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Trail slaying on the new Kona Honzo Carbon

Kona have taken one of our favourite trail-riding hardtails and put it on a plastic diet

Benjamin Haworth

Need to know

  • On-trend modern geometry
  • 120mm fork
  • Boost axles
  • Stealth dropper routing
  • Will be available in ‘Race’ or ‘Trail’ guises

The new carbon fibre Honzo builds on the great geometry and handling of the previous metal Honzo models but adds some carbon class and sheds a significant amount of weight.

>>> Kona Honzo AL (2016) review

How much weight haas been saved? Kona claim that the Honzo Carbon frame is 600g lighter than the alloy Honzo. That is pretty massive that.

xhonzo_cr_trail_dl_5

Combined with some fancier high-end components chosen for the top-end Honzo Carbon models we reckon there might be a Honzo Carbon hovering around the 27lb mark. We shall have to see when we get hold of one and bung it on our scales.

We’re off to have a go on the Honzo Carbon later this week actually so keep your eyes peeled on our Twitter and Instagram feeds for more piccies and titbits of info.

Kona HQ: “We never heard anyone say a 29-inch hardtail couldn’t have an aggressive trail geometry and carbon frame that is as fun to ride as it is to look at, so we made the new carbon Honzo CR Trail DL in the spitting image of what we’ve grown to love about full suspension trail bikes by spec’ing it with a 120mm RockShox Pike RCT3 fork, SRAM X01 and a KS Lev internally routed dropper. All the fun of a full-squish bike built into a trail capable hardtail.”

>>> Archive: Kona designer Chris Mandell talks 29ers back in 2012

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What about this video then?

It features Kona XC racer Rhys Verner and his unnamed mate pinning it around the juicy and slippy and fun singletrack trails of Mount Tzouhalem in British Colombia.

Kona HQ explain the location choice: “The trails had the perfect mix of flow, tech and pop. We couldn’t have picked a more fun place to film (or ride) a hardtail.”

Riding without rear suspension certainly doesn’t seem to hold Rhys back from catching some impressive airtime and totally railing the woodland curves.

2017 Kona Honzo Carbon model specs

honzo_cr_trail_4

HONZO CR TRAIL
Frame: Kona Carbon Trail
Wheel Size: 29
Wheels: WTB Asym i29 TCS
Fork: Fox Float 34 Performance 120mm Boost
Crankset: Race Face Aeffect SL
Drivetrain: Shimano SLX/XT Shadow Plus 1x 11spd
Cockpit: Kona XC/BC 35 bar and stem, ODI Ruffian MX grips
Brakes: Shimano SLX
Front Tire: Maxxis Minion DHF EXO TR 3C 29×2.3″
Rear Tire: Maxxis Ardent EXO DUAL TR 29×2.25″
Saddle: WTB SL8

honzo_cr_trail_dl_5

HONZO CR TRAIL DL
Frame: Kona Carbon Trail
Wheel Size: 29
Wheels: WTB Asym i29 TCS
Fork: RockShox Pike RCT3 120mm Boost
Crankset: SRAM X01
Drivetrain: SRAM X01 1x 11spd
Cockpit: Kona XC/BC 35 bar and stem, ODI Ruffian MX grips
Brakes: SRAM Guide RSC
Front Tire: Maxxis Minion DHF EXO TR 3C 29×2.3″
Rear Tire: Maxxis Ardent EXO DUAL TR 29×2.25″
Saddle: WTB SL8

honzo_cr_race_6

HONZO CR RACE
Frame: Kona Carbon Trail
Wheel Size: 29
Wheels: WTB KOM i23 TCS
Fork: Fox Float 34 Performance 120mm Boost
Crankset: Shimano SLX
Drivetrain: Shimano SLX/XT Shadow Plus 1x 11spd
Cockpit: Kona XC/BC 35 bar and stem, Kona S-LOG grips
Brakes: Shimano SLX
Front Tire: Maxxis Ikon EXO TR 3C 29×2.35″
Rear Tire: Maxxis Ikon EXO TR 3C 29×2.2″
Saddle: WTB SL8
Honzo Geometry