Video: Kona Launches New Carbon Process 29er
PRESS RELEASE: Kona Bikes
Last year we made waves with the Process G2 lineup. The 27.5" carbon bikes became a staple in many of our daily rides. Continuing on with the evolution of the Process lineup, we are thrilled to finally announce the carbon Process 29ers!
We’ve got two gorgeous builds for you to choose from. We’ve also upgraded the spec for many of the builds and lightened the frame weights on all aluminum G2 Process 153s. To celebrate the release of the new carbon 29" Process bikes we headed down under with Connor Fearon to the Maydena Bike Park in Tasmania, Australia and filmed him putting the all-new Process CR DL 29 through its paces on some truly epic trails in a truly incredible location.
Process 153 CR/DL 29 US $5999 CAD $7999
The Process 153 CR/DL 29 is simply awesome. It's everything we've ever wanted in a trail bike. Our revered Process CR DL gets the wagon wheel treatment aboard WTB KOM Trail 29" rims. A RockShox Lyrik RC2 fork up front and Super Deluxe Debonair RCT shock in the back makes for the plushest of descents. You'll be moving fast, so we've added SRAM Code brakes for maximum stopping power. As cousin Eddie would say, "She's a beaut, Clark!"
Process 153 CR 29 US $4999 CAD $6299
New this year is the Process 153 CR 29. We've taken the amazing ride quality from our Process 29 and stiffened and shaved weight off the bike with our Kona DH carbon frame. With a 160mm RockShox Lyrik fork up front and a RockShox Super Deluxe RCT Debonair shock in the back the ride is buttery smooth. A SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain, Reverb Dropper and Guide R brakes round out this killer build.
Process 153 DL 29 US $3699 CAD $4799
The Process 153 DL 29 ups the ante in value and spec. Kona's lighter weight aluminum frame is equipped with a carbon rocker for strength and weight savings, a RockShox Yari 160mm Charger fork and Super Deluxe RC3 Debonair rear shock. Climb swiftly with SRAM's NX/GX Eagle drivetrain and stop with confidence with Guide brakes and a 200mm front rotor. The DL also arrives tubeless ready and with a dropper post.
Process 153 29 US $2999 CAD $3999
It's nice having that one bike you can just grab and go with no worries about how it will handle on the climb or descent. We've built the Process 153 29 to be affordable and handle everything a trail can throw at it, so you can spend more time having fun and no time worrying about your gear. This year, the frame sheds a few hundred grams of weight and features 160mm of front travel via a RockShox Yari fork, and 153mm of rear travel is provided by a Deluxe RT Debonair shock. SRAM NX 1x11 drivetrain, Guide T brakes, Maxxis tires and a dropper post round out the build.
Process 153 CR/DL 27.5 US $5999 CAD $7999
This is the bike built to withstand everything. From punishing EWS race days to party laps at the local trails, the Process 153 CR/DL 27.5 has racked up accolades for its incredible performance. Our Kona DH carbon is light and strong. RockShox suspension front and rear keeps the ride smooth. A SRAM X01 12 speed Eagle Drivetrain and Code RSC brakes are a perfectly balanced combo of pure shred and pure power.
Process 153 CR 27.5 US $4999 CAD $6299
In some of the best riding zones we've found, the ups are as fun as the downs. The carbon Process 153 CR 27.5 flies up the hill with efficiency, but it really dances when things point downhill. A RockShox Lyrik fork up front and 153mm of travel with a Super Deluxe RCT Debonair shock in the rear make for a super plush ride. A SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain and Guide R brakes round out this super sweet build.
Process 153 DL 27.5 US $3699 CAD $4799
We have a strong opinion about the Process 153 DL 27.5: It's badass. It ticks all the boxes. A durable, stiff and lighter aluminum frame is matched with a purpose-driven component selection including the RockShox Yari 160mm Charger fork, a RockShox Super Deluxe rear shock, SRAM GX Eagle, Guide 4-piston disc brakes, and a dropper post. It's the People's Process and we love it.
Process 153 27.5 US $2999 CAD $3999
If the world was ending and you needed one bike to rule them all, the Process 153 27.5 would be a solid choice. It's an awesome build in a wallet-friendly price. With 160mm of RockShox Yari travel up front and a Deluxe RT Debonair shock in the rear, the ride is plush and smooth. Well accompanied by SRAM Guide hydraulic disc brakes, a dropper post, and SRAM's NX drivetrain, the Process is one sweet build for the buck.
Process 165 US $3999 CAD $5299
When your days consist of shuttle laps, park laps, and a solid amount of gravity-focused riding, the Process 165 is an excellent companion. But, in spite of its gravity roots, it's still capable of pedaling uphill with the help of a SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain and KS Lev dropper post. The real fun comes on the descents when full squish is provided by a 170mm RockShox Yari Charger fork, and a 165mm Super Deluxe coil rear shock.
Process 153 SE US $2399 CAD $2999
The Process 153 SE is the bike that will go anywhere and do anything. It's a strong, durable bike wrapped in a stylish and super fun package! With 153mm of rear wheel travel, suspension by Suntour and RockShox, a SRAM NX 1x11 drivetrain, powerful Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and super grippy Maxxis Minion tires, this bike is the perfect exploration buddy at an affordable price!
Process 134 SE US $2199 CAD $2899
The Process 134 SE is what we'd consider a bit of a classic bike. It's well-loved by both Kona and our customers so we're keeping it rolling. Affordability and durability make the 140mm travel Process 134 SE a special blend. It's got just enough travel to be stout enough to ride in a wide variety of terrain, while still having the playful snappy feel the Process line is known for.
About Kona:
At Kona, we're all about the freedom and empowerment of the bicycle. We have been since 1988. We still have the same founding owners. We're still populated by a staff of keen, active, impassioned cyclists. We're not big, nor are we that small. Just a dedicated group of cyclists making bicycles for people who love bikes - no matter if that love is new or long established.
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Size medium.
2015 Process 111 (because I own it)
120f/111r
Hta: 68°
Reach: 435mm
Sta: 74°
Wb: 1145mm
2018 Hei Hei
120f/100r
Hta: 68°
Reach: 430mm
Sta: 75°
Wb: 1126mm
I wouldn't say they are no where near one a other. But one is definitely a little more XC.
the hei hei is a weapon on the longer rides. run a 140 fork and it’s perfect for 90% of the riding i do. i guess that was my point. 12 down votes. you guys are touchy after the long weekend.
And I agree totally. The 111 is much more stout. Similar geo (ish) but very different bikes. I run mine at 130 now, but prefer it at 120 I think.
No bike with 150-160mm travel is going to be as snappy at a bike with 111mm travel - regardless of efficiency. Or at least, that is my opinion. I will stick with the 111 over the newer Process bikes. It's a great bike for the relatively low tech trails in Ontario.
Travel elsewhere, I have a bike much closer to your 153
Hei Hei is a great bike also. My girlfriend owns the army green Hei Hei Trail from this year.
Stuck a 2* works headset and a130mm fork in my 111 and it seemed just about right. I also swapped to a 40mm offset CSU and it was a game changer for the bikes handling (for me). Wife also has a 17 hei hei 29DL carbon and prefers it over her old 134. Shes more of an XC rider though.
Eventually they'll make something similar to the 111 again. Everyone else is.
Honestly, I think I like the 68-67.5° hta (pending 120-130) that my bike was made with. It's just so responsive. I just love the bike
They bought the whole SRAM package from nose to tail and we can’t even get GX cranks? At least we still get a GX cassette and they didn’t cheap out there.
These bike companies are screwing us on OEM spec.
At least the Aefect cranks that companies are sneaking on to 5k bikes don’t scream “cheap” when you look at them. (They do weigh like 4.5 lbs. still less than the NX at least)
I've implemented a 2mm-offset bushing in the shock's eyelet. This transformed it to the real beast. Head angle now about 65° and lowered BB which gives you a great in the bike feeling. What I'm most impressed however, is how well this heavy beast still goes in climbing mode, even though the STA is slightly slacker.
What size is the shock hardware on the process?
12.7/8 x 30.0 mm
@Kiwi19:
I currently own a Process 153DL and an Operator. Bought both together in 2014. I went all in on Kona. The Operator is a little small (wish they made an XL for tall folk like me) and runs on heritage wheels, but Kona replaced the frame under warranty with little or no fuss, and I like the way it rides generally. The Process is amazing. Have ridden that bike everywhere, and it keeps on going great. Was going to replace it this year, but haven't really had a reason to. This probably would have been a good reason - have been thinking about moving to 29" wheels.
A good part of the reason I went all in on Kona was that the two bikes together were a screaming deal. The Operator was a Carbon DH bike for about CAD$4k, and the Process came with great spec for less than CAD$5k. Throw in a bit of a deal since I bought them both from the same shop at the same time toward the end of the season, and I couldn't NOT buy them.
So this is a bit of a bummer. Entry point for the Carbon 29er at more than $6k and featuring NX, GX and Guide R's. So then I look at the alloy build (I am not fussy about what my bike is made of) and for nearly $5k you get a Yari (and mostly low-ish spec everything else). Calling out that it comes with a dropper post is not exactly getting me pumped.
I assume that Kona is attempting to price their builds reasonably in order to try and be competitive, and not attempting to gouge their customers so they can retire on their super yachts. So what is going on?
Comparing with other brands (both traditional and consumer direct) they seem to have gone from great value to terrible value in the span of 3 years.
Genuinely curious, because it would have been pretty easy to convince me to at least demo one of these, but I am probably not going to bother based on these specs/prices.
On the brightside, most of these new models are gathering dust in shops and are being discounted pretty heavily. Ive been getting quotes on 2018s for 25-30% off MSRP.
Kona has been really good to me over the years and I really want to be excited about these bikes. But, like you said, the value seems to have gone away. It's really disappointing and, as much as I'd like my next bike to be another Process, I very much doubt it will be.
Al Canyon Spectral 6.0 - $2.4k, comes with Pike RC
Al Kona Process 153 - $3.7k, comes with Yari Charger RC
What is the $1.3k difference, really? LBS support?
I know the Pike and Yari chassis are not exactly the same, but still. Pikes are not cheap, yet it is 42% of the cost of the Spectral.
Holy cow do they have enough models?!?
Not in UK, I asked.
page 13
www.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/gen.0000000005684_service_manual_2019_lyrik_yari_english_rev_b.pdf
I'm overweight and unfit. With the eagle drivetrain it gets me up all but the steepest climbs.
It is not a tech climber by any stretch of the imagination. My other bike is a Knolly Warden, which climbs infinitely better.
The 165 is beefy. Its got a bit of weight, however, with Cane Creek and the like releasing trunnion mounts wont be long before Im saving a few grams and adding climb assist features.
Is it the ultimate bike? No.
Can I ride it all day and end with a big smile on my face? F@#k yeah I can.
The 165 is a 'n+1' bike for those of us lucky enough to have the luxury.
The Process suspension platform is epic though, coule imagine a 29er version being truly awesome.
The dry weight of my current AL/DL 29 tips the scales at 36.4lb
No. You just didn't bother making an Alu and a Carbon rocker.
the white/pearl finish is cool imo
youtu.be/Pw9gaEiQAxY
Looks a bit like the Homer as well.
seat tube angle is steeper & it really helps, still use the lockout for long climbs, but its been an improvement on my old process