SPECIFICATIONS - Kona

058 veriedkona
SO WE’VE ALL HEARD IT. “I COULD BUY A MOTORCYCLE FOR THAT KIND OF MONEY.
AND I’D HAVE A MOTOR, SO I WOULDN’T HAVE TO PEDAL.” YEAH. UH-HUH. WE KNOW.
AND FOR THAT GUY, THERE’S THE KONA ENTOURAGE. TO MAKE THE DEAL SWEETER,
IF THIS KNUCKLE DRAGGER ACTUALLY SPENT FIVE-THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A MOTO,
AND THEN DROPPED LESS THAN THREE ON THE KONA, HE’D HAVE TO SPEND TONS OF
EXTRA CASH JUST TO KEEP HIS MOTO RUNNING, WHILE HIS ENTOURAGE WOULD TAKE
A POUNDING FOR FREE, AND THE ONLY THING HE’D REALLY SACRIFICE IS THE LIGHT
WEIGHT AND EXTRA SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENTS THAT COME WITH TOP-DOLLAR BIKES.
TheTech
Kona’s Entourage includes their characteristically
overbuilt aluminum chassis, and single-pivotwith-bell
linkage design. Other than a solid
swingarm single pivot, there isn’t a simpler
design. But Kona points out that having a single
pivot allows them to tune the ride characteristics
for the bike’s intended use. In the case of the
Entourage, the pivot is placed above and slightly
behind the bottom bracket, in line with a 34- or
36-tooth ring, so the bike will pedal reasonably
well for a 40-pound mini-DH bike. The slightly
rearward initial axle path trajectory from the
bottom bracket helps the Entourage gobble
up good-sized square-edged hits. More than
anything, Kona’s execution of the design is stout.
Everything from the rocker links to the bearings
to the bolts are selected to withstand torture,
but you will pay a weight penalty for all this
durability. On the plus side, this Kona aluminum
frame includes a lifetime warranty.
Of course, the parts that Kona hung on
this frame also do their part to add to the bike’s
overall weight and durability, especially the
wheels. Sun’s MTX33’s are some of the stiffest
rims you can put on a bike due to the massive
amounts of material and the tall sidewalls. And
while the copious amounts of aluminum make
for a stiff rim, the tall sidewalls do make them
susceptible to dents if you like to run lower tire
pressures. Fortunately, Kona also wrapped the
MTX33 rims with Maxxis High Roller II DH tires
with 60-durometer rubber, one of the best allaround
tires in the world with a supple, pinchresistant
sidewall.
The Rock Shox Domain, with its steel
stanchions, is not built to be light. It’s built
to be affordable and strong. The fork doesn’t
have the most sophisticated damping system
in the world, but it works surprisingly well
over a variety of terrain, much like the Fox Van
R rear shock. In total, the combination of the
Van R with Kona’s simple rear linkage worked
far better at tracking the ground than the Rock
Shox Domain, leaving a bit to be desired when
it comes to suspension balance. Like the rest
of the bike, the suspension is a great start
for beginner riders, but once speed and skill
increase, a fork upgrade would be the best
place to aid the progression.
SPECIFICATIONS
CHASSIS
FRAME: Aluminum
FORK: Rock Shox Domain R CL;
170mm
SHOCK: Fox Van R; 170mm
COCKPIT
BRAKES: Avid Code R; 200mm f.,
180mm r.
HANDELBAR: Kona DH
HEADSET: FSA Orbit
SADDLE: WTB Devo
SEATPOST: Kona DH
SHIFTER: SRAM X7
STEM: Kona Jerk
WHEELS:
HUBS: Formula 20mm – f.;
Formula 12x150mm – r.
RIMS: Sun MTX33
TIRES: Maxxis High Roller 2 DH
DRIVETRAIN
BOTTOM BRACKET: FSA
CASSETTE: SRAM 950 11-32
CRANKS: FSA Moto
CHAINGUIDE: E*Thirteen FreeChucker
DERAILLEUR: Sram X7
PEDALS: Kona Wah Wah

060 veriedkona
Tester: Blake “Corn
Dog” Carney; Age: 21;
Height: 6’; Weight: 190;
Who I Be: I have been
racing bikes since I was
five years old. I started
racing DH when I was
12, and have loved every
minute. Mountain biking
is a big part o my lie, I
turned pro when I was
17 years old, and I have
been to the World Championships five times. I
eel a large part o rider’s progression is due to
the innovation o the industry that is pushing
the sport ull throttle! Class: Pro; I’m rad ‘cuz: I
have been lucky enough to travel the world and
ride with some o the best riders… And he can
guess your weight.
Lastly, the bar, stem and seatpost continue
this bike’s theme. None of the parts are light, but
the bar is wide, the stem is short, and the seatpost
is stout. Together, they are quality parts that are
built to perform and endure under punishment.
TheRide
The Entourage is most at home on shuttle
rides or at a bike park. Our test runs were on
shuttle trails – rough, rocky trails with lots of
imbedded sandstone and loose slough. We also
enjoyed some jump trails to see how it handled
in the air. This bike jumped very well for its
40-pound weight class. Given its girth, this bike
is remarkably flickable because of its 16.3-inch
chainstays. It also does a great job of sucking
up missed transitions when you come up short
or land in the flat – something that should be
important to any beginner gravity fiend.
Geometry In addition to the short chainstays,
Kona built the Entourage low to the ground with
a 13.3-inch bottom bracket, and slack in the
headangle at 65-degrees. In combination with
its stout construction, these numbers yield a
very planted feel on the trail, and make it very
comfortable when pushing it over the edges of
steep drop-ins. It also has a very low-slung toptube,
giving the rider lots of room to maneuver
the bike. Despite its front-end weight, the short
chainstays make this bike easy to manual or heft
the front wheel over any obstacle.
Descending When the speeds are lower, or the
hits are harsh, the Entourage really shines when
you consider the bike’s component spec and
pricepoint. However, when the speeds picks up,
and the hits come in a thrashing succession, the
simplified suspension is overwhelmed. To be
fair, only the most advanced bicycle suspension
designs excel at finding a good tune for both lowspeed
and high-speed impacts.
Overall
The Kona Entourage is a great value to riders who
can’t spend as much money as they would on a
motocross bike, but who need a bike to last a long
time under punishing riding. For those riders
who want to get after it on steep, rough terrain
a couple times every week, this bike is built low
and slack for confidence in the steeps, but will
also take a pounding with its sturdy construction.
For beginner riders just starting to shred, or even
for more aggressive riders looking for durability
and cost savings over weight savings, Kona’s
Entourage is a great park or DH bike. Lastly, the
lower standover height makes this bike a great
option for smaller riders like young juniors who
are just learning to love gravity riding.
Price: $2799; Weight: 39.8lbs. (w/o pedals);
Sizes: S, M, L (Tested); Colors: Matte Metallic
Grey w/ Charcoal; Contact: konaworld.com
Tester: Ryan
“Frenchie”
Gagnon; Age:
25 years old;
Height: 6’;
Weight: 158;
Who I Be:
A stiletto
punctured my eyeball, and a piece o my skull
the size o a gol ball has been removed. More
importantly, I have been riding mountain
bikes or five years. Class: Pro; I’m rad ‘cuz:
I’m doing everything with double vision and a
bruised brain, and you are the one complaining.
Tester: Joss
DeWaele; Age:
34; Height:
5’10”; Weight:
180; Who I Be:
Proessional
amateur.
Class: Cat 1
pack filler; I’m rad ‘cuz: I don’t use whatever as
an adjective.