2021 Kona

Honzo

A 29″ aluminum frame hardtail trail bike with upper mid-range components.
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MSRP$1,599
FrameAluminum
SuspensionHardtail, 120mm
ForkRockShox Recon Silver RL
Wheels29″ Aluminum
Drivetrain1 × 11
GroupsetDeore
BrakesHydraulic Disc
SeatpostDropper
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Ride Feel

Based on frame geometry and build specs.

Terrain
easyextreme
Handling
nimblestable
Honzo
Other Trail bikes
Gearing

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

Lowest gear

(climbing)

24 mph

Honzo

26 mph

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Highest gear

(descending)

Spec Level

Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.

Compare the full Honzo model range

View Comparison
Sizing
SM

5'0" – 5'8"

MD

5'2" – 6'1"

LG

5'9" – 6'6"

XL

5'10" – 6'6"

🐐 Estimated

Rider Fit Notes

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Reviews
MBR
Kona Honzo (2022) review - MBR

Feb 2022 · Alan Muldoon

Long, low and slack was a phrase rarely used in 2012 when the original steel Honzo was launched with the aim of becoming the best hardtail on sale. But with a hardtail history dating back to the 1980s Kona was in a good place to push forward with fresh thinking. The Honzo’s frame design breaking new ground back then, with 1×9 gearing, super-short chainstays, a 68º head angle and a stubby stem. Oh, and it was a 29er too… It proved such a successful formula it paved the way for the brand to evolve the entire range – in Kona’s words it was ‘The hardtail that started a revolution’. Fast forward 10 years and the entry-level aluminium Honzo (the cheapest bike on test at £1,599) costs just one pound less than the original. It comes specced with a 120mm travel RockShox fork and a no-nonsense Shimano 11-speed Deore drivetrain. And while the Honzo DL, with its longer travel fork, premium Maxxis rubber and 12-speed gearing looks more comparable to the other hardtails in this test, it’s a huge jump up in price at £2,399. Kona was an early pioneer of the sloping top tube frame design and it’s a key part of the Honzo’s DNA. It gives the 6061 butted aluminium frame an exceptionally low standover height, which considering it rolls on 29in wheels for all four frame sizes, is good to see. When it comes to geometry, the Kona doesn’t exactly mirror its three rivals; its 66.5º head angle is a touch steeper and the 415mm chainstays are notably shorter. However, the 479mm reach on the size L is on point, as is the short 455mm seat tube that allows you to run a longer dropper post on each frame size. In fact, Kona even fits an adjustable stroke TranzX + Rad dropper, which makes moving up a frame size a genuinely viable option. Suspension Kona uses a RockShox Recon RL Solo Air fork to the Honzo, where its 120mm travel matches the Whyte 629’s burlier built fork. Yes, the slimmer 32mm steel upper legs and a more basic air spring made us question whether the Recon would compromise the Honzo’s ability, especially with a 90kg test rider on board. We needn’t have worried though as out on the trail any reservations soon faded. Considering its stature and price, the Recon held its own with a solid performance in rough, twisty singletrack. However, we did need to add an extra 20-30psi of pressure to the RockShox guidelines to give the support needed in steeper terrain. Components To stay within the tight budget Kona fits a 1×11 Shimano Deore drivetrain, where a combination of the 11-51T cassette and 30T chainring actually gives it the lowest climbing gear ratio in this test. Shifting was superb throughout the test and we didn’t miss that extra cog one bit. The build kit isn’t without fault though. And while even Shimano basic hydraulic brakes are ultra reliable, the twin-piston calipers on the Kona use …Continue reading »

Highs
  • Lively ride, short seat tube

Lows
  • Poor rear tyre/mud clearance

Read Review

Mountain Bike Action
LONG TERM REVIEW: KONA HONZO ESD - Mountain Bike Action Magazine

Jan 2022 · Ron Koch

Photos by Traece Craig We have been longtime fans of the incredibly capable and versatile Kona Honzo line, so when the slacker and more aggressive Honzo

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BikeRadar
Kona Honzo ESD review

Jan 2022 · Tom Marvin

Downhill-focused hardtail that lets your legs do the talking

Highs
  • Geometry that’s not going to give you any excuses

  • Remarkably smooth ride over the rough

  • Climbs well despite gravity intentions

Lows
  • Value for money isn’t great

  • The bike deserves stouter rubber

Read Review

Vital MTB
2021 Kona Honzo ESD Bike

Oct 2021 · Inked_cyclist

Kona's aggressive hardtail is ready for anything.

Highs
  • A riot on the trails

  • Confident, capable descender

  • More agile than numbers suggest

Lows
  • Portly

  • Weak rear hub engagement

Read Review

NSMB
2021 Kona Honzo ESD - Full Review

Mar 2021

It's one thing riding a hardtail occasionally - but quite another to commit to it every ride with riders and trails that are better than you are...

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Bikerumor
Kona Honzo ESD goes from test mule for Process X frame geometry, to extra slack steel hardtail

Aug 2020

The Kona Honzo ESD stretches things way out for the slackest, wildest, and most capable steel Kona hardtail yet.

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BIKE Magazine
Tested: Kona Honzo ESD | $2,700

Aug 2020

The new Kona Honzo ESD hardtail is extra slack, dude. If you're in the market for an aggressive hardtail, don't look past the Kona Honzo.

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Mountain Flyer
Tested: Kona Honzo ST

Jun 2020

Whether your first choice is an ultra-light carbon XC race bike or a super-plush enduro ripper, there’s something about a steel hardtail—and the person pedaling it—that commands respect. My first mountain bike was a steel hardtail, a 1996 Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo I bought from a bike courier in Washington, D.C. The courier had hacked off the rear dropouts and welded on horizontal dropouts to run it as a singlespeed.

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Geometry
99 Spokes on YouTube99 Spokes on YouTube
Specs
Build
Frame

Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted

ColorSatin Fatigue Green w/ Gloss Yellow, Nicotine & Flame Fade Decals

Fork

RockShox Recon RL Solo Air 120mm Tapered 110mm Spacing

Travel120mm

Spring TypeAir

Shock

n/a

Spring TypeAir

Bottom Bracket

Shimano Deore 73mm

Headset

FSA No.57B

Stem

Kona XC/BC 35

Handlebar

Kona XC/BC 35

Saddle

Kona Trail

Seatpost

TranzX Dropper +RAD Internal 31.6mm

TypeDropper

Pedals

n/a

Grips

Kona Key Grip

Groupset
Rear Derailleur

Shimano Deore 11spd

Front Derailleur

n/a

Crank

Shimano Deore, 30t

Shifters

Shimano Deore 11spd

Cassette

Shimano Deore 11-51t 11spd

Chain

Shimano Deore 11spd

Chain Guide

n/a

Brakes

Shimano MT410 Hydraulic

TypeHydraulic Disc

Brake Levers

Shimano MT410 Hydraulic

Wheels
Rims

WTB ST i30 TCS

Spokes

Stainless Black 14g

Front Hub

Shimano 110x15mm (centerlock)

Rear Hub

Shimano 148x12mm (centerlock)

Tires

Maxxis Dissector EXO TR DUAL 29x2.3" WT

Disc Rotors

Shimano RT30 180mm (centerlock)

Rider Notes
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Last updated January 7
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