diode

Looks like Kona is making an longtail bike like the Surly Big Dummy for 08.

Raiyn

Gotta love the swing towards utility bicycling.

Blue Order

I don't get it. What's the difference between a bike like this, and one that is converted with a kit?

notfred

You don't have to convert this one.

The question is basically the same as "Why would you buy complete bike when you can assemble one yourself from parts?"

Allen

That's beautiful. God I love work bikes.
It really needs horizontal dropouts, that thing screams for an internal hub.
{edit}
& a double legged kickstand, or one of those rear wheel stands like on Dutch bikes. Much better for dealing with heavy loads.

Raiyn

• You don't have to buy a bike and a kit separately
• No assembly required
• Theoretically stronger than a bolt together kit
• Most people who buy the kits NEVER TAKE THEM BACK APART
• Purpose built so there's no "make it work" headaches

fuerein

The kit converts a bike that was never designed to act as a long-tail to a long-tail, which can cause trouble for some people/bikes. A bike designed as a long tail will never have trouble acting as a long-tail because it is exactly what it was designed for.

cccorlew

Nice. How much?

Schwinnrider

The beauty of the Xtracycle system is the cool parts you attach to the Free Radical. The Surly Big Dummy is Xtracycle compatible--Freeloaders, Snapdeck, and the whole lot. Is the Kona?

fuerein

I agree. Those tiny panniers look a bit silly on that long-tail. Now if Kona made some Xtracycle-style accessories that took full advantage of the length of that tail, it'd be better than those ridiculously small panniers they show in that image.

Bikepacker67

Ya me too...
There's something elegant about utilitarianism put into practice.

Allen

^^^^
That's probably why I think the DC3 is the best looking plane ever built.

JeffS

No, it's clearly not.

I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I think having the upper rails integrated into the frame is a huge plus. Unfortunately, that means passing on the xtracycle accessories. They could easily be recreated by someone to fit this frame, but until they are, having this long bike for those puny paniers is pointless.

If I were a do-it-yourself'er, I'd buy this over the Big Dummy. I'm not though, so I would have to pass until I saw aftermarket accessories to complete this bike.

BTW, where did the picture go? I saw it earlier, but it's not showing up now.

Old Dirt Hill

Someone please show them how to adjust a front fender.

diode

I found it on a czech mountain biking website, unfortunately I don't read czech, so I can only tell you it costs 19,990 korunys. Which according to Google is about 999 dollars. Not a bad deal if someone makes some Xtracycle style addons. Also, the website said something about a Smoke 2-9 commuter, which could be pretty cool too.

Oh, here is the site:
https://www.mtbs.cz/Biketech/Technews/kona2008news.html

Lot's Knife

+1 That spindly kickstand is not going to get 'er dun.

Give it an internal hub, a rear fender and a dynamo light system, and I'm there.

donnamb 

Really though, it should be Xtracycle compatible.

legot73

Another advantage the Big Dummy and this Kona have over an Xtracycle is that you can probably get your hands on one sooner than an Xtracycle.

I ordered one in May, and it won't even ship until August (so far).

Sammyboy

In terms of being built right, that's the best longtail I've seen so far. If they make the accessories too, I'm there.

knucklesandwich

I'm moving from a residential/suburban neighborhood to a more urban/dense one in a couple months, and we're planning to leave the cars at home much more often. (Right now, I'm good at commuting 4-5 days a week by bike, and running some errands, but still do our food shopping, etc via car.

A bike like this is creeping up my (n + 1) list...

whatsmyname

Do you think you'd be able just to put two panniers side by side, though? I'd prefer that over the open bucket Extracycle ones, I think.

fender1

I am missing it on these bikes. What do they offer that a trailer doesn't? These bikes have one specific use, where as a touring bike and a trailer have many combined uses.

bhtooefr

Better handling and lower rolling resistance than a touring bike with hitched trailer, and also, you can do this if it doesn't have enough cargo capacity:

fender1

meh...seems to me to be more marketing than function. I would wonder without the advent of a stokemonkey or somehting similar, how much weight someone could realistically carry over anyhting other than very flat terrain or short distances? Speaking from a day to day life praciticality standpoint.

Sammyboy

Lots of people are using these to haul lots of stuff, specially over relatively short distances - <10 miles. They do the sort of things cars can do, but without burning oil. Go to the Car Free Forum - they will change your mind.