Kona Operator

theMerryPrankster

theMerryPrankster

Likes Dirt
sikpuppyonglory said:
If you think the glory geo is crap or just not up to scratch against the kona, you could always get a cane creek adjustable headseat or the k9 angle set to slacken or steepen the head angles to get a better preference.
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This idea works only to a point, but when the chips are down there's more to geo than head tube angle.

Not having memorised (and being too lazy to check) the geo of the Kona vs. Giant, I would imagine there are differences in seat tube angle, BB height, wheelbase, and chainstay length. All of these will affect the ride, and can't be modified with an angleset.

Thus, refer to mine and other's earlier arguments of - ride both and buy the one that feels best. Don't buy based on components.
 
Dymalla

Dymalla

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theMerryPrankster said:
I would imagine there are differences in seat tube angle, BB height, wheelbase, and chainstay length. All of these will affect the ride, and can't be modified with an angleset.
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You're right to an extent. Changing the head angle isn't gonna change a lot but it does do a bit. Think about it.. Slackening the head angle means the front wheel is further away (longer wheelbase). Also by slackening it you get a lower BB. Chainstay length isn't gonna change but then thats where you probably need to ride each frame. Short chainstays means its gonna rail tight corners (Demo 8's), long chainstays means a bit more effort to get it to corner that tight but its probably gonna handle certain bumps better. The seat tube angle will be changed slightly as the front end of the frame does lower a bit when you slacken the head angle, which is another thing - you can get lower bars which a lot of people are liking at the moment. A 1 degree slacker head angle is probably gonna give you 1 - 2cm's more wheelbase. None of it seems like much but it makes a pretty big difference.
 
muskimo

muskimo

Likes Bikes and Dirt
in all honesty, ive ridden both extensively on weekends over a period of a month bear in mind that im not a fan of eather brands look(im a fan of straight tube framesets, thats why i jumped on the 2011 makulu over last years).
if i was to be blindfolded (for use of a better word) i would have to say the kona would be my choice, its all about the confidence in a ride for me, that the kona seems to offer in truck loads over the giant, its not just head angle, that i feel offers that confidence, its the way the suspension behaves. the giant seemed to bash through the travel, quite harsh almost felt like it was bottoming out all the time, where as the kona had a more fluid feel, it didnt get harsh, stayed relatively stable through off camber corners, the lower slung feel of the kona i liked much better than that of the giant, other wise they were both quite good, but ill stick to my morewood.

also i would have liked to try them both on FOX as they both had RS front and rear, im not a fan of air sprung forks, after being a RS WC fan for ever, then giving the 40's a shot last year, i wont go back to AIR, (i like the R2C2 over the WC also)
 
sikpuppyonglory

sikpuppyonglory

Likes Dirt
Kona operator:
small seat angle 75 deg, headtube 64 deg, chainstay 17.3 in
medium seat angle 74.7 deg, as above, as above
large seat angle 74.4 deg, as above, as above


giant glory:
small seat angle 66 deg, headtube 65.5 deg, chainstay 17.5 in
medium seat angle 60 deg, as above, as above
large seat angle 60 deg, as above, as above

A cane creek angle headset could either offset the glory to a slack 64 deg(nice & stable at high speed) or steep 67 deg(twitchy like a hardtail on crack)

and you could move your seat forwards or backwards also tilt it forwards or backwards also.......;);)
 
L

lubi

Squid
the kona is good but the glory is better for these reasons.

glory will last you longer and has a pretty dam good spec list. Personally i have ridden the new glory and its so smooth, i have herd the new kona is good but not as good as the glory for its price and value . Glory is the way.
 
D

downhill2026

Likes Dirt
^devs debatable cause ive ridden both. i own a operator and ive ridden my mates glory. but i was on a fire road, but still
i love the operator, the spec is just as good except for 40's but some people like world cups more
 
Ruys

Ruys

Likes Dirt
Definitely go with a glory. I've never ridden one but I once read a review on mtbr and the guy said they shred. And operators are shit. I've never ridden one but I once overheard a guy saying something about chuckers or something which i think is bad. So yeah go with a glory.
 
andy73

andy73

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Ruys said:
Definitely go with a glory. I've never ridden one but I once read a review on mtbr and the guy said they shred. And operators are shit. I've never ridden one but I once overheard a guy saying something about chuckers or something which i think is bad. So yeah go with a glory.
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Great to see informed and educated viewpoints starting to emerge :D
 
B

b0ing

Likes Dirt
It's a matter of getting out there and riding them mate. Both are decent bikes but will feel different.

Check this vid out :)

[video=youtube;FXWABXsmtF4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXWABXsmtF4&playnext=1&list=PL33BAE2AE90A1FCB6[/video]
 
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