Welcome to Bike Works of Lake Stevens

10/27/06 Time for a ride review...Kona Kula 2-9 (box stock except for E-13 bashring)

I recently was able to sneak away with Lumberjack's Kula and managed to get about 3.5 hours of trail time on it. I road the Kula on trails that are full of technical roots, rocks, rolling ups and downs with many tight and twisty turns. Trail conditions were tacky/moist with some early season puddles, roots and rocks already have a start of PNW winter slime. With the exception of the BMX track I hate riding hardtails.

Big wheels are neat and it was amazing how fast you roll up on riders in front of you. It really doesn't matter what terrain either as long as you try to carry momentum. I found that it was best to enter corners and technical terrain much the same way you would with a DH bike, off the brakes. With a 26" bike you can get snappy acceleration up to mid speed and from there you progressively work harder. With the 29r you are better off in the mid speed to high speed range where it accelerates crisply like the 26" does a slow speeds. Very strange feeling when your pedaling more gear inches but feel like you are spinning out easier.

If it sounds like I didn't like the Kula at low speed, that is untrue. The Kula geometry allows for very tight technical riding. Steep head angle with the stability of 29" wheels made my time relaxed and enjoyable. The Kula can make all the turns, logs, hills I normally ride. What I have found with 29" wheels is that they will do pretty much anything the smaller wheels do they just feel sluggish in technical terrain. The Kula 2-9 geometry takes some of that feeling away. 29" wheels reward smoothness in technique and the Kula frame adds a snappy feel back in.

I thought I was going to take a beating riding the hard tail but after my ride I felt like I could go another three hours, no problem. What worried me most about this hardtail was the scandium frame which in some frames are just down right painful. This frame felt completely stable (very stiff) but the wheels took the edge off of pretty much every thing and for the most part felt glued to the ground. Wheel deflection also seem to feel slow compared to a 26".

This bike likes to climb! I don't like to climb. Did I tell you this bike likes to climb?

I only have 3 complaints with this bike as ridden stock:

1) Grips.....personal preference for Lockons but nothing really wrong with the grips.
2) Shimano hubs......the only real mechanical weakness of this bike....the stock hubs allow enough lateral flex that they detract from the overall performance of the entire bike. If I was to keep this bike the stock wheels would become my commuter/backup set....nothing wrong with the rims, spokes or tires, just the hubs. Would I say not to buy one because of the hubs..... no way I am just very picky about things like that.
3) I don't have one and I don't think the wife will let my have another bike so I will just need to keep sneaking it out of the shop but that may prove to be difficult because nobody can get it away from Lumberjack's son.

I know, I know, I said I don't like hardtails but I do like this one and plan on racing one next year in a couple of 4 hour races. I am also looking forward to a squishy version of the 2-9 from Kona. Thank you to Bike Works of Lake Stevens and Kona for getting me out on the Kula 2-9 this bike rocks.

Evilbob