A Tribute to Kona Bikes

We don’t know what the future holds for Kona Bikes, a brand many of us on the BIKEPACKING.com team have ridden and cherished going back many years, but their unexpected and highly unusual departure from this year’s Sea Otter Classic and the ensuing announcement that the brand is now for sale doesn’t have us feeling optimistic about what’s to come. Nothing is set in stone just yet, but we’ve lost a number of bike brands as of late, including All-City, Vitus, and many others. We’re hopeful Kona won’t be joining their ranks any time soon.

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Since 1988, Kona has offered an almost unimaginable array of models to suit all kinds of riders, including classic rigid mountain bikes, cargo bikes, shreddy hardtails, fatbikes, commuters, full-suspension MTBs, cyclocross racers, dirt jumpers, kids’ bikes, tourers, road bikes, ATBs, and more in all shapes, sizes, and materials. We’ve covered many of those bikes during BIKEPACKING.com’s 12-year history through reviews and dispatches, even awarding several of them top spots in our annual Gear of the Year Awards. The Unit X won bike of the year in 2020, and we also recognized Kona’s bikes with awards in 2017, 2021, and 2023. Given their value and approachability, a number of our Kona reviews have been among the most popular posts in the years they were published.

Beyond its immeasurable contribution to getting untold riders on bikes, Kona has also been unwavering in its support as a site sponsor—something we’re incredibly grateful for as a small, independent outlet. And despite the tumultuous conditions they’ve endured, Kona’s current and former employees are among the most real and passionate we’ve worked with and gotten to know. Our hearts go out to them, and we can only hope someone with better business acumen and greater regard for its employees takes the helm. It’s disheartening to see a brand that abounds with history and potential be driven into the ground by a large corporation.

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Reflecting on a brand several of us on the BIKEPACKING.com team have a deep history with and an eye toward what we hope will be a brighter future, we put together this little roundup of a handful of our favorite Konas to grace these pages in the last decade or so. Find them all below.

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Kona Unit X

Logan: Bikes like the Kona Unit X epitomize how bikepacking rigs came to be and how they’ve evolved. In our eyes, it’s the quintessential rough dirt touring and light singletrack bikepacking rig, cramming in a whole lot of value into a refreshingly affordable setup. I reviewed it back in 2020 after it received a major update and described it as being incredibly versatile and a great value. It’s consistently one of my most recommended bikes for anyone looking for their first bikepacking bike. Read my review here.

Kona Sutra

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Lucas: I’ve owned many a Kona in the last 15 or so years, but the Kona Sutra touring bike I reviewed last year stands out as a recent favorite. It’s a classic tourer that stays true to its roots and sports thoughtful updates where necessary. Riding it brought me back to the excitement of my early days of riding fully loaded with four panniers and helped me reconnect with the feeling that first made me fall in love with traveling by bicycle. See my review here.

Kona Ouroboros

Neil: While I’ve only pedaled a few Kona bikes, it’s hard to knock the newfangled Ouroboros I reviewed last week. It’s a bike that checks a lot of boxes for me with its efficiency, bikepacking features, and overall inspiring ride quality when the terrain gets more challenging. Its looks were certainly polarizing, but having spent time riding one myself, I can confirm that there’s a degree of magic to it. Find my detailed review here.

Kona Worldbike

Lucas: Although it never appeared on the site, and I could only find one crappy phone photo of it from before I even had a smartphone, one of my most-loved Konas was my 2010 Kona Worldbike. Objectively, it wasn’t a great bike, but its studded 26-inch tires, fenders, and internally geared hub got me through several horrific Minnesota winters during graduate school. I picked it up as a commuter for just a few hundred bucks, crashed it a half-dozen times, ripped all around town on it, and more than got my money’s worth before eventually passing it on to someone else, who I hope is still riding it around Minneapolis!

Kona Hei Hei

Miles: The Hei Hei has a long-rooted history in Kona’s lineup. Once a titanium hardtail with rim brakes, in 2020, it was updated with new geometry, more travel, larger tire clearance, and a new rear shock position that had me wondering how it would fare as a fastpacking bikepacking rig. Long story short, the Hei Hei proved itself as an efficient yet surprisingly capable bikepacking rig when going fast is a priority. I got out for a rip down the Lower Sunshine Coast Trail in British Columbia and moved effortlessly through chunky coastal singletrack, double track, and more. Find my review here.

Kona Sutra LTD and (U)LTD

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Logan: I don’t ride many drop-bar bikes, but two of my hands-down favorites are the venerable Kona Sutra LTD and Sutra (U)LTD, two distinctive beasts that I rode thousands of miles through the rugged Appalachians and high-elevation Paramos of Colombia. Both proved to be ideal dirt-road ramblers. You can find my in-depth review of the (U)LTD here and a look at my loaded Sutra LTD here.

If you’re so inclined, please leave us a note with some words and a photo of your favorite Kona in the conversation below!

Further Reading

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