Honzo DL
A 29″ aluminum frame hardtail trail bike with upper mid-range components.
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Manufacturer Price
$2,699Frame | Aluminum |
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Suspension | Hardtail, 140mm |
Fork | RockShox Revelation RC |
Wheels | 29″ Aluminum |
Drivetrain | 1 × 12 |
Groupset | Deore, FSA |
Brakes | Hydraulic Disc |
Seatpost | Dropper |
For This Bike
Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.
Compare the full Honzo model range
View Comparison5'0" – 5'8"
5'2" – 6'1"
5'9" – 6'6"
5'10" – 6'6"
🐐 Estimated
None yet.
Do you have this bike? Help other riders make a decision about which size will work for them by sharing your own size and fit notes.
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 »
Lively ride, short seat tube
Poor rear tyre/mud clearance
Feb 2022
Kona’s venerable Swiss Army Knife hardtail weathers the test of time
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
Jan 2022 · Tom Marvin
Downhill-focused hardtail that lets your legs do the talking
Geometry that’s not going to give you any excuses
Remarkably smooth ride over the rough
Climbs well despite gravity intentions
Value for money isn’t great
The bike deserves stouter rubber
Oct 2021 · Inked_cyclist
Kona's aggressive hardtail is ready for anything.
A riot on the trails
Confident, capable descender
More agile than numbers suggest
Portly
Weak rear hub engagement
Aug 2020
The Kona Honzo ESD stretches things way out for the slackest, wildest, and most capable steel Kona hardtail yet.
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.
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.
Frame | Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted BB Standard: BB86/BB92, Press Fit Color: Gloss Azure w/ Charcoal & Cyan Decals |
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Fork | RockShox Revelation RC DebonAir 140mm Tapered 110mm Spacing Travel: 140mm Spring Type: Air |
Shock | n/a |
Bottom Bracket | PF92 |
Headset | FSA No.57B |
Stem | Kona XC/BC 35 |
Handlebar | Kona XC/BC 35 |
Saddle | WTB Volt |
Seatpost | TranzX Dropper +RAD Internal w/ Shimano Lever 31.6mm Type: Dropper |
Pedals | n/a |
Grips | Kona Key Grip |
Rear Derailleur | Shimano Deore 12 spd |
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Front Derailleur | n/a |
Crank | FSA Comet, 32t |
Shifters | Shimano Deore 12 spd |
Cassette | Shimano Deore 11-50t 12spd |
Chain | Shimano Deore 12 spd |
Chain Guide | n/a |
Brakes | Shimano MT410 Hydraulic Type: Hydraulic Disc |
Brake Levers | Shimano MT410 Hydraulic |
Rims | WTB ST i30 TCS |
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Spokes | Stainless Black 14g |
Front Hub | Shimano 110x15mm (centerlock) |
Rear Hub | Shimano 148x12mm (centerlock) |
Tires | Front: Maxxis Minion DHF EXO TR 3C 29x2.5" WT, Rear: Maxxis Dissector EXO TR 3C 29x2.4" WT |
Disc Rotors | Shimano RT54 180mm (centerlock) |
Last updated September 18
Not listed for 277 days