Got a new commuter :) :)
 

Just picked up my new Kona ***** Inc from the Beaverton Bike Gallery.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...r/IMG_1939.jpg

Rides like buttah. :love: The disc brakes and steel frame just go together so well. I feel like I could ride this thing all day long and not get tired.

Here is my custom rack mount. The only odd thing about this bike is where the fender/rack mounts are. They are pretty high up. http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...r/IMG_1941.jpg

My old commuter, the Trek 1200.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...r/IMG_1942.jpg

This one will be cleaned up and turned into the weekend/fun ride bike. It was upgraded to a nearly full Ultegra group about a year ago and really runs nicely.

Nice bikes!

Nice, i was looking at this bike.. how much does it weigh out of curiosity? What are the tire clearances like? Are the hubs road or mtb.. 130 or 135mm?

How does it ride??

Im not sure exactly how much it weighs, its slightly heavier than the Trek 1200 though. Maybe a pound or so. With the rack and other gear on its not even noticeable.

The front has a ton of clearance and required an extension on the fender mount to fit correctly.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...r/IMG_1943.jpg
I added the paint protection film. Just some clearbra scraps from a local auto tint place.

The rears are a bit tighter but still have plenty of room. Those are 23mm tires front and back.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...r/IMG_1945.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...r/IMG_1946.jpg

The front fork is standard and will take any disced hub from what Im told. The rear is a 130. I have had several people comment that it could take a 135 with a little jimmying because of the steel frame. Not sure I want to mess with that though. The Xero hubs that come on the stock wheels feel really nice so far.

Its rides wonderfully. It didn't think there would really be that much of a difference between an aluminum frame and a steel frame but there is. The ***** just seems to absorb the bumps and imperfections in the road. Its quick and responsive as well. The 105 components are crisp and fast. Im still getting used to the compact double. So far I like the handle bars, the top part curves back slightly for a more ergonomic feel with not on the hoods or the drops.

First real commute on it will be tomorrow. For now I need to get the computer working. I bought a Polar CS200 and can't get it to pick up any of the sensors. Its going to get exchanged today, just hope it was a lemon and the new one works as it should.

Excellent... do you plan to put pannier on your rack eventually? Thanks for answer my questions.. good luck with your heart-rate monitor :)

I use the Topeak MTX trunk with the integrated panniers and have at least one filled up 1-2 times a week. I didn't mind losing the forward pannier hook since I never used it anyway. I tend to hit the pannier with my heal if I have it too far forward. There is enough clearance between the rack and disc brake mount to allow for a real pannier hook though.

Of course this is a custom setup where I had to bend the rack to make it fit like I wanted it to. Without the bending it would have sat up a few inches higher but both of the pannier mounts would have been preserved.

Those pix gave me an acute case of the droolies.

Cool two super flash!

Nice looking ride. I have an Axiom Odyssee rack which is adjustable on my LHT. I'm not sure about the attachments for disk brakes however.

Pretty common with disk brakes. You might have better luck with a rack designed for 26" bikes as the support will be bit shorter.

Nice looking ride. I have often coveted a white frame but have yet to land one. Sharp. The old ride is not too shabby either!

Nice Kona. Really like that bike!

I like the color - kinda like a snowy stealth camo!

looks like you've got a custom dual PB SF mount on that rack!

The Trek is nice, but MAN, that Kona is BEE-YOU-TEE-FULL!!! Love the SF's on the back, how did you rig that? More pics, PLEEEZE?

Love the Kona ***** series! Great tourer bikes. Just wondering any reason to not get the Kona Jake or JTS apart from the fact that you needed disc brakes?

Revive Old Thread?
 

I'm hoping for follow up on this older post. Unfortunately, the photos are no longer available. I'm VERY curious about the 2010 ***** Inc. (I found one on sale at a great closeout price.) I've ridden the 2011 model, and I like it a lot, but I'm worried about mounting fenders and a rear rack on the bike. I'm also wondering about heel clearance with Ortlieb panniers on the rear rack. I gather from the post that mounting fenders isn't necessarily a problem, and that it's possible to use a "custom rack mount." Is heel clearance a problem with panniers on the rack? I would be grateful for any advice anyone can provide.

pics are dead =/

Just looked at it on the Kona site and it does have the braze-ons for mounting a rear rack. I would suggest possibly getting a longer rear rack though because, according to the site, the bike has a compact rear triangle with short chain and seat stays. This may be a problem when using the panniers. I wonder if your lbs would let you set the bike up at the store to check your heel clearance before buying.

Thanks, Koa C. Staff at two LBSs assure me that, while the fenders may have to be customized and the rack will need to be disc-brake compliant, all will be well. Posts like that on 11/6/10 by Zap Hassellhoff on the "What are my options for steel frame and disc brakes?" thread, are less reassuring: "I've been riding a Kona ***** Inc solidly for the last year. The bike is cool but I really dislike the braze-on mounts. Fenders do not really fit and racks run into the chainstay disc. I'm over it."