Which one?

[alman]

thinking of getting a new half decent bike, basically there's two i like:

http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_...

http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_...


any thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Edited by alman on Thursday 6th December 23:41

[deevlash]

konas ar great but they tnd to have a shorter reach than other bikes, so if you have gorilla arms the GT may be better. Id advise you to have a wee shot first and see which you prefer. Theyre both good bikes, however Im biased and would go for the GT

[dhutch]

Yeah, i;ve always like the look of the kona's.

Ive got fairly long arms, and have ended up with a string of specilized which seam to work well, always try other stuff, treks, etc. but always go back to spesh it seams.
- Had a 01hardrock comp, 04hardrockpro, now an 07rockhopper disk. They just get nicer...


Daniel

[Moose.]

I'd go with the GT for a few reasons:

- Better brakes. The Hayes Soles on the Kona are single piston and will need constant adjustment as the pads wear.
- Nicer frame.
- Konas always seem to be more expensive than similar specced bikes (this comparison a case in point!)

However, I would try them both to ensure you get the right frame size for your body. It's all to easy to mail order a bike thinking it'll be correct only to find the next frame size up/down would have been better. Personally, I favour a slightly smaller sized frame and have a medium GT Avalanche (I'm bang on 6ft tall )

[alman]

cheers guys thanks for your help so far, seems to GT's edging it but i should probably try a sit on both, however just to really piss you off I've seen a few more bikes on this site:

http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_...

http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_...

any more thoughts on these relating to each other/the bikes already listed? cheers.

[Scho]

buy british and get the orange!

kona's are halfrauds bikes

the trek for me is a close second but the orange is a far more interesting option in my eyes :-)

[deevlash]

Scho said:

buy british and get the orange!

kona's are halfrauds bikes

the trek for me is a close second but the orange is a far more interesting option in my eyes :-)

Konas are not halfords bikes, theyre own brand is Carrera, they just happen to sell Konas.

[mk1fan]

The Orange

[wobert]

Another vote for the Orange

[Moose.]

As much as the Orange is the best bike you've suggested so far, that green colour is Also, single piston brakes are such a PITA on a muddy ride, as you find you're always adjusting them after a long descent.

You may want to consider:

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&prod...

or the cheaper:

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&prod...

Merlin Malt frames always seem to get good write ups in the mags and the components used in both the above are good quality

Edited by Moose. on Friday 7th December 14:10

[alman]

Cheers guys thanks for all your help, think I'm gonna get down there in person and have a sit on a few.

[snotrag]

Scho said:

kona's are halfrauds bikes

Righto

Kona are one of the most succesful mountain bike manufacturers around - they've been going since the very start of it in the 80's, their originators even longer so. They produce some of the best handling, brilliantly made mainstream frames around. Their hardtails are legendary - they PIONEERED the radically sloping top tube MTB frame. They have had a fantastic racing history with many national and wolrd champs in all formats.

They just happen to be sold by Halfords - who, indicentally, also sell GT.

[JPJ]

As Moose as already beaten me to it, I'd second the recommendation for the Merlin Malts.

[936ADL]

Orange all the way.

[Scho]

snotrag said:

Scho said:

kona's are halfrauds bikes

Righto

Kona are one of the most succesful mountain bike manufacturers around - they've been going since the very start of it in the 80's, their originators even longer so. They produce some of the best handling, brilliantly made mainstream frames around. Their hardtails are legendary - they PIONEERED the radically sloping top tube MTB frame. They have had a fantastic racing history with many national and wolrd champs in all formats.

They just happen to be sold by Halfords - who, indicentally, also sell GT.

I'm of the opinion that they have gone a bit too mainstream of late and are a bit on the cheesy side.

maybe i'm a bit of a snob BUT i don't see anyone else voting for kona round here :-)

orange orange orange

[snotrag]

Scho said:

snotrag said:

Scho said:

kona's are halfrauds bikes

Righto

Kona are one of the most succesful mountain bike manufacturers around - they've been going since the very start of it in the 80's, their originators even longer so. They produce some of the best handling, brilliantly made mainstream frames around. Their hardtails are legendary - they PIONEERED the radically sloping top tube MTB frame. They have had a fantastic racing history with many national and wolrd champs in all formats.

They just happen to be sold by Halfords - who, indicentally, also sell GT.

I'm of the opinion that they have gone a bit too mainstream of late and are a bit on the cheesy side.

maybe i'm a bit of a snob BUT i don't see anyone else voting for kona round here :-)

orange orange orange

They are mainstream and popular - because they are flipping good.

Some people seem to want to sacrifice anything just to have the most 'anti-cool' bike, made in the outer hebrides in a shed, but in reality, popular bikes are popular, because there good.

[Scho]

snotrag said:

They are mainstream and popular - because they are flipping good.

Some people seem to want to sacrifice anything just to have the most 'anti-cool' bike, made in the outer hebrides in a shed, but in reality, popular bikes are popular, because there good.

I'd apply this statement to something like a specialized enduro, really how popular are Kona bikes with mountain bikers in the UK? i'd say i see more specialized tbh.

BTW my last bike was a trek so i'm not hebridean bike shed conessor or anything!....

i just don't like Kona's!

[custardkid]

Scho said:

really how popular are Kona bikes with mountain bikers in the UK? i'd say i see more specialized tbh.

thats because specialised are a larger company so by stuff cheaper, and thus have better speced bikes at a price range.

also specialised are designed in nice dry climes, unlike konas (and orange) and you notice it when you ride in the muddy wet british country side! whos big idea was it to put a rear shock right next to the rear wheel so that it sploshes lots of mud on the piston?????

i have owned a specialised, currently have a kona & gary fisher hard tails and an orange sub 5.

if i was going to get a new hard tail a Kona would be very high on my list.

but this is all tosh if the bike doesn't fit you cos you wont ride it if it hurts!
go test ride them all for reach and size....... then buy the kona

...... only jokeing.....

buy the one that fits the best and you like the colour of......
you have to be trying really hard to buy a rubbish bike these days as long as you stick to some simple rules....
- dont buy a carrea, claud btler, appolo etc
- spend more than £350 on it
- dont buy a full sus for less than ~£1200

enjoy your new steed

custard

- feel free to correct my spelling
- and the forks on the Kona look abit ropey?

[mk1fan]

custardkid said:

- dont buy a carrea, claud btler,

hmmm, Carrea Vulcan is a proper mtb for £240 that can be ridden on all th uk trails that someone spending £240 on an mtb is going to ride.

Claud Butler, aside from a backward step of stiffening up their rear ends [oh er!!] for 2007 in the sub £1000 bracket they have been there long and hard for the British consumer.

Kona, again they are Canadian designed, and UK usable far more than a Spesh is. I'd have one tomorrow [I had a Cinder Cone in the early 90's] except I am spoiled with my Cove. Then again, once you've had the best why revert to anything else like a Spesh?