Kona Bicycle Co. Bikehotrod

Price Paid:  $475.00 at Plymouth Cycle Scene

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Anywhere

Bike Setup:
Standard except the obligatory shoddy stock pedals were replaced at the shop with a nice set of DMR's. (Why do all new bikes come with crappy pedals?)

Summary:
Love it or hate it - you just can't ignore it. Silly bike but real fun to ride when you get used to it. Not built for hills or busy traffic though - be careful when turning across traffic. Extreme fork length and rear coaster brake take some getting used to but after a breaking in period during which you think you are going to crash (and probably will) it handles surprisingly well. Not so good at low speed but very stable when it gets going. Fun to watch your mates struggle on. Watch the cornering at speed in the wet as you can lose the front wheel :-(

Strengths:
People think you are cool. Laid back ride is very comfortable when you relax into it (takes about a week). Good kit including a terrific saddle. No one will steal it as it is too easily recognisable and even if they did you would probably find them in a heap not far away.

Weaknesses:
People think you are an idiot. Could do with some bling chrome mudguards and a bed roll tied to the forks (a la easy rider). Low gear ratios for people with good cycling legs - could do with a 7 speed nexus hub instead of the stock 3 speed. Ridiculously large turning circle. Swapping from this to a proper bike really screws up your balance for a while (when I got back on my mtb I thought I was going to go over the handlebars).

Similar Products Used:
None.