This. The number of companies making aggressive hardtails before Canfield existed as a company, including Kona, is extensive.
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On the 29'er front. Honzo predates suitable tires for the breed and the most aggressive 29'er fork available when it was released was a Fox 34 unless you were going to travel-limit a Manitou Dorado. Said Fox 34 was Fox's first tapered-steerer-specific fork and wouldn't even fit the first gen Nimble 9.
I think it's fair to say that Kona launched this category, but Chromag fans will note the first Surface (the first Dekerf-made Chromag) came out at the same time and the Transition Trans Am 29'er was probably conceived over the same case of beer as the Honzo (and was also a 2012 model year).
The Gen.1 Nimble-9 that was out at the same time had a 70° HTA, 27.2 seat tube, and a 1-1/8" (EC34) headtube. It was a heavy XC bike. Which isn't to take away from Canfield at all - the Nimble 9 was sweet - but although their marketing crap claims it's "_the original hardcore hardtail_" I think it's fair to say that's complete bullshit. It's not even the original 29" hardcore hardtail.
Feb. 4, 2022, 9:22 a.m. - Andrew Major
This. The number of companies making aggressive hardtails before Canfield existed as a company, including Kona, is extensive. \-\-\-\-\-\- On the 29'er front. Honzo predates suitable tires for the breed and the most aggressive 29'er fork available when it was released was a Fox 34 unless you were going to travel-limit a Manitou Dorado. Said Fox 34 was Fox's first tapered-steerer-specific fork and wouldn't even fit the first gen Nimble 9. I think it's fair to say that Kona launched this category, but Chromag fans will note the first Surface (the first Dekerf-made Chromag) came out at the same time and the Transition Trans Am 29'er was probably conceived over the same case of beer as the Honzo (and was also a 2012 model year). The Gen.1 Nimble-9 that was out at the same time had a 70° HTA, 27.2 seat tube, and a 1-1/8" (EC34) headtube. It was a heavy XC bike. Which isn't to take away from Canfield at all - the Nimble 9 was sweet - but although their marketing crap claims it's "_the original hardcore hardtail_" I think it's fair to say that's complete bullshit. It's not even the original 29" hardcore hardtail.