New KONA niner

[Pain Freak]

I tried one of these yesterday and was quite impressed, but as usual no trail time yet. Anybody else ride/try this bike yet? It comes equipped pretty good and stock out the door is 26 pounds. With a minimal cost you could see a 23 pound niner. They are calling it the K-niner. It felt a lot different then the other niners I've rode, in that it didn't make me feel like I was riding my road bike.
I'm seriously considering this, but would like to hear from people with some saddle time first.

[tkblazer]

i'm assuming this is the recently released complete 29er you rode. not sure if you'll find many people that have ridden it.

[dstepper]

I had a 26" Kona Unit before my One 9 Niner. At my weight (220) I did not like the steel frame, when on the flats spinning out the frame pogo sticked. Granted if I had a smooth spin that would not be a problem...but I am a masher.

I think that would be a great bike for you Mike...as long as you made it a Single Speed.

My next bike is on order, (will get it around Interbike time)...I am buying it without any reviews or test rides.

[ECOdork]

Hmmmm, I just may have seen someone riding that Kona 2-9 at Aliso on Sat....though I have to admit I didn't notice the 29" wheels. But the guy on it did easily climb a little section of trail that always gets the best of me...

Anyway he said he was demo-ing it and I believe it had a sticker from THE PATH on it...may be worth giving them a ring to see if they have one that you can ride.

Hey, it's just a demo....

This is tempting me too. Hey Mike, any word as too how many dead presidents this thing will cost?

[FoShizzle]

Originally Posted by dstepper

I had a 26" Kona Unit before my One 9 Niner. At my weight (220) I did not like the steel frame, when on the flats spinning out the frame pogo sticked. Granted if I had a smooth spin that would not be a problem...but I am a masher.

I think that would be a great bike for you Mike...as long as you made it a Single Speed.

My next bike is on order, (will get it around Interbike time)...I am buying it without any reviews or test rides.

tease

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by ECOdork

Anyway he said he was demo-ing it and I believe it had a sticker from THE PATH on it...may be worth giving them a ring to see if they have one that you can ride.

Hey, it's just a demo....

The Path has had a 29 inch Kona Unit Demo for awhile now.

[Pain Freak]

Brett,
Not to bad. I think they retail for 1200. Cory the owner will cut me a real good deal though. It does have alternative dropouts , if you got bored with a ss, you could convert it to a gearie (calm down Dean, I only said you could).

[ocrider]

I love my 29er(fisher cobia) The ride is so nice. I love the goemetry and the frame fits me so well. A steel frame probaly have an excelent ride. I don't think I could ever go back to a 26.5 in. bike.

[SScheetz]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

Brett,
Not to bad. I think they retail for 1200. Cory the owner will cut me a real good deal though. It does have alternative dropouts , if you got bored with a ss, you could convert it to a gearie (calm down Dean, I only said you could).

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]You really need to demo one off the shop parking lot. I think the one in Corey's shop is the 16” frame. I’m a little suspect of the geometry. Kona lists the head tube angle at 69.5 deg. You might not be happy with that. That’s really laid back. However, I have found that most of the small 29’er frames have a slacker HT angle from the rest of their respective lines. Maybe it works, I don’t know. The other Kona frames are spec’ed at 71.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]I have the 19” setup as rigid with a Pace fork and it’s very lively. I saw you at CWP a couple of weeks ago. My frame size might be too big for you, but you’re welcome to give it a spin on real trails if you like. It’s also only 20.5 lbs. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[dhshuttlemonkey]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

I tried one of these yesterday and was quite impressed, but as usual no trail time yet. Anybody else ride/try this bike yet? It comes equipped pretty good and stock out the door is 26 pounds. With a minimal cost you could see a 23 pound niner. They are calling it the K-niner. It felt a lot different then the other niners I've rode, in that it didn't make me feel like I was riding my road bike.
I'm seriously considering this, but would like to hear from people with some saddle time first.

Is that going to be bike #6?

[Pain Freak]

Yep

But I don't think I've got it quite as bad as Mr Foshizzle

[ShinKen]

Originally Posted by SScheetz

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]You really need to demo one off the shop parking lot. I think the one in Corey's shop is the 16” frame. I’m a little suspect of the geometry. Kona lists the head tube angle at 69.5 deg. You might not be happy with that. That’s really laid back. However, I have found that most of the small 29’er frames have a slacker HT angle from the rest of their respective lines. Maybe it works, I don’t know. The other Kona frames are spec’ed at 71.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]I have the 19” setup as rigid with a Pace fork and it’s very lively. I saw you at CWP a couple of weeks ago. My frame size might be too big for you, but you’re welcome to give it a spin on real trails if you like. It’s also only 20.5 lbs. [/SIZE][/FONT]

I would love to try your bike one of these days bub!!

[SScheetz]

Originally Posted by ShinKen

I would love to try your bike one of these days bub!!

No sweat, I ride local like all the time. Also on Saturday at 5:30 PM Coates is having a little party. We're starting with a MTB and Road ride then movies, drinks and food at the shop parking lot. I'll probably "lead" the MTB ride.

[ShinKen]

Originally Posted by SScheetz

No sweat, I ride local like all the time. Also on Saturday at 5:30 PM Coates is having a little party. We're starting with a MTB and Road ride then movies, drinks and food at the shop parking lot. I'll probably "lead" the MTB ride.

hhhh road ride?

let me know when. I will try to make it. (dunno about the road thing )

[SScheetz]

Originally Posted by ShinKen

hhhh road ride?

let me know when. I will try to make it. (dunno about the road thing )

No no no ... I'm not doing the road thing . Someone else will have to handle that. There will be 2 group rides, one for the road and one for the dirt.

Although we'll have ride the road to get to the dirt.

[Pain Freak]

I'm riding GMR in the morning, what's the plans for the MTB ride?What's the meet time and place?


The 69.5 doesn't scare me at all, in fact I'm wondering if that's why the bike felt so different. I'd sure like to spend some time on it in the dirt. I might just go ahead and buy it, and put the Surly up for sale.

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

I'm riding GMR in the morning, what's the plans for the MTB ride?What's the meet time and place?


The 69.5 doesn't scare me at all, in fact I'm wondering if that's why the bike felt so different. I'd sure like to spend some time on it in the dirt. I might just go ahead and buy it, and put the Surly up for sale.

Stop playing around and just buy the dam thing. You can't go wrong with 29inch wheels...Jose and I will let you ride with us.

[ShinKen]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Stop playing around and just buy the dam thing. You can't go wrong with 29inch wheels...Jose and I will let you ride with us.

fooo sure cuzz!!

[SScheetz]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

I'm riding GMR in the morning, what's the plans for the MTB ride?What's the meet time and place?


The 69.5 doesn't scare me at all, in fact I'm wondering if that's why the bike felt so different. I'd sure like to spend some time on it in the dirt. I might just go ahead and buy it, and put the Surly up for sale.

Did you strap on that Unit yet?

The MTB ride is supposed to be a casual ride starting 5:30 at the shop. Corey suggested riding down to Bonelli, around the lake on trails and back. I guess that would be ok for a casual ride, but I don’t really like Bonelli. I believe it’s supposed to be more of a social gathering. We’ll have to see who shows. If there are some newbies and kids, we’ll want to keep it real easy and fun for them.