PINKBIKE FIELD TEST
Kona Honzo
Words by Mike Kazimer, photography by Anthony SmithThe Kona Honzo has become a modern day classic, a bike that's earned countless fans over the course of its eight years in existence. There have been titanium, carbon, and steel framed options offered during that time period, but it's the entry level, aluminum version that we brought in for testing.
Priced at $1,499, the Honzo comes equipped with a 120mm RockShox Recon RL fork, SRAM SX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain, Shimano Acera brakes, Trans-X dropper post, and 2.25” WTB Trail Boss tires.
The Honzo's geometry hasn't changed all the much since it was first introduced, other than the reach, which has lengthened slightly since the initial debut. There's a 68-degree head angle (the steepest out of all 8 bikes in the Field Trip), a 475mm reach on a size large, 75-degree seat tube angle, and short, 420mm chainstays.
Kona Honzo Details• Travel: 120mm fork
• Aluminum frame
• Wheel size: 29"
• Head Angle: 68°
• Seat Tube Angle: 75°
• Reach: 475mm (L)
• Chainstay length: 420mm (size L)
• Sizes: S, M, L (tested), XL
• Weight: 32.3 lb / 14.7 kg
• Price: $1,499 USD
•
www.konaworld.com ClimbingAt 32.3 pounds the Honzo isn't exactly light, but it was one of the lighter bikes in the Field Trip, and it has the easy maneuverability you'd expect from a trail hardtail. It's a much livelier, more responsive bike than the Norco Torrent at slower speeds, and it felt like it wanted to dance uphill rather than stomp and plod.
Longer and slacker bikes can feel like they're on autopilot while climbing, while the Honzo delivers a more engaging experience. It'll dip and dive through tight, awkward sections of trail with minimal effort, and manuals are a breeze thanks to that stubby back end. Rolling terrain is where the Honzo is in its element; it feels like an overgrown dirt jumper, and it shines any time the trail resembles a natural pump track.
Descending The Honzo's snappy manners remain in place on the descents, and as long as the trail isn't too chunky it's an entertaining ride. If the trail does get super rough and steep the brakes and the fork become the limiting factors – there's not a ton of stopping power from those Shimano Acera brakes, although the brake levers give you enough room to use two or three fingers to try and slow things down. On the RockShox Recon, that 120mm of travel only goes so far, and it needs to be overinflated to keep it from blowing through its travel. There's also the fact that the tires aren't tubeless compatible, so choosing the smoothest line is even more imperative if you want to avoid fixing a flat.
The Honzo does require a more attentive pilot than the Torrent - the Torrent's long and slack geometry makes it possible to get away with the occasional 'point and pray' moments, while there's less room for error on the Honzo. It's not a bike that encourages seeking out the gnarliest descents around; instead, it's an energetic companion best suited for slightly mellower adventures.
Swapping out the stock tires to a tubeless compatible setup is a highly recommended first step, but otherwise the Honzo could serve as a great gateway into the world of mountain biking for riders looking for an easy to handle hardtail that won't break the bank.
www.pinkbike.com/news/connor-fearon-wins-regional-enduro-race-on-a-hardtail.html
I just ride my bike - I do not have a turbo trainer - I have absolutely no idea how these systems work etc
I have been looking at there website and the system seems really cool.
There are turbo trainers and ‘smart’ turbo trainers etc - I have no idea what I need?
Seems like a great idea for content IMHO
One main thing I do appreciate about the Honzo is the little maintenance it requires. Just clean the chain and send it. The SB5.5 is high maintenance, I don't got time for that!
You can get a nukeproof scout or commencal and get slightly better components, but it’s the same weight ballpark. I think the deore specced scout is probably what yalls would like without complaining too much.
You can save a couple hundred grams and add those back in $$$ if they’d specced SLX instead of SX, same goes for NX.
Kona really does need to update the geo on this frame
Cheap components are heavy my man. Look up how much that dropper and cassette are - the stock SX bb’s have a ton of weight hanging out in them too.
The CAAD fatbike is crazy light and fun, and so is the fork. And, I only had to warranty two of those frames. And, only had to reset the needle bearings in that full size run of the forks. Kinda embarrassing. And it’s almost twice the price yeah? Apples to apples.
If most other hardtails on the market weigh the same in that price bracket and have the same basic specs, it doesn’t mean that it’s good - but, uh, theres nothing else on the market you can buy with a 130 fork without going to CRC to save a few hundred bucks. At this price point I think I’d be squeezing together another couple hundred for a full sus, but not everyone wants that. And I know the light & cheap stance is gonna be DRAGGED for being unrideably flexy in the comments when that review comes out
That being said, if you watched the video, the suggested path to upgrade was ride it till you wear something out and upgrade it then. As a completely blue-collar MTBer, that is the best way to go. Get the max bike you with your budget, replace parts as you wear them out or break them. Which is precisely what 90% of the buyers of this bike will do.
The hate for SX seems mostly from people who wouldn't get a bike in the price range anyway. It shifts and shifts well enough to be usable for the vast majority of users. Again, as it wears, replace it with better stuff. Shimano stuff at this level wouldn't that much less in weight and may or may not shift as well. Stuff like Box 3 Prime 9 isn't going to hit OEM price points.
Just to be clear, my 2010 Gary Fisher Paragon, a XC race 29er aluminum hardtail, stock was just at 30lbs. So a VALUE trail aluminum 29er hardtail weighing in at 32lbs with tubes and (arguably) a boat anchor of a cassette doesn't seem unreasonable.
but this $1400 build is also great for the $$$. get what you pay for.
Marin, Rocky Mountain, and the CRC brands put together a pretty compelling package for the 1000-1500 hardtail range. Giants are much lighter and don’t have a rear thru, Kona/specialized/etc are more expensive. This is the hardtail market right now. Saying UGH THIS IS BAD DEAL isn’t gonna change what’s available right now.
And yeah, the lefty needle bearing reset requirement is odd.
I’d also 100% rather be on gravel or dirt than anywhere close to traffic. I’ve said ever since the first time I owned a good CX bike that something along those lines will handle about anything you could on your first POS hardtail and make it fun again to boot.
To totally derail the thread, I’ve liked the wtb riddlers best for all round use, with the Donnelly/clement xplor mso’s as a close second if you want a thinner carcass. If you really need that road slick, Hutchinson sectors and maxxis velocitas are quite nice and available in sizes big enough you can run a proper wide rim as needed.
I still ride my Honzo on a few sweet-spot trails that are a bit too rough for the gravel bike and not gnar enough for my fs. It's a super fun bike, but don't know if I'd buy it again if I didn't already have it. Like you said, gravel + trail fs is probably the best setup if you're sticking with 2 bikes.
I found the 650b wheels on PB or CL for $125 and it's really opened things up!
For the record, my current hei hei XC bike has 66* and my supreme sx is sub 63*, both with short CSU offsets.
Don't fear the slack
Haven’t seen deores on a bike this cheap in a while.
The aceras squeak, creak, and are a bit flimsy and not all that ergonomic. But, there’s plenty of power, no weird bite point, and a very smooth lever. They aren’t a bad product at all, and are one of the most reliable shimano brakes I’ve worked on. I think I’ve seen a few bent levers on em and that’s it. Maybe one piston issue. Salt, snow, and nastiness all winter on commuter bikes and they hold up like a champ. Mt501’s, like what came on that vitus are still rare at this price.
Tires are nice, but add a bunch to the price. NSMB has had a number of good articles throughout the years about min/maxing cheap hardtails that are rather good.
And, I'd still take SX over the shit 2x9 and 2x10 systems that were around not so long ago. Dropped chains, crunchy shifting, beginner riders who don't know how to use a 2 by system...
I keep a 26" blur LT around with older, non-clutch x9 on it for beginners to try out. Nobody understands what the front gears do, or how to shift decently at all. Having a stance with SX has been going alot better shifting wise.
A legit clutch derailleur with enough range that a beginner doesn't have to get off and walk? I'm stoked on that. It's quiet, it works, and they sure aren't complaining about .25 pounds going on the back of the bike instead of in the middle. However, cheap droppers, espcially these tranzx ones, are just total garbage.
I learned to ride MTB on a rigid SS that's still my most ridden bike. Walking up steep hills isn't the end of the world. Run up them and you'll be biking up them in no time.
As far as droppers, sure If you're going to put a quality one on there then I'll pay for it. But I don't want to pay for a shit dropper just to replace it anyways. Rigid seatposts aren't the end of the world either. Just ride with it low and stand up and smash the climbs. It's a hardtail, you're going to stand on anything rough anyways.
You know what beginners hate in a group ride and learning? Getting off and walking. I'm sure you're a rough, tough, single speeder, but the people I sold this kind of bike to are learning to rip around on fire roads, beginner trails, and (if they're young) baby gnar and jumps. You want people to have a ton of gearing. No beginners going to be pumping through the rough and standing up to sprint up every climb, let alone standing on traverses. They like the convenience of a cheap dropper and somewhere to sit down. I'm sure most of us started on bikes with a front derailleur and no dropper, but that doesn't mean that simpler shifting and a slow, heavy dropper isn't going to improve the basic ride experience.
You or I aren't going to buy anything this cheap, ever. Makes me glad. Doesn't mean the parts package isn't good for who's actually going to be using it. Lucky kids and first-time riders, or as a backup/beater bike. A rigid post wouldn't be the end of the world, but the 5 and $700 rigid posted giant talons I sold by the truckful would often come back that season for a cheap brand X dropper within the first season if it was being ridden off-road. That, more than anything shows demand for the cheap droppers, not just that they're common in the 1000+ price range.
It's a circle jerk and the trickle down tech just gets replaced by the new tech as soon as it's affordable by below middle class people. Ultimately it creates a very high $$$ bar to A) Get into MTB at all and B) Be able to maintain your beginner bike you could barely afford.
I ride a SS rigid as my number one because I can afford to. I can't afford to ride my bought used Hightower everyday as much as I'd like to.
I have twins and recently bought a pair of 2019 RM Growler 40's for them, reduced to ~$1350CDN each. The HA is 67*, 26"x2.8" tires (in size XS, 27.5"x2.8" for small and up) I'll set up tubeless, 120mm Suntour Raidon air fork, X-Fusion Manic dropper, Shimano MT400 brakes and 1x10 (Deore w/clutch) 30-46 drivetrain. Whether an adult or kid, for anything but DH I think that bike can't be beat. It's a shame RM didn't keep that frame in the line-up, they changed the HA to 64* on the 2020 Growler.
What kind of crazy terrain/consumables are you going through that you can’t afford to run a Hightower? Sure, I could theoretically save a couple hundred bucks a year in running costs rn by running a klunker with bb7 brakes and tubeless tires and still have fun, but I ain’t that masochistic. I bet I spend more in gas getting to new trails than in running costs on any of my bikes.
Beginner bikes are better now than ever before. Plenty of 2-3k bikes that rip right out of the box. Sure, there’s dumb spec choices like 3 pawl DT non series grenade hubs, crap bearings, etc. but a 2k trance or 3k ripmo is gonna make literally anyone happy. True beginners/budget riders can get a ton of trail ready, new bike for under a grand. And thanks to depreciation, that vitus or stance are gonna be 900 bucks on the buy/sell and not be crazy with depreciation after a year or two. The current market is pretty great and filled with good options.
The real circle jerk is people claiming that everything’s too expensive these days, that shimano equipped, long travel aluminum rigs are gods gift to the cycling community. And that the LBS are worse than the IRS when it comes to stealing your money.
Nobody’s making you buy axs or get that grip2 or pike ultimate. The yari and fox 34 grip are fantastic pieces of equipment, and midrange drivetrains are real solid. The trickle down tech is fine, and you need some competition on the top end to keep progression going. It’s just that you, personally, do not have to buy it. It’s just a nice option.
@dlford RM growler and nukeproof scout would be my go-tos in this price bracket for a HT. Lucky kids!
SX might not be the best, but for this price bracket of (retail) bikes, its workable. When the cassette out or the derailer conks it, get GX or something. 32lbs might not seem that great, but you got tubes, heavy tires and an obese cassette in the mix. Again, all things that can be changed as they wear out.
If you’re breaking everything you ride, it’s time to admit you need some stronger stuff. Or, start riding in a way that preserves the equipment. Yes, pros shred brand new rims a few accidental times a season, but that’s their job, and they’re inhumanly fast compared to whatever pace we’re riding at. That being said, even a few rims, tires, and a set of spokes doesn’t sound like it’s anything that’s going to be a prohibitively expensive season.
I agree that suspension can be serviced much more often than 50hrs if you want it to feel silky fresh, but it’s not like it’s totally necessary.
New bikes are damn reliable and strong to boot. I assure you these will hold up to a pretty aggressive rider. Wider tires means harder riding. Dropper post means harder riding. The brakes on this are more than adequate to haul you to a stop. I’d say that companies are doing a pretty nice job of making rugged bikes that hold up well now more than ever.
I offered free service on whatever you wanted within the first year of getting it, and we sure didn’t lose any significant labor time by offering that.
With the average car purchase being over 35k in the USA, clearly people are comfortable swinging their (debt) around to get expensive stuff - so id disagree with you - a couple grand in our market is pretty attainable for most enthusiasts. And yes, I’d prefer that people pay cash that they have on hand for this and not have high interest loans while getting anything expensive, but that’s a different discussion.
my Process 153 came with a similar spec. the NX/SX eagle weighs a crazy amount (& ime is flimsy as hell) the wheels weigh 2.5kg
get this bike on sale at the end of the year, upgrade wheels & brakes, stick a decent damper in the fork, then later you can replace drivetrain when it fails with SLX, carbon bar for a bit more weight saving, will be down to 13kg & have a bike that can handle anything
Taking the $$$$$$$$ it's going to take to get your 153 down to 13kg is your prerogative if you like the frame and put stock into how light your rig is, but I'd say that's a bit cost-prohibitive, as their $5k carbon models are running around 14.5kg. Also, speaking as someone who's had carbon bars on my last 4 bikes, that's the last place you're going to be saving weight for the $. Check out the cranks instead after you've done up the wheels.
@bulletbassman Having spent years in a shop, the $1500 hardtail to $2000 full sus sales ratio isn't even quite outselling 2:1, and I sold just as many $1500 full sus as $1000 hardtails every year. I'm not making any judgments on how you budget for your bikes - running things cheaply is great - but look at PB as an enthusiast site, and look at the polls of what people are riding. Plenty of rides that are worth more than a few grand hanging out around here, that's for sure.
Most mountain bikes I had going to people who are actually going to ride them off-road were in the 2-3k range, with maybe one or two $1500 hardtails per year going to someone who was actually going to ride them on a trail with dirt on it. I appreciate that you have a good relationship with your LBS. I hope they're giving you a loyalty discount on all those wheelbuilds!
And, like I suggested, figure out how to ride in a way that preserves whatever equipment you have. I don't shred tires and blow carbon rims on my gravel bike when ripping it around on trails, because I remember that it's an overgrown road bike and I don't feel like walking 10 miles back to the car.
Mountainbiking is fun because I can push my limits out in nature. I've got both bikes built as heavy as possible and usually run 30+PSI in my tires. (It is that steep/rocky where I ride). I limit how much I ride the Hightower to avoid the maintenance so I can go full out when I can swing my legs over it. But there have been plenty of times it sat in my garage with a broken wheel/tire for a month till I could afford to fix it.
Don't blame the current market for the budget that you have.
If a company wanted to make a true loss leader of a bike and put it out there, they can, but they obviously don't for good reason. If you're continuously breaking stuff, either back it off, or accept that you're going to pay money to ride at your "full out". Sounds like you're treating your rides like the car you bring to the demolition derby, but that's just me.
Maybe MTB is close to the point where that won't be leap and bounds tech and ever changing standards so more brands will focus on building really great reliable bikes for the price a teenager can afford. Using parts that have been being manufactured the same for over a decade and therefore extremely affordable. But there is a reason people are pissed about ever changing standards and the insane depreciation mtbs across the board see. Auto repair and plumbing are still middle class jobs my man. Any sport you have to be middle class to take apart of has an affordability issue.
The reason there are BMX bikes in a low price range is because they're incredibly SIMPLE to make, with a magnitude fewer moving parts - and - plenty of the quality brands are made by huge providers like pacific cycle. There's also SIGNIFICANTLY less margin selling haro, WTP - commodity big brand BMX - than there is in any standard brick and mortar MTB brand. Your shop structure is part of the differential there as well. The only way BMX companies value the kids is by making a huge variety of useless things like valve covers, colorful pegs, and spoke straws to take their last few dollars to spice up their rides.
And my point with middle class jobs was - if they have the enthusiasm for the sport and want to have something a bit more expensive, clearly, they can. I've had crews of EMT's and vet techs come in and get bikes at all kinds of price ranges, and it's crazy how little they get paid for what they do - about half the median USA base income in many cases. I've had kids do yard work and pool cleaning for a summer to come in and pay cash for a pair of $1500 fathoms - and you better believe they got a tidy discount after their parents told me what they'd been doing. One time, years back, a guy on social security disability bought a full suspension SC blur. We got calls from the police for YEARS (shop sticker on the bike) wondering if it was stolen since he'd ride it around town too. He's still riding it around to this day, and the absolutely knackered brake pads on my profile somewhere were off of that rig. Man, if government cheddar can buy a full sus bike, and kids working under the table can...I don't know what to tell ya. Seems damn affordable to me.
Just because biking isn't soccer or basketball, 3rd world cheap doesn't mean it's some high-class, unapproachable thing. We're not paying for course time, for horse stabling, for rink time, track time, whatever. And even for those sports which do, it's not someone else's job to pander to your budget and make them cheaper.
Pricing is stagnant, and depreciation is largely dictated by the market due to a a slow increase in the overall quality and usability of the package year to year in a mountain bike. Things aren't cheap because you want them to be, and saying there's an "affordability issue" and wanting to be handed nicer things for less money is, quite frankly, ridiculous. Bikes depreciate because there's no warranty, someone's beat it to shit, and they're constantly getting better, whether you believe it or not. Asking an entire industry to stop innovation and turn to complacency and mass production so that you can save a couple bucks on your next ride is just wild.
Granted, bike performance has gone up, but that's mainly due to geometry improvements that don't (significantly) increase development and production costs. A €1,500 aluminium hardtail should come with at least €100 Deore brakes.
no waaay I expect my process to get to that weight!
vitusbikes.com/products/vitus-sentier-29-vrs-trail-hardtail-mountain-bike
This seems like a much better deal by far.
~30lbs, 66.5HT, shimano 12spd DT. Revelation RC. just better on all fronts. All for 150 bones more. Unreal
At 260 lbs the deore drivetrain just works. Dropped one chain. In 3 years. Set up 1x9.
Keep in mind a Norco Fluid FS 3 (which is a full suspension) is only 250$ more and there are plenty other cheap entry level trail bikes to choose from. I mean who would rather get this when you can get a FS for the same or just a little more?
Hardtails cost way less $$$ to maintain. I can literally only afford to ride my f/s bike about 1.5x a week. I ride 5-7 days a week if the weather is cooperative. So I spend the rest of the time on my hardtail.
My rear tire on my hard tail is basically a slick with sideknobs from wear. I can’t afford having fresh tires on any bike I’m riding often
Or really be into using a HT for learning certain handling skills.
"Priced at $1,4999"
I've demo'd lots of others bikes, borrowed bikes from friends, and strongly considered upgrading to a FS bike. The only bike that came close to making me consider such a jump was the Ibis Ripley. That said, while it was equally fun feeling, (if not more so than my trusty Honzo) it wasn't $5000 more fun.
Hard tails keep ya honest. Steel is real. Get out and ride yer bike and stop worrying about fancy specs. Also, I agree that eagle doesn't matter for like 80%+ of riders and running a 10 speed drivetrain is a great way to build up a bike to be more affordable and lighter. SX is garbage.
That said the stock Revelation that came on the bike felt capable and didn't limit me when I was first getting back into riding trails after buying the bike.
But this bike sums up everything wrong with the bike industry right now.
archive.trekbikes.com/us/en/2015/Trek/superfly_5#/us/en/2015/Trek/superfly_5/details
Look at the build for a similarly priced bike from just 5 years ago. Then also consider that with inflation you'd probably be able to afford the next level specced bike. A far better drivetrain even if it's 2x, similar level fork, cheap but excellent brakes (Upgradeable, but really not necessary). Now I'd say that 5 years ago MTB was shockingly expensive as well, but the industry seems determined to continue in the wrong direction.
All in all the honzo seems to stack up fairly well with its similarly priced counterpart. You get a reliable fork. The “latest and greatest” drivetrain tech. You get a dropper (btw I’m pretty sure the transX and brand X are the same dropper). You get reliable braking. The tires are a bit of a letdown without a doubt, but entry level people are gonna grab a set of dhf and dhr2 with dh casings because their mate told them they had to anyways.
Similar suspension, though I'd argue that the 35mm stanchions, sizing of bushings, etc. give a solid win to the newer bike. Also, thru axles, tubeless tires, and doubtless stiffer and better built wheels, because boy were those trek wheels rough.
Worse drivetrain, brakes (although 1x w/ clutch) to trade off for a dropper, exactly as you said.
To sum it up...uh...price is almost EXACTLY stagnant for what you're getting, sticking to name brands. Not a good thing necessarily, but I'd much rather spend the 1700ish on a bike today than the 1500ish a few years ago. Things haven't gotten to be magically better value, since the kit on that superfly hasn't been refined and stuck with, it's been redesigned and redistributed.
If you're going to argue that entry level prices being stagnant is a bad thing, that's a different idea. Stagnation isn't "heading" anywhere by definition, though. No clue where everyone on PB is getting the idea that they're getting fleeced year by year when new stuff comes out.
Pretty close.
www.commencalusa.com/meta-ht-am-origin-c2x29149188
Small frame model is a bit small for my normal riding, but feels super-nimble even with 27.5x3.0 tires.
152mm cranks is the route that we both take to avoid pedal strikes.
Day 2 - $1500 heavy, basic spec alu hardtail proven to be 3rd fastest in test.
How can this be spun to justify bikes like the Santa Cruz or Norco costing what they do?
I set mine up SS with 29x2.6" Rekons and a dropper. It is easily my favorite bike and my go-to almost always. The thing is just super fun.
For what it's worth, mine sits around 27-28lbs, built for durability rather than light weight.
So correct, grain of salt recommended.
www.commencalusa.com/meta-ht-am-origin-c2x29149188
And there is STILL money left over for a dropper.
Not impressed with this build... even for $1500. Put some tubeless tires on this bike for god's sake.
You will not regret guys, it´s fun and fast, just sold it because I got an enduro bike, but if I would get a hardtail again, honzo is on top of the list!
- Tires aren't tubeless compatible "
So, no cons then!!
Same fork but with 130-140mm
Tubeless wheels with maxxis TIRES 3c
Shimano drivetrain and brakes
Anything to ad ?