Kona Honzo ESD

[mtnbikej]

Great.... I’m an uptight middle aged white guy with no rhythm.

Bull in a china shop.

 

[DangerDirtyD]

I wanna attend a hardtails-only party!

 

[rossage]

I wanna attend a hardtails-only party!

Yeah!
But you know some knucklehead is gonna show up on a full squish.
"My DV-9 is still at the manicurist. Oh my!"

 

[mike]

Go carbon or Ti, Alu is too harsh. Steel is too heavy.

Right on. I'll posit that carbon is borderline too harsh. So I guess that leaves one choice.

 

[rossage]

Great.... I’m an uptight middle aged white guy with no rhythm.

Embrace the singletrack funk!

 

[konakc]

So has anyone ridden one of these new aggro enduro hardtails? Norco torrent?? Canyon stoic?? Honzo...

 

[konakc]

I wanna climb easier yet still go downhill wo teeth falling out...

 

[Faust29]

So has anyone ridden one of these new aggro enduro hardtails? Norco torrent?? Canyon stoic?? Honzo...

I called the Path and asked about one recently… They chuckled.

 

[mike]

So has anyone ridden one of these new aggro enduro hardtails? Norco torrent?? Canyon stoic?? Honzo...

Kingdom Vendetta for 14 months. Squish frames are faster but not necessarily more fun. You can ride almost anything on your HT that you would on FS, but the HT will take a bigger toll on the bod. Possibly dental work also. Add in SS capability and it’s a flavor of fun that FS can’t replicate, especially if you grew up digging BMX and simple bikes.

IMO, FS bikes are more capable on technical uphill, and hardtails don’t have a great advantage over a FS that doesn’t bob pedaling uphill. So climbing efficiency is/was not on my want list when I bought.

I wouldn’t hesitate to commit to a radtail frame. I went all in and have zero regret. The bike is exactly what I’d hoped for. Even if it doesn’t supplant the FS in your stable, it’s worth having one to keep things interesting. Of course it can serve as a bikepacker as needed. The small front tri won’t hold one back too much. I would get sliding dropouts even just for the ability to adjust for tire size. I would not get a HT frame that can’t fit a 2.6, ideally 2.8-3.0.

 

[Faust29]

I wanna attend a hardtails-only party!

You have a hardtail at home now?

 

[DangerDirtyD]

You have a hardtail at home now?

Technically yes, but it’s modified for urban rides. Maybe by next weekend I’ll have the dedicated MTB hardtail at home. You’re gonna make me ride it down Mt. Wilson, aren’t you?

 

[SnakeCharmer]

So has anyone ridden one of these new aggro enduro hardtails? Norco torrent?? Canyon stoic?? Honzo...

@NinjaDon rides a CF Honzo. It's a beauty!

 

[Faust29]

Technically yes, but it’s modified for urban rides. Maybe by next weekend I’ll have the dedicated MTB hardtail at home. You’re gonna make me ride it down Mt. Wilson, aren’t you?

If you insist!

 

[DangerDirtyD]

If you insist!

I’d rather ride Hwy 2 on the road bike.

 

[RIGID]

Kingdom Vendetta for 14 months. Squish frames are faster but not necessarily more fun. You can ride almost anything on your HT that you would on FS, but the HT will take a bigger toll on the bod. Possibly dental work also. Add in SS capability and it’s a flavor of fun that FS can’t replicate, especially if you grew up digging BMX and simple bikes.

IMO, FS bikes are more capable on technical uphill, and hardtails don’t have a great advantage over a FS that doesn’t bob pedaling uphill. So climbing efficiency is/was not on my want list when I bought.

I wouldn’t hesitate to commit to a radtail frame. I went all in and have zero regret. The bike is exactly what I’d hoped for. Even if it doesn’t supplant the FS in your stable, it’s worth having one to keep things interesting. Of course it can serve as a bikepacker as needed. The small front tri won’t hold one back too much. I would get sliding dropouts even just for the ability to adjust for tire size. I would not get a HT frame that can’t fit a 2.6, ideally 2.8-3.0.

This is very well thought out and written.