Monthly Archives: March 2011

Kona Australia Supplies Sutras for Ride 2 Rescue

Welcome to Ride2Rescue! A journey that takes our team across the globe for an epic cause.
Join us as we cycle for over 25,000 km exposing the reality of child trafficking that exists throughout the world. Child Trafficking is said to be the third most profitable industry worldwide, after drugs and weapons. Child Trafficking occurs every day, children are being sold for as little as $10 into underground brothels, sweat shops and recruited to fight in wars. With the help of programs like World Vision Australia’s Child Rescue we all have the power to make a difference and work together to abolish child slavery.

Ride2Rescue’s purpose is to raise the awareness of child trafficking and raise much needed funds. For as little as $15 a month you can help support this important initiative to rescue, rehabilitate and protect children. To put things in perspective the cost of supporting Child Rescue is about the same cost of purchasing one coffee a week. Please pledge here to support World Vision’s Child Rescue.

Click here to find out all about the project and explore other ways you can help.

Posted in Advocacy, Konaworld Travels, News | Leave a comment

Connor Takes 2nd at Oceania Champs

Kona Project s2 ep5 from Sean Anderson on Vimeo.

KONA Sponsors

Posted in Downhill, Racing | Leave a comment

Tufts University Embraces Bike Share Program on Konas

Tufts University in Massachusetts is adopting a bike share program and they are using Konas. Hit the LINK to read more about it.

Posted in Advocacy, Asphalt | Leave a comment

Tonkin’s new Baby

Rhonda had our baby girl on March 20, the first day of spring…and another day of rain.

Her name is Coryn Lee Tonkin, but we call her Cory. She was 8 lbs. 12 oz., and she’s been great from the get-go.

Rhonda and the baby are doing well. I am still me, and I love my little girl.

I’ll try to send you and all my other Kona friends some better photos….

-Erik

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Sneak Peek – 2012 Carbon King Kahuna Prototype

For the last couple of weeks we’ve been trail testing a new 2012 carbon fiber 29er King Kahuna prototype at our Kona USA headquarters in northwestern Washington. Known for it’s fast, flowy and often technical singletrack, with unrelenting middle ring climbing and tight switchbacks, the trails around Bellingham are the ultimate testing grounds for Kona’s fast-growing fleet of 29er mountain bikes. Featuring a 142 x 12 rear axle, tapered heatube w/internal headset, a propriety Kona mold and carbon weave that’s one of the most durable in the industry, initial reports from our test team are positive to put it lightly (pun intended). At 1240 grams (frame only, without axle), this is by far the lightest 29er we’ve ever made. But don’t forget, we’re all about the Long Sweet Ride here at Kona, and have worked hard on this prototype to not only make it light, fast and stiff, but tough as well. Here’s an initial report from our Kona USA sales manager and all around hammerhead, Kevin Noble:

“Seven more hours on the carbon Kahuna this weekend with great trail conditions. I love our Scandium hardtails but I have to say the ride of this bike is incredible. I’m really not sure how to describe it but I would say compliant without being flexy and snappy when accelerating out of the corners. To put it simply the carbon bike rides like a Kona but way lighter. The bike is plenty stiff in the rear end without being harsh. The geometry is spot on.”

This is from Dale Plant, one of the fastest riders in the company:
“I want to call it the Ali because it floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee (sorry, it just kept coming to mind). Laser Guided Missle was constantly coming up as well. The bike feels incredibly fast (FAST Pat would approve…hmmm, only one letter away from FAT)…anyway, stiff as hell, responsive, accurate, and sexy all in one. This thing is going to kick serious ass when unleashed on race courses.”

Stay tuned for more as we continue to log big trail miles on this groundbreaking new bike from Kona.

Posted in 2012, My Kona, News | 11 Comments

Barracuda Gravity team from Belgium on their Supreme Operators

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Job Openings at Kona Europe

Hello talented people of the world. Kona is seeking a couple of qualified, professionally minded, bicycle industry savvy individuals for positions that need to be filled right away. If you’re interested, and fit the bill, please check out our JOBS PAGE to reply. If the below descriptions aren’t up your alley, there’s also a variety of other positions that need to be filled right away. Check it out.
Thanks, and good luck!

Position: COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER/GRAPHIC ARTIST
Responsibilities: Assist Kona’s team of product graphic designers to develop branded cosmetic treatments for Kona’s bicycle and component art, web art and communications, press relationships, and overall brand communications with a specific focus on the UK bicycle market, but also assisting on a global level.
Location: United Kingdom
Hours/salary: TBD

Qualified candidates will possess / demonstrate:
• Complete understanding of brand positioning and how it applies to product
• Solid understanding of current design trends in the context of sport/cycling culture
• Experience leading cross-functional teams
• Leadership, verbal, presentation and time management skills
• Complete mastery of Adobe Creative Suite
• Experience with brand storytelling and communication with public, press and dealers
• Knowledge of bicycle manufacturing, paint and decal processes
• Experience with video and photography production
• Proficient with print/web design and submission
• Proficient with Facebook/Wordpress management and communications
• Experience with cycling press: organizing tests, building solid relationships, etc
• Minimum 5 years of professional brand communications experience
• Minimum 5 years of professional production art experience

Position: SALES – UK REGION
Responsibilities: Must be a skilled, experienced and motivated sales person able to take care of developing the market in the United Kingdom
Hours/salary: TBD
Location: UK

Qualified candidates will possess / demonstrate:
• Must be available to travel, have bike knowledge, and at least 3-5 years of sales experience

Posted in Kona UK, News | 3 Comments

Grant Fielder- in Southampton filming again!

I’m loving my Iphone app. Loads more to come :)

Part 1-morning

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Part 2-Afternoon

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Part 3- Evening

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Posted in DirtJump, Freeride, Kona UK, The Team | Leave a comment

Glacial Wanderings

Jeff Conaway captures his buddy spinning up the the Knik Glacier is outside of Palmer, Alaska, near the famous Mat-Su Valley.

Posted in Random Weirdness | Leave a comment

The UCI DH & 4X World Cup 2011 pays a visit to the Out of Bounds Festival

Saalfelden Leogang, Austria, March 16th, 2011 – This year, the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup comes to Saalfelden Leogang again for the downhill and fourcross competitions. From June 10th to 12th, the biggest stars of the downhill and fourcross scene are gathering in the Bikepark Leogang to rock the newly designed downhill track and the fourcross track built last year. This year, the UCI World Cup is taking place as part of the Out of Bounds Festival. From June 10th to 19th, Saalfelden Leogang offers a schedule packed with everything a biker’s heart desires.

After Gee Atherton (UK) and Greg Minnaar (RSA) delivered an extremely close battle for the downhill World Cup 2010 that kept everyone on their toes, we can safely assume they will not be doing each other any favours this year either. 2010 world champion Sam Hill (AUS) or 2009 world champion Steve Peat (UK) will be sure to give their best to take the top ranks from them. The host country is represented by Markus Pekoll who is currently number 15 in the world ranking and certain to play his part in making this competition more than exciting at the Bikepark Leogang. In the ladies’ racing, Rachel Atherton (UK) can be expected to make a huge comeback after her injury and challenge last year’s winner Sabrina Jonnier (FRA). Read More

Posted in Downhill, Racing, The Team | Leave a comment

Matt Slaven- First Enduro of the Year

Last weekend I did my first race of the season in prime Pac NW winter conditions. It was the first of 3 races in the Spring Brake Super D series at the Sandy Ridge trail system. The mud on the course was perfect! We started in snow at the top and descended on icy roots and rocks for the first 5-6 minutes and then finished up with a muddy roller coaster pump track section for the last 6-7 minutes. For a small training series, it was a hit! Close to 90 riders showed up to play in the snow and mud.

March has not been kind to us here in the Northwest, unless you are a skier. I went for a pre ride to help mark the track and crashed three times just trying to make it to the bottom. Did I mention the race started in snow? Should make for an interesting first race, I thought to myself, and it was. I went first at high noon with hopes of having a clean run, without any major ball ups. Well, I had to reevaluate that goal after the first 30 seconds. I ended up hitting the deck twice and slipping out of my shoe during one of those crashes. Not too smooth, but I stayed on the gas all the way to the finish covered in mud. It felt good to get back to the routine of racing. Luckily, every rider that came through after me had similar tales of rootcicles and slippery mud bogs. At the end of the day, I had the fastest time by 15 seconds, and feel like I will be more prepared to head back to school, now that I had my Spring Brake!

A big thanks goes out to everyone that helped make this Spring series happen and to Butch from Sellwood Cycle and Repair for being there with the Kona van and support for the masses!
Matthew

KONA Sponsors

Posted in Enduro, Racing, The Team | 1 Comment

Dewey Interview in Bike Radar

Dewey gets interviewed in Bike Radar. To read the whole interview, click HERE

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