I have lived and ridden the Shore a very long time. Long enough to remember the Cove back when it WAS in the Cove. Back when they sold Marin bikes and 90% (or more) of their world bike warranty claims came from the Cove. Kona was there too....and the shit. They were a bike to be had. And wanted. Hardtail, in either AL, steel or Ti, was a must. Until FS came along. And it HAD to have a Marzocchi Z1 up front.
But like all things, it got popular, had to keep up and couldn't. More importantly, and a lesson here: when non-bike people (think corporate types) take something over they have NO IDEA how it runs or works, you are doomed. I have seen this first hand. I suspect they never kept the good people around or asked ideas as to why it worked in the past. All they saw was an IP that could make money and went for it, thinking the legacy was enough. This is a point: too many bike companies right now are running on reputation rather than commitment. Guess where that gets you......
And Kona was something you saw ALL THE TIME on the Shore. I can't remember the last time I saw a Kona, anywhere (especially on Seymour, its home base). I am certainly sorry the brand is essentially dead, but not sorry as to why, since it is predictable. They will disappear. If you don't see them in any numbers on the Shore, you have no hope. And at one time, they were one of the big 3: Rocky, Norco or Kona.
Times change.
April 19, 2024, 5:28 p.m. - Peter Leeds
I have lived and ridden the Shore a very long time. Long enough to remember the Cove back when it WAS in the Cove. Back when they sold Marin bikes and 90% (or more) of their world bike warranty claims came from the Cove. Kona was there too....and the shit. They were a bike to be had. And wanted. Hardtail, in either AL, steel or Ti, was a must. Until FS came along. And it HAD to have a Marzocchi Z1 up front. But like all things, it got popular, had to keep up and couldn't. More importantly, and a lesson here: when non-bike people (think corporate types) take something over they have NO IDEA how it runs or works, you are doomed. I have seen this first hand. I suspect they never kept the good people around or asked ideas as to why it worked in the past. All they saw was an IP that could make money and went for it, thinking the legacy was enough. This is a point: too many bike companies right now are running on reputation rather than commitment. Guess where that gets you...... And Kona was something you saw ALL THE TIME on the Shore. I can't remember the last time I saw a Kona, anywhere (especially on Seymour, its home base). I am certainly sorry the brand is essentially dead, but not sorry as to why, since it is predictable. They will disappear. If you don't see them in any numbers on the Shore, you have no hope. And at one time, they were one of the big 3: Rocky, Norco or Kona. Times change.