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I'm looking for a bike like the Kona Honzo CR 29er, a carbon 29er with head angle less than 69 degrees. Any recommendations? The only things stopping me buying the Kona are price and the fact you can't make it 2x if needed (I've only ever ridden 3x).
No help here but I have a Kona Cr race with some proper upgrades and Iove it. Try to find a secondhand one maybe?
Thanks - no second hand ones. There is a new one on eBay in London; I'm in Aberdeen, so not ideal. Sizing also needs to be thought of; I believe the cockpit is very long. I'm 178cm and in between medium and large on the sizing guide.
I'm around your size, a little taller and mine is a medium and fits nice.
New Genesis one? Think under 69 with a 120mm fork, or the Saracen one which is similar.
Cheers,..
Yep Genesis Mantle or Saracen Zenith worth a look. I did have a Mantle on order until I realised it uses a direct mount Shimano mech hanger so you can't use Sram on them, but if you're happy to only be able to use Shimano (I wasn't) then definitely worth a look as the Mantle is seriously nice otherwise!
That Mantle is a nice machine! Very similar to the Honzo
A bit less aggro than the Honzo, the reach is fair bit shorter and the chainstays are longer, will give a more "XC" feel even with the same 120mm fork as the Honzo. But still a very nice bike, only cancelled my order as other things cropped up and as I say I realised you can only use Shimano drivetrains with it and I'm sold on Eagle these days!
Might be worth looking at the weights instead of limiting it to carbon-only. e.g. what does the new SC Chameleon weigh?
Another one to look out for second hand is the Transition Vanquish.
Kona Honzo CR: 1.34kg, 2.95lb
SC Chameleon: 2.08kg, 4.6lb
Transition Vanquish: 1.5kg, 3.3lb
hmm - a fair difference after all.
It's not just the weight I guess, the damping qualities (if designed well) of Carbon should be better than Alu. Steel and Ti also play in here but steel is typically heavier and Ti perhaps too expensive.
Saracen Zenith Carbon is fun and can take a Ft mech (and is Di2 ready with battery port etc).
Stock bike comes 1x but you can buy as frame only and build as you want or modify the stock bike.
68 HA - same as Honzo, nice low BB, stacks of clearance (unlike Honzo). Upsize if you want Honzoesque reach. CS are mid length rather than uber-short, so better for climbing steep stuff, and overall better balanced (for me).
I had mk1 Honzo, and now have the Zenith Carbon. Love it!
Both Mantle and Zenith work with both hanger types, so not limited to Shimano.
Mantle is more XC, Zenith more Trailbike.
thanks great advice there. I think a custom Zenith is on the way!
actually just order an off the per Zenith - price was too good to refuse.
anyone know the weight of the Saracen Zenith?
New beastie ...will post thoughts later..
The Zenith is 11.6kg if anyone is interested.
Nice!