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I present my Kona Wo, does everything I need it to do with aplomb whilst remaining simple to maintain - like its owner!
Wheels - DT Swiss or KT/Sun Ringlé, according to tyre needs, both light and easy to maintain. Tyres vary according to conditions but both Schwalbe, the bombproof, light and grippy 4.8 Jumbo Jim or/and the (heavy) Al Mighty. Sometimes tubeless, sometimes tubed and filled with slime.
Shimano Deore eleven speed cassette and derailleur with excellent XT chain and shifter.
RaceFace Turbine cranks - easy to fit, adjust play and change chainring - with 30mm Hope bottom bracket.
Hope F20 pedals, I’ve got some F22’s but find them too grippy!
Brakes - Shimano Deore (XT in stock for summer) with Galfer pads and the underrated Aztec rotors (203/180), wear indicators included.
Bars are 800mm Shimano Pro Tharsis (carbon) excellent damping of vibration and only 200g, stem again Tharsis, 35mm. Grips are ODI.
Headset - top is Shimano Pro, bottom is M-Part Elite, both fantastic quality, good sealing and at a fraction of the price for Hope.
Seat is another item that goes under the radar, as a fan usually of Specialized but put off with silly prices I am extremely happy with this, again Shimano Pro, saddle, 152mm, on my first ride I forgot I’d fitted it, that’s how good it is - MSN 1.3 Enduro Saddle
Seat post is a OneUp version 2 that has been very reliable and protected by a Shimano Pro protector.
Mudguards/fenders are SKS fatboards, expensive, but having tried others - the best.
Motor - my (getting ever stronger) legs.
I reckon you can get a 5th mudguard on there somewhere.
Makes me miss riding my Voodoo Wazoo fatbike, sitting in the garage needing a new crankset since July '20, after the drive side crank sheared through the pedal axle on the way to work one morning.
i had a Wo myself for a year. sold it in a fit of despair when i reverted to AF.
i can honestly say, it was as good a trail bike as anything else i have ever owned.
ace bike.
I started this thread as an antidote to some of the postings on here.
A newcomer to this forum, and this fantastic sport and recreation might get the impression that to enjoy it you have to be able to spend huge amounts of money. Talk of “quivers”, pulling the trigger and the requirement to have no qualms about debt or the environment to have fun! The same views, seemingly without any thought as to other’s circumstances spill over into other threads, the “willy waving” car club, the electric car and bike participants, the frequent flyers and skiers…
So, come on you low budget enjoyers of the outdoors on pedal powered cycles, show us your low cost fun machines, let’s have some reverse snobbery!
I’ve ridden an analogue fat bike. It felt lifeless. I think you’d be better off, adding some kind of e-bike kit.
Kona used to make a carbon version?
A really light e-bike version of that would be the nuts.
Even if only for the added attraction of being able to ride over black ice, without the need for studded tyres.
You, missed the point! I’m very happy with it, it’s cheap, simple and doesn’t use too many finite resources. Or did you misunderstand on purpose?
A bit of a thread revival in case any newcomers are being put off our sport/recreation/hobby by the impression that you have to spend a fortune to have fun on two wheels..
I have had a very good summer so far on the fat bike, getting faster and I’m now faster than on my much lighter hard tail. I’ve still not fitted the XT brakes as the Deore are excellent for my purposes.
I have splashed out on a pair of Surly Nate/Bud tyres from Bothy Bikes for when the rain comes and I go to the Lake District, but so far the Schwalbe Jumbo Jims have been amazingly tough and reliable.
OneUp seatpost still excellent and the DT Swiss wheels have outperformed the original KT that had a bendy axle.
Biking on a low budget, it’s the way (my) way ahead. More fun per £!!
What have you got?
What have you got?
Lots of bikes, but this cost me around £500 when I built it up - did have some donor parts though. Was an awesome bike - still have it, just repurposed it slightly
Need to find a picture but similarly to the above I've got a second hand self build hardtail which I'm currently using as more of a gravel bike.
Frame and fittings, cranks and dropper were £500
Fork (pike) £250 second hand, on its second bike in my ownership
Wheels (hope/stans) £300, also second hand, on its second bike in my ownership
drivetrain 10spd XT likely £150 all in if I had to rebuy.
brakes (hope X2) £120 second hand
Finishing kit a random assortment of bits either retired from the nice bike (like brake rotors or pedals) or from the girlfriend's bike (as she doesnt want 780 bars or manarse shaped saddles etc).
Man maths says this is free, but only if you have other bikes in the household or willing friends to help you out.
My Stooge Mk4 😎 had it for 5 years now, and it's still my most ridden bike.
Very unblingy build - the only thing bought new for it was a set of (very discounted) Stans MK3 Flow wheels and some very cheap (£50 Inc rotors) Tektro brakes from Merlin. 
It's been used for everything from bikepacking to BPW.
I love my Ragley Marley bought as a frame in the CRC closing down sales and built up with parts from my old full sus. Super versatile. I've had fun with it at Antur Stiniog, and am about to set off bikepacking with it (with lighter tyres fitted).