We’ve been waiting for Kona to release their full range of new bikes for a while. They’ve released the new bikes in the Process range. Both the 134 and full carbon. Amongst the Roves and others. The latest of the range comes in the form of the Kona Hei Hei Trail CR/DL. Kona claim that everyone who swings a leg over one notes that it outrides its numbers, surpassing their expectations of a trail bike’s capabilities.
The frame is fully carbon making the bike very light & efficient. The Hei Hei Trail comes with a Fuse suspension design, snappy and playful on the way back down. The Kona Hei Hei Trail CR/DL 27.5 is ready to shred with a RockShox Pike and Reverb dropper with 1x lever, SRAM Eagle drivetrain and Guide brakes, and carbon WTB Ci31 TCS rims with 3C Maxxis tires.
What’s new?
Carbon Build
This Kona Hei Hei is designed to be lightweight and built to demanding standards. Carbon fiber has long been praised for its weight and strength, but rather than chase grams, we place our efforts on the performance that is possible when the right high-modulus fibers are in the right places. Our designers work very closely with our manufacturer to ensure there is no compromise to the desired ride characteristics, durability and – finally – weight stipulations that we expect from our bikes.
INTERNAL HEADSET
Bearing cups are actually pressed into the frame and are easily removable. An internal headset also reduces stack height, so the height of the stem and bars are more adjustable, giving the rider the best fit possible.
TAPERED HEAD TUBE
More girth at the bottom of the head tube better distributes shock force, prolonging the bearing life of the headset itself and eliminating brake shudder, while providing confident steering performance. The inherent strength of its triangular design also means a stronger steering position and improved balance, giving the rider more control in rough terrain. A zero-stack, tapered head tube also puts strength where the load is going—into the lower headset cup—maximizing bearing durability where it’s needed.
TUBELESS COMPATIBLE RIMS
Tubeless rims allow for tires with more puncture resistance; the ability to run lower tire pressure, which provides better tire grip on the trail; lower rolling resistance; and weight savings over traditional tube and tire systems.
12x148mm AXLE
12x142mm, 12×148 and 12×157 rear axle standards provide two major advantages to the Kona rider: the 12mm diameter of the rear axle provides the rear hub and frame with a stiff interface, while the 142/148/157mm outer diameter of the hub allows the wheel to be quickly and properly positioned in the frame before the rear axle is inserted. For 2017, you’ll see the 12×148 Boost standard in the mix. Boost spacing provides more tire clearance at the chainstay yoke, while the rear wheel is stiffer and more durable relative to a 12×142 thru-axle.
FUSE INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION
The Kona Hei Hei’s Fuse Independent Suspension is designed to be as lightweight and efficient as possible, oriented specifically for the demands of the modern XC trail rider. Like all of our suspension platforms, the Fuse IS is designed around a single pivot with a predictable leverage ratio for a responsive, snappy feel. Built for our Hei Hei platform, the frame features a seat stay that relies on small degrees of frame flex rather than a pivot at the seat and chainstay junction. The result is an efficient, laterally stiff suspension system that takes weight savings to a new level.
27.5″ WHEELS
The benefits of the 27.5-inch wheel are simple: they roll over obstacles and track better than 26-inch wheels, but are more maneuverable and nimble than 29-inch ones.
We’ll be stocking these soon at CycleStore, so keep your eyes on the site!
