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MountainBikeReview.com's Forum Archives - What Bike to Buy
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02s: Kona Cindercone, Devinci Cameleon, Giant Rainier (5 posts)
|  02s: Kona Cindercone, Devinci Cameleon, Giant Rainier | No dough in Montreal
Apr 14, 2002 9:22 AM | | Hello RC,
After 5 years of riding rigid steel bikes (91 Norco Bigfoot, 91 Raleigh something), I'm looking to go up to my first higher quality bike.
I've narrowed it down to this year's Kona Cindercone, Giant's Rainier, and Devinci's Cameleon, and I've got a couple of questions that my LBSs can't (or won't) answer. I can't seem to find the exact frame specs on the Giant, and my LBSs don't have a comparable frame I could sit on in a 21"(I'm 6'5" and 230 with a long upper body, and I prefer a more extended, agressive ride position - I feel I need a longer top tube frame, and I can't afford this year's longer topped Fishers or Treks), but the Giant 'looks' a little shorter.
I'm attracted to the discs of the Rainier, but I know nothing about their maintenance (which seems costly and tricky), and the steal me factor (this will be a 50% commuting/50% light to medium trail machine) is very intimidating, not to mention that the rest of the Giant's componentry (wheels, hubs and poor plastic pedals) doesn't seem up to snuff.
The Kona seems to be the best component mix for the buck, the handmade butted Devinci frame the best of the 3, and the Giant, well, for $50 more I can have front and rear discs. I don't feel very good about aluminum frames in general, but it seems to be the standard these days, and a good complete steel bike is beyond my reach I think. A grand Cdn is really my max, as this will be like 10% of my yearly income, and what I need is out-of-the-box performance and durability for some years to come, as once I drop this $ upgrades are out until next season, except for some Town and Country tires.
I put about 5,000K on my Raleigh last year; so in bang for the buck, what's going to keep me riding in the long run: the better componentry (wheelset, and hubs) of the Kona, the Devinci frameset, or the Giant?
Owners, what do you think? |
| re: 02s: Kona Cindercone, Devinci Cameleon, Giant Rainier | View-Master
Apr 14, 2002 3:22 PM | | I tested the Giant, Kona, & a '01 GT iDrive. My dealer is good, he loaned me each for a week or so. After a long period of reading reviews & comparing components I bought the Kona. I am a small guy (5'6" 155#'s) and this is my first Alum frame too. The geometry of the Kona Cinder Cone was more to my liking of being "upright" compared to the Giant, which felt more like a cruiser. That fits better with my style of riding. I didn't want the FS iDrive, and the Giant was a little "cheap " with the components for the cost. My wife like the Giant geo, she rides a souped-up Boulder SE. For $750.00 I purchased the Kona, I don't like the R dr on the Cinder Cone (Shamino Deore/lx) it's already giving me a prob of not going to 1/1 or 1/2. I would have up'd the DR if I knew. I did however get Marzocchi Bomber Z5's instead of the Judy TT's, VERY nice upgrade at no cost. The Tioga Tires may be a little too knobby for the daily commute but you can switch them easy also. I'm having a ball with the Aluminum frame it's lite & responsive not as "shaky" as people said they are compared to Chro-Moly.
I recommend the Cinder Cone. It can always be upgraded when something wares out, but you'll have that nice frame forever. |
| re: 02s: Kona Cindercone, Devinci Cameleon, Giant Rainier | SJT
Apr 14, 2002 4:09 PM | | If you like steel, look at the Kona Lava Dome. Component-wise, not as good as the Cinder Cone, but it's a good cheap steel bike (can see if the shop will swap out a few parts which would then bring the price up to the Cinder Cone level). If not...I love my '99 Cinder Cone and would recommend that model to anyone wanting a great bike that will last. I've upgraded almost everything except for the wheels, brakes and handlebar, but this is after riding it hard for a while. I don't know what the Devinci looks like, but you would probably want to stick with a Canadian-built bike because they will probably be the most bang for the buck. I rode last years Rainier...I didn't find that it fit my style, the TT seemed a bit short. Good luck.
-Steve |
| re: 02s: Kona Cindercone, Devinci Cameleon, Giant Rainier | Ragu
Apr 15, 2002 9:27 PM | | As far as bang for your buck goes, the Rainier is hands down the best deal. Giant owns their own factory in Taiwan so they're able to keep overhead down. Thats where the avid discs come in. If brakes are important to you, and at your size they should be if your doing any trail riding, you should really look into them. Maintenance is neither costly nor tricky, if you own an allen-wrench adjusting them is a snap, something you will have to do right away because I think either trained monkeys or half-baked retards assemble these bikes. You get the same Marzocchi forks as with the Kona which are very nice also. As far as crappy components go you'll want to upgrade the pedals(junk), crank(weak and heavy), tires(wear quickly on paved) and maybe the saddle and seatpost right away.
The frames in this price range are all comparable and very much durable. Forget steel, alluminum alloy is lighter and more durable. It just comes down to preference, you can sit down and compare frame specs' all day but you should go with the geometry you feel most comftorable with and the one thats most fun to ride. Give each one a long test ride and then decide. You cant go wrong with either, try to find a Fuji Tahoe if you can, another good cheap bike with avid discs. good luck |
| Aluminum "more durable", please explain what you mean nm | SJT
Apr 16, 2002 7:30 AM | | |
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