CrashVector

Here is a list of things I am NOT happy about with my new Kona Dawg Deluxe. I've said a lot of good things about the bike...now to be non-partial, here is my list of things I do not like about it.

1) I paid 2 THOUSAND dollars for my bike. At least put a halfway decent saddle on the damned thing.

2) Not everyone will use the Dawg for FR. Again, for two thousand dollars, one would assume Kona could afford to offer the buyer a choice of tires.

3) Grips = suck. They're some Kona-designed rubber that provides basically zero cusioning. Again, I paid two thousand dollars for this bike...give me decent grips!

4) Water bottle cage/bottle should be standard equipment on ALL bikes that cost more than $300, much less $1800-$2000. It's $0.25 worth of aluminum and maybe $0.05 of plastic. Include a water bottle with your bikes.

5) If my bike came with air shocks and costs me more than $750, GIVE ME A DAMNED PUMP INSTEAD OF MAKING ME HAVE TO BUY ONE FOR ANOTHER $30.

That about sums it up.

Maelstrom 

1 - not everyone hates that saddle. I still use mine 3 years later and so does my gf
2 - thats not konas job. I assume they came with the tioga's again. Those are good tires, small enough for xc and big enough for fr.
3 - Again, this is a personal preference. I didn't find them that bad. My gf still uses hers. I cut mine off eons ago for odi grips.
4 - no...water bottle cages should NOT be standard. I would want a refund as would most. That is one of those optional things. Not something a company should force me to buy. Considering a lot of riders use camlebacks I don't think this is a fair complaint. Water bottle cages are the job of the shop, if you wanted one you should have gotten one free with the bike purchase. I was offered one with my bike and promptly turned it down.
5 - agree. Forks too. I do hate the fact everything is coming with air preload and or air in general and I had to buy the fork. Especially on a 1000$ fork.

Seriously why do people complain about a bike they buy which is marketed a certain way and then complain when it doesn't suit them. It is marketed as a light fr bike...so thats how they make it. And complaining about the grips and saddle is just ridiculous, not everyone is going to like every saddle so they put low end ones on because most people will toss anything they put on. Why put a 200$ saddle when more than likely my ass won't like it and I will toss it anyways.

zx108

where have i read this before. . .

CrashVector

my bike came with Nokian NBT 2.3's.

I can appreciate the hardcore nature of the Nokian tires...and trust me...they ARE hardcore tires...but I would prefer to have an intermediate tire for XC than a FR tire for goat trails.

Seriously why do people complain about a bike they buy which is marketed a certain way and then complain when it doesn't suit them. It is marketed as a light fr bike...so thats how they make it. And complaining about the grips and saddle is just ridiculous, not everyone is going to like every saddle so they put low end ones on because most people will toss anything they put on. Why put a 200$ saddle when more than likely my ass won't like it and I will toss it anyways.

I love my bike. Its 10X better than my Super V was. I just would expect maybe a little bit of choice when paying that kind of cash for a bicycle. I'm not all of a sudden turning on the bike industry, but let's face it, there is a rather LARGE profit margin on a bike like the Dawg Deluxe that costs me a few bucks shy of two grand. At the least, they should allow a range of choices for saddles and grips, and such. These are personal preference items that make a real difference to persnickety riders such as myself.

For my 2 grand, I should at least be afforded the option to replace components like the saddle and grips with ones I like that are of equal value since I'm paying for them anyhow...then just throwing them away.

How much trouble would it be to give a list of say 5 different saddles you could choose from, and 4 or 5 different grips.

I complained about the same thing when I paid $3200 for my Super V DH. You cough up enough money to buy a decent used CAR on a bike..then spend even MORE money having to replace the saddle and grips, waste some throwing out the old ones....then spend more AGAIN to buy a pump for the rear shock..and a DIFFERENT pump for the fork.

Still...I wouldn't trade my bike...and I think its a good bike for the money overall.

Maelstrom 

At 2.3 (they used to stock tioga's) thats very small for a fr bike. Bordering on xc. Imo that is XC to be honest.

Sounds like you have an issue with the shop, not kona. When you bought it you should have negotiated different tires, grips, saddle and a bottle holder. When discussing your usage with the shoppie they should havbe realized you wanted a burly xc bike and not a beginner fr bike.

yater

Buy the frame and build your own. I would never pay $2k for a bike that wasn't EXACTLY the way I wanted it.

CrashVector

I wanted a bike mainly for XC, but that was capable of limited FR.

The Dawg Deluxe fit perfectly.

It's a good, relatively light, tough bike.

I posted that mainly to be fair because all everyone's heard from me for an entire week was "KONA ROCKS!" and "MY DAWG DELUXE IS THE BEST BIKE I EVER HAD!".

There's always two sides to every story, and I wanted to let those that may be considering the same bike know my personal opinions about the standard equipment that comes with it.

I'm not bashing Kona for it, nor the shop where I bought it.

The saddle I have on it is more expensive than the one that came with it, I wouldn't expect the shop to eat the $25 difference, but I shouldn't have to pay for components that will just be tossed in the can either.

londonfieldsboy

I agree on the saddle and grips. And especially if you've dropped $2000 on the thing! If you have you ususally ride quite a bit and know what suits you and what you like so you'd promptly swap any unsuitable gear for better stuff. (Like they've done with pedals.)

Lack of airpump? The F*%@*ng bastards!

CrashVector

Let me narrow the list a tad then:

I can overlook the saddle and grips...no problem.

The part that I am most upset about is the pumps.

I have a Fox Float R rear shock and Marzocchi Gran Fondo 1 Fork. They both use a different pump, and you can only use a Fox pump for the rear shock (according to the manual) and the same for the fork (also according to the manual)

Why should I pay for the shock and fork..then have to buy two different proprietary pumps to maintain them. I wouldn't say a word if they Schrader valves, or even Presta valves because you can use almost any pump with those fittings.

Maelstrom 

Its not just kona. Its everyone. And it is annoying. I guess the counter point is this

I have 5 frames and 5 forks. If I got a pump with all of them I would have 10 pumps...that would kind of suck too haha I am fortunate though, I buy marz only so it uses a high compression shraeder valve which is nice.

CrashVector

ONE other item that I WILL bring up when I bring the bike back in next time:

From Kona's website:
Fork Marzocchi Fond Race 1 Lock-Up 120mm

The bike came with a Marzocchi Grand Fondo 1 fork...not a Grand Fondo 1 Race.

I'm not sure of the difference, but Marzocchi doesnt list a Fond Race 1 fork. I can only assume they MEANT Fondo 1 fork, and added the word "race" to make it sound better or something?

Maelstrom 

I don't think thats the job of the manufacturer. Thats the shops job.

Super V ain't to bad a bike itself, but definately not fun on trails haha

CrashVector

I agree one at least ONE thing:

When it comes to forks, Marzocchi is the way to go...even though the higher-end Konas use Fox forks.

Edited this part to include the following:

I loved my Super V. The thing was a TANK. I wasn't kidding when I said in one of my first threads that I literally ran over a small tree with it. The bike was fine...I ended up in the hospital for 2 days.

Maelstrom 

My buddies dream bike for ages was the super V...Now he has a v10

CrashVector

I know how your bud felt. Mine was the original red/yellow/black color scheme.

/i wish i still had it to be honest.

dorsalis

What does DYD stand for?

junkyard

so wait, how much did you spend for the bike?

Chone

LOL, Crashvector posted the exact same complaints on some other topic (I think one where someone was asking advice between 3 bikes, the Kona DD, a Trek Remedy or a Stumpy FSR if I remember), when I saw this topic, I knew I was gonna read the same things as on that other topic.

But nevermind me.

MattP.

Bummer, but suck it up. You should have looked at this before you bought the bike. You think they should supply you with a pump? Why not a BB tool as well? Headset tool? Hub tools? It's not the bike company's position to supply you with the necessary tools to maintain the bike. You should have worked out a deal with the shop if anything.

never

I agree with Maelstrom and MattP...the majority of your complaints are things that you could have worked out with the LBS. When buying preassembled bikes, people are always going to have complaints about one component or another.

But when you bought the bike, it wouldn't have hurt to have asked your LBS if they could swap the tires or saddle and toss in a pump. You likely won't need a different pump for each fork/shock...my pump works on all of my forks and shocks but I do need an adapter for my older Marathon.

And about the saddle...I was going to ask in an earlier thread when you posted a picture...on a 5" travel bike, how come you took off the stock saddle and put on a couch?

But seriously, I'm not sure why you would expect manufacturers to offer several tires (or any other component) on a bike? If bikes were to come with several component choices, prices would be driven up even more. That's generally why there are different "trim" levels in each model. Customization of the bikes is left to the domain of the LBS at the point of sale or the end user. Most bike shops shouldn't have an issue making the changes you identified....and if they do, buy your stuff at a different LBS.

Siu Blue Wind

Maybe a custom bike would have been more to your liking. I mean....since you like the fit, I agree that buying a separate frame and customizing to your needs might have suited you better.

By the way......I bought a new Gary Fisher Cake DLX on sale last year in May and it came with a pump for my Swinger 3 way. When I picked up the bike there was a bunch of goodies in a plastic bag with all of its booklets, warranties and the pump. And a schraeder adaptor for the wheels. And a water bottle. And a cage. And a disc brake thingy to keep the brakes from locking up when you remove the wheel.

But honestly, I think it might be a Kona thing. When I got the Kona a few months later, I asked for a water bottle and he said he can't do that. Then I asked to swap out the pedals, they sold me different ones, (no 10% on accessories with new bike) and ALMOST kept the originals. Then I said "well don't I at least get a free balloon?" (sarcastically - they didn't have balloons) and he smirked at me and rolled his eyes!! heh heh. Goofballs.

So don't feel bad. It's a Kona thing.

vw addict

I remember when suspension bikes used to come with pumps. Hmmmmmm, them were the days.

Maelstrom 

Custom shock maybe? I know if you buy some of the indy shocks that are available you still get a shock.

zx108

i got a pump with my kona. . .it didnt come with the bike though, the shop i got it from gave it to me with the bike.

Siu Blue Wind

BAH!!!!!....(Merton style). I'm jealous.