The Kona Bring Your Entourage Sweepstakes Presented by GoPro

 I don't know why everyone these days still goes on knocking Kona. They have really stepped it up and revamped their lineup in the last couple of years. They have a solid, respectable world cup team going, the build quality of their bikes has improved big time, and the Operator is a kick ass testament to that (I own one, and it kicks ass). Not to mention they're affordable. List to me a couple of legitimate reasons to avoid buying a Kona, and if they are so convincing, I'll stop objecting to all the people hating on the brand for no apparent reason, and admit that they're right.

 The fact that Kona hasn't or hadn't been a brand with a great reputation makes me choose any other brand over Kona...if I'm gonna spend a couple thousands dollars on a bike, I'm not gonna take any risk, I'm gonna go for a well known brand bike. OK Kona bikes can be affordable, that's true, but even though I had only a few bucks I'd buy a second handed bike.

 Kona has been a brand with a great reputation lol. People started bashing it for who knows what reasons...b/c they don't make boutique bikes? Because Whistler used them as their rentals for a while? They're known for being super reliable, and in previous years, may have been known to be a little on the heavy side (but what bikes weren't ~ 5 years ago?). That's about all I can think of as far as a reputation other than great. They certainly don't make walmart bikes. They have one of the larger names in XC, and they are pretty much one of the original players in the mountain bike production scene. So what sort of negative things about Kona have you heard that makes you think you'd be taking a risk?

 that is not what he is saying though. kbrock is saying that he wants a legitimate reason why people always bag on kona. i have rode Kona for a while now and my current rig is a kona. there past was pretty shady but the recent line up has been really nice. i agree with kbrock saying that we dont see any really reason why people hate on kona so much.

 Oh, idk, frame swapping, not the best geometry.
If it is such a great brand, why any top riders ( DH or XC) has signed with Kona in the past 5 years (with the exception of Aggy).
And yeh, Kona has one of the largest names in XC, but brands like Specialized, Yeti, Trek, Cove come first:
www.ehow.com/list_7458426_xc-bikes.html
Kona doesn't have as many funds to invest in technology (read geometry, components, etc.) as Specialized, Yeti or Trek has, so those brands are one step forward in terms of technology.
You can argue that Kona has improved a lot their bikes and designs, I agree, but u could never compare Kona with the other big brands.

 Bubba read the comment above mate...

 You ask why have no top riders signed with Kona? Why did Connor Fearon win the Australian Junior DH nationals riding for Kona? I guess he wouldn't count as a top enough rider...Mitch Delfs also didn't break into the top 30 in the first world cup race on a Kona either...

And who is designating this formally rank-ordered list of top brands? Your link just mentions three of the biggest bicycle name brands... I doubt it's all inclusive. It forgot to mention Specialized, Santa Cruz, Rocky Mountain, etc. Let me just say that you don't have to have the biggest company with the most funds to make great innovations or a great, competitive bike: Intense, Saracen, Turner, Transition and Devinci, are all examples of this - not saying Kona's bikes are all as cutting edge as their flagship rigs, but I don't think your specific point is valid to say that Kona is set back as far as technology goes. People thought the same thing about Norco...but look at the Aurum and tell me that you can't compare it with others out there. When you look past "brand", yes I think you can compare some of Kona's better bikes with those of other big brands. But don't take my word for it - try one!

 kbrock, don't waste your well thought out words on someone who won't listen to what your saying.. you can't convince a closed mind. All i can say is anyone who has gotten on my entourage can't believe how incredibly fun it is.. the geometry is dialed. i"m with you... don't knock it till you ride ride it!

 Meh, you're right I suppose

 Connor Fearon, awesome rider...top rider?, don't think so. Top 30 in the first World Cup, good on Delfs. But if u think Connor won the Aussie Junior Nationals thanks to his Kona, u're out of ur mind!. I've seen him riding shitty bikes just for fun, and it's just insane how fast that kid can ride those almost useless and out of date bikes. So don't tell me Connor won the Aussie DH Nationals (jr) thanks to his Kona.
Let me give u another example, Gee Atherton. Won the UCI DH overall with Commencal, which is quite a young brand, now he switched to GT, a company with a lot of experience...a bigger company, u may say. Has he won anything?...he hasn´t, and I reckon its because he hasn't adjusted to the new bike and crew.

Lets compare this Kona case with the automotive industry. Hyundai, a company that has been growing heaps and heaps. If i'm not mistaken, it's the 3rd largest automotive company in the world. They recently launched the Genesis Coupe, which is a sport car. According to the reviews it is great car, with a fairly good performance, and most of all, its cheap! ($24 thousands usd). Would I buy it having the $24000?, hell no, I´d buy a second handed car from a company with a large history in sport cars (Audi, BMW, MB, Lambo or whatever) Here is where my point and opinion of Kona make sense, I don't like taking any risk with my money, if I'm gonna buy a bike I'm gonna buy it from a company with a larger history producing top bikes (Yeti in my case). But that's just me, and we can keep arguing about Kona and it would be endless. If u're happy with ur Kona or trusting in the Genesis Coupe, well good on u mate. I'll stick to my well known, reliable, awesome and sexy Yeti...that's just me and a couple of thousands riders around the world.

 This has been blown pretty far out of proportion by now... Your two original statements about not having good enough reasons to buy a Kona, and that "Kona hasn't or hadn't been a brand with a great reputation", are what I am contending about. Not the fact that you'd much rather own a Yeti than a Kona, or a BMW instead of a Hyundai. Simply put, those are matters of opinion and preference. The fact of the matter is, Kona makes simple, reliable, and easily maintainable bikes that perform very well. And there is no reason to say their products aren't reputable. So where does this supposed risk in investing your money stand? [not even factoring in lifetime frame warranties] You speak as if most other companies have much longer histories making bicycles...yet Kona has been around from the time the sport even emerged. Okay mate, I'll stick to my unknown, unreliable, unawesome and unsexy Kona, because 3/4 of those aspects of owning a bike matter in the real world.

Also, please reassess my comment above when considering the first claim - Nowhere in that paragraph did I argue that Connor earned his result as a function of the bike he was riding. You asked the question "What top riders have signed with Kona in the last five years?", and I simply answered it. It is not as if this company shuns away good talent. Fearon could probably ride a Dyno BMX to the bottom and still score a podium. Not my point. And I disagree - Graham Agassiz is not an exception to that argument (what would make it one?). And don't count out Paul Basagoita either...He too rides a Kona.

 What's there to risk? There's a "Lifetime Warranty" on the Entourage frame. Break it and get a new one. I've been trying to break my Operator without much success.