Kona Bicycle Co. 2001 Major Jake

Price Paid:  $750.00 at eBay

Favorite Ride:
n/a

Bike Setup:
Easton Ultralight frame; Shimano Ultegra triple crank, f/d, r/d, 9/25 cassette; Tiagra shifters; Mavic Open Pro 32h wheelset

Summary:
I think this is a great bike, but I'm not exactly the most experienced rider out there.
I got this bike last year, after researching it a bit online. I didn't have previous cycling experience, but I wanted to jump right into it. I've mostly ridden road rides on it, but every time I touch it, I just want to GO! I love this bike, there is no question about that.
I don't know what all comes stock on this, but I'm pretty sure it's close to stock the way I've got it setup. The only difference may be the Ultegra components and the triple ring crankset.
Another review of this product (which I'm sure you've read if you're reading this) says that the bike is not for the recreational rider. I'm not exactly sure what that all entails, but I've not raced it, and it was indeed my first bike... Perhaps it was foolish of me, but I've found this bike to be a wonderful ride. The fork does seem a little bit harsh though... I'm not sure about the Project 2 (which comes stock on all Kona cyclocross bikes). I haven't changed it out, but have seriously considered doing so.
Overall, this is an excellent bike - coming from a lesser experienced cyclist who has fallen in love with it!
Great ride, and well worth the price I paid!
Also, I don't even know if it's been made after 2001, so if you're buying the Major Jake, and not the Snake, it's probably used...so you won't have to worry about the $1400 pricetag!

Strengths:
Great Frame; with the setup of a triple crank combined with the light, resonsive frame, this bike is great enough to make even an amateur look good!

Weaknesses:
I concur with the other review on this bike's fork. It seems slightly heavy and unrefined. No big deal though =)

Similar Products Used:
unfortunately none

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Martin Swiss Cycle

Favorite Ride:
Mount Royal Caleche Road

Bike Setup:
Stock except for a new saddle [SI Trans AM] and Bontrager Racelite CX bars.

Summary:
Excellent value. I got this bike on and of run closeout. It is an extremely nimble climber and tough as hell. I ride it mostly off-road, but it does reasonably well on the road. With a new set of tires, this could easily double as a bike for moderate [60-80 km] training rides.

Above all, this bike is way fun. It's a blast to ride -- stable yet responsive, light enough for an easy portage and runup.

This is my off-season training bike, my bad weather bike and I plan to race it this fall.

With a few jump-ups and upgrades, this ride will be perfection.

Strengths:
The frame. This is an unusually compliant aluminum frame, yeat also laterally stiff. This is a great climber.

The wheels are excellent, though I'll probably rebuild the rear with a better freehub when the Tiagra unit goes.

The Tiagra shifters and FD are, oddly enough, a strength. They work well enough, and I don't feel bad about beating the spit out of them. Cross eats shifters for breakfast. It can eat these all it wants, and I won't shed a tear.

Weaknesses:
The fork. The Project 2 fork is WAY too heavy. It weighs at least a kilo and is much to harsh, even for a cross bike.

The saddle. The SDG saddle has to go.

The seatpost. The clamp on the American Classic post is very narrow, causing the saddle to rock and squeak.

Price Paid:  $700.00 at Tryathletics (Columb

Favorite Ride:
All of 'em

Bike Setup:
ITM Millenium 44cm h-bar, Deda Newton 10cm stem, RaceFace TeamSL headset, Redline Aluminum fork, Coo

Summary:
Overall, a great bike! I got the bike as an EP deal, so I had room to upgrade the various sub-par components. Tiagra has no place on a $1399 retail bike! I haven't messed with the shifters or front derailleur (I'm gonna replace the drivetrain with Campy Centaur this summer) but I have replaced most of the other parts with superior components. The frame rides nicely, as the longer stays allow for some more flex than my Kula, but still allow for super-stiff pedaling (I won 8th out of 30 at the Lakota Cup street sprints last year). There are some great components that came with it, like the Open Pro rims, AmClassic seatpost and the Satellite saddle, but they don't make up for having Tiagra level stuff on it. This is the bike to buy if your LBS has one, otherwise, go with the '02 Jake the Snake, since it has the same frame and better components (105 STI) at a lower price!

Strengths:
Great frame, stiff, and gooood lookin', too!

Weaknesses:
sub-par components, overpriced at $1399, since it really should retail for about $1000.

Similar Products Used:
My steel mountainbike as an interim 'cross bike.

Price Paid:  $1399.00 at Local Bike Shop

Favorite Ride:
Anywhere at all

Bike Setup:
Easton ultralight 7005 aluminum frame, 105 f/d, 105 r/d, 105 sti levers, off road wheel(mavic open pro rims, deore front hub, tiagra rear hub, michelen cyclocross mud) on road wheel (mavic cxp-21 rims, 105 hubs, continental sport 100), race face prodigy stem, shimano m515 clipless, 3ttt grand prix bars, sugino crank, kona project 2 fork, avid shorty 6 canti brakes.

Summary:
The bike performs flawlessly on the road and on the trails with a switch of wheels. On technical rocky trails the bike is very stable. With a good pair of gloves and the cork bar tape that comes stock, you won't miss the lack of front suspension that some of the cyclocross bikes are starting to ship with.

I upgraded the tiagra sti levers and f/d a week after I got the bike(to 105 components). The tiagra components are not up to par with the rest of the components and feel out of place. If you get this bike, upgrade those components!!!

The frame is what really makes this bike. Light weight, great geometry, quick and nimble on everything.

Don't buy this bike if you are just looking for something to ride on the weekends (don't get the jake the snake either, its not worth the pricetag). But if you are looking for something you can ride day in and day out on any surface you will find this bike is perfect.

If you can afford to make a few upgrades to the components this is easily a race ready bike.

I can only give this bike 4 stars for value, because of the sub par components it ships with. The people at kona say they downgraded many of the components on the bike at the request of dealers looking for a cheaper cyclocross bike, which makes me wonder what the 2001 Jake the Snake is for. I guess its the worthless cyclocross bike.

Make sure you know what components you will be getting with the bike.

If you want an all out race machine, get the scandium frame and build up. If you want a superb training bike on and off road, get the Easton ultralite and upgrade to 105. If you want to take weekend rides with friends now and then, keep looking.

Strengths:
Frame is very light, with great handling characteristics

Weaknesses:
The tiagra components Kona ships are sub par to the frame.

Similar Products Used:
none