Leah Maunsell and the Kona Big Honzo in Ireland - Video

Dec 13, 2016 at 16:32
by Kona Bikes  
Views: 15,160    Faves: 39    Comments: 10


The Kona Honzo was built for rugged terrain, and the Big Honzo is a natural extension of that initial purpose: all the fun of the Honzo’s snappy handling and progressive geometry, with the traction, control, and confidence of high volume 27.5+ rubber. In creating a video around this bike, we wanted to find a location that was suited to its character. We hooked up with rising enduro star Leah Maunsell and headed for her home county of Cork, Ireland. 

The Sheep’s Head peninsula is a rugged sliver of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean on Ireland’s southernmost tip. Big views and big skies set the tone as the landscape undulates, offering up some of Ireland's finest coastal views. The trails here run along the spine of the peninsula on a mix of upland and rocky outcroppings, setting the perfect stage for Leah’s outing on the Big Honzo.

Images from the Leah Maunsell and the Kona Big Honzo in Ireland blog. Photo Joonas Vinnari

Images from the Leah Maunsell and the Kona Big Honzo in Ireland blog

Images from the Leah Maunsell and the Kona Big Honzo in Ireland blog

Images from the Leah Maunsell and the Kona Big Honzo in Ireland blog

Images from the Leah Maunsell and the Kona Big Honzo in Ireland blog

From a design perspective, the Big Honzo retains the successful DNA found throughout our Honzo line, with subtle adaptations that make it more than just a 29er with room for wider tires. A new yoke at the bottom bracket junction maintains the Honzo’s tight 415mm rear end, while the bottom bracket drop has been adjusted to optimize Honzo-like ride qualities around 27.5x2.8” tires. We call it an evolution of the bike everyone else is already chasing.

bigquotesI've always had a soft spot for the Honzo. The original steel prototype was the first Kona prototype I ever had the opportunity to ride. I came back with the bike and told my co-workers something to the effect of "Well, that just ruined every other hardtail for me." It's been a long road of evolution and expansion for the Honzo line and I'm grateful to be a part of it. The Big Honzo embodies all the traits that "ruined" other hardtails for me and I can't say enough positive things about the bike. - Ian Schmitt, Kona Product Team

Images from the Leah Maunsell and the Kona Big Honzo in Ireland blog
  Ian Schmitt puts his pre-production Big Honzo through the paces in Squamish, BC.

Images from the Leah Maunsell and the Kona Big Honzo in Ireland blog

Big Honzo DL
Frame Material: Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted
Wheel Size: 27.5 PLUS
Wheels: WTB Scraper STP i40
Front Suspension: 120mm
Fork: RockShox Yari 120mm
Crankset: RaceFace Aeffect SL
Drivetrain: SRAM GX 1x 11spd
Cockpit: Kona XC/BC 35 bar and stem, Kona Race Light Log grips
Brakes: Shimano Hydraulic
Front Tire: Schwalbe Nobby Nic 27.5x2.8"
Rear Tire: Schwalbe Nobby Nic 27.5x2.8"
Saddle: WTB Volt Sport

Images from the Leah Maunsell and the Kona Big Honzo in Ireland blog

Big Honzo
Frame Material: Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted
Wheel Size: 27.5 PLUS
Wheels: WTB Scraper STP i40
Front Suspension: 120mm
Fork: RockShox Recon Silver RL 120mm
Crankset: RaceFace Aeffect
Drivetrain: SRAM NX 1x 11spd
Cockpit: Kona XC/BC bar and stem, Kona Race Light Log grips
Brakes: Shimano Hydraulic
Front Tire: Schwalbe Nobby Nic 27.5x2.8"
Rear Tire: Schwalbe Nobby Nic 27.5x2.8"
Saddle: Kona Trail

Get all the details on the Big Honzo and Big Honzo DL here.



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.


MENTIONS: @konaworld / @Team-Maunsell



Author Info:
konaworld avatar

Member since Nov 18, 2008
137 articles

75 Comments
  • 35 7
 i have been waiting for a hard tail video on the home page for so long! shame all i got was a load of artsy shots. more riding, less slow mo!
  • 15 3
 agreed. that's why the RAW videos are the best. no bullshit
  • 4 1
 @andnyleswillriot: Brendog's next edit should be called "Raw-Dogging It"
  • 18 5
 thats because you cant really go that fast on a plus bike . #sorrynotsorry
  • 8 5
 Love love bikes. but damn, that video sucked
  • 7 0
 It’s Ireland. I don’t mind artsy slo-mo, not one bit.
  • 4 2
 Chromag FTW
  • 5 0
 Just watch this...
vimeo.com/149614122
  • 2 0
 @Ayyggss: x not true.....
  • 1 0
 @skeen95: wowsa! Awesome riding.
  • 1 0
 @skeen95: yes
  • 18 1
 Theyre probably the nicest looking hardtail from a mainstream brand on the market right now, lovely looking bikes! Also, Leah is a ripper, destroying the competition every event it seems!
  • 2 5
 No prices or weights?
  • 21 1
 @richierocket: Go on the website they hyperlinked for you ya dingus
  • 2 1
 Check Ghost Asket Al 8
  • 1 0
 @Brdjanin: meh, nothing exciting. I'll stick to my production privee shan but i appreciate the kona looks a nice bike!
  • 1 0
 Looks like a nice bike for the plus bike aficionado (that would be me). But these hubs…I’ve had terrible luck with Shimano rear hubs.
  • 13 0
 The slow mo puddle splash is dead
  • 14 2
 Steel needed
  • 2 0
 Agreed. There are so many bikes I like and find myself thinking "If only this was steel..."
  • 14 2
 The Honzo ti is art
  • 4 1
 For sure
  • 2 0
 oh my dream weapon!
  • 12 2
 Nice bike. boring vid...
  • 4 0
 I have the Honzo ST built as a plus sized singlespeed, and its amazing! Absolutely shreds the chunky trails I have locally. Best hard tail out there - imo. Climbs well; as any hardtail should, and descends with confidence.... dont even get me started on how well it wheelies! The Al DL is damn good, but I prefer the chromoly frame.
  • 1 0
 How's the bb height? My Taro (same geo as Honzo) with 29er wheels has a 12" bb height. Not sure it could comfortably get much lower.
  • 2 0
 @DMal: They have modified the BB height on the big honzo to deal with the plus size wheels I believe.
  • 1 1
 Does the Honzo ST have enough room for 29+?
  • 2 0
 @DMal: I ride my Honzo ST (150 Pike) with 650B wheels and the bb height is 11.5" and I do have the occasional peddle strike but that's likely operator error as much as low bb.
  • 1 0
 @PeMePeBro: Nice. I love how low my Taro is. Your Honzo must corner like it's on rails.
  • 5 1
 and look at those prices!
  • 2 2
 I see what you did there!
  • 4 0
 Ian looks spectacularly bored in that photo.
  • 2 1
 That's his review poker face
  • 2 0
 @keithReeder all of them places you mentioned are bogs try some coastal areas of Ireland I only have to go a half an from my house and have places to bike like that
  • 2 0
 I ride a Honzo Steel single speed, with Pike 150 as my PNW winter bike. Confidence inspiring geometry, simple setup with the amazing feel of steel.
  • 2 1
 Today I bought a Genesis Tarn 20 plus sized steel beauty, can't wait to collect it. I like Kona but they're not good value for money and I'm not interested in paying over the odds for a name.
  • 3 0
 Probably regret your name choice so
  • 1 0
 @NotDannyHart: yeah, should change to Genesis big shed, it arrives today !
  • 10 11
 Rough terrain = dual suspension.
If you like hardtail bikes that is awesome. Not convinced that it is the weapon of choice for the terrain shown here. Just my opinion.
That being said, these are still really great looking bikes.
  • 24 0
 Im lucky enough to have 3 bikes, one being a hardtail. Riding the hardtail on the same trails as my dual sus AM bike is a different style of riding. Not necessarily about going all out fast, riding a hardtail can 're-invent' a trail
  • 7 0
 @OzMike: Truth
  • 5 4
 that's not rough terrain at all, yes a full sus would be nice but a hardtail will teach you to ride it better..
  • 2 0
 Certainly a ht teaches skills and inspires a different style of riding. Personally, id just stick with non plus tires tho. Then you dont have to replace your frame/fork/wheels just to get boost spacing.
  • 1 0
 So that huck to flat is considered an XC loop (hardtail, no pads) in BC...?
  • 1 0
 Hardtails are for fun full sus is for fast. I know what I prefer. Smiles for miles!
  • 2 0
 great bike, I've been thinking hard about adding one of these to my stable
  • 1 0
 Wish I would have waited a year for the Big Honzo. Can't try out plus rear tire on my AL.
  • 2 0
 incoming 2.6" tires might
  • 1 0
 @KeithReeder you can find that kind of trails even above Ticknock, 20 min pedalind from Doublin south :-)
  • 1 0
 All I want for Christmas is a Big Honzo with a classic looking steel frame and sliding dropouts like the Explosif.
  • 2 1
 Anyone ridden a Big Honzo? I'm sorta interested, and need a new bike, but can't get off the fence.
  • 3 0
 My friend has a Kona Big Unit. He loves it
  • 4 0
 I own a custom big honzo that i built up. The bike shreds! out here in the SF bay area its great for just about everything.
  • 2 0
 Amazing scenery, wild trail, great riding and a nice looking bike!
  • 2 3
 Honzo is a beautiful bike but with those ridiculous tires cannot be ridden, it's obvious and this artistic edit doesn't help it.
  • 3 0
 Just put some 2.5 Minions on it and enjoy the super low bb.
  • 4 1
 By "ridiculous tires", do you mean the Nobby Nic specifically, or is this just a generalized anti-plus tire statement?
  • 2 1
 @ScandiumRider: I have nothing wrong to say about the NN's, thanks for the clarification.
  • 2 1
 Choosing between the Carbon Honzo 29er or Big Honzo is a tough choice.
  • 1 0
 Bring back the mid 90's decals. No other decals of their compares.
  • 1 0
 Great video, really enjoyed it.
  • 1 0
 That scenery!
  • 2 0
 Come to Ireland it looks like that everywhere just make sure you take rain gear with you so many trails all over the country
  • 3 3
 @alan8: "Come to Ireland it looks like that everywhere"

I've been to Dublin. And Cavan, Belturbet, Cootehill, Killashandra, Cabragh, Swords, Drumshanbo and Athy (off the top of my head).

Wanna try that "it looks like that everywhere" again?
  • 3 1
 @KeithReeder: unharvester rural Ireland does. Obviously you're not going to find this kind of boggy landscape if you're wandering around Swords lol
  • 2 0
 yes, gorgeous! but always wonder why there are no trees, even after harvesting and grazing you would think that some would still sprout and take hold. what's the deal?
  • 2 0
 I did some wandering around on the west coast on an unplanned break from university, would love to go back and bring the bicycle. I love that boggy landscape... maybe because it looks like where I live except with no trees. Trees make me claustrophobic, and also it hurts when you hit them.
  • 2 0
 @loam33: I think it's the infertility of the ground. There are still some Hawthorne trees growing but it's mostly grass and wildflower. Fat bikes and semi fat bikes sell REALLY well over here because of the bogginess, even though most people who own them ride normal trails haha
  • 2 0
 @KeithReeder: Good man you found literally all of the flat bits.
  • 3 5
 HONZO FOR LIFE. I HAVE TWO!
  • 1 3
 lol why do girls like 29ers so much?
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