Kona Process – 150 Millimeter Playbike
What does Kona do best? Maximize the fun factor – and its latest 26-inch-wheel shredder promises to do just that. Kona designer Chris Mandell says the Process was developed from the start with a “keep it simple” mentality. That means Kona welded up-to-date geometry to its tried and true aluminum chassis and rocker-link rear suspension. This should be good news for top bike-handlers in the market for a 150-millimeter trailbike. Kona’s longer rocker link and simple single-pivot swingarm is perfectly suited for longer travel suspension – and nobody knows the burlier side of trailbike design better than the slug poppers of Bellingham.
![Kona Process 2013]()
The Process’ aluminum frame is slimmed down by the use of heavily manipulated tubing. Chris says that complete bikes come in at 30 pounds, which is respectable considering that the Process is intended to handle everything an experienced rider may see in the Pacific Northwest, from drops and stunts in the park to all-day singletrack stints in the woods. Other frame niceties are an offset swingarm pivot to give the bearings a wider stance, a swingarm-mounted front derailleur for shifting precision, and an intelligent mix of internal and external cable routing to protect the lengths where necessary, while allowing easy access to the rest of the control conduits. The Process will be offered at two price points (Process DL $5,499 and $3,199 for the standard model) that share exactly the same frame.
![Kona Process integrated brake mount and 142 - 12mm through axle]()
The Process uses a 66-degree head angle, which is on the steep side of DH and the slack side of XC/trail. All sizes use the same, 60mm stem and Mandell adjusted the top tube lengths to keep the front-center proportional throughout the size range. The bottom bracket is set at 13.7 inches (348mm), which is low enough to keep the bike cornering sharply, without being so low that the pedals are playing polo with every rock on the trail. Pedaling effectiveness is ensured by short, 16.7-inch chainstays and a power-friendly, 73-degree seat tube angle. Kona also offers a full range of sizes (small, medium, large and X-large) and the performance of the bigger sizes is virtually assured by the fact that Mandell is a well known shredder who tops six feet with altitude to spare.
![Kona Process Lyrik fork Kronolog dropper post 2013]()
Components are mainly SRAM with 2 x 10 cranksets and RockShox suspension. The DL gets the Monarch HV RC3 reservoir shock, with a 160mm Lyrik DH3 Dual-Position fork, while the drivetrain is X.0. The standard Process is driven by a mix of X.9 and X.7 components and is suspended by a conventional Monarch shock with a high-volume air can, and a 160mm Lyrik R coil-sprung fork. Both bikes roll on 2.4-inch Maxxis High Roller tires, but only the DL gets the lightweight Stans Flow EX wheels. Kona did not forget the most important item in the all-mountain category – the DL sports a RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post, while the Process uses a Crankbrothers Kronolog dropper.
![Designer Chris Mandell stands beside the Kona Process DL 2013 top and the Process]()
The bottom line for the new Kona was expressed well by its designer. ‘We wanted to make a bike that feels balanced at both low speed, where sharp cornering and maneuverability is essential, and still give it the ability to go as hard as its rider wants to push on the descents,’ Said Mandell. ‘The longer front-center and short rear stays help us achieve that balance.’
![Kona Process DL 2013]()
The Process’ numbers look good and the component picks are spot on for both models, so we would have to agree with Mandell. As promised, we expect Kona’ s new ripper to be a blast to ride. We'll probably be testing this baby soon.
Kona 's base model Process shares exactly the same frame as the DL model and is reported to be a serious ripper for 3000 usd.
The Process’ aluminum frame is slimmed down by the use of heavily manipulated tubing. Chris says that complete bikes come in at 30 pounds, which is respectable considering that the Process is intended to handle everything an experienced rider may see in the Pacific Northwest, from drops and stunts in the park to all-day singletrack stints in the woods. Other frame niceties are an offset swingarm pivot to give the bearings a wider stance, a swingarm-mounted front derailleur for shifting precision, and an intelligent mix of internal and external cable routing to protect the lengths where necessary, while allowing easy access to the rest of the control conduits. The Process will be offered at two price points (Process DL $5,499 and $3,199 for the standard model) that share exactly the same frame.
Kona uses a sturdy clevis type dropout pivot and a 142/12mm through-axle to keep the rear end of the Process flex free. The bottom bracket pivot of the swingarm (right) is offset to the left to give the bearings a wider stance.
The Process uses a 66-degree head angle, which is on the steep side of DH and the slack side of XC/trail. All sizes use the same, 60mm stem and Mandell adjusted the top tube lengths to keep the front-center proportional throughout the size range. The bottom bracket is set at 13.7 inches (348mm), which is low enough to keep the bike cornering sharply, without being so low that the pedals are playing polo with every rock on the trail. Pedaling effectiveness is ensured by short, 16.7-inch chainstays and a power-friendly, 73-degree seat tube angle. Kona also offers a full range of sizes (small, medium, large and X-large) and the performance of the bigger sizes is virtually assured by the fact that Mandell is a well known shredder who tops six feet with altitude to spare.
The more affordable Kona Process uses a 160mm-stroke RockShox Lyrik R coil fork ( left) and the new Crankbrothers Kronolog dropper post. The fork is impressive. The post? We shall see
Components are mainly SRAM with 2 x 10 cranksets and RockShox suspension. The DL gets the Monarch HV RC3 reservoir shock, with a 160mm Lyrik DH3 Dual-Position fork, while the drivetrain is X.0. The standard Process is driven by a mix of X.9 and X.7 components and is suspended by a conventional Monarch shock with a high-volume air can, and a 160mm Lyrik R coil-sprung fork. Both bikes roll on 2.4-inch Maxxis High Roller tires, but only the DL gets the lightweight Stans Flow EX wheels. Kona did not forget the most important item in the all-mountain category – the DL sports a RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post, while the Process uses a Crankbrothers Kronolog dropper.
Kona Designer Chris Mandell stands with his favorite bikes - the 150mm travel Process DL (top) and the more-affordable Process.
The bottom line for the new Kona was expressed well by its designer. ‘We wanted to make a bike that feels balanced at both low speed, where sharp cornering and maneuverability is essential, and still give it the ability to go as hard as its rider wants to push on the descents,’ Said Mandell. ‘The longer front-center and short rear stays help us achieve that balance.’
A closeup look a the Process DL. The frame is decidedly Kona, and its numbers and parts spec are spot on for a trailbike that is expected to go big or go home.
The Process’ numbers look good and the component picks are spot on for both models, so we would have to agree with Mandell. As promised, we expect Kona’ s new ripper to be a blast to ride. We'll probably be testing this baby soon.
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650b has been around for a long time. It isn't new. Availability was the problem. 26" wheels were simply used because they were cheap and available. The other wheel sizes ARE better. I shouldn't have to but a 5k bike, then change the wheels because some knuckle dragger believes 26" was chosen for performance advantages rather than lack of availability of the correct sizes.
Add suspension and frame design becomes a nightmare. 650B works a little bit better than 29", so I agree partially on that front, but 650B will not have a place on the more extreme (meaning 'more likely to break equipment') edge of mountain biking- DJ, SS and FR. Too much is compromised by the comparitive lack of rigidity.
As far as this 26/650B/29 debate, I know what crowd I fall into and I couldn't care less what the others do. Keep forwarding the sport your way and I'll keep forwarding it mine- by paying for 26" wheeled frames, forks, rims and tires and hopefully seeing advances in technology and craftsmanship. I happily paid for my Dartmoor, hoping that Dartmoor will continue to improve their products as they have. And looking at their product forecast, my money paid off.
(I ride DJ and will shortly be getting a Freeride bike for bigger stuff)
Vote with your wallet. Not enough manufacturers read the comments here.
On a side note, I've owned two FSR bikes, owned/cracked four of Treks ABP/Full Floater bikes, owned two high single pivots and a four bar linkage. All the nonsense people spout about brake jack is pure shite. Watch Fabien Barel or Steve Peat on their old school single pivots and tell me that brake jack slowed them down. Quit your whining, stop being a pussy and ride a bike.
Thanks again to Kona for offering bikes that are durable, incredibly fun, very well thought out and don't require a home equity line to purchase. I know what my next purchase is going to be.
Spot on Scaliwag
Because we now have, let's see...
DH
FR
"Playbike"
Enduro
AM
Trail
XC sport
XC race
C'mon, I must be forgetting something...
Plus they all come in three or four wheel sizes now...I can see how someone totally new to MTB could be frustrated by information-overload from all the marketing and whatnot.
I remember when there were just "mountain bikes" and some of them even had a "shock on the front"
Take this Process for example- You could call it an Enduro bike, an AM machine, or a Trailbike. All would be "correct".
For the most part it comes down to combinations of head angle, travel, and wheelbase, whereas the term "Playbike" thankfully escapes all preconception and categorization.
A 80/100mm Transition Double could rightly be called a "Playbike"
A 200mm Speshy Demo could rightly be called a "Playbike"
A Chromag Samurai Hardtail could rightly be called a "Playbike"
All very different machines, but the illustration is that "Playbike" will never be a "Category" of bikes, but be used to describe something that is not built to be the fastest over a perscribed section of earth, but a bike that magically just adds up to a great ride. Some do both! The Demo is a very fast and capable racer on one hand, but there are LEGIONS of FR enthusiasts beating the crap out of them.
I love the term Playbike because it piques my curiousity. I immediately wanna know details- both angular and oil-based.
It's the closest we're ever going to get to a "catch-all" term- like "Mountain Bike" used to be.
After having an old Gen1 Norco 4x4 for my FR bike for years, I can say flat out that short-travel "FR" ikes are way too much fun to overlook in a product-line line... But hey, with the way things are gong, we'll have THAT category of bikes coming along in the next year or so (I hope, cause traditional FR bikes are kinda going by the way side in favor of AM/Enduro biks and I think there's room for both personaly) But then to the "big" bike companies, us "small-segment" riders don't mean much and economically speaking, I'm sure they wouldn't sell enough to justify tooling up for a whole new fame that they sell 100 of a year worldwide aye.
It's been a long day, did ANY of that make sense??? HAHAHAHAHA
> Spot on mate... great way of putting it. I don't posess the "say it in 50 words or less gene" but you do and I like your take on the subject aye
To ME, there's a TON of value in a company who are BASED and built around the NW and our type of Terrain. To me, if it can survive 365 days of riding in the NW, it's gonna be a winner anywhere in the world. Sad to see how band-wagoning on the internet has lowered the percieved quality and value of a bike company like KONA... IMO it's all just BULLSHIT and Kona in my eys has NEVER falen off. Can't say the same thing about Rocky mountain who have all but given up on the FR market or Gary Fischer who seems to ONLY care about lycra wearing cork-sniffers in the SW...
I'm just glad they didn't try their "magic link" on this bike and I'd gladly have one of these and an Entourage in my stable. PLus for the price of their bikes, I could afford both AND still have money left over to take a trip so ewhere epic to ride them (well, maybe somehwere "different" considering I live in the NW and that's about s "EPIC" as anywhere aye
In my experience with both...the Kona will pedal a little better than the Spesh, but the Enduro suspension will be more active (like a DH bike) and potentially descend better. I think a decision between the two will come down to fit and personal preference.
I would just keep in mind that Specialized has had a few years to work out the kinks in the Enduro frame, BUT, the frame uses a proprietary shock, so upgrading in the future will be EXPENSIVE. (I speak from experience.)
The Enduro Comp seems to have a similar spec, but with an air sprung fork vs. a dropper post for $500 more.
This is overcome through shock technology, but a linkage driven single pivot, in general, will usually pedal better than a Horst Link/4 Bar design. (A huge generalization, I know).
This is just my experience through 3 Enduros, 2 Stumpjumpers, an SX Trail, a Demo 8, a Tanuki, & Satori, and an Operator.
I'm obviously a believer in both designs. You really can't go wrong.
I rode a ton of bikes before deciding on the Kona, and I'll say for sure that the Kona bike was tons more fun to ride than any others I tried. They last forever and are super durable. I'll ride Konas from now on
www.pinkbike.com/photo/8451094.
maybe the price is right?
If you're going 29"...the Satori rides circles around a Tallboy.
Stack up the geometry of the Tallboy against the other similar bikes with the same intended purpose (Kona Satori/Stumpy Evo 29/Niner WFO) and they all have very similar geometry with the exception of the headtube angle on the Tallboy.
I rode a tallboy demo and it didn't feel nearly as capable as the Satori/Stumpy/Niner. I rode a Tracer 29 and thought the same thing. I'm no expert...just offering my opinion. I rode all of them before I settled on the Stumpjumper Evo.
As important as geometry is with 26" wheels...I think the effect of geometry with wagon wheels is just exacerbated that much more.
Interesting that the 2 Cali bikes (Santa Cruz & Intense) have steeper head tube angles. (I don't count Specialized as a California company)
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they're both designed in California or that fact that they're both VP bikes.
ive got a suggestion, dont buy a 29er, climbs arent meant to be easy and decents are meant to be fun, 29ers do the opposite i wish i could have my time buying a new bike back and swap my 29er for a 26er...
Hey, sweet!
How does offsetting the pivot give the bearings a wider stance?
I'm pretty sure the reason for the offset is to give room for a front derailleur and chainline that doesn't interfere with the rear assembly (seatstays, chainstays). Kicking the pivot to the rider's left actually gives a narrower stance (compared to a centered, evenly spaced pivot) and requires more reinforcement from the rear assembly to prevent twisting flex and lateral flex.
But even if I'm wrong about the "why?", it still remains that a left-shifted pivot will be narrower than an evenly spaced one, and therefore will give the pivot bearings a narrower stance rather than a wider one.
Generally look like fun, sorted bikes though. Kona have really got their game together in recent years.
For me anyway
@T1mb0: IIRC, each size bike has matching rotor sizes, so the L/XL comes with a 203mm up front and a 180mm in the rear, down to the size S with 160mm front and rear. I guess the dual ring thing is a function of it being designed with Pacific Northwest riding in mind first and foremost. Most "average joe" riders around here can't push a 1x9/10 on all day pedally rides...
They're calling this a 'playbike' yes. Not a trail bike.
And yes I feel a 70-80mm stem is too long. Maybe where you live chap most of you do build bikes like that, but have you ever considered that other people who don't live in Canada eh, might have a different opinion. No.
And yes again for a playbike, especially one fitted with Elixirs 180mm on the front is too small for me. And 160 on the rear!
So you're saying that this bike was designed with only one region of riding in mind?! Yikes
Pretty much every production trail/all-mountain/enduro bike out there these days comes with a 2x10 drivetrain as well.
You're obviously looking for things to knock this bike for...but you're really reaching.
Do you think the guys at Santa Cruz were thinking about your trails in the UK when they designed your Nomad? No...they designed a bike to be ridden on their home trails in SoCal.
But somehow it still works on your side of the pond...maybe it's magic.
If SC designed my bike to to ridden on only their 'SoCal' trails why is it called a Nomad?
Well done for looking at my profile to try and find something to pick me up on. You did real well there champ.
For all the rest of you PBers, remember I just gave an opinion. And its one I'll stick by. Don't be pathetic and take offence, just realise we're not all the same...
-edit: any suggestions?? which is the alloy used to make those links?
And Orange shouldn´t be sold at all...they are sooo damn fugly