Good news for fans especially those who wrestle MTB Free Ride (Downhill) and Ekstream XC (Cross Country). Tyre manufacturer Michelin launched variant known their latest product line-up for 2011.
Michelin show off their latest products in event Other Sea Classic 2010, which took place in Monterey California, USA. The event with the main sponsor SRAM is also lively addition to the exhibition by some good competition and Roadrace MTB race.
Tyre manufacturer Michelin as both road and MTB did not want to miss showing their latest products. One of the significant interest is the latest new line-up of the popular Wild Grip'r Descent with comp 16 with completion of casing and Compond.
Wild Grip'r Michelin tires Descent is an official product for the year 2011. For the rider who has been frequently used for Downhill Compond 16 Michelin, the tire texture looks familiar from the old model.
2.5 "rigid casing with a weight of 1300gr as suitable for the aggressive rider.
In addition Grip'r Wild Descent, Michelin also released Wild type Rock'R Descent. Terrain tire specifically for Downhill and Race in the heavy offroad terrain (hard terrain).
Extra soft compound Michelin Wild Rock'R Descent with new tekture guarantees comfort and safety when ridding in extreme terrain. Wild Rock'R Descent version is present in two options ie tread width 2:25 "and 2.5". Two types remain the same size rigidnya and continue to function even though the maximum tire pressure is low.
In addition to Michelin Wild type Grip'r Descent has variant type Michelin Wild Wild Grip'r Grip'r and Advanced, Advanced type is compatible with the rims tubbles without the addition of sealant (no sealant required).
New Tires MTB Michelin
Info Harga Sepeda Polygon 2010 MTB HardTail
Zona Sepeda – Polygon merupakan merek sepeda buatan indonesia, terkenal tidak hanya di indonesia tapi juga di asia-pasifik. Polygon mempunyai beraneka ragam produk-produk sepeda diantaranya adalah jenis sepeda gunung dan sepeda balap. Sepeda gunung yang lebih kita kenal dengan sepeda MTB atau Mountain Bikes dan sepeda balap yang kita kenal dengan Road Bike.
Kali ini zonasepeda memberikan info Harga Sepeda Gunung Polygon jenis MTB. Polygon memproduksi 2 macam jenis sepeda MTB, yaitu jenis Hardtail dan Full Supension. Info Kali ini tidak seperti info ZS sebelumnya, yang membagi menjadi seri royal series dan seri standart, info kali ini ZS mencoba mengemasnya menjadi satu yaitu “Info Harga Sepeda Gunung Polygon Hard Tails“.
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NISSAN UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD CUP FORT WILLIAM DH - 4X
Lanjutan seri Nissan UCI MTB downhill 2009 akan berlangsung di Fort William Scotlandia akhir pekan ini 6/6/2009. Fort william akan menjadi ajang bersaing rider MTB dari seluruh dunia. Jenis kejuaraan yang berlangsung seri ini antara lain: seri DH (downhill), 4x (Cross), Trials.
Yang paling menonjol dalam setiap event UCI Mountain Bike adalah seri kejuaraan DH downhill, dimana rider-rider MTB dari berbagai negara dan tim bersaing ketat merajai event tersebut. SantaCruz Syndicate, Monster Energy Specialized, KHS Team, Animal Commencal merupakan tim-tim besar dengan rider MTB yang terkenal, sebut saja Greg Minnaar, Sam hill, Gee Atherton, legenda downhill Steve Peat.
for more info click here
NEW HAVOC DOWNHILL HANDLE BAR
Handle / Riser Bars atau yang lebih kita kenal dengan stang kemudi, produk terbaru dari EastonBike berupa riser bars merupakan salah satu komponen vital pada sepeda gunung MTB.
Riser bars dari Easton bike ini berlabel “Easton Havoc DH Riser Bars“, dari namanya handlebars jenis ini hanya di peruntukan untuk MTB jenis DH (downhill). Havoc memberikan statemen dalam webnya bahwa DH bar ini sangat fleksibel jadi cocok di gunakan untuk sepeda gunung MTB di medan apapun.
Handle bar jenis ini tergolong jenis monkey bar (stang monyet), Easton mengembangkanya dari EA70 Monkey bar-MonkeyLite DH bar. Easton Havoc mengeluarkan produk ini untuk para penggemar sepeda gunung MTB terutama yang menggemari tipe DownHill, medan downhill yang berat dituntut handle bar yang kokoh dan kuat sehingga handling ketika riding terasa lebih mudah dan aman.
for more info click here
NEW MTB MERIDA TRANS-MISSION 5000-D
Harga : 8,799.00 AUD
Perusahaan Sepeda asal Taiwan ini terus mengembangkan produk-produk sepeda andalan mereka, Merida berusaha memberikan kelebihan khusus pada sepeda produksi mereka dengan “cutting-edge technogy” merupakan terobosan baru dalam pembuat frame sepeda.
for more info click here
Steve Peat Winner Lisboa DownHill
RESULT LISBOA DOWNHILL
1 Steve Peat (GBr|Santa Cruz Syndicate) 0:01:38.281
2 Mick Hannah (Aus|GT Bicycles) 0:00:00.185
3 Greg Minnaar (RSA|Santa Cruz Syndicate) 0:00:01.733
4 Emanuel Pombo (Por|Liberty/Run&Bike Specialized) 0:00:02.245
5 Roger Gonzalez (Esp|Valnord/Commencal) 0:00:02.361
6 Andrew Neethling (RSA|Trek World Racing) 0:00:03.763
7 Paulo Domingues (Por|Biciplus) 0:00:03.873
8 Marc Beaumont (GBr|GT Bicycles) 0:00:04.030
9 Thibaut Ruffin (Fra|Commencal/Riding Addiction) 0:00:04.341
10 Justin Leov (NZl|Trek World Racing) 0:00:04.494
11 Luis Ferreira (Por|Ventana Garcia Sports) 0:00:05.158
12 Helder Padilha (Por|Team Baeta/NVAuto/Ext.Rid) 0:00:05.885
13 Daniel Wolfe (Irl)
The Briton beat Aussie Mick Hannah (GT Bicycles) and his own team-mate Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) to take the top spot.
Peat said it was the hardest urban race he had ever competed in. He said: "After a bad qualification session, the race was very hard and I felt the pressure until the last second!"
Trek World Racing's Andrew Neethling, who came sixth, said: "This race is so different to what we do normally. The restricted practice and the need to get to know this course, for carrying speed and braking points, means that each time you come here, you learn a little more. I'm still learning but I'm stoked to have a sixth. I really didn't think that was possible for me here, but I'll take it!"
New Cannondale Rush Carbon
New Cannondale Rush Carbon 2009 have integrating components into the frame design shaves weight and boosts performance. Little wonder other companies have begun to follow Cannondale's lead more than a decade after we started using Si. On the Rush, Si is used both at the head tube and bottom bracket for premium steering and pedaling performance, respectively.
Carbon fiber is like a piano. Don't tune it right, and it's junk. Which is why Cannondale's HI-MOD unidirectional carbon fiber sounds so sweet: Greater design flexibility and tube profiling precisely tunes ride quality.
Better performance from a lighter frame that uses less material? It's possible when design is optimized and frame loads are integrated as part of the engineering process. That's the beauty of Cannondale's monocoque construction.
For long-distance riders looking for premium pedaling efficiency with excellent suspension response and lower maintenance requirements, Cannondale's use of a single-pivot design makes sense. Marathon riders don't need to worry about link flex or losing energy to an inefficient suspension set-up.
Because our Cannondale Retailer Shops are all independently owned and operated, prices and availability will vary from Dealer to Dealer, from State to State, from Province to Province and from Country to Country. We highly encourage you to contact your local Cannondale retailer to test ride your bikes of choice and inquire about their pricing and availability.
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Round #3 Result
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Round #3
DOWNHILL FINALS RESULTS
Elite men
1 Steve Peat (GBr|Santa Cruz Syndicate) 0:02:22.05
2 Gee Atherton (GBr|Animal Commencal) 0:00:00.02
3 Greg Minnaar (RSA|Santa Cruz Syndicate) 0:00:01.41
4 Mick Hannah (Aus|GT) 0:00:01.66
5 Justin Leov (NZl|Trek World Racing) 0:00:01.88
Elite women
1 Sabrina Jonnier (Fra|Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles) 0:02:41.58
2 Emmeline Ragot (Fra|Suspension Center) 0:00:03.87
3 Tracy Moseley (GBr|Trek World Racing) 0:00:03.89
4 Céline Gros (Fra|Morzine-Avoriaz 74) 0:00:06.19
5 Myriam Nicole (Fra) 0:00:06.83
Steve Peat stormed to his second World Cup downhill victory in a row yesterday, and in the process ensured his place in the record books.
The Brit's 17th podium top-spot means he has beaten the previous record for the highest number of World Cup wins set by his old arch rival Nicolas Vouilloz.
He also has a strong lead in the series, with a total of 645 points – 127 more than his nearest rival, Santa Cruz Syndicate team-mate Greg Minnaar.
Despite big black clouds overhead the rain stayed at bay throughout the racing in Vallnord, Andorra on Sunday and all the riders raced on a dry track.
Australian Mick Hannah (GT Bicycles) set a super-fast time early on and held the lead right up until number four seed Minnaar hit the track. Greg held a strong pace all the way down and posted a 2:23.46, just 0.25 seconds ahead of Hannah.
Next up was Peat, who attacked the course, putting in extra pedal strokes wherever possible, and unseated Minnaar by 1.41 seconds. World champion Gee Atherton (Animal Commencal) followed and crossed the line just 0.2 seconds behind.
Fox Racing HC Jersey
The Fox jersey value line takes a huge leap for 2008. Adding incredible prints and patterns has made your motocross dollar stretch a whole lot more. The HC180 pairing boasts overwhelming attention to detail behind its extremely affordable price. Features Main materials 100% polyester
Micro-cuffs offer unrestricted wrist movement
Set-in sleeve construction for a comfortable unrestricted fit
Moisture-wicking polyester main body keeps you dry
Rib-Neck V-Neck band gives comfort and ventilation
Closeouts are limited to stock on hand
UCI MTB World Cup Round Two Result
UCI Mountain Bike 2009 Roud Two Result
FINAL RESULTS
Elite men
1 Steve Peat (GBr|Santa Cruz Syndicate) 0:02:07.1
2 Samuel Hill (Aus|Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz) 0:00:01.3
3 Michael Hannah (Aus|GT Bicycles) 0:00:01.9
4 Brendan Fairclough (GBr|Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz) 0:00:02.9
5 Gee Atherton (GBr|Animal Commencal) 0:00:04.0
Elite women
1 Sabrina Jonnier (Fra|Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles) 0:02:28.6
2 Tracy Moseley (GBr|Trek World Racing) 0:00:05.0
3 Myriam Nicole (Fra) 0:00:06.2
4 Mio Suemasa (Jpn) 0:00:06.8
5 Emmeline Ragot (Fra|Suspension Center)
Steve Peat (Santa Cruz Syndicate) is one victory away from taking the all-time lead in Downhill World Cup victories after an incredible ride at this year's second round in La Bresse, France yesterday.
After recording his 16th victory, Peat now matches French rider Nicolas Vouilloz in World Cup wins. He has also moved into first place in the overall standings for this year's competition.
"I'm very happy to win after such a long time, and happy to break Vouilloz's record," said Peat afterwards, referring to the fact that this is his first World Cup victory since Willingen, Germany in 2006. Referring to the fact that his team-mate Greg Minnaar won the first round in South Africa, he added: "It's good to keep the jersey in the team."
The short course required the skills of an all-round rider to perform well, with fast pedaling and jumping sections at the top, followed by steep, technical and rocky sections in the lower half. Many a rider started out fast, only to lose precious seconds in the final third of the 1.2km course.
The men's race had a potential upset in the making when heavy rain swept in shortly after American Kyle Strait (Specialized Team America) grabbed the hot seat. Strait was 29th to start, and the track had been dry and hard until that point. Favoured Chris Kovarik (Chain Reaction/Intense) crashed shortly afterwards, showing how slippery it was getting.
Strait's time of 2:12.33 held up for over 30 riders before Justin Leov (Trek World Racing) managed to displace him by a mere five-one-hundredths of a second. Leov also settled in for an extended sit in the hot seat, remaining in the top spot until the final 10 riders began their runs. Strait would finish 11th, just behind Leov.
Leov's team-mate Andrew Neethling was the first to better Leov, dropping the leading time to below 2:12 (2:11.98). However, he was replaced immediately by Mikael Pascal (MSC Bikes). Minnaar was next to take the lead, but again it was a short lived reward, as Britain's Brendan Fairclough (Monster Energy-Specialized) became the first rider to go under 2:10, with a 2:09.99 run.
Kona BASS
The bike park world is changing. Slowly over the last few years the long travel, heavy dh bikes have morphed into 8” racing machines, and the 7”all around bike have gone to single crowns. Immerging in the mists of all the changes was a slope style specific chassis that has been gaining momentum in the last year via support from several different brands. Intense has the SS, Norco has the Empire and Kona has the Bass.
The Bass features a DHX Air shock in the rear with a Marzocchi DJ1 in the front sporting custom graphics that matched the rest of the bike. We pumped up the DHX making the bike very firm and acting more like a hard tail, but still had some squish for the larger landings.
Handling. The Bass was super fun to ride, with the short chain stays it showed us new lines on trails that we hadn’t seen before. Being able to pump it through doubles on Crank It Up then switch it up with transfer lines in the dual slalom course. It was a blast on tight and technical trails like Ninja Cougar & Karate Monkey, but with being a short travel bike you could feel the larger bumps go through your body.
ref[whistlermountainbike]
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Merida Bike Carbon FLX
5 European Championship titles, 15 Worldcup victories and 5 World Championship titles are an impressive record.
It shows that it is not only weight that is a determining factor, but the perfectly realised composition of weight, stiffness and comfort.
The CARBON FLX was a winner right from the beginning. Every year it improved further, and every year new victories came along.
New in 2009: the „surface bonding“ bottom bracket shell and unidirectional top-layer laminate help to decrease the frame’s weight to 1100 grams on a frame-size of 46 cm / 18".
The tapered shape of the seat- and chains stay in combination with their special fibre-mix provides surprising comfort at high-frequency vibrations - and this is measurable, finishing second in the comfort evaluation in a test of the best Carbon-Hardtails („bike“ 12/07)
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MTB Gary Fisher Bikes Hi Fi Pro
The HiFi Pro has had an interesting life thanks to its unique steering geometry and numerous frame changes. This year’s version is an absolute belter, though, with great trail manners in a high value package that’s light enough to race.
Ride & handling: Agile, super enthusiastic and capable trail bike that’s light enough to race
Fisher explain the reasoning and mechanics of their unique G2 frame and fork geometry on their website. Basically, it creates a lighter, faster reacting bar feel without affecting overall stability.
The increased twitchiness and amount you can steer before a G2 bike changes direction can be startling at first. However, get used to ignoring the initial bar flap and front end slide sensations and you’ll find few bikes will wrap round the back of trees or trail centre switchbacks faster. This is particularly true of the HiFi, although the angles are actually fairly relaxed by cross-country standards.
What really helps propel this bike into the 'we love it' category though is the increased frame stiffness. It’s still not the stiffest bike around but it’s far more controllable and front/rear coherent than the ‘two unicycles tethered by an elastic band’ versions we’ve wriggled round the trails on previously.
The 120mm-travel custom Fox RP24 (essentially an RLC) fork and 2in stroke ‘eXtra Volume’ shock give it a noticeable edge in suspension terms. It’s a supple, controlled and tuneable ride over small to medium-sized stuff, with only big, square edged blocks really slowing it down.
In short, this was a bike where we never felt we had to back off, charging into situations as hard as we'd normally do on 130mm bikes. With weight at just over 26lb this is an outstandingly light 120mm bike for just over two grand.
The weight, easy speed and supple ground connection make this an excellent technical climbing machine too, and any smooth surface pedal bob is easy to tune out with the various ProPedal platform damping levers and dials.
Frame: Seriously light for the travel but G2 geometry takes some getting used to
Even in a world of increasingly swoopy, curvy frames the HiFi is probably the most bent of all. The deep V top tube and S-bent downtube are T-shaped in section too. The seat tube gets a triple keyhole split to the spread post clamping stress, while the lower end bottoms onto a heavily hollowed out single piece main pivot mount and bottom bracket shell.
A neat forged H-link creates a ‘T’ with the rear of the Fox shock while unbraced carbon fibre seatstays give masses of mud room. Chainstay to downtube cable/hose routing is unconventional but works well and you get two bottle mounts on and under the downtube for bevvy and bottle battery duty respectively.
Equipment: Top-spec Fox suspension, powerful Avid brakes and decent Bontrager wheels
Not only does the overall weight stand out for the money, but the Fisher could be lined up for close component scrutiny with many £2,500 bikes.
We’ve already mentioned the top-spec Fox dampers, and control also gets a serious boost from the powerful Avid Elixir brakes.
The Bontrager Rhythm wheels are impressively light for broad rimmed, tyre plumping rolling stock and the new XDX rubber is a great match too.
The corpulent Bontrager tyres can be run soft for excellent traction and micro comfort, and they're super-fast on drier, hardpacked trails injecting instant speed at every chance, even if they tend to surf rather than stick in wetter conditions.
The XTR/XT/SLX transmission is typically smooth and accurate. Bontrager’s alloy gear is all well shaped, lightweight kit and we like the inside edge only ‘lock-on’ grips. The short stem/high riser bar cockpit makes upward mobility very easy.
ref[BR]
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How do MET make their helmets
Ever wondered how a MET (from helMET in case you were wondering) helmet is made? We went to the company’s Italian headquarters to find out…
Founded on the shores of Lake Como, Italy in 1987 by Lucianna Sala and Massimo Gaiatto, the MET helmets factory now sits in the heart of the Alps in Talamona. The state-of-the-art facility is capable of producing 3,000 lids a day.
MET pride themselves on the fact they design and manufacture helmets on one site, enabling them to innovate and develop new products much more quickly than their counterparts.
Birth of a lid
Each new helmet begins life on a computer screen, where the shape and venting is designed. Exhaustive testing on every new model is carried out before any physical helmet is made.
Structural impact simulation testing is done to find any weaknesses, and geometry modifications can be made following 3D computer model testing.
Once the helmet has passed this stage, a 3D printing machine is put to work and creates a life-size model of the helmet.
When the helmet gets the go-ahead, it can be produced in bulk in the company’s own factory.
The outer shell of each helmet is created from a polymer sheet which is heated and then blow-moulded.
The robot then gets to work, using a fine drill bit to cut the venting holes, strap anchors and any other incision needed on each helmet with absolute precision. The completed shell is removed from the mount, ready for the next process.
The robot then gets to work, using a fine drill bit to cut the venting holes, strap anchors and any other incision needed on each helmet with absolute precision. The completed shell is removed from the mount, ready for the next process.
Any waste from this stage is recycled and turned into, among other things, coat hangers – it's MET’s aim to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
Poly injection
The next stage in the manufacturing process is to fill the shell with polystyrene – the stuff that will protect your head if you hit the deck. The polystyrene is melted and injected inside a large machine, and the shell is then cooled with water. This is later recycled and used in the building’s toilets. After three minutes, the helmet comes out of the machine and is ready to be tested and finished.
Rigorous testing
MET distribute their helmets worldwide, and the headwear must conform to the standards of each country it is sold in.
All testing is carried out in the on-site laboratory using a range of punishing apparatus. The machine we were shown simulates a 60mph crash onto flat ground. There’s another anvil they use to simulate hitting the corner of a pavement.
Because high-end helmets like MET's new Sine Thesis have less material (polystyrene) in them, they’re more aerodynamic, will keep your head cool more efficiently and will be lighter.
The process of creating a top-end helmet is far more time consuming, intricate and requires more energy than producing a cheaper model, as we found on our visit. More venting on a helmet requires more cutting and therefore more time, which equals more money.
A low-end model can be created in mass quantities using a mould which is capable of producing helmets six times as fast as a £134.99 Sine Thesis, for example. The Sine Thesis has a more complex design and therefore needs more time and attention paid to it.
The production process for each helmet is the same, however. “We combine all features in every helmet: first safety, then design, then ventilation,” said product manager Matteo Tenni.
ref[BR]
Merida HFS XC 2000D
"The Merida is a light and fast race-ready MTB bike with the easygoing personality of a trail bike"Merida’s HFS 2000-D sits one step down from the top of the HFS (Hydro Forming System) range. It’s fast, light (24.2lb) and adaptable enough to be far more than just a purist race bike.
If you’re looking for a sharp-handling, high-speed race bike that’ll be more than happy in as a fast trail bike, the HFS 2000-D will serve you as well as anything else we’ve tested at this price.
Ride & handling: Fast and sharp, but without feeling race-bike nervous
Not everyone will appreciate the flat bar and bar ends on the 2000-D, but they’re easily changed at point of purchase if you don’t – and it’s worth mentioning that the bar is fairly wide and there’s an inch of stem height adjustment.
The Merida’s handling is sharp without feeling race-bike nervous. The tyres are just cushy enough to mute the pinball effect as you flow your way through rocky, rooty sections, but you never feel that speed is compromised for comfort.
On the contrary, the comfort adds enough confidence to boost speed potential, and the 2000-D climbs and accelerates as a race bike should, with only the board-hard saddle reminding you how stiff the back end is as it skips through dodgy lines made possible by the superb performance of the fork. The fork, plus the long ride position, makes it a confident descender too.
Frame: First class detailing and minimal weight
Merida are good at building hydroformed frames, as they make them for a lot of other manufacturers, and proudly display state-of-the-art methods in their own structures.
While the resulting aesthetics are a real talking point, the weight, strength and performance advantages are far more crucial to the frame’s true value.
Every tube on the 2000-D is formed to create the ideal blend of durability, minimum weight (just over 3lb) and the sort of sharp trail feel that sets this apart from the lower-budget hydroformed offerings out there.
Equipment: Great RockShox SID fork and Mavic wheelset
An 80mm travel RockShox SID Race is the ideal fork choice – it’s beautifully controlled and has a handlebar switch for lockout duties. The drivetrain mixes SRAM X9 and X7 with a Truvativ Firex crankset.
The Mavic Crossride blade-spoked wheels are a highlight, but the Maxxis CrossMark 2.1in tyres make a bigger difference in terms of trail performance. An almost constant centrestrip tread means they are very fast in all but slippery conditions, but widely spaced side knobs make for decent cornering traction and the profile is big enough to noticeably boost comfort over the bumps.
ref[BR]
Kona Hei Hei (2009)
Kona were one of the first manufacturers to produce a super-short-travel full-supension bike (rather than a soft-tail) and the latest Hei Hei is arguably the best yet.
While 2.5in of travel might not seem worth having, on flatter, faster trails where lightweight responsiveness rather than serious impact soak is key, this is a rapid and enjoyable ride. Original kit is workable if not wild value for money, but there’s a load of upgrade potential in the scandium frame.
Ride & handling: Whiplash-quick, tightly controlled high-speed singletracker
With weight comfortably under 26lb even on our large 20in sample bike and fast rolling Maxxis Crossmark tyres, the Kona is an immediately rapid feeling ride.
Compared with previous Hei Heis, the scandium frame and rocker hardware is plenty stiff too, so you can jam the power down instantly rather than working through rear end wag.
Add a ‘proper’ riser bar to a (comparatively slack) 70° head angle and this is a bike that loves to crackle and carve through tight technical singletrack.
The long stem works fine at the big-ring speeds this bike encourages, although a shorter unit would make it even more responsive if you’re normally a mid-ring paced rider. The ample top tube length means you certainly won’t suffer in terms of breathing space either.
If you’re wondering what use 2.5in of rear suspension is, the answer is it depends how you set it up. Keep it soft and the falling rate linkage creates a surprisingly smooth and linear stroke that adds plush tracking and continuous traction connection to the rear tyre.
Noticeable bob means you’ll be flicking the ProPedal platform damping lever as soon as the trail smoothes out though, and bigger hits will bounce it off the stops regularly.
As a result we reckon most racers will run it tight for a hardtail feel 90 percent of the time, but with emergency impact control to save your bum if that overtake line turns out to have a crafty ditch or a boulder hidden in it.
Either way it’s a useful addition in comfort and control terms that gives the Hei Hei a very definite advantage over hardtails on rougher and longer trails.
The Fox fork up front completes the sorted short-travel suspension pairing to create a very composed high-speed/long-haul machine that you can still really rip on in the fun stuff.
The ultralight scandium tubeset is stiffened using a ‘coffin’ to hexagonal section downtube and ‘coffin’ to oval sections for the kinked top tube with a reinforcing gusset under the throat.
The main pivot just behind the bottom bracket and rear pivots on the seatstay create a simple swingarm wheel arc. The big sculptural magnesium rocker driving the super-short 140mm Fox shock adds extra stiffness.
Finishing is slightly agricultural with no less than four different cable/hose guide points, with three different types of guide on the top tube.
You get two bottle cage mounts and reasonable mud room under the simple plate seatstay brace. The bolted seat collar is an anodised colour match to stem and seatpost, while red anodised pivot caps pick up red frame splashes.
Kona’s finely spaced frame size options offer a super-accurate fit for most riders – a major reason for their outstanding customer loyalty.
A lot of what you’re paying for here is upgrade potential, with the same frame being used on the super pimp XTR/ CrossMax/Race Face ‘Supreme’ version.
Given that the Hei Hei still delivers an impressively low weight despite relatively chunky items like the square stem, mid-range Shimano SLX brakes and chainset – and a saddle and seatpost that weigh 510g alone – you can see that creating a seriously light bike needn’t cost you the £4696.99 of the Supreme.
In practical if not prestige terms, it’s sorted straight from the box. Yes, the stem could be shorter if you prize singletrack dive over climbing stability but you don’t need to buy a riser bar.