Kona Lana'I (2018) - Review

The Kona Lana’I has been made using butted 661 alloy, making it lightweight and sturdy. The slightly downward sloping top tube allows for a comfortable riding position, especially while riding on technical trails involving rough terrain and rugged downhill stretches. This bicycle comes with a Suntour XCT Suspension fork with 1mm travel. The suspension worked well to absorb shocks felt when tested on uneven and rugged terrain.

The Kona Lana’I comes equipped with Shimano Altus front and rear derailleurs. The shifting is controlled by Shimano EZ-Fire shifters. When tested, I found the shifting to be efficient and precise. A major highlight of this bicycle was the shifting, for me which was smooth, and seamless. The trigger shifters were placed well within comfortable reach of the rider, even those with smaller hands. I feel that at this price point, the gearing components could have been slightly upgraded, for instance to an Acera Rear Derailleur.

The Kona Lana’I has been designed keeping simplicity a centric theme. The bicycle I rode came in a bright green with branding in black. The side of the frame has the company's branding in bold lettering, in black. You can tell that the glossy paint job is of high quality, and definitely adds to the overall appeal of the bicycle. The bicycle is available in two colours - a bright green and a bright yellow.

The Kona Lana’I comes equipped with Tektro Aries Disc Brakes. The braking mechanism was impressively sharp and responsive. It required a light touch of the Shimano Brake Levers to bring the bicycle to a stop. The brakes are sure to be effective on rugged trails as well, in terms of aiding with control and stoppage. The Kona Aluminium Riser handlebar was broad enough to ensure an open chested riding position. Additionally, the width of the handlebar ensured superior control and stability of the bicycle. The only slight improvement I feel could be to the grips. I felt that they were slightly hard on the hand.

The Kona Lana’I comes equipped with WTB Trail Boss 27.5” x 2.25” tires that are attached to double walled alloy rims. The tires are closely threaded, offering good grip and traction. They performed well on bumpy, rugged paths and were comfortable enough to ride on well-paved roads. The tires are sure to offer extra grip as needed when on technical trails. This bicycle comes equipped with a Kona XC Saddle. The saddle is comfortable, and well padded, to ensure extreme comfort when on longer riddes as well as while tacking trails.