2021 Kona

Mahuna

The latest Kona Mahuna 29er quickly proved to be the class act in the shop bought category of our best Hardtail of the Year test, 2022.From the very first pedal stroke, the Mahuna felt dialled. And on closer inspection it’s easy to see why. It has the slackest head angle on test, so the steering feels calm and controlled without being so heavy as to feel laboured. It also has the longest reach measurement, so there’s plenty of room in the cockpit to manoeuvre. This sense of freedom is enhanced further by the shortest seat tube and ample standover clearance. And thinking ahead, the shorter seat tube will also allow you to fit a dropper post with an increased amount of drop. And while longer chainstays aren’t really en vogue, Kona uses them to great effect to provide a very balanced ride. In fact, the Mahuna is the only bike in the entire test to have a wheelbase measurement that even approaches a modern full suspension trail bike, and it is so much better for it. Suspension We’ve been pretty vocal about capping travel to 120/130mm on hardcore hardtails to limit big swings in the dynamic geomery as the fork compresses. And while we stand by that for higher-end bikes with beefier forks with more sophisticated damping, 100mm seems to be the sweet spot at this price point. As such, the RockShox Judy on the Mahuna delivers just enough suspension to take the edge of things and maintain steering control without upsetting the overall balance of the bike. Being air-spung it can accommodate a wide range of rider weights too, and the externally adjustable rebound damping can be set to match the spring rate. Components With a wide 760mm XC/BC handlebar, steering control on the Kona is second to none. And much as we liked the extra cushioning of the soft rubber grips, because they are not a lock on design that actually clamps to the handlebar, they will start spinning at the slightest sign of rain. Interestingly, the Tektro disc brakes on the Kona had more stopping power than on the Trek or Whyte, and we chalked that up to the unique combination of the Shimano Centre Lock rotors providing more bite with the two-finger Tektro levers. Kona one-ups Whyte by fitting 2.35in Maxxis Forekaster tyres front and rear, and while the open tread pattern isn’t as predictable as, say, a Maxxis Minion, it’s still the best tyre combo in this category by a country mile. In fact, the only blemish on an otherwise stellar build kit is the three-piece square taper chainset. Performance Big, bold and beautiful, the Kona Mahuna doesn’t simply talk the 29er hardtail talk, it has the swagger to match. Weight distribution feels very well balanced, so it’s super easy to load the front end of the bike through the pedals, rather than constantly having to remember to weight the handlebar. And this has advantages in every situation, not simply when climbing. Stability does come …Continue reading »

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The Kona Mahuna is an impressively smooth and naturally fast 29er, but like most bikes at this price it’ll benefit from upgrades

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We’ll say it: This $999 bike is more than the sum of its parts.

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