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About Kona
Kona started in 1988 in Vancouver, British Columbia, when Dan Gerhard, Jacob Heilbron, and Jimbo Holmstrom set out to build mountain bikes that rode better than the catalog steel of the era. They worked with Mountain Bike Hall of Fame racer Joe Murray on a range of custom chromoly hardtails, and the brand earned its name on dirt rather than in marketing decks.
Mountain bikes still define Kona. The Honzo hardtail rewrote what a steel trail bike could do, the Process platform carries the brand’s all-mountain and enduro reputation, and the Sutra turned a generation of riders onto loaded touring and drop-bar adventure. The world headquarters sit in Ferndale, Washington, with distribution offices in Vancouver and Monaco.
Kona’s ownership took a sharp turn in the 2020s. The founders sold the company to outdoor-equipment maker Kent Outdoors in 2022, then watched the brand get wound down in April 2024 as the parent firm exited the bike business. In May 2024, Gerhard and Heilbron bought Kona back, returning it to rider-owned and operated hands and restarting the lineup under the original team.
Most popular Kona models
Kona’s range still leans on dirt. The Process X is the long-travel enduro rig, the Process 134 covers everyday trail riding, and the Hei Hei handles cross-country and marathon duty. The hardtail line runs from the entry Lava Dome up to the Honzo and the hard-charging Honzo ESD, the bike that built Kona’s reputation for steel trail geometry that punches above its price.
On the drop bars, the Sutra LTD blends gravel race geometry with rigid-mountain capability, the chromoly Rove brings adventure riding under $1,000, and the carbon Libre chases the fast end of the gravel field. The Dew and Dr Dew handle urban commuting, while the Dew-E, Coco HD, and El Kahuna add Class 1 pedal assist for riders who want a longer reach on errands and trails. Kona’s gravel and adventure pedigree runs deep, and a rigid steel tourer loaded for a week of bikepacking is exactly the replacement value homeowner’s policies tend to cap below, which is where stand-alone gravel bike insurance from Velosurance fills the gap.
The long-travel enduro bike. 161mm rear travel, mixed-wheel option, and a slack, descent-focused geometry built for steep, fast trails.
The do-everything trail bike. 134mm of rear travel on 29-inch wheels, available in alloy and carbon builds for all-day singletrack.
Kona’s cross-country and marathon platform. Light, efficient suspension with a 120mm fork on trail builds and a race-tuned CR/DL trim.
The hardtail that built Kona’s trail reputation. Aggressive steel and alloy geometry, from the standard Honzo up to the hard-charging Honzo ESD.
The fast end of Kona gravel. Carbon frame, race-leaning geometry, and clearance for wide tires on mixed-surface and event riding.
The chromoly drop-bar adventure bike. Steel frame and fork, Shimano CUES drivetrain, and 40mm tires, with an AL build that lands under $1,000.
The blend of gravel race geometry and rigid mountain capability. Steel frame, drop bars, and mounts for loaded bikepacking and all-road touring.
The urban commuter. Flat-bar geometry, reliable parts, and rack and fender mounts for daily city riding and errands.
The Class 1 electric commuter. Pedal-assist motor in the Dew commuter platform for longer rides and hillier routes.
The Class 1 electric mountain bike. Pedal-assist hardtail platform with trail-ready geometry, plus an El Kahuna SUV utility build.
The compact Class 1 urban e-bike. SR Suntour hub-drive pedal assist on small wheels, built to lower the cost of getting into an electric bike.
Why Velosurance is best for your Kona
Velosurance is a stand-alone policy that covers theft and accidental damage and can be optioned to create a comprehensive umbrella of protection for your cycling lifestyle.
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