NSMB.com has a preview of Kona's bike lineup for 2007. The focus is on freeride and downhill bikes although there's news on the all-mountain front as well. Kona has created a lighter version of its mid-travel Coiler called the Coiilair which sports an air-shock in place of the spring coil rear suspension, for reduced weight and rider induced bob. NSMB also reports that Kona has a philosophy of continuous improvement and has mostly made refinements to existing bikes and no massive redesigns or new rides are in the lineup.
Speaking of Kona, I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Interbike 2005. I was talking to "Kona Jeff," a regional sales person for Kona, about how I have never been to Whistler to ride. He said, in his gnarly southern California surfer dude accent, "Graham, there are just two things that every man has gotta do before he dies; have hot and wild sex with the woman of his dreams and go to Whistler!" Words to live by.
Kona sure is a company with focus. I'm not sure how it compares to the big guys in overall revenue, but I'd say this is a company that will soon crack the big four (Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, and Giant) to make it five.
