Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Kona claims the second generation of its Libre gravel bike is “lighter, tighter, stronger, faster, and more responsive,” with redesigned geometry, new specs, and clearance for 700 x 45mm tires with fenders. Take a look at the 2025 Kona Libre here…
Considering Kona’s future looked murky after they suddenly backed out of the 2024 Sea Otter Classic after setting up their booth, we’re happy to see the iconic and well-loved brand cruising into a fresh chapter. Last year, two of Kona’s original founders, Dan Gerhard and Jake Heilbron, purchased the storied brand back from Kent Outdoors, and they aim to return it to the roots it planted in 1988. We haven’t seen many new product releases since then, so seeing a fresh Libre CR gravel bike hit the market is exciting. Watch Kona’s launch video below, then read on for more.
The second generation of the Kona Libre CR builds on the original and is still designed around a lightweight carbon frame and fork, race-ready geometry, and clearance for 700 x 45mm tires with room for fenders. The frame has two standard bottle mounts, top tube bosses, and additional mounts under the downtube, but it ditches the dedicated rear rack mounts in exchange for fender mounts with a seatstay/fender bridge. The matching fork no longer has three-pack mounts, a telltale sign that the latest Libre is a gravel race bike at heart.
Other updates and specs include a new 27.2mm seatpost for added compliance, flat mount brakes front and back, and a SRAM UDH rear dropout. The geometry has also been updated with a longer reach, steeper seat tube angle, shorter headtube length, and shorter stack, allowing a more aggressive race-ready ride position. Combined with shorter chainstays, the 2025 Kona Libre looks like it should provide a snappy and fast ride quality. It’s also available in six frame sizes instead of five, providing a more precise rider fit.
2025 Kona Libre CR Geometry
| SIZE | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 56 | 58 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST LENGTH | 440 | 460 | 480 | 510 | 540 | 570 |
| TT LENGTH | 527 | 542 | 556 | 573 | 590 | 610 |
| REACH | 380 | 385 | 390 | 395 | 400 | 405 |
| STACK | 550 | 565 | 580 | 600 | 620 | 650 |
| STANDOVER | 733 | 752 | 770 | 799 | 825 | 855 |
| HT ANGLE | 70.5° | 70.5° | 70.5° | 70.5° | 70.5° | 70.5° |
| HT LENGTH | 109 | 125 | 140 | 165 | 186 | 218 |
| ST ANGLE | 75° | 74.5° | 74° | 73.5° | 73° | 72.5° |
| CS LENGTH | 435 | 435 | 435 | 435 | 435 | 435 |
| BB DROP | 75 | 75 | 75 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| BB HEIGHT | 285 | 285 | 285 | 288 | 288 | 288 |
| WHEELBASE | 1030 | 1040 | 1050 | 1064 | 1076 | 1092 |
| FRONT CENTER | 606 | 616 | 626 | 639 | 651 | 667 |
| FORK LENGTH | 410 | 410 | 410 | 410 | 410 | 410 |
| FORK OFFSET | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Other specs include a removable front derailleur plate for folks who want to run a 2x drivetrain, 46T max chainring size in a 1x setup, internal dropper post routing for short travel droppers, and fully internal cable routing. It’s available in one well-rounded complete build that features a SRAM Apex XPLR AXS 12-speed drivetrain, Ritchey touchpoints, and WTB Vulpine 700 x 45mm tires. That’s priced at $3,599 USD and is available online or through your local Kona dealer. The Libre CR/DL frameset costs $1,950 and is not currently available online.
Learn everything you need to know about the 2025 Kona Libre at KonaWorld.com.
Further Reading
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