Tuesday, November 15, 2005

My First Road Bike! The Kona Zing Supreme!

The deal
A few weeks ago I called the Kona Rep and ordered a new bike. My first road bike! The bike shop called me yesterday and told me it was in so I when and finished putting it together. I not trying to be much of a roadie, but just wanted a bike I could use for training and getting faster, so I can ride my Mountain bike faster and more recklessly on the trails, hopefully not hurting others and myself.

The bike and parts
Anyways it’s a Kona of course! The Zing Supreme. Its pretty!!! It’s a dark metallic grey color the tubing is Dedacciai EM2 Hydroform Aluminum with Carbon Stays. The tubing has been really nicely shaped and formed to create a stiffer frame, sometimes the frame looks as if its two toned grey and black. The photo that I’m going to post or link doesn’t do it justice. The rear triangle and seat stays are nicely shaped carbon fiber, also the fork and steer tube with a nice shape blade fork. The insert that pulls the fork and stem/headset cap together is a really cool design not typical of the all the other star/screw type that pulls them together. Defiantly an improvement for carbon steer tubes. Really nice carbon FSA cranks set, FSA external BB. 53/39 dbl. rings. The crank feels really responsive and stiff, maybe due to the external BB. Doesn’t come with any pedals, but how many of use just switch those out anyways?! Ultegra group - F/D, R/D, shifters, brakes, brake levers, chain, freewheel and cassette. Mavic Ksyrium Equipe wheels w/ bladed spokes. Continental tires, special edition Selle Italia saddle FSA stem, seatpost, FSA Orbit headset w/ carbon caps, FSA wing bars.

link to the bike http://www.konaworld.com/shopping_cart/FrontEnd/Products/product_detail.aspx?productid=356&parentid=253

What I think and how it rides
There isn’t really anything about the bike that I don’t like. Beside no having disc brakes! The bottom bracket area seems to be nice and stiff, which was great for those sprints against the 30mph+ winds last night. My buddy said at one point were pushing 44mph with a tailwind, the at that point I could feel all efforts coming out of the rear tire on the ground. The carbon fork and steer tube combined with the carbon rear stays really makes for a nice ride taking out a lot of the Michigan patched/cracked road shock. Some other bikes I have ridden have felt sloppy with the carbon rear triangle but this one fells different maybe it the wishbone seat stays or just stiffer and better designed carbon, but feels really good during out of the saddle sprints and climbs. I like the bike the looks the ride the pricing and best of all Kona knows how to build a strong durable bike that’s going to last! Sure it not an out of the box race bike, weighing in at 18lbs stock! But for every pound dropped your gonna pay about $1000 more. Needless to say the bike with this setup won’t put you in the pour house, sure maybe a little debt, but thats why 0% balance transfers were created. And were Cyclists so remember the golden rule! its going to be christmas soon buy yourself something nice!

Similar bikes ridden:
Cannodale Six13
Lemond steel/carbon frame
Klein attitude
Trek 5200
Trek 5000
80’s steel Schwinn

Thanks Kona!