Kona MTBs - Triathlon - Runner's World

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

05/04/2004 at 19:20

Yes, i'm doing it again and buying another Bike - a MTB this time as my old one is well past its best (fell off it to many times)

Im currently considering a 2004 Kona Cindercone @ £699

Anyone got any experiance of Kona bikes?
If so wot u think?
Or anyone sugest an alternitive?

- £700 is my limit for a MTB cos its just for playing on

Cheers
WW

Gary T

05/04/2004 at 20:00

Kona are a very good brand of bike. My friend had a Cinder Cone and liked it but soon got the bug and went full-suss. At 700 squid you are limited to a hardtail (dont bother with full-suss's in this price range) so the Cinder Cone's probably a good buy.

Specialized Rockhopper got a 9/10 in last months MBR. It was £900 so you'd probably have to go for the next model down.

If you can afford a hardtail with discs then go for it, they are much better than V's if you are going off-road.

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

05/04/2004 at 20:14

Gary

Cheers

It will be a hard tail - i dont like full bouncers - im more of a x-country and multiday trail rider - not into down hill

Looked at the rockhoper but is £100 over budjet without disks and £300 iver with disc

Im being verrrrry strict on budget since i jut spent lots on a new TRI/Race bike a cople of months back

:o)

05/04/2004 at 20:23

[settles back in anticipation of even more silly pretend words - this could get even more daft than "twiddling on your middle ring"]

mountaingoat

06/04/2004 at 08:51

look at some of the Decathlon range of hardtail MTB's they come with top spec and are rated very highly by the industry press, the good thing is they are about 10-20% cheaper than the named manufacturers.
Sorry Jj I really can't think of any pretend words at this time of the morning.

cougie

pirate

06/04/2004 at 08:59

Jon rides a Kona.

Is that a plus or a minus ? ;-)

I used to like them, but haven't ridden MTB for yonks - so no twiddling on my granny for me !

Gary T

06/04/2004 at 09:03

mg, Decathlon do seem to give you a lot of bike for the money. Have you got one?

sorry Jj just talking bikes. I reckon you'd get a lot of people coming on here seeing HRM, taper, threshold, splits, etc and reckon they'd stumbled on some silly pretend words.

Gary T

06/04/2004 at 09:05

Now leave me to this 20ft drop-off coz I need to get some air.

MMmmm Universal Twinkler

06/04/2004 at 09:11

Jon rides my old kona!

and they are nice.. maybe a bit heavy in the wheel package that comes with them, but those can be upgraded later if needs be...

but good sturdy last a long time bikes...

ed_m (a.k.a. ultra bunny)

06/04/2004 at 09:14

i have a cindercone... kona have a good long term reputation. i doubt you could go far wrong in buying one.
full sus. is pretrty pointless for XC unless you're paying for the dogs danglies.

jeffery lady killer

06/04/2004 at 09:16

Go for a Giant XTC as you can pick one of theses with hydrolic disc brakes for £500

Awesome bike!

Kona are also good bikes as i used to ride for them in my MTB racing days, though value for money you cannot beat the XTC.

fat buddha

06/04/2004 at 09:53

Kona hardtails are good (not many in that price range that are crap quite frankly) but I would go with the Spesh Rockhopper.......wouldn't go near a Kona full bouncer though - weird geometry that just doesn't feel right

Gary T

06/04/2004 at 10:06

ed,
you are probably right about not going full-suss in this price range but there are some sh!t-hot full bouncers around at the moment (over 1.5k admit), making it all the more tempting to splash out on the interest free deals around at the mo.
*currently dreaming of the new Spesh Enduro or Stumpy*

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

06/04/2004 at 10:10

FB - the Rockhopper is out my budget - cos that was my 1st choice

fat buddha

06/04/2004 at 10:11

shame about that WW - you should be OK with the Kona though

MMmmm Universal Twinkler

06/04/2004 at 10:15

just make sure the forks are upto the job..

yer a fairly big fella... you'll need some harder springs etc, unless air forks...(?)

candy ollier

06/04/2004 at 10:17

mountain bike? mountain bike?

why don't you go the whole hog and get a tutu and a diamante tiara

rocks

06/04/2004 at 10:25

Take a look at the GT Avalanche 0.5... it's well in budget (£599) and is seriously well kitted for that money - hydraulic discs, a marzochhi fork, deore/lx chainset.

I've spoken to a few bike shops about this one, and they all say it's the best value mtb on the market.

rocks

06/04/2004 at 10:32

Another thought - check out www.paulscycles.co.uk - fantastic range of low cost bikes.

e.g. Kona Cindercone @ £450
or, Kona Pahoehoe @ £600 (RRP £1,100)
or, Giant XTC SE2 @ £700 (RRP £1,000)

Admittedly, they're last years bike, but I picked up a £1600 bike for £800 last year from these guys and its the mutt's nuts! (Service was v. good also - next day delivery, and no quibbles over replacing a part which was faulty).

MMmmm Universal Twinkler

06/04/2004 at 10:36

Candy,
you have a V strange idea about us Mtb'ers

(and from the effeminite roadie crew too...)

Just ask yerself who shaves their legs!!!