any idea when kona stopped making bikes?

[kase1983]

hey all

just a curious question.

any idea when kona stopped making all there range off bikes or if the ever did?

had a 1996 kona with 'made in tiwan' on it. have a 1994 kona cindercone which is tange tubing etc same as my 1994 trek which has made in the usa on it.

is a 1994 cinderone made in usa or tiwan?

any info?

 

[ridevintagemtb]

is a 1994 cinderone made in usa or tiwan?

I would bet you a couple beers it was made in Taiwan. My Lava Dome certainly was.

 

[REKIBorter]

My 2004 Cinder Cone was made in Vietnam!

 

[Tallpaul]

Did Kona ever make their own bikes? I thought all the standard steel and aluminium ones were from Taiwan and anything fancy was outsourced to specialist US frame builders?

Maybe wrong as that's largely an asumption more than a fact

 

[Geoff]

is a 1994 cinderone made in usa or tiwan?

I would bet you a couple beers it was made in Taiwan. My Lava Dome certainly was.

I would also bet that! My 95 Kilauea was, as the box claimed, "Very Well Made In Taiwan"

 

[holden]

This post got me thinking ... stereotypically "Made In Taiwan" means inexpensive no-frills manufacturing. Specific to bikes, even retro, has there been any custom Taiwanese bike builders with cred? Seeking the Taiwanese Steve Potts.

As a retro side: Bridgestone use to highlight the welder for their Taiwan-made Zips but I've seen those welds and they're fugly (I have one).

 

[Max P]

I think Konas have always been made in Taiwan (ie since they began late 80's). At the end of the day the vast majority of modern big western company MTB frame production (ie non custom) is down to a handful of large Taiwanese factories, whether it is alu, steel, Ti or carbon and regardless of the headbadge.

 

[The Ken]

I know Specialized and Giant are owned and made by Dahon [best known for folding bikes], you could even buy an identical bike to the stumpjumper HT for about £200 less than the Sp Stumpy about 2/3 years back.

 

[ededwards]

Isn't where something made a bit irrelevant (apart from the cachet of course, and come to think of it that is everything, right?) - surely it is about quality of manufacture and perhaps even more importantly quality control?

Or am I just spouting a load of guff?

 

[Max P]

Isn't where something made a bit irrelevant (apart from the cachet of course, and come to think of it that is everything, right?) - surely it is about quality of manufacture and perhaps even more importantly quality control?

Or am I just spouting a load of guff?

Could not agree more. I would think it is fair to say that in terms of cycle manufacture the Taiwanese have more state of the art facilities, know how and technically skilled workers than anywhere/anyone else in the world.

Not to say that a custom built frame by a one off builder in the West is not an 'improvement' but if you look at the carbon and alu constructions on show at the Cycle show, no-one else could do that.

Personally, I'd still rather have a steel frame from a bloke in a shed in rural Italy or darkest Manchester but there you go!