In 2006 I purchased a 2005 Kona cowan frame that i could custom build. This review is based on my experience on using the frame rather than the full bike supplied by Kona. Despite this I can comment on the specification and value for money of the full bike. The best feature of this bike is certainly the frame, retailing at around £499 alone. The components on this bike are chosen based on there performance as jump bike components. Taking into account what this bike will be used for, all the components are strong and durable. The more you pay for bike components, the lighter and more efficient they become without sacrificing any strength. The components on this bike are fairly average when compared to the quality of the frame. Therefore I think the bike is a touch over priced at £1000 rrp, but certainly worth the money. The frame itself is very light, weighing between 2 and 2.5kg. It has, in my opinion, the perfect geometry for dirt jumping. I have been using this frame for almost 2 years and have had no structural problems whatsoever. The geometry of the frame allowed for a good stand over height and fantastic manouverability over the dirt jumps. The suspension forks are slightly heavy but can withstand a whole lot of abuse. The drivechain components are mid-range and slightly heavy but should last a lengthy amount of time with a small amount of maintainance. If you have a spare £1000 i would certainly recommend this bike. As another option you can purchase the frame seperately like me but buying and building the bike to the same specfification may actually work out more expensive. To summarise it is a top of the range bike with an excellent aluminium frame that i would recommend to anyone looking for a quality dirt jump bike.
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