Mountain Biking - Kona 2004 models

After looking into Kona bikes, i realized, damn..why havent i seem them before. Looking at the 2004 line, i realized, damn...for the price of a HT Specialzed (around 1000), i could get a damn better equipped kona.

http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_stuff.cfm

http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_roast.cfm

The 2004 looks fantastic and the parts seem really good. What do you all think of Kona as a brand and these models. They seem really good for XC use but they seem a bit on the heavy side.

:D...a few of us are kona lovers but the specialized guys out number us. I own a 2002 roast and have taken it to hell and back and now they are even stronger with a stock djer :)...

They aren't built for xc they are designed like the p series for specialized. To go on epic rides it works but it is much better on fast technical rides. They are heavy due to strength. :)

would you recommend it for use in XC trail rides?

I tried a Roast and found it a bit cramped for steady pedaling on trails (at least for my liking). Good for really aggressive technical stuff with plenty of jumping, but most of my riding is not highly technical/less jumps.

For XC trails, you're probably better off sticking to a more dedicated XC HT instead, like the Caldera (http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_caldera.cfm) or Kula (http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_kula.cfm).

Depending on how heavy/tall you are, a Hoss Dee-Lux (http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_hoss_dlx.cfm) could be worth a look (or the standard Hoss to save a few $$)

Booya I totally forgot Kona changed the lineup. Ok the 2002 roast is the same as the hoss. So booyah is right to recommend that bike instead. The roast/stuff of 2004 is almost exclusively for djing now. So I don't recommend the roast but instead recommend the hoss which is what I would actually be riding :)...

Originally posted by Maelstrom
Booya I totally forgot Kona changed the lineup. Ok the 2002 roast is the same as the hoss. So booyah is right to recommend that bike instead. The roast/stuff of 2004 is almost exclusively for djing now. So I don't recommend the roast but instead recommend the hoss which is what I would actually be riding :)...

Djing? what does that mean?

Originally posted by booyah
I tried a Roast and found it a bit cramped for steady pedaling on trails (at least for my liking). Good for really aggressive technical stuff with plenty of jumping, but most of my riding is not highly technical/less jumps.

For XC trails, you're probably better off sticking to a more dedicated XC HT instead, like the Caldera (http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_caldera.cfm) or Kula (http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_kula.cfm).

Depending on how heavy/tall you are, a Hoss Dee-Lux (http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_hoss_dlx.cfm) could be worth a look (or the standard Hoss to save a few $$)

even though they say its made for "larger men", im guessing its built more strongly in general for more impact.

im not that big. i lost 30 lbs in the last year and im still losing more. i wouldnt consider myself fat anymore.

Originally posted by killerasp
even though they say its made for "larger men", im guessing its built more strongly in general for more impact.

True statement - the clydesdale class in racing refers to a lower weight limit, I think 200lbs?? I say heavy/tall as taller tends to often equal heavier set.


Originally posted by killerasp
im not that big. i lost 30 lbs in the last year and im still losing more. i wouldnt consider myself fat anymore.

Any of the bikes around this price should be fine for you, I'd think, so long as you're not trying big drops. Decent components, decent forks, strong frames. I'm 220lb and ride a Klein Attitude on XC trails with essentally the same components as the Hoss Dee-Lux. 6 months and I haven't broken anything on it... yet!

i will definitley try the Hoss/Delux if i can.



Any of the bikes around this price should be fine for you, I'd think, so long as you're not trying big drops.

Define "big".

The hoss will definately be able to take up to 10 ft drops. Unless you are really pushing limits the hoss is a lot of bike. :) The reason they changed the design was Kona realized that larger riders were buying the roast/stuff series. When they shrunk those bikes into dj exclusive bikes they created the hoss line to fill a gap between xc bikes and out of bounds ht's. Hoss still works for smaller riders looking for a tough bike, they just wanted to really offer something to the clydesdale and ryno riders :)

thanks for the heads up maelstrom.

but what does DJ mean?:confused:

Dirt Jumping. :)

Awww, they discontinued the scab. I've got a big ol' soft spot for that bike.

Take a look at the shred, gonna be close but yeah Kona has redone everything.

Yeah, but i'm a fan of chromoly and rigid forks. Oh, well.