Kona’s - best year for frame?

[leapgate]

Anything up to and including '98 for the most part. The '94 range was when I was looking to buy my first "proper" bike, and I wasn't able to get one because my dad didn't want to take me to the nearest dealer, so those ended up being "the ones that got away" for a while. Eventually found a Kilauea and a Fire Mountain, which were both great. I've only got a '98 Explosif now, which is still a lovely bike, and I think the only one which was a full 853 frame. Pre-94 stuff is nice too, just doesn't have the same memories for me!

 

[dirttorpedo]

Rock Shox were on the market in 89/90 with the original RS1 fork. There was the Kona branded Future Shock, the leading link Project 2 inspired fork carrying Joe Murrays name but Kona got behind Marzocchi for original equipment as a first fork option iirc. Was that in 93 or 94?

I would imagine Kona thought it wiser to leave fork choice up to the owner rather than risk speccing something that could fall out of popularity in the marketplace. As said above they didn't really see any return on the investment into the Future Shock offering. Knowing how most buyers of MTB's like to modify their own bikes plus this would help keep the bikes within a certain price point.

I had a Specialized Future Shock in 91 and I was told it was built by Rock Shock. I've pretty much avoided them ever since because of my bad experience with that fork.

I knew that Kona (and other manufacturers) decided in the early days of suspension to equip with a rigid fork and let the purchaser pick their own suspension poison in the early days - but I thought those 92, 93 frames were suspension corrected. I suppose 50mm of suspension wasn't enough to make a difference in the early days.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I had a Specialized Future Shock in 91 and I was told it was built by Rock Shock. I've pretty much avoided them ever since because of my bad experience with that fork.

It was made by RockShox, same as the Mag 2. In my opinion, one of the first that actually did what it was supposed to. I had the air/oil Future Shock on my bike for decades. I adored the thing, 60mm of plush travel that worked without any maintenance whatsoever. I would love to find another one for RockRat

 

[benjabbi]

I'm entirely biased but you can't go wrong with a 94-95 Prestige Kilauea, with a P2. Superb riding bicycle.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Whatever year they made the Hotrod. Peak Kona:
Or maybe that was just the apex of their jump over the shark.

 

[BerthaPog]

Whatever year they made the Hotrod. Peak Kona:View attachment 893951View attachment 893952
Or maybe that was just the apex of their jump over the shark.

The latter.