Commuting - Kona Cinder Cone (2004) for commuting?

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clevernamehere
04-25-05, 01:46 PM
My '04 Marin Larkspur was stolen last week :mad:

Anyway, when I bought it I didn't think I'd be riding through the winter (23km round-trip commute). I did & know that I'll ride next winter as well.

So my priorities are a little different for my replacement bike. I still want a relatively fast bike for summer, but would like disc brakes & front suspension for winter.

I may be able to get a used (2004) Kona Cinder Cone for around $600 Canadian.

Any thoughts on this bike as a commuter? Also, someone posted on another thread that any MTB with disc brakes could accept 700c rims laced to mtb hubs (with discs of course). Any idea if this would actually work. I like the concept... sounds alot like the Gary Fisher Utopia idea (700c wheels on a front suspension mountain bike). If it works, I could run the 700c rims in the summer & the 26" with studded tires in the winter.

manboy
04-25-05, 06:46 PM
That may work, but if I were you I'd get a 29" MTB if you really want 700C wheels.
clevernamehere
04-25-05, 07:39 PM
That may work, but if I were you I'd get a 29" MTB if you really want 700C wheels.
I guess I was thinking It'd be nice to have the 26" setup for winter (greater selection of studded tires), but have the ability to put on larger diameter wheels/narrower, higher pressure tires for the summer.

I figured if I could get the used Kona for $600 I would have room to get a second set of wheels. If I buy a new bike with disc brakes and a comparible component group to the Kona Cinder Cone, I'm looking at around $1000 plus taxes... a stretch to begin with... couldn't afford a second set of wheels to go with it.

The Gary Fisher Utopia looks really good though... It lists for $1000 Canadian & has 700c x 42c tires.

I assume 29" (736.6mm) is larger than the typical 700c wheel? Would the typical 29" rim be wider as well?

max-a-mill
04-26-05, 07:01 AM
i think you could do what you propose pretty well!

here is a picture of a redline moncog (traditionally a 26" wheeled bike) with some road stuff on it.

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/501/3147red_sox_bike_2-med.jpg

just make sure you check that the tire won't bottom out on your fork... that could lead to a painful endo sometime.

i'd love to see some pictures if you get it working!