2011 Kona Hei Hei 29 Review

2011 Kona Hei Hei 29

Stock Specs

Fresh out of the box

After the 1st ride and washed

Personal changes to bike ridden:

Cateye Enduro comp

Chainstay wrapped to protect from chain slap

WTB Rocket V saddle because that's the model I like

Shimano M424 pedals

Geax Saguaro 29 2.2 tires with Stan's ZTR Flow rims running as tubeless with rear tire turned in the traction direction. I switched the stock wheels out because I build wheels for a living. Hence the rolling billboard.

Bike as ridden with changes 31pounds 4ounces. Stock weight including pedals was 30pounds 10 ounces. This bike comes pretty pimped out parts spec wise right out of the box. No needed to go to your significant other asking for more cash to spend on the bike you just purchased.

The first ride on this steed was a typical Pacific Northwest spring ride. The trails were muddy enough that I was already thinking about how many towels I was going to be using back at the truck. The roots were covered in mud and slippery as hell. Set the suspension a little soft and the pressure in the tubeless tires at 21psi.

The trails started off tight and twisty with mud and roots. No problem. A couple of fast flowy sections and then back in the mud. The bike is very stable at speed and still corners like it's on a rail. On the really tight corners at slow speed when you have to ratchet on the cranks to get on around the corner the bike feels stiffer than last years model. Climbing and descents are awesome. Very confidence inspiring.

Give me some more ride time on the bike and I'll flesh out the review some more. It is Monday morning and I'm ready for next Sunday's ride.

4/29/11:

After several rides now I'm finding with the 10spd set up I am staying in the middle ring on the crankset much more than with the 9spd set up.

5/30/11:

Rode Paradise Valley yesterday. Driest we've seen the trails in the past 7-8 months. Had dry hard pack, loose and as always mud under the tree canopy. Had the tubeless set up at 22psi and the shock set with the ProPedal lever in the open position. The bike just rallied through every thing in the trails. Really like the gearing on this bike. Amazing what you will consider as a dry ride in the PNW