Kona Hoss, Any Good?

[Mr Pig]

Hi Chaps,

I'm thinking about buying a Kona Hoss. Has anyone tried/used them? Just how heavy are they?

Cheers,

 

[Chuffy]

My mate has one. It's a very sturdy piece of kit, but then, so is she. Not that she rides it more than a mile or two once in a blue moon...
Unless you really need the strength, surely there are lighter bikes out there?

 

[Flying_Monkey]

What do you want it for? That is the question...

 

[Kirstie]

They are hardtails for the beefier person. Or the person who pathologically breaks frames. Not light, but v strong.

 

[Mr Pig]

I'm beefy! Around fifteen-stone. To be fair I've had a Hardrock for years and never broken anything so I guess I'm not 'that' hard on bikes.

I saw one on sale at a great price and figured it would be a solid bike. Probably more solid than I need though and if it's quite heavy you're lugging that extra weight around for nothing.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Again though - what kind of riding do you do?

 

[Mr Pig]

Again though - what kind of riding do you do?

Sorry. At the moment it's mostly commuting and blasting up and down the hilly roads around where I live with the occasional off-road jaunt. However we're getting bored of that so want to look for more cross country adventures.

I realise that the Hoss is a DH bike so more than I need.

 

[Kirstie]

It's not a DH bike - it's a heavy duty hardtail. it's actually v versatile and could be employed usefully as a more hardcore hardtail or an XC bike. Look on mtbr.com for reviews.

 

[Mr Pig]

Gets great revues eh?

 

[Mr Pig]

I've ordered one!

Going out on a limb but two things swung it. Firstly, the thing get epic revues and everyone who has one seems to love it. Secondly, although the Hardrock has been totally dependable I've never loved it, never liked the geometry, and I feel like trying something totally different.

It's a big risk, normally I'd never buy something like this without trying it, but nothing ventured, as they say. If the worst comes to the worst and I don't like it I'll just have to sell it and take the loss, but at least I'll know that I'd tried it. Here's the bike:

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b7s2p156&z=165

Am I an idiot? ;0)

 

[barq]

Well you are going out on a limb, but that is a good price. Hopefully getting a tough new bike will inspire you to go on more XC adventures.

 

[Mr Pig]

Hopefully getting a tough new bike will inspire you to go on more XC adventures.

That's the idea. Usually, when we go out it's all about distance, going further, and frankly I'm bored. I'm surrounded by hills and countryside and I feel like playing on it, seeing where I can get to without using roads.

I wouldn't have taken the chance if the bike hadn't been reduced so much. That shop was the only one selling them at anything like that price so I figure that if I don't like it I'll hopefully be able to sell it without loosing too much. It's brilliant spec for the money. If you look at what you get on 'normal' Cona bikes at five-hundred-pounds it's not even close.

Not very keen on the hydraulic disk brakes though but I'll see how it goes. I'd rather have 'V's or good mechanical disks than the hassle of hydraulics. I don't think the fork is very good either.

I'm quite exited about trying something different to what I've been used to though, I'll keep you posted :0)

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Enjoy it!

 

[punkypossum]

Why would you want mechanical discs over hydraulics? The v's I can sort of understand as a weight saving measure as long as it's not wet (although on a hoss that would be a bit of an odd plan), but mechanical discs???

 

[Mr Pig]

I don't see the need for something as complex and attention-hungry as a hydraulic system on a bicycle. With 'V' brakes, you fit and forget practically. The odd glance over and taking up the slack as the pads wear down.

Mechanical disks are more complex obviously but you still have a simple physical link between the lever and the part that's grabbing your wheel. But on hydraulics you've got a nasty, corrosive liquid under pressure with seals, unions and reservoirs all over the place just waiting to leak, stick come loose or let air into the system.

On a physical system the two critical parts, the lever and pads, are held at a fixed distance. I'll bet you any money that the pads on a hydraulic system need adjusted a lot more? I'll also be that it's a lot easier to damage a hydraulic system, bend a rotor, nick a cable?

I've stopped just fine with 'V' brakes for years. Hydraulic brakes just seems like a sledgehammer to crack a nut to me.