With the typhoon gone, it feels like the air has turned suddenly autumnal since yesterday afternoon. The sweltering heat that I kept wishing would just end already has, in hindsight, become something I'm starting to miss.
Summer is almost over, but I still want to keep drinking beer in my T-shirt!
Wishing you a cool end to the summer. This is Nabetaku.
Well then, following the recent Motocross International exhibition, here is the second installment of our exhibition blog. This Wednesday, I went to the 2017 model exhibition for KONA and GIANT!
First up is the Canadian brand, KONA.
This year's lineup includes many complete bikes that I'd recommend to anyone buying their first bike or trying out a new genre of cycling. Many models have simple color schemes, and there are plenty that you can purely call "cool!"
Now, let me introduce the MTBs.
UNIT ¥109,000 (excl. tax)
This is a carry-over model from last year, but it now comes standard with 27.5+ semi-fat tires, increasing both cushioning and off-road performance. It's a rigid, single-speed bike with no suspension or gears, but with these thick tires and the freedom from the hassle of shifting, you'll be able to zip through forest trails with ease!
The color is now a solid matte green, which adds to its coolness.
Another great thing about this model is its high expandability. If you find yourself wanting gears, the rear hub is compatible with cassette sprockets, so there's no need to rebuild the wheel. And if you decide you want cruising performance for touring rather than 27.5+ off-road capability, you can swap them out for 29er wheels—it has a freedom that comes from being simple.
How would you ride it?
PRESEPT 150 ¥236,000 (excl. tax)
Places like Fujimi Panorama in Nagano and Fujiten Snow Resort in Yamanashi let you take gondolas to the top of the course for exciting downhill riding. However, if you want to enjoy MTB locally, you inevitably have to climb the mountain yourself. For times like that, I recommend the Precept 150.
Equipped with a 150mm travel fork that lets you attack the descents, the Precept 150 also features a Swinger system on the rear suspension, which efficiently transfers your power into the bike on climbs. Honestly, I'm surprised at the price for a bike with such a cool paint job, a front-single drivetrain, and an 11-speed wide-range cassette (up to 42T). I can't find a single part that needs changing!
I recommend this to anyone who wants to do both forest trails and downhill riding but only wants to own one bike. Even as I write this, it's the one I want the most.
WHEELHOUSE ¥185,000 (excl. tax)
As someone who loves road bikes, the Wheelhouse is my top recommendation.
It’s a gravel road bike that uses upgraded Reynolds 853 tubing from the entry-grade models and is equipped with disc brakes. While it uses lightweight, crisp-handling tubing even among chromoly frames, the characteristic suppleness and durability of chromoly are still there.
It comes standard with 30c tires, and while the rear derailleur is a 10-speed Tiagra, it uses an 11-32T cassette that's great for climbs, so you aren't limited by terrain. A gravel road bike is a bit different from a cyclocross bike, and this one should take you anywhere, far and wide, in comfort. It comes with rack mounts as standard, and I really want you to experience a refreshing ride with some bike packing.
COCO ¥85,000 (excl. tax)
This is a carry-over model, but I'm introducing it because it's our ideal vision of a commuter bike.
It features a mixte frame that's easy for women to step over, disc brakes for stable stopping power even on rainy days, and comes standard with full fenders. Add a front basket or rack, and it’s the perfect everyday bike. The shifting uses reliable Shimano parts, so the performance is guaranteed. For city riding, you don't really need front shifting anyway!
I find myself wishing that more women would ride such cool bikes. Or is that just me? Just don't—and I mean, don't!—attach a rear carrier and try to ride double!
I'd love to introduce more, but please let me show you the rest in the shop.
I've posted some photos, so if one catches your eye, please feel free to ask, "What bike is that?"
Next up, I'll bring you the GIANT edition. Stay tuned!