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Kona Launches New Budget DH Bike – The Precept 200, Plus New 26″ Process 167 Freeride Bike

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Kona Precept

At every World Cup Downhill race, we fawn over the latest and greatest prototypes. And while carbon wizardry and one-off suspension components fuel innovation at the upper echelons of the sport, it’s bikes like the three thousand dollar Precept 200 that make it affordable for everyone else.

The new model mimics the geometry of the World Cup Proven Supreme Operator, but uses a Swinger Independent Suspension (*cough* linkage driven single pivot *cough*) to provide reliable plush travel.

Konda Precept Front End

Sporting proven 26″ technology and a 64 degree headtube, the bike is suitable slack enough for any course. A non-direct mount stem likely helps reduce costs, and will slip in the event of a huge crash, rather than bend the handlebars or crown.
Kona Precept Suspension

This Swinger Independent Suspension system is utilized by Kona’s Precept line of entry level trail bikes. In this iteration, it allows for 200mm of travel at a great price point. Another advantage to the design is that it’s dead simple.

As long as the shock is tuned appropriately, we’ve found this suspension platform performs well while offering a fun ride, and is generally very reliable.

Kona Precept Rear End

With the goal of keeping price low and maximizing durability, the Precept has been spec’d with a Domain Fork, powerful Code R 4 piston brakes, burly Sun MTX rims, a Sram X7 drivetrain, Kona Wah Wah pedals, and Maxxis DHF Tires.
2015 Kona Precept Geometry Chart

We love seeing affordable well spec’d bikes being offered, and with three different sized available, this should fit everyone from growing groms to weekend warriors.

Process 167Kona Process 167

Also sporting 26″ wheels, the Process 167 is an DH/Freeride/Enduro bike, that features super short 415mm chainstays, 170mm of travel, and a slack 65 degree head tube angle.
Kona Process 167 Bike

Designed for play, the $4,999 bike uses the same rocker independent suspension system found on the rest of the Process bikes.

The build kit features a burly Lyrik fork, X01 drivetrain, new Avid Guide brakes, wide Frequency i25 rims, and KS Lev Post.
Kona Process 167 Linkage

Rather than follow the marketing hype and make compromises, Kona chose to go the 26″ route with this model because it allowed them to make the chainstays as short as possible, lower the BB, and dial in the geometry, without making geometry sacrifices.

Kona Process 167 2015 Geometry

If you want to call this bike the new Stinky, Kona is ok with that. #26AintDead #LongLiveFreeride

Stay tuned to Kona next week for the full 2015 product announcement.

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Vectorbug
Vectorbug
9 years ago

Why did you spell out the price?

notapro
notapro
9 years ago

Hell yes. Kona keepin it real.

billy bonney
billy bonney
9 years ago

Stop with the pound signs, please.

MulletRacer
MulletRacer
9 years ago

Sick

padrote
padrote
9 years ago

so much coughing

umbrellaboy
umbrellaboy
9 years ago

What is this black cassette on the precept ? Or it is just caused by the light…

brattercakes
brattercakes
9 years ago

Why is he coughing…

groghunter
groghunter
9 years ago

The black cassette is probably because it’s not a Shimano or SRAM, but one of the third party manufacturers who’s name escapes me at the moment. It’s probably similar to the hard finish that SRAM puts on the X01 cassettes.

Mark
Mark
9 years ago

Entry level shimano cassettes are black

SDog
SDog
9 years ago

SRAM XO1 cassettes are black.

Brody
Brody
9 years ago

Or it could be that it is a new model cassette from SRAM, All of the high-end SRAM cassettes are black.

Ron G.
Ron G.
9 years ago

Now that the Horst Link patent has expired, Kona should just quietly move that rear pivot below the axle. They don’t even have to come out and say “Okay, it was a single-pivot all along.” Really, no questions asked.

groghunter
groghunter
9 years ago

probably not an X01 cassette, when it’s running a X7 derailleur. That also, lowers, but not eliminates the possibility of it being a Shimano(Not super common to mix specs like that on complete bikes, at least in the rear shifting dept., since both brands claim their 10 speed systems aren’t compatible with each other, spacing wise.) If I were speccing bike models, I’d probably go with a slightly higher end off-brand cassette than a entry level SRAM or Shimano. The brand i was thinking of (Rukion, I think?) makes some pretty good product, like those high quality capreo compatible cassettes that Canfield sells, and that Titanium cassette that was shown here a few months ago.

Pichy
Pichy
9 years ago

“The build kit features a burly Lyrik fork, X01 drivetrain, new Avid Guide brakes, wide Frequency i25 rims, and KS Lev Post”

Definitely I bet for XO1 cassette…

groghunter
groghunter
9 years ago

^We’re talking about the Precept, not the Process.

k
k
9 years ago

everything kona put out in the past few years is GREAT!

deadman
deadman
9 years ago

The horst link why?? it is on the Special__ed bikes and is a shift adjusting chain slack nightmare!! And probably the number one reason why they “HAVE” to run the brain shock.

I know most of the designers at Kona and they have worked and tested ALL the suspension designs and pick the best all around for what they are trying to achieve.

That’s why the Process bikes are not traditionally numbered in the design 100 MM 110MM 120MM etc… they are not compromising the design to hit a certain number, they designed the suspension to work best and gave us a true number when finished.

deadman
deadman
9 years ago

Another advantage to the design is that it’s dead simple.

Ham-planet
Ham-planet
9 years ago

@deadman
A Horst link design is just as simple to the end-user.

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