So we were drooling over the 09 Kona catalog as I stopped by the LBSfor coffee

On Sep 3, 8:43 am, landotter wrote:
On Sep 3, 8:35 am, Woland99 wrote:



On Sep 2, 10:01 pm, landotter wrote:

On Sep 2, 9:54 pm, Chalo wrote:

landotter wrote:

[something about road bikes]

It's a really fun catalog this year, have a browse, much better color
palate than last year, which was too tropical. ;-)

I noticed that there's no Ute this year. It was a nice-looking cargo
bike at a very appealing price. Maybe next time they go out on that
kind of limb, they'll have the sense to make it in more than one
size!

http://www.konaworld.com/09_ute_en.cfm

Still one size, but a nicer bag.

And a fun little movie:

http://www.konaworld.com/09_dewfiles_ep1.htm

This is NICE! You can do serious shopping with this bike.
Disk brakes - sth I miss on my Randonee when it rains.
Any idea how much Ute is? Is that one bag or two?

One, but the other side takes a good three panniers if ya squeeze them
in tight. About $900--same price as a ****ty used scooter, but far far
more badass.

Yeah - I would definitely consider UTE for errand-bike.
But Africabike 3.0 looks good - and 2008 model is mere $350.
So if somebody steals it while you do grocery shopping it
then it is not a huge deal.
Well bummer - just called Kona dealer and it seems like they
are out for 2008 Africabike 3.0 and UTE. Not sure I would want
ride singlespeed Africabike 2.0 loaded with groceries over the
local hills.

Qui si parla Campagnolo aka Peter Chisholm wrote:
[...]
Few things in the last 2 decades have actually made cycling better.
One was lever mounted shifting. DT shifting is a fringe market and
would actually take people out of the already flat bike market. Fender
eyelets(good) but not for a rack.[...]

Peter forgets to mention reasonably priced and commercially available
recumbent bicycles and trikes.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
“Mary had a little lamb / And when she saw it sicken /
She shipped it off to Packingtown / And now it’s labeled chicken.”

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:

Golf is growing, so is tennis and skiing and just about every other
leisure time activity...except cycling even considering the ADDED
utility of being transportation to some..why is that?

Because the industry talks to people that ride, not to people that
don't.

Weenies will talk themselves out of anything that requires effort to
enjoy. To hell with 'em. Bikes should be made for people who have
already figured out more or less what they want; otherwise they'll
just be faddish toys whose popularity comes and goes. That's pretty
much the entire story for golf, tennis, and skiing-- which is why
those things make poor comparisons to cycling.

Silly, vain people can take up all those activities you named in
successive seasons, than follow up with scuba diving and hang gliding
and perhaps even one of the more pointless forms of cycling. The
likelihood that they will make those things any more than a temporary
distraction and money sink for themselves is infinitesimal. Interest
in cycling as expressed by such characters is not indicative of future
prospects for the bicycle industry, even if it makes *this* year
outstanding.

Kona and all the other bike makers need to make a very
functional and useful bicycle that is fun and functional and
reliable.

What a non-cyclist considers fun and functional in a bike is likely to
prove a whole lot less than fun or functional, to say nothing of
reliable, for an actual cyclist. When the industry listens to non-
cyclists, we get things like Autobike/Landrider, "Spongy Wonder"
seats, BikeEs, and other anti-functional abortions.

Chalo

On Sep 3, 8:51*pm, Woland99 wrote:
On Sep 3, 7:57 pm, landotter wrote:



On Sep 3, 7:01 pm, Woland99 wrote:

Well bummer - just called Kona dealer and it seems like they
are out for 2008 Africabike 3.0 and UTE. Not sure I would want
ride singlespeed Africabike 2.0 loaded with groceries over the
local hills.

The Africabike isn't a good deal in one sense--but it's a cool bike if
you've got the money, as a good portion of the cost goes to the
Africabike project. The fit and finish is a bit lame, but with some
tlc it could work. The hub and tires are great--the saddle and
handlebars are blech. The real retail on it would be $250 or so if it
didn't sponsor other Africabikes.

For around $3 bills if ya want a new practical bike for town use, a
Kona Smoke is the way to go:

http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/01/19/kona-smoke-2-9/

Nothing fancy--low end Shimano--but it shifts and brakes like a champ,
flies under the radar of most thieves as it's not fancy, and fits
racks just fine.

Schwinn Worlds come in $300 flavors as well. That's a good "oh **** it
got stolen" price point if you can't find something used to fit for a
city bike.

Thanks Brother Otter - good info - I emailed couple dealers
in the area but it seems that 2008 UTE is gone.

LBS here in twang town has one in the window. However, if you're 5 10"
or above the 2009 is better--and has a nicer bag.

Thanks for the
link tohttp://www.bikecommuters.comjust found that seatpost
rack thehttp://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/01...t-cargo-trick/
I have seen it few days ago on a bike that was on a car rack -
wanted to recommend to a friend that rides tru blu road bike
and would like to commute.

commuting can be pretty abusive on a real road bike--but also a lotta
fun. Even the LBS guys either ride mtbs, cxcross bikes, or even
junkers through town to get to work--ya rarely see them on their road
bike--but it's a quick way there, for sure!


If your buddy gets into it--it's always fun to pick over craigslist to
find a specimen for conversion to commuting duty.

Chalo Colina wrote:
[...]
What a non-cyclist considers fun and functional in a bike is likely to
prove a whole lot less than fun or functional, to say nothing of
reliable, for an actual cyclist. When the industry listens to non-
cyclists, we get things like Autobike/Landrider, "Spongy Wonder"
seats, BikeEs, and other anti-functional abortions.

What is wrong with the BikeE [1] that a few minor tweaks could not have
fixed?

[1] The bikes that is, not the deceptive advertising nor the way the
management handled going out of business.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
“Mary had a little lamb / And when she saw it sicken /
She shipped it off to Packingtown / And now it’s labeled chicken.”

On Sep 3, 9:19*pm, Chalo wrote:

What a non-cyclist considers fun and functional in a bike is likely to
prove a whole lot less than fun or functional, to say nothing of
reliable, for an actual cyclist. *When the industry listens to non-
cyclists, we get things like Autobike/Landrider, "Spongy Wonder"
seats, BikeEs, and other anti-functional abortions.

Antifunctional abortion? Pbbbbbt, it's a matter of opinion! Door
stop, sandwich topping (slice on bias), handbag (scoop out with melon
baller, add brass handle with pop riveter), or even decorative
centerpiece--the options are limitless.

Tom Sherman wrote:

Chalo Colina wrote:
[...]
What a non-cyclist considers fun and functional in a bike is likely to
prove a whole lot less than fun or functional, to say nothing of
reliable, for an actual cyclist. *When the industry listens to non-
cyclists, we get things like Autobike/Landrider, "Spongy Wonder"
seats, BikeEs, and other anti-functional abortions.

What is wrong with the BikeE [1] that a few minor tweaks could not have
fixed?

[1] The bikes that is, not the deceptive advertising nor the way the
management handled going out of business.

Where do you "tweak" a bike that handles like you're trying to ride it
backwards?

Chalo

Chalo Colina wrote:
[...]
What a non-cyclist considers fun and functional in a bike is likely to
prove a whole lot less than fun or functional, to say nothing of
reliable, for an actual cyclist. When the industry listens to non-
cyclists, we get things like Autobike/Landrider, "Spongy Wonder"
seats, BikeEs, and other anti-functional abortions.

Tom Sherman wrote:
What is wrong with the BikeE [1] that a few minor tweaks could not have
fixed?
[1] The bikes that is, not the deceptive advertising nor the way the
management handled going out of business.

Chalo wrote:
Where do you "tweak" a bike that handles like you're trying to ride it
backwards?

I'm no expert but for starts, the usual chaise lounge format is with 2
rails, one on either side, not one down the middle.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

Chalo Colina wrote:
Tom Sherman wrote:
Chalo Colina wrote:
[...]
What a non-cyclist considers fun and functional in a bike is likely to
prove a whole lot less than fun or functional, to say nothing of
reliable, for an actual cyclist. When the industry listens to non-
cyclists, we get things like Autobike/Landrider, "Spongy Wonder"
seats, BikeEs, and other anti-functional abortions.
What is wrong with the BikeE [1] that a few minor tweaks could not have
fixed?

[1] The bikes that is, not the deceptive advertising nor the way the
management handled going out of business.

Where do you "tweak" a bike that handles like you're trying to ride it
backwards?

I found the BikeE (particularly the FX) very easy to ride. The only
exception was the E2 tandem, which was very easy to ride solo, but scary
with a stoker.

I suspect that Chalo's problem with the BikeE was related to being too
heavy and tall. The BikeE's were not designed for 99.9999th percentile
sized people.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
“Mary had a little lamb / And when she saw it sicken /
She shipped it off to Packingtown / And now it’s labeled chicken.”

"A Muzi" wrote
Chalo wrote:
What a non-cyclist considers fun and functional in a bike is likely to
prove a whole lot less than fun or functional, to say nothing of
reliable, for an actual cyclist.

What is an "actual cyclist"?

How was BikeE design not reliable? (implementation had its
glitches with some recalls for forks and swing arms, etc...)

Tom Sherman wrote:
What is wrong with the BikeE [1] that a few minor tweaks could not have
fixed?

Chalo wrote:
Where do you "tweak" a bike that handles like you're trying to ride it
backwards?

I never experienced a feeling of "handles like you're trying to ride it
backwards" on my BikeE. Nor did apparently and of the dozens
of people from age 7 to 70 who tried mine. All able to ride it
within minutes of starting...

Of my three recumbents, the BikeE has the best low-speed tight
handling characteristics. For me it seems a matter of center of
gravity, wheelbase and lack of heel strike...

I'm no expert but for starts, the usual chaise lounge format is with 2
rails, one on either side, not one down the middle.

The mesh back seat is well proven by bikes from Easy Racers,
RANS, etc.

Jon