COOL WALL VOTE - "Are Kona's Cool or Uncool"

[Russell]

There's no way I can defend or argue THAT one... how many companies use superlatives like "legendary" to describe their products.

From the 1992 GT Catalogue: "In 1992 technology has moved into the world of mountain biking and its no longer as simple as fat tires....through this recent evolution of mountain biking, GT has not only been a contributor, but a leader.."

Because of the Triple Triangle design? negative ghostrider.

Huh? But nobody here is saying GTs are cool because of the triple triangle design... They're not. And I own one. I regularly look at my GT and wonder what the hell they were thinking.

I was merely questioning the point that you made that Konas are cool because they didn't spec sussy forks on their high end bikes... In my view, this makes them slow to react to market demand and less innovative than others, not cool.

 

[mik0312]

Lavadome was the equivelent of a Marin Bear Valley and say a clockwork with stx.

I think they were kinda priced right?

Digging out an old mag, STIF advertised the following prices in 1994/5

C16 STX £599.00
Lava Dome STX £559.00
Pro Flex 555 STX £899.00
Pace F4 STX £1389.00

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

bargain i say!

 

[Russell]

Really? Kona hubs, heasdet, Sugino cranks, Kona brakes?

I'd have paid the extra £40 for the Orange and got decent finishing kit and a good British made steel frame.

** sings National Anthem ***

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

The orange is not a british steel frame. I feel the clock work was made overseas. I might not be right on that but....the next point is very valid:

I must admit....now being a little cutting here....I owned a clockwork - a nos frame i picked up for about 100 quid about a year ago...

It was quite nice but the paint quality and welds were pretty horrendous I must admit. A bit blobby and the paint was very thin. It was a orange and white one with the classic decals.

I know the Konas are pretty similar (Taiwanese etc) but the quality of my 1991 Lavadome was so much superior.

No offence made to people onhere who have them but just my opinion

 

[ridevintagemtb]

The Kona hubs held up on my bike for three hard seasons of mud. Nothing flashy, they just worked.

The impact headset was awesome. Why they didn't implement the locking mech earlier in threaded designs is beyond me. The only other one i cant think of is the Growler Headlock bought aftermarket.

The brakes and tires were shite, but no company's perfect.

And I can sing about "good ole American steel" 'cause the Konas were Canadian. Eh? Even less "nainstream."

[/i]

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

The tyres were good!!

Maximum and reaction were essentially a huge 2.2 Specized hardpack on the front (ace suspension and grip) and the rear was a 1.95 smoke style paddle tyre. They were simply brill.

They even had black walls - and that was in 1991.

 

[ridevintagemtb]

I had the A:\ and B:\ drives. No good.

 

[mrkawasaki]

Market Forces

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... %3AIT&rd=1

As these boys duke out the last 6 hours - do you think Jez's Kona debate is affecting the market...???!!



Neil

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

Im sure it is!