NSMB - 2016 - Hardtail Thread

I'm 5'9" and normally would fit a med. But looking at the numbers and your set up and many other riders, I'd think I'd go small.

I'm also 5'-9"/175cm and had a small honzo for a while, the steel version which is of different geometry. I sold it after a few months… fit was good, but the wheelbase felt too short, it didn't like to track straight on fast rocky trails DH.

I think the newer geometry looks a lot better- longer TT and shorter ST too. I'd go medium for sure. I like wheelbases between 45-46" based on bikes I have owned… the WB on this medium Honzo is under 45…small is under 44.. thats short!

I thought Kona's original Process/Honzo sizing was perfect. It was already on the long end of things, and now they've taken that long sizing and basically made everything a size larger.

My current Taro is a roomy medium at 430 mm reach. At 5'8", I'd be looking at a small in the new bike, which has 425 mm reach, though I'm not sure I could make the 14.5" seat tube work.

Kona's old numbers were dialed. Hopefully they didn't blow it here.

That's what I'm thinking. These new bikes are built for chimps. Long arms and short legs, please make bikes for humans! Still would love to try one.

Still loving my Chromag Surface.

Interesting… looks good apart from too narrow/inappropriate tyres.

http://www.peterverdone.com/red-five/

looks ridiculous

On One seems to have the next evolution of the 456,

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROODD27/on-one-deedar-275-steel-hardtail-frame

http://www.peterverdone.com/red-five/

I feel like he should have tried to make the head tube shorter.

So many things to criticise but eff it, he's experimenting and I applaud that.

I'm also 5'-9"/175cm and had a small honzo for a while, the steel version which is of different geometry. I sold it after a few months… fit was good, but the wheelbase felt too short, it didn't like to track straight on fast rocky trails DH.

I think the newer geometry looks a lot better- longer TT and shorter ST too. I'd go medium for sure. I like wheelbases between 45-46" based on bikes I have owned… the WB on this medium Honzo is under 45…small is under 44.. thats short!

I'm an average 5'8", fit perfectly comfortable onto the medium Honzo ST. Pondered for a long while beforehand whether to buy a small based on the geometry of my previous bike, but shop and Kona advised me to go into the medium. To my surprise it didn't feel big at all despite the 24+" TT length and 17+" reach even with a 50mm stem (I'm on a 35mm now), the small would have been too compact for me now in hindsight. And jumping back on any older medium bike with my traditional ~23" TT length feels like riding a BMX and uncomfortably cramped.

I'm somewhat skeptical about the carbon Honzo and its even longer front end, but I think it should be fine paired with the 35-40mm stem. I think the short wheelbase is fine given the longer front center, that's where the stability comes from I would think.

Kona's old numbers were dialed. Hopefully they didn't blow it here.

I'm not sure how many of these $1600usd frames and $4500+cdn bikes they plan to sell, but those that buy them will probably know exactly what they want and likely be able to ride it to the potential the updated geometry will allow. I think it's nice to know you have a safety net to run a shorter stem IF you need to, but if the bike truly works best with 30-40mm stem, just trust the designers from the get go (?)

Built for Marin? What about around here? Looks interesting.

That's what I'm thinking. These new bikes are built for chimps. Long arms and short legs, please make bikes for humans! Still would love to try one.

I'm a chimp, and the Process line fit almost perfect with a 40mm stem for me. I'm actually happy they are going a bit longer in reach as I just need a bit more room, without going to a much longer seat tube. Mind you most modern designs in the XL size do have decent ST length (as in less than 20cm).

Yeti's have appeared to strink in reach….or maybe I just remember my large SB66 being longer than it actually was:-)

I'm a chimp, and the Process line fit almost perfect with a 40mm stem for me. I'm actually happy they are going a bit longer in reach as I just need a bit more room, without going to a much longer seat tube. Mind you most modern designs in the XL size do have decent ST length (as in less than 20cm).

Yeti's have appeared to strink in reach….or maybe I just remember my large SB66 being longer than it actually was:-)

its funny how that works. My size M/L surface used to be the best fitting bike I had ever owned. then I bought a size large Process, now my surface feels a bit short.