When buying a new bike, the choice of the brand is one of the first questions to ask. Whether it is for the universe, the history, the quality or the price, it is normal to think: is Kona a good bike brand?
I am a bike aficionado who researched for you the important information about the brand to help you know if Kona bikes are good bikes.
Let’s get started.
What is the Kona bikes company?
The Kona brand was created in Vancouver, BC in 1988 by Dan Gerhard and Jacob Heilbron.
The 34 years old brand is mainly known for being the first bike brand to produce a complete line of sloping top tube mountain bike frames. Working with Joe Murray as designer, himself a multiple US MTB champion, Kona covers a wide range of models, from road bikes to cyclo-cross, commuter bikes and many mountain bikes.
What does Kona stand for?
The brand name Kona is said to come from the island Kailua-Kona in Hawaii, which was very important to the two founders. The first bikes of the brand will even be named after the volcanoes around.
What types of bikes does Kona make now?
Today, the brand offers on its website several categories of bikes: mountain bikes, road bikes, gravel bikes, urban bikes, electric bikes, fat bikes and kids bikes..
In its catalog we can find 67 different bicycles and frames.
Is a Kona bike expensive ?
Overall, the prices correspond to today to a mid-range, or even top of the range for some models. The quality of these bikes has greatly improved recently.
The price range is wide, from $500 to over $7000 for the carbon models.
To go into a little more detail, the Kona brand is appreciated for providing high quality components with its bikes that make our purchase really worth it.
Compared to competing brands, the value of the Kona is noteworthy.
Where can I buy a Kona bike?
Many retailers are partners, including numerous distributors in over 60 countries..
The best thing for you to do is to go directly to the manufacturer’s website. A tool is set up to find a bike as easily as possible, in a store near you or directly, if this service is available, in your mailbox (if there is enough space of course).
How reliable are Kona bikes? Are Kona bikes good?
From a bike of this range, the models are good for their price. What I like about Kona is that it is not the biggest company in the world, nor the most famous, but it is big enough to produce quality models with renewed technology.
Kona bikes will appeal to a wide range of riders, from the beginner who wants to start with a good, solid, durable and reliable bike at an affordable price, to the intermediate rider who wants to get close to performance without breaking the bank by buying a $10,000+ bike. The materials used range from steel to carbon, passing by aluminum, covering different needs that everyone can have.
Of course, a bicycle remains reliable if it is used as designed. Make sure you use your machine properly and maintain it regularly.
What is the Kona’s Warranty?
On the manufacturer’s website, we can read:
Kona Bicycle Company ( “Kona” ) makes the following limited Warranty:
ONE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY ON COMPLETE BICYCLE (USA & CANADA)
TWO YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY ON COMPLETE BICYCLE (EUROPE)
LIFETIME LIMITED WARRANTY ON BICYCLE FRAME (USA, CANADA & EUROPE ONLY)
Source : Kona Bicycles
IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to register your warranty within three months of purchase to benefit from the lifetime warranty.
So, is Kona a good bike brand?
Yes, Kona is a bike brand that exudes passion.
A purchase from them will get you a great bike that can handle a lot of miles or any kind of jump you can throw at it. Built with quality components, if well maintained, a Kona bike promises to last a long time and to accompany you for a good part of your cycling life.
The price, while it may hold some back (as it does with all bikes in this line) should be seen as a long term investment: paying a little more, a lot less trouble.
If we have to make a single point about the Kona bikes, it will be about the weight. For the most demanding riders, the weight of the Kona can be a handicap since they are generally heavier than the competition (at the high level, the lighter the more expensive), but it will still allow you to have a nice performance and a lot of fun during your rides.
Finally, the lifetime warranty is a sign of confidence of the manufacturer towards his products which is to be underlined.
