Cherrypie

:confused:
Need some advise. Want to get into a full suspension rig but want to keep it to $1500 or so. Was thinking about the Kona but heard that the frames can't take a beating??? Suggestions? Jamus? Another?

montlake_mtbkr

whoever told you kona can't take a beating doesn't know their heard from their arse.

Chi

Who makes Kona frames and where?

dirtbikedude

This has got to be a bait post but I'll bite.

Who ever told you that is either misinformed, on drugs or they like to through there frames off 100' clifs.

I weigh 275 and used my Stinky for drops up to 10' for 3 years before I upgraded to the S.Primo. The components are not the top of the line but they will work for you and you can upgrade them as they wear out.

Remember, the Stinky was originaly designed as a North Shore style bike so they had to be able to take abuse.

Cherrypie

Thanks... no joke! I was told that there are a lot of pics of busted Konas on mbr.

stinkyonions

i saw one the other day and the thing is beautiful. the paint job does no justice only until you see it up close. almost made me want to splurge and get one!

Maelstrom 

I haven't heard of abnormal breakages but remember the Kona's are the freeride bikes and tend to be abused. Almost any freeride company will run into problems with breakages. ...but I haven't heard of anything out of the ordinary

Chuvak

If I can remember correctly, someone from this forum has posted a link to an article describing Kona's frame durability. If you happen to read this post, please do so again in order to help our lost friend.

Maelstrom 

That was me...it was about the stab primo downhill bike. A little tired to do a search for it sorry

Maelstrom 

Kona (I assume it is like other companies where most of the frame comes pre-assembled) does and I believe in Seattle / Vancouver (they are considered a Canadian based company)

rockstar

Kona's are tough as nails my buddy used to let his stinky delux ghost ride down some crazy down hill runs (not on purpose of course) and that this never let him down. i've seen his bike run right into a cliffside going 20+ mph after a terrible bail and he was able to hop back on and finish the run --kona's rule

KrisA

The frames are built in Vietnam I think. I don't know if they have thier own factory or if they come from another manufacturer. I'd be curious to find out where (and how) their top end XC frames are made. Once you get to the Kula series and top end Kikapu's they make the switch from "Kona 7005" aluminium to Easton Ultralite aluminum and have snazzier looking drop outs.

I also heard from someone at my lbs that they don't do any assembly at the Kona "factory" in Seattle he said it is more like a giant warehouse with thousands of bikes in boxes on racks.

dirtbikedude

Here ya go ;

Kona is 50% US and 50% Canadian owned. It is an independent company; no one owns us and we don't own anything else. We design all of our bikes from the ground up and visit the factories that make our frames and components and assemble our bikes in Taiwan every month while they are being produced. Bikes these days are a virtual United Nations (we have parts on our bikes made in Canada, China, France, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, USA) so it is almost impossible to get even half the parts on a bike from one country now. It is great to support your home country but the most important thing for Kona is to make the best bikes we can because our bikes are ridden by serious riders all around the world who expect nothing short of perfection.