2014 Kona Carbon Operator!

Although its subject to personal opinion, this has got to be the best looking Kona Dh bike ever!



[video=vimeo;64155771]https://vimeo.com/64155771[/video]


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[TD="width: 70%"]"A Carbon Future

While some might still argue that the world of downhill isn't the place for carbon fiber, the success of the current carbon frames on the race track speaks volumes about just how strong a properly constructed ''plastic'' frame actually is. In fact, having been behind the scenes of multiple frame manufacturing and testing facilities has given us firsthand knowledge of the material's advantages. Consider that these carbon creations can also be made lighter, often significantly so, and any brand wanting to compete in the long-travel carbon bike realm will have to lay out the development costs for one of their own. Kona's Gravity Product Manager, Chris Mandell, realized that more than a year ago when the Carbon Operator project first kicked off. ''We can make a stronger, lighter bike.''

We asked why carbon and why now? ''It involves a lot more cost on our end in terms of the engineering time and preparation, but it pays off for the consumer at the end of the day with a bike that is going to enable them, because it's lighter, because it's stronger, because it's stiffer. It's that simple.'' What isn't simple, though, is actually designing, testing, and manufacturing a carbon frame intended to be used for anything between a World Cup downhill use by team rider Connor Fearon and a burly Red Bull Rampage run by Kona's Graham Agassiz."[/TD]
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Carbon Operator Details
• New model for 2013
• Unidirectional carbon front triangle
• Hybrid aluminum/carbon rocker arm
• Revised four-bar suspension layout
• Tapered head tube w/o aluminum sleeve
• ISCG-05 chain guide tabs
• Large cartridge bearings at all pivots
• Aluminum chain and seat stays
• 12 x 157mm rear axle spacing
• Rear wheel travel: 200mm
• Frame weight: 7.29lb (7.93lb for the 2013 Operator frame)
• MSRP: under $4,100 USD, under $7,000 USD, frame only TBA

Pinkbikes awesome review!

 

Berry nice. Their marketing team put out an awesome video to showcase the bike.

 

wow what an awesome bike

 

I love it.. huge fan of Kona, I ride Kona, my son's smaller bike is Kona, but I always find there is no shortage Kona Haters out there so can't wait to see where this thread goes.. wait til Propraptor gets a hold of this thread, he will have a list a mile long of things he hates about this bike

Bring it on Tom!!
:beer:

 

Dude you commented while I was typing.. classic. I thought you'd hate it..

 

Hell no that thing looks awesome, Kona always makes a bombproof frame too. Hopefully they kept that same idea with this carbon bike