With a rush of new arrivals this week, the 2014 Kona bikes have landed.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a stock bike this cool.
Kona “Zing” size:53cm ¥105,000 (plus tax)
The aluminum-framed Zing is an entry-level model, but it’s more than capable of handling races. Furthermore, both the brake and shift cables are routed internally. The bold orange and blue color scheme on the matte white frame is striking. The fact that the wheel logos are also color-matched in orange shows a real attention to detail.
The components are Tiagra-based. If I had to point out one thing, maybe changing the brake calipers would be a good move?
That said, it’s assembled to be ridden hard. I’d love to see some energetic young rider pick this up, ride the life out of it, and then, if they get serious, upgrade to Ultegra and a nice set of wheels to take it to the races—that’s the kind of bike this is.
Please do consider it before the tax hike!