Why We Bought KONA Bikes: A Look at the 2023-24 Carryover Models

January 8, 2024

As many of our regular customers may know, many of the staff at our store (Eirin Marutamachi) are KONA users.

KONA, one of our top recommended brands, frequently appears on the Marutamachi store's official blog. But it's not just because we, the store, "recommend it!"

"It's a brand that our staff, just like you (our customers), actually purchased" = "It's a simple & real RECOMMENDATION!"

This time, I will explain why we recommend KONA, one of the most popular brands among our staff, from the perspective of "someone who actually purchased it"!

▶KONA Official Japan Website is here

- Table of Contents -

"Reasons why we genuinely recommend the KONA brand"
"Gravel/Touring Lineup"
"MTB (Mountain Bike) Lineup"
"Cross/Commuter Lineup"

Reasons why we genuinely recommend KONA BIKES

●About the KONA brand

KONA is a brand famous in the MTB and cyclocross fields, originating from North Shore, Canada. Currently, the main head office functions are on the US office side, and the Vancouver office serves as a sales base within Canada.

KONA's spirit is not to pursue technical extremes, but to always give form to the voices of riders.

This means creating bikes that not only aim for victory in races, but also cater to each rider's unique riding style and way of life.

Because all KONA staff are riders with their own riding styles.

That's why they can reliably convey the bikes they want to the people in the factories abroad who make them, and then convey that passion to all of you who become KONA riders. That's KONA.

▶Quoted from the official website

It seems like this introductory text summarizes everything even before we say anything, butone of the biggest reasons we became Kona users is because we resonated with the "bikes themselves" that express that spirit, and the "brand's ethos" tied to them.

▶Product page is here

●Why we chose KONA

A wide range of products featuring niche specifications and styles that are a step ahead of other major brands, offering something different from the mainstream (standard).
High cost performance comparable to major brands

Among the many brands available for purchase in Japan, is there any other brand that achieves such a high level of both these seemingly contradictory elements?

Point 1 above, "Niche work that can simply be described as 'maniacal'"

● "UNIT-X" and "UNIT" that adopt a slider end that enables customization to a single speed.

● "HONZO ESD," a chromoly hardtail MTB with a steel frame and slack geometry, designed for downhill enjoyment.

● "SUTRA LTD," an adventure touring bike equipped with 29ER MTB tires.

● "UTE," a longtail bike capable of carrying an overwhelming amount of cargo. ※2018 model year

● "COCO," which expresses a mixte frame that is easy to ride even with a skirt, using an aluminum frame and disc brakes.

It's different from the mainstream (speed and performance superiority) of major sports bicycles = something desired by people who genuinely enjoy cycling and want to improve their lifestyle.

KONA, unlike other brands, does not merely view bicycles as "tools for transportation" or "tools for winning races," but rather offers "shining logic that aligns with the lives of cycling enthusiasts" while also prioritizing cost performance, never becoming overly luxury-oriented.

It proposes many specifications and models that are delightful for "improving, enjoying, and having a long relationship with" your cycling lifestyle.

As a result, I believe that the spirit itself, above all else, creates an "unrivaled and unique position" = "coolness as a brand" that resonated with our hearts and made us actual users.

Honestly, the sales format (style), including the pricing, which "conveys the intention and passion of the creators," even without extensive promotion,

Brand image aiming for a better cycling lifestyle

captured our hearts! KONA, with its profound generosity that allows us to connect with it authentically at any time, truly stands out as a top recommended brand.

≪KONA Product Page is here≫

Gravel/Touring Lineup

●ROVE series, SUTRALTD, LIBRE CR, MAJOR JAKE

2023-24.KONA SUTRA LTD

List price: 278,000 yen (305,800 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 264,100 yen (290,510 yen including tax)

MTB enthusiasts might find themselves on an adventure with this bike? Road bike enthusiasts might be riding singletrack in the mountains?
The Sutra LTD is the ultimate adventure bike that shakes off preconceived notions of bikes and opens up a new world.
It features a frame deeply influenced by MTB geometry, a SRAM Rival 1 11-speed drivetrain, 180mm rotor disc brakes, and a standard dropper post. The 29x2.25″ MTB tires will skillfully navigate rough terrain.

▶Click here for the 2024.KONA SUTRA LTD Introduction Article

2023-24.KONA ROVE LTD

List price: 292,000 yen (321,200 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 277,400 yen (305,140 yen including tax)

The flagship of the ROVE series, combining a beautiful butted chromoly frame with a tapered head tube, flat mount disc brakes, and a Rove Verso Full Carbon fork with carrier mounts for carrying plenty of gear.

The reliable SHIMANO GRX 2x11-speed drivetrain and hydraulic brakes deliver excellent performance even in harsh, muddy conditions.

WTB KOM Light Team i23 TCS rims and Venture TCS 650x47c tires are gravel-ready.

▶Click here for the 2024.KONA ROVE LTD introduction article

2023-24.KONA ROVE ST DL

List price: 226,000 yen (248,600 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 214,700 yen (236,170 yen including tax)

The ride of a steel bike, whether on paved roads, gravel, or trails, is mild and smooth (comfortable). It is also strong and durable enough for tough use.
The Rove ST DL is a simply tough bike with a classic look and feel.
It features comfortable and nimble 650b WTB ST i23 TCS tubeless-ready rims.
This is a high cost-performance model equipped with a SRAM Rival 1x11-speed drivetrain and TRP (mechanical & hydraulic hybrid) disc brakes.

2023-24.KONA ROVE ST

List price: 166,000 yen (182,600 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 157,700 yen (173,470 yen including tax)

The Rove is a model that embodies the demands of users who say, "I want to ride a bike like this!"
It's a popular model that combines appropriate component selection, the durability unique to a steel frame, a mild ride, and a simple, refined look.
It's a versatile bike for commuting, gravel to trails, on-road, and bike touring. While it's a steel bike with front and rear thru-axle standards and 650x47c wheels, it's available at an affordable price without compromising on quality.

2023-24.KONA ROVE AL 650

List price: 118,000 yen (129,800 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 112,100 yen (123,310 yen including tax)

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MTB (Mountain Bike) Lineup

●UNIT series, HONZO series, PROCESS series etc

2023-24.KONA UNIT X

List price: 190,000 yen (209,000 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 180,500 yen (198,550 yen including tax)

The Unit X is a hugely popular model among Kona enthusiasts. The Reynolds 520 Butted Cromoly frame is highly durable and can withstand rough handling, making it perfect for bikepacking and adventure.

It also has numerous gear mounts, allowing you to customize its carrying capacity. The frame also features slider ends, enabling a smart conversion to single speed.

With a Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain and tubeless-ready WTB Ranger TCS 29x2.6 tires, it's a KONA masterpiece model that's ready for any riding scenario.

▶Click here for the 2024.KONA UNIT-X introduction article

2023-24.KONA UNIT

List price: 163,000 yen (179,300 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 154,850 yen (170,335 yen including tax)

The UNIT is a single-speed MTB that pursues ultimate simplicity, combining a single-speed, chromoly frame, and a rigid fork.
Its simple and robust structure frees riders from unexpected mechanical troubles. The frame and fork are equipped with gear mounts, allowing you to attach water bottles and gear as your ideas dictate.

You can also install a derailleur by replacing the sliding dropouts.

2023-24.KONA HONZO ESD

List price: 315,000 yen (346,500 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 299,250 yen (329,175 yen including tax)

If Mad Max rode a bike, he'd pick the Honzo ESD. This bike, a fusion of the classic hardtail Honzo and a monster, featuring geometry inspired by the Process X, is perfect for riders who want to push the limits on trails.
The steel frame, which can also be converted to single-speed with slider ends, comes standard with a 150mm travel Marzocchi Bomber Z1 fork. Shimano Deore 4-piston brakes provide ample stopping power, and Race Face AR 30 rims with durable Maxxis tires tackle harsh terrain.

It's like a warrior of the wilderness.

2023-24.KONA HONZO DL

List price: 289,000 yen (317,900 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 274,550 yen (302,005 yen including tax)

2023-24.KONA HONZO

List price: 198,000 yen (217,800 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 188,100 yen (206,910 yen including tax)

2023-24.KONA BIG HONZO DL

List price: 208,000 yen (228,800 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 197,600 yen (217,360 yen including tax)

2023-24.KONA BIG HONZO

List price: 159,000 yen (174,900 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 151,050 yen (166,155 yen including tax)

2023-24.KONA KAHUNA

List price: 172,000 yen (189,200 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 163,400 yen (179,740 yen including tax)

2023-24.KONA MAHUNA

Selling price: 136,000 yen (149,600 yen including tax)⇒Our selling price: 129,200 yen (142,120 yen including tax)

2023-24.KONA LAVADOME

List price: 90,000 yen (99,000 yen incl. tax)⇒Our selling price: 85,500 yen (94,050 yen incl. tax)

2023-24.KONA CINDER CONE

List price: 136,000 yen (149,600 yen incl. tax)⇒Our selling price: 129,200 yen (142,120 yen incl. tax)

2023-24.KONA PROCESS 134 AL 29

List price: 260,000 yen (286,000 yen incl. tax) ⇒Our selling price: 247,000 yen (271,700 yen incl. tax)

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Cross/Commuter Lineup

●COCO, DEW Series

2023-24.KONA COCO

List price: 95,000 yen (104,500 yen incl. tax)⇒Our selling price: 90,250 yen (99,275 yen incl. tax)

2023-24.KONA DEW PLUS

List price: 90,000 yen (99,000 yen incl. tax)⇒Our selling price: 85,500 yen (94,050 yen incl. tax)

2023-24.KONA DEW

List price: 72,000 yen (79,200 yen incl. tax)⇒Our selling price: 68,400 yen (75,240 yen incl. tax)

Despite significant price increases due to the spread of the coronavirus, wars, and various other factors, the 2023-24 continuous models from KONA offer excellent cost performance, and with a price revision in November 2023, they are now an even better deal!

While some models and colors are sold out, all our staff members have ridden or purchased a KONA at some point.

Among the brands we carry, KONA is definitely one of our top recommendations!

Some previous-season sale items are also available at great prices, so please take a look!!

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