Kona Haters?

PB Forum :: Kona
Kona Haters?
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flag Drop-Off10
Posted: Nov 11, 2010 at 9:07 Quote
I am constantly reading posts from guys saying how bad Kona bikes are. Yet I never here them say why they are so bad. I have put their bikes through a severe beating, and never had a Kona frame malfunction. The bikes are usually a good value for the components they come with also.
flag knobzy
O+
Posted: Nov 16, 2010 at 10:21 Quote
you will always get haters.

You learn to live with it. I've ridden Kona's for 10 years now and same thing, no problems.

All i do is laugh at them now because they all sound like kids.

BTW, threads like this have been MADE around half a million times.. don't be surprised when it get deleted.

Most Kona fans just ignore and dismiss the haters.

And the reason they hate Kona is because Kona makes MILLIONS and BAZILLIONS of bikes and if a few hundred break, then its a small percentage.

But other bike companys don't make as much and if one or two break, its the same percentage.

Kona sells a ton of bikes.
flag ethier
Posted: Nov 16, 2010 at 10:27 Quote
yup thats exactly it, kona does sell lots of affordable bikes. the more you sell the more product you have on hills. that means more bikes that are broken. there bikes break just as much as other ones, they just sell more then other companies
flag Drop-Off10
Posted: Nov 17, 2010 at 7:52 Quote
That's what i kinda figured. I've looked at them all and ridden a lot of them. I keep going back to Kona. Thinking of adding a "Stinky Deluxe" to my arsonal next.
flag Tmackstab
O+
Posted: Nov 19, 2010 at 1:15 Quote
whenever i hear that Konas break i simply point out the hundreds of rentals in the bike park. They last forever.
flag geradmg513
Posted: Dec 22, 2010 at 10:16 Quote
https://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=111730

That was a post I made and this dude started running his mouth about how bad the welds on Konas are etc. Also since I haven't even snapped a frame he automatically assumes that I must suck as a rider. He has a Knolly and a Specialized. Seriously you know how many people brake specialized frames. I get tired of the haters myself
flag knobzy
O+
Posted: Dec 22, 2010 at 10:18 Quote
geradmg513 wrote:
https://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=111730

That was a post I made and this dude started running his mouth about how bad the welds on Konas are etc. Also since I haven't even snapped a frame he automatically assumes that I must suck as a rider. He has a Knolly and a Specialized. Seriously you know how many people brake specialized frames. I get tired of the haters myself

hes just a kid, oh wait a 19 year old c class welder. And that matters how?? haha.

I have a member ship to air miles. I'm better then you all.
flag z-man
O+ FL
Posted: Dec 22, 2010 at 10:18 Quote
People dont like kona's for various reasons. But i think the biggest one would be their out dated suspension design.
It's just a link actuated single pivot, and it centres almost all the weight of the system up high, and produces shit tons of brake jack, and pedal bob. Also, they are a made in Taiwan brand, like most of them, so the chances for defect is higher then other company's. When a bike breaks on a weld, its a defect. As of recently they have definitely made up for the snapping head tubes, as i haven't seen a new one go.

There's also people who don't like kona, as a company because they're too popular, too bureaucratic, and they just hate dealing with a big guy who can easily push them around. Not to mention how many people have them, and rent them. No one wants to go to the hill and see 100 other shmucks in full armour, looking like goofs riding their bike. You want something sleek and fast, not big ugly and mediocre.
Personally i don't hate Konas, i just think there's way better bikes out there. Sure they're cheap, and you can find a good one on here for a very, very reasonable price. But if you're gonna go and drop 6000$ on a brand new DH rig, i would go for the Demo 8, norco Team DH, giant glory, rocky mtn flat line wc, or trek session any day. Not to mention the plethora of amazing other hand made bikes from around the world.
Kona is mediocre at best
flag knobzy
O+
Posted: Dec 22, 2010 at 10:19 Quote
z-man wrote:
People dont like kona's for various reasons. But i think the biggest one would be their out dated suspension design.
It's just a link actuated single pivot, and it centres almost all the weight of the system up high, and produces shit tons of brake jack, and pedal bob. Also, they are a made in Taiwan brand, like most of them, so the chances for defect is higher then other company's. When a bike breaks on a weld, its a defect. As of recently they have definitely made up for the snapping head tubes, as i haven't seen a new one go.

There's also people who don't like kona, as a company because they're too popular, too bureaucratic, and they just hate dealing with a big guy who can easily push them around. Not to mention how many people have them, and rent them. No one wants to go to the hill and see 100 other shmucks in full armour, looking like goofs riding their bike. You want something sleek and fast, not big ugly and mediocre.
Personally i don't hate Konas, i just think there's way better bikes out there. Sure they're cheap, and you can find a good one on here for a very, very reasonable price. But if you're gonna go and drop 6000$ on a brand new DH rig, i would go for the Demo 8, norco Team DH, giant glory, rocky mtn flat line wc, or trek session any day. Not to mention the plethora of amazing other hand made bikes from around the world.
Kona is mediocre at best

let me guess, NON of the other bikes you mentions have snapped on welds????
flag z-man
O+ FL
Posted: Dec 22, 2010 at 10:21 Quote
knobzy wrote:
z-man wrote:
People dont like kona's for various reasons. But i think the biggest one would be their out dated suspension design.
It's just a link actuated single pivot, and it centres almost all the weight of the system up high, and produces shit tons of brake jack, and pedal bob. Also, they are a made in Taiwan brand, like most of them, so the chances for defect is higher then other company's. When a bike breaks on a weld, its a defect. As of recently they have definitely made up for the snapping head tubes, as i haven't seen a new one go.

There's also people who don't like kona, as a company because they're too popular, too bureaucratic, and they just hate dealing with a big guy who can easily push them around. Not to mention how many people have them, and rent them. No one wants to go to the hill and see 100 other shmucks in full armour, looking like goofs riding their bike. You want something sleek and fast, not big ugly and mediocre.
Personally i don't hate Konas, i just think there's way better bikes out there. Sure they're cheap, and you can find a good one on here for a very, very reasonable price. But if you're gonna go and drop 6000$ on a brand new DH rig, i would go for the Demo 8, norco Team DH, giant glory, rocky mtn flat line wc, or trek session any day. Not to mention the plethora of amazing other hand made bikes from around the world.
Kona is mediocre at best

let me guess, NON of the other bikes you mentions have snapped on welds????
yes, but they were all recalled. Such as the recall on the front of the norco, and the shock mount on the 2007 demo. But im not saying i love all these bikes either. just saying i would prefer them
flag z-man
O+ FL
Posted: Dec 22, 2010 at 10:22 Quote
geradmg513 wrote:
https://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=111730

That was a post I made and this dude started running his mouth about how bad the welds on Konas are etc. Also since I haven't even snapped a frame he automatically assumes that I must suck as a rider. He has a Knolly and a Specialized. Seriously you know how many people brake specialized frames. I get tired of the haters myself

actually i never said you sucked. you guys are the children putting words in my mouth. i was actually talking to knobbzy
flag geradmg513
Posted: Dec 22, 2010 at 10:28 Quote
Funny thing is alot of bikes are made in Tawaian because that is a large industrial center in the world. They can weld quality bikes and have for awhile now. One of your fellow Canadians bmx legend Jay Miron that owns Macneil bikes when he started his company he decided to have his frames made in Tawaian over the US to keep costs down and he even stated after numerous visits to these factories the quality was identical. Now I think I would take his word since he can do double back flips, one of the best vert riders in history, and probably harder on his bike than anyone else.Just because something isn't made here doesn't mean its not quality work.
flag hanley
Posted: Dec 22, 2010 at 10:28 Quote
knobzy wrote:
you will always get haters.

You learn to live with it. I've ridden Kona's for 10 years now and same thing, no problems.

All i do is laugh at them now because they all sound like kids.

BTW, threads like this have been MADE around half a million times.. don't be surprised when it get deleted.

Most Kona fans just ignore and dismiss the haters.

And the reason they hate Kona is because Kona makes MILLIONS and BAZILLIONS of bikes and if a few hundred break, then its a small percentage.

But other bike companys don't make as much and if one or two break, its the same percentage.

Kona sells a ton of bikes.
this.
flag z-man
O+ FL
Posted: Dec 22, 2010 at 10:40 Quote
geradmg513 wrote:
Funny thing is alot of bikes are made in Tawaian because that is a large industrial center in the world. They can weld quality bikes and have for awhile now. One of your fellow Canadians bmx legend Jay Miron that owns Macneil bikes when he started his company he decided to have his frames made in Tawaian over the US to keep costs down and he even stated after numerous visits to these factories the quality was identical. Now I think I would take his word since he can do double back flips, one of the best vert riders in history, and probably harder on his bike than anyone else.Just because something isn't made here doesn't mean its not quality work.

This is the truth for the most part. But this is also a very shallow veiw of how they are made in tiawan and how that differs from how a handmade frame is made here. There, the set up th bike on a jig, and have 15 different welders who each weld a different portion of the bike. One does the headtube joint, others weld the drop outs on, and so on. This way a company can control consistency, and Quality control. Also makes it easier to pinpoint problem welders. With this method you can get a very high variablility in quality, seeing as there are 30 different welders to a frame, and 30 different people to f*ck up. These people dont care about what they're doing. It's just remedial work. Here, you have one welder, who fits it up (the best welder is the best fitter) Tacks it together, takes in all the variables such as, uneven heating/cooling, metal contamination, and proper temperatures. Then he proceeds to hand build, and meticulously weld an actual piece of precision beauty. if you cannot apreciate this, then continue to ride your slightly warped, over engineered, made over seas rigs.

edit: also, thanks for progressing this discussion in a decent manor. As this IS now the proper place to debate, and discus the downfalls of this company, whether you believe they exist or not. Every company has downfalls
flag Tmackstab
O+
Posted: Dec 22, 2010 at 11:39 Quote
No wonder Moto guys think mtb'ers are dorks, you guys should listen to yourselves, go ride your damn bike.
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