In case you haven’t heard, Kona is again as a rider-owned model. There was a (transient!) time frame throughout Sea Otter when it regarded like bikes Kona had been engaged on for years would by no means see the sunshine of day. However now that Dan Gerhard and Jake Heilbron are again on the helm, they’re losing no time in rolling out not one, however two new Processes.
The Kona Course of has been their go-big-or-go-home play bike since 2014, topping out with a really long-travel Course of X collection for park, DH, and enduro racing, however principally dwelling within the large path bike world of s#!t consuming grins. That model is again and higher than ever, together with an equally new version of the shorter journey Course of 134 for shredders who like to underbike.
New Kona Course of 153
The Course of 153 will get 153mm rear wheel journey, paired with 160mm forks, and is available in carbon and alloy frames, two trim ranges every. Carbon frames have totally guided inner routing for all the pieces, with a “Y Connector” letting you correctly route your rear brake regardless of which aspect of the bar you run it on (moto or common). Alloy frames have exterior routing for all the pieces however the dropper publish.
The massive replace is a flip chip behind the rocker that permits you to regulate geometry to suit 29er or 27.5″ wheels within the again. Entrance is 29er solely. All Small sized bikes ship as a mullet, others come as full 29ers.
The suspension kinematics are up to date to work equally nicely with air or coil shocks. The leverage ratio drops from about 2.82 to 2.38 (with a 29er rear wheel), which ought to imply a superb little bit of ramp towards the tip to forestall backside out. The curve is identical with a 27.5″ rear wheel, it simply begins a bit larger, round 2.94 dropping to 2.49.
The body will get higher bottle cage placement for simpler entry and elimination, plus device mounting factors underneath the highest tube. Additional body safety on the downtube, BB shell, and chainstay is added.
The seat tube is shorter, holding the bike’s weight low and providing nice standover clearance. It additionally has deeper publish insertion, making room for droppers, starting from 175mm as much as 200mm or extra relying on body measurement and dropper mannequin.
Kona Course of 134
In case you like the thought of a Kona however want that sweet-spot mid-travel bike that works nicely virtually anyplace, the brand new third technology Course of 134 might be it. Identical suspension structure for getting rowdy, however with a bit snappier pedaling efficiency.
It additionally will get the flip chip and MX functionality, has two carbon and two alloy fashions. And it’s suitable with air and coil shocks, has higher bottle clearance, device mounts, and further body safety. Principally, it’s the identical, simply with much less journey. Even the pivot and bearing {hardware} is identical throughout all fashions, body supplies, and sizes, making it simpler on retailers to hold spares.
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