WEIGHT

The 2021 size 54 complete stock build weighed

24.25lbs

(11kg on the dot).

How much does the Kona Rove Ltd weight?

max tire clearance 650b/700c x 48mm gearing 31-48t x 11-34t 22spd weight

11.1 kg

(size M)

What is carbon steel frame?

Carbon (High-Tensile) Steel

Steel is

the most commonly used material in bike frames

. Carbon or high-tensile steel is a good, strong, long-lasting steel, but it isn't as light as its more high-tech brother, the steel known as chromoly.

Where is Kona made?

Kona is 50% US and 50% Canadian owned. It is an independent company; no one owns us and we don't own anything else. We design all of our bikes from the ground up and visit the factories that make our frames and components and assemble our bikes in

Taiwan

every month while they are being produced.

How long do Kona bikes take?

Delivery by UPS ground freight to the Kona dealer of your choice takes

2-5 business days

. Once they receive it, the Kona dealer will professionally assemble the bike for pickup within 2 business days.

What does Kona DL mean?


High end models

are often denoted by DL (for deluxe), some other models get SE (entry level editions) plus a couple of other random letters get thrown in with some mid-range versions. Here's all the Kona mountain bikes we've reviewed recently.

Kim Nguyen
Author
Kim Nguyen
Kim Nguyen is a fitness expert and personal trainer with over 15 years of experience in the industry. She is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and has trained a variety of clients, from professional athletes to everyday fitness enthusiasts. Kim is passionate about helping people achieve their fitness goals and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.