Kona bikes / Trek Bikes

[Mahk]

I'm thinking of getting a new bike.  Things I want are full suspension, dropper post, 1x10 or 1x11, 27.5 or 26" wheels, good components, but I don't race and don't care about paying more just to save a few ounces of weight--quality, performance and durability are much more important. 

Someone suggested looking at Kona, specifically the Kona Process 153.  Anyone familiar with Kona?  Comments, complaints, insights?

Thanks!

[Willyjaybob]

Nice bikes. Rented one for my son in Colorado and he loved it. of a slightly older model.

[jfish]

I was on the same boat and ended up with the Trek Remedy with the new reaktiv suspension.

From my travels this year, I demo'd the Trance Advanced, Remedy and Process 134, all were great in descending but I definitely felt more fatigue on the climb using the Process 134 (that might be because of Moab's elevation lol).

I think 153 aka 160mm of travel might be too much here in Indy? The new 134 comes with a Pike now as well!

[Mahk]

Are you  happy with the Remedy?  I talked with a Trek rep today and he suggested the Remedy, EX or Top Fuel, but the last two only come with 29" wheels, so that left the Remedy. 

I'm relatively new to biking (3 1/2 years) and my current bike is a 2012 Top Fuel with 26" wheels (it was a showroom model and I got it on sale--I really had no idea what I was buying).  I've been pretty happy with it, but the frame cracked, which is why I'm looking at something new. 

Is there a problem with having too much travel?  What was it about the Process 134 that made you feel more fatigued?  How does the geometry of the Remedy compare to the Top Fuel? 

Thanks

[jfish]

Yeap! Just had my first real ride on it yesterday, but coming from a short travel full suspension bike, I definitely need to get used to it.

Here's a good article about travel, http://www.singletracks.com/blog/beginners/how-to-decide-how-much-suspension-you-need/
About the Process, I really think it was the elevation that got me, I tried the other bikes in California.

[Mahk]

Thanks, jfish, that was a good article, with some links about geometry. 

Also, a correction--the Trek rep at Epic on Sunday told me that the EX was not available as a 27.5.  He said it only came with 29 inch wheels.  But that's wrong.  I visited the local Trek dealer today and he pulled up the Fuel EX with 27.5" wheels on Trek's website. 

[Unfit Nitwit]

I think this is the last year for the 27.5 Fuel EX. They will be 29 or 27.5+ in the current production run is they way I understand it to be.

[tony]

I think this is the last year for the 27.5 Fuel EX. They will be 29 or 27.5+ in the current production run is they way I understand it to be.

All the 2017 Fuel EX are 29er or 27.5+.  None of them come as a straight up 27.5 anymore.  But there's probably deals to be had on any remaining 2016 models shops may have left.

[Fett]

Mahk, I have the Trek Ex5 27.5 plus bike.  You can also run 29" wheels on it.  It is the lowest end version, so it is heavy, but it is like cheating on the techie stuff.

[Mahk]

You guys are correct, the Trek dealer in town did say the EX comes with 27.5" plus tires.  I neglected to type it in my other post.  I think the dealer also said that if I didn't like the plus tires, the rims would also accept regular width tires.  Is that correct, or did I misunderstand something there too? 

[Unfit Nitwit]

You can put 2.3" and up on 40mm rims. The tire will have a more square profile.

[Fett]

Mahk,


Yes you can run regular size 27.5 tires on the EX with the 40mm rims, but I wouldn't recommend it. The EX already has a fairly low bottom bracket height with the 2.8 tires and a smaller tire would lower it further, increasing your chances of a pedal strike. I do run smaller tires on mine sometimes, but I bought an extra set of 29er wheels and run 29er in it.

[Mahk]

Long story short, Trek is giving me a credit for the cracked frame, so I'm getting a Trek and am no longer looking at Kona.  I considered the Top Fuel, Fuel EX, and Remedy.  I talked to folks, read a lot of on-line reviews, looked at specs, and demoed an EX 9.8 29er and a Remedy 8 (27.5" wheels). 

The demo area was a local park, no real trails, but there were some steep, though relatively short, hills.  I found the Remedy was much better at climbing and handled just as well or better in all the other 'techie' maneuvers I could do in that setting (figure 8's, tight turns, curbs, traverses, skinnies).  The Knock Block did bottom out in tight turns, but I don't know if I would make that tight a turn on a trail. 

Before the test ride I thought I was going to get an EX.  A lot of folks seem to like 29 inch wheels because they roll over things more easily.  But after the test ride I settled on the Remedy with 27.5" wheels.  Just my opinion, but I think that the easy rolling of the 29er is negated by the extra effort required to get them to go uphill and the reduced agility due to their larger size. 

After riding I looked on-line again for more info.  This review:   http://enduro-mtb.com/en/trek-remedy-9-9-2017-race-shop-limited-first-ride/  gave the best summary statement: 

"[Trek's] new rider focussed approach pitches the Fuel EX Plus at riders looking for more confidence and grip, the Fuel EX 29er at riders looking for pure speed who want to push their limits, and the Trek Remedy at riders who want to challenge themselves on more technical trails."

[Paul_Arlinghaus]

I love my remedy 27.5"