2025 Kona

Honzo ESD

When the Kona Honzo ESD first came out in 2021, people questioned whether such radical geometry and aggressive ...

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8 Months of hardtail tough love with an unruly Smurf

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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 »

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