The end is no longer nigh: Kona Bikes

[d8mok]

Sounds like a whole load of potential hassle as a customer when you can simply buy a brand that isn’t going pop.

My experience of bike shops in a warranty situation aren’t great as they always try to palm you off to the manufacturer who are usually excellent.

Its a buyers market and I can’t imagine Kona sales will increase because of it’s current state.

I hope they pull though it but they need to make some massive changes to their range going forward. Back to their roots even.

 

[al-onestare]

This is a big step into the unknown.

So much depends on whether the brand is purchased or not.

Much like the history of Kona, nothing was easy and on occasion, they shot themselves in the foot!

For now, and for the UK at least, I trust the folks at Mount Green. If something came a cropper with a newly purchased bike, I'm confident they'd find a way to resolve it given it's in their interest not to lose custom.

The bigger issue apart from who buys the brand, is selling what's available. No new bikes (it's still unclear if the new gravel bike will actually appear) for a number of years, and an inventory full of pandemic models....

...that all said, the good news is the Malvern's stand is bought and paid for already. I can't wait for the conversations - it's gonna be interesting for sure!

 

[novocaine]

Sounds like a whole load of potential hassle as a customer when you can simply buy a brand that isn’t going pop.

My experience of bike shops in a warranty situation aren’t great as they always try to palm you off to the manufacturer who are usually excellent.

Its a buyers market and I can’t imagine Kona sales will increase because of it’s current state.

I hope they pull though it but they need to make some massive changes to their range going forward. Back to their roots even.

which one is that then?

only difference between Kona and all the other brands is they've made an announcement about it. Look at the other brands that have gone in the past year, it was 2-4 weeks after anybody had heard anything about it at most and they were gone.

next bit not aimed at you D8mok

a lot of scare mongering going on out there about this it seems. I'd say that if Kona has the bike you want, buy it, it's as safe in terms of warranty as any other manufacturer is right now in the UK. not sure brand loyalty is worth much in the market given there is little to choice between most of them in terms of ridability.

 

[d8mok]

which one is that then?

only difference between Kona and all the other brands is they've made an announcement about it. Look at the other brands that have gone in the past year, it was 2-4 weeks after anybody had heard anything about it at most and they were gone.

next bit not aimed at you D8mok

a lot of scare mongering going on out there about this it seems. I'd say that if Kona has the bike you want, buy it, it's as safe in terms of warranty as any other manufacturer is right now in the UK. not sure brand loyalty is worth much in the market given there is little to choice between most of them in terms of ridability.

Which one is what? Not sure what you mean ?


My current modern bikes are from Yeti , Enigma and Colnago. None of which I’ve heard any issues from and have been great when I’ve needed small parts of advice.

 

[greencat]

Which one is what? Not sure what you mean ?


My current modern bikes are from Yeti , Enigma and Colnago. None of which I’ve heard any issues from and have been great when I’ve needed small parts of advice.

yep, no-one ever had a problem with Enigma:

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/enigma-ebay…-😂.444111/
but I, for sure, would be taking any lifetime warranty with a pinch of salt.

 

[Woz]

Kona seems to have some similarities with Sunn - albeit on different time lines.

https://www.sunn.fr/en/content/10-the-history

Current product range seems limited but comprehensible. Their head office seems rather small and agile.

 

[d8mok]

yep, no-one ever had a problem with Enigma:

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/enigma-ebay…-😂.444111/
but I, for sure, would be taking any lifetime warranty with a pinch of salt.

There’s always two sides to the story remember. I have the FB owners group for enigma so see lots of bikes / owners.

It’s 10 years on enigma for warranty as far as I’m aware. They have been brilliant with anything I’ve needed. Also was sent lots of freebies in the post too.

 

[bikeworkshop]

I've seen quite a few broken ti frames - strongly correlates with original price and brand.

Kona might be able to downsize as they are part of a bigger company, but in business terms it's a difficult move, with all your leases and employees, contracts and obligations.

Many companies just spend spend spend till they hit the wall, then walk away, because it's easier

 

[d8mok]

I've seen quite a few broken ti frames - strongly correlates with original price and brand.

Kona might be able to downsize as they are part of a bigger company, but in business terms it's a difficult move, with all your leases and employees, contracts and obligations.

Many companies just spend spend spend till they hit the wall, then walk away, because it's easier

I’ve seen many broken carbon , alloy , steel and Ti frames. They all have their merits and issues.

But Enigma must be doing something correctly as they aren’t the ones in trouble (that we know of). If mine cracked , and they didn’t warranty it I’d be heading to small claims not writing about it on eBay.

 

[novocaine]

Which one is what? Not sure what you mean ?


My current modern bikes are from Yeti , Enigma and Colnago. None of which I’ve heard any issues from and have been great when I’ve needed small parts of advice.

I mean which companies do think are safe?

I wouldn't put anything as saFe in the current climate personally, but I suspect I'll get flamed for that opinion.

I've said my piece now, I wasn't going to comment in here at all, probably shouldn't have anyway. I'm offski.