I have a lot of love for Kona as a brand.
Growing up in the Paris of the Prairies, I recall going to our local bike shop, Doug’s Spoke and Sport, when it was time to upgrade from my grom Gary Fischer. There I fell in love with my first Kona, a late 2000s Kikapu Nine. I had no clue how the suspension was supposed to be setup and generally ran 2-5% sag in the rear as I was very used to riding hardtails.
This bike set off an entire Kona love affair for me. I was fortunate to upgrade a few years later to a Kona Kula Deluxe. This green rocket ship cut the crap (rear suspension) and allowed me to pursue mid pack excellence in the Saskatchewan xc race scene. Doug even helped me get a Kona grassroots jersey and a deal which helped out a young racers parents tremendously. I also was able to spend time on a Kona Hei Hei and even a Kona King Zing carbon road bike, which although I cracked it, Kona replaced no questions asked.
In 2020, I purchased a Kona Process 153 Al DL to reward myself for getting my dream job as an ICU nurse and to get back into mountain biking. 2020 was not an easy year to start working in critical care, but that Kona let me burn hours pedaling up the Seymour road to keep my thoughts free and my focus clear. Eventually that bike was stolen and spent 3 weeks living on the streets of Vancouver until VPD found and returned it to me in a worse for wear state. When I shared the story with the folks at Kona Canada they hooked me up with all new frame hardware. Nothing a little TLC at my local bike shop couldn’t fix. That bike is hopefully still being enjoyed by its new owner.
The time I spent on a Kona has shaped my entire riding ethos and enjoyment. Those Kona bikes meant freedom and flexibility. It has been sad to hear of the troubles in the brand as of late. I hope the legacy of Kona continues and that brands continue to provide the same care and attention for their customers and shops like the old Kona did.
April 18, 2024, 11:03 p.m. - DirtSnow
I have a lot of love for Kona as a brand. Growing up in the Paris of the Prairies, I recall going to our local bike shop, Doug’s Spoke and Sport, when it was time to upgrade from my grom Gary Fischer. There I fell in love with my first Kona, a late 2000s Kikapu Nine. I had no clue how the suspension was supposed to be setup and generally ran 2-5% sag in the rear as I was very used to riding hardtails. This bike set off an entire Kona love affair for me. I was fortunate to upgrade a few years later to a Kona Kula Deluxe. This green rocket ship cut the crap (rear suspension) and allowed me to pursue mid pack excellence in the Saskatchewan xc race scene. Doug even helped me get a Kona grassroots jersey and a deal which helped out a young racers parents tremendously. I also was able to spend time on a Kona Hei Hei and even a Kona King Zing carbon road bike, which although I cracked it, Kona replaced no questions asked. In 2020, I purchased a Kona Process 153 Al DL to reward myself for getting my dream job as an ICU nurse and to get back into mountain biking. 2020 was not an easy year to start working in critical care, but that Kona let me burn hours pedaling up the Seymour road to keep my thoughts free and my focus clear. Eventually that bike was stolen and spent 3 weeks living on the streets of Vancouver until VPD found and returned it to me in a worse for wear state. When I shared the story with the folks at Kona Canada they hooked me up with all new frame hardware. Nothing a little TLC at my local bike shop couldn’t fix. That bike is hopefully still being enjoyed by its new owner. The time I spent on a Kona has shaped my entire riding ethos and enjoyment. Those Kona bikes meant freedom and flexibility. It has been sad to hear of the troubles in the brand as of late. I hope the legacy of Kona continues and that brands continue to provide the same care and attention for their customers and shops like the old Kona did.