# Not much talk of the Ute



## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

Anybody have one of these Kona Ute things? I recently saw one on CL and was tempted.

What I like about it most is that its a big wheel 29er bike. Looks pretty sweet to me.

Also comes with a center stand, pannier bags and a bell.

The only real downside I can see on paper is the aluminum frame for teeth rattle factor, fatigue life and being able to repair a crack when on a tour.

What do you all think?

https://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=ute


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## ericpulvermacher (Nov 1, 2008)

Looks interesting. I wonder if it can fit nice fat 26" tires.


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## MABman (Oct 5, 2008)

The Ute is the bomb. Not to worry about the aluminum frame giving off the buzz, the extra wheelbase and good tire choices make it a non sequitur. I mean a complete bike for only a hundred bucks more than a BD frame for crisakes. Backed by a company as cool as Kona also. Sure it is probably a bit more whippy fully loaded to the gills but what bike isn't. If you had a chance to pick up one on CL for a good deal and missed it:nono:


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## mtb143 (Aug 26, 2007)

I've had a Ute for a bit over a year now, and LOVE it! We recently picked up a second one for the wife. If money were no object, then I'd rather have a Big Dummy, of course, but it's hard to justify that when we got BOTH of our Ute's for under $700 total - it was a super lucky combination of being at the right place at the right time. Great bikes, well worth full retail price IMHO.


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## Shamrock1079 (Jun 4, 2008)

Jefferson I am - my 3 - light, cheap and strong...bling is for later. I am seriously thinking about a Kona Ute. Looks good from a distance!

yeah - I just answered 'non-questions' from your signature, what are you gonna do about it? Proud to be a part of your tribe!


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## anotherbrian (Mar 18, 2005)

mtb143 said:


> I've had a Ute for a bit over a year now, and LOVE it! We recently picked up a second one for the wife. If money were no object, then I'd rather have a Big Dummy, of course, but it's hard to justify that when we got BOTH of our Ute's for under $700 total - it was a super lucky combination of being at the right place at the right time. Great bikes, well worth full retail price IMHO.


Why would you rather have a Big Dummy?

I built mine up last spring with "leftover" parts from other bikes, and ended up with Hadley/819 wheels, Thomson stems, et al. I've been riding it a lot lately, and have been regretting that it is too nice for a utility bike. I did put some basic Deore cranks on it last fall, so that felt better , but I still have to worry about leaving it locked up anywhere.

At this point, I'd have considered trading down to a Ute ... unfortunately the $625 closeout frames have killed (I assume) my bikes resale value.


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## mtb143 (Aug 26, 2007)

anotherbrian said:


> Why would you rather have a Big Dummy?
> 
> I built mine up last spring with "leftover" parts from other bikes, and ended up with Hadley/819 wheels, Thomson stems, et al. I've been riding it a lot lately, and have been regretting that it is too nice for a utility bike. I did put some basic Deore cranks on it last fall, so that felt better , but I still have to worry about leaving it locked up anywhere.
> 
> At this point, I'd have considered trading down to a Ute ... unfortunately the $625 closeout frames have killed (I assume) my bikes resale value.


The one thing the BD has that the Ute doesn't is the system compatibility with all the accessories.

Wanna trade? Mine's a medium...


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## happygofun (Jan 13, 2004)

*a year of testing*

I love mine and have had it in daily use for over a year. Pre-school pickup / dropoff as well as picnics, errands and grocery runs.








I haven't had issues with comparability but I just use the panniers and I modded the deck to hold the child seat. Square u-bolt brackets, backing plates and nuts mated nicely with the wood deck.








The aluminum frame and (steel?) fork have provided a fine ride. No complaints about the ride quality esp with some nice fat slicks on there. Once they wear out I might go with some larger Big Apples or maybe even nanorapors.

The bike is stable at speed and tracks well. I have experienced a weird shimmy in the front end a couple of times but have never been able to reliably reproduce. With a light load, groceries OR a child the bike feels great. Under a heavy load the bike is a noodle but that's 30lbs child up high and 30+lbs groceries below. While it's not ideal I can't say I'm surprised.

The brakes on my 09' are fine. I like the mullet setup and there has always been enough power. The handle bars are functional, I prefer the sweep and rise of the Mary bar but I'm to cheap to change them.

The only real complaint I have is the center kickstand. It is merely ok. It is not stable, even when the load is completely balanced. I've had the bike crash down many times and it shows. A minor nit is that a big ring can't be run as it would interfere with the kickstand.

So overall, it's a keeper, the family loves it.


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## 3eCheval (Apr 24, 2010)

I own a Kona Ute and I love it. It never feels slugish of heavy, because it is set up with the right gears to haul whatever load you put on it. And it makes it a BREEZE even uphill with a head wind! And when not carrying anything, it flies! It is a real kick ass bike. LOL

I had one problem. Glaze on the break pads that took two weeks of steady commuting to get rid of (sanding didn't do it). And until that glaze was gone, the brakes were screeming awfully. 

I will eventually change the seat (which is always a personal choice really) and the pedals. Other then that, I love it and everybody who sees it goes nuts over it. Perfect for carrying loads of things (as I do in my work) or for grocery shopping, or going back and forth to my community garden (carrying long gardening tools and more). I have had no regrets about that buy. Got a 2009 because it was 300$ cheaper then the 2010. And there are still some 2009 around, so, grab them while they are still some!


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## zombinate (Apr 27, 2009)

My one issue with the Ute is the tubing for the rack is wider than most standard panniers, so you mostly have to use the Kona's. They are OK, but I wish they came with more cinching options for when used not fully laden.


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## 3eCheval (Apr 24, 2010)

zombinate said:


> My one issue with the Ute is the tubing for the rack is wider than most standard panniers, so you mostly have to use the Kona's. They are OK, but I wish they came with more cinching options for when used not fully laden.


I have used my regular Axiom just fine, by puting some rubber pieces in between the tubing and the clips of the Axiom, so not to scratch the paint. And by making the ties tight, the bottom hook, it is fine. I don't like the Kona bag. Way too big too carry when fully loaded, and what an awfull orange. To make such a fine looking bike, and put such an ugly bag. The standard panniers are easier to unload and carry. Maybe I'd use the half bags made by Kona, but again, gosh, did they need to make them that ugly screaming orange. Oh, they are visible allright, but not if ... don't use them. lol


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## redbeans (Dec 15, 2005)

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd add an opinion since I was trying to make a cargo decision back in April. I ended up with the Ute and am really pleased with the choice. Surprisingly, I'm happy for a number of reasons I didn't even expect.

I decided on the Ute b/c of the price. The value was too good compared to a Big Dummy. The Big Dummy is definitely the bike that I would have ended up purchasing if money wasn't an object, but it was. Anyway, I'm glad I ended up with the Ute. 

The reason I'm glad is because the Ute is a nice compromise when it comes to a cargo bike. It's big enough to carry a week's worth of groceries, but it's small enough to fit in the elevator at my office. It's strong enough to carry some decent loads, but it's light enough to want to use it when the load is small. The weight, at less than 40 lbs, is probably lighter than what I would have ended up with a Big Dummy budget build, and 40 lbs is heavy enough.

When I was making the decision to buy a cargo bike, I thought that I would be carrying loads much heavier than I actually do, and I thought I would be doing it much more often than I do. I'm not in a position to get rid of my car, so for the largest of loads, I have to really, really want to go on a bike. It gets a little silly (for me) at that point, so what's the point of a HUGE cargo capacity? For me the Ute is a good fit.

Anyway, the bike is GREAT. It has allowed me to make a lot more trips on bike that I would have made in my car. This is good since almost every trip is more fun on a bike. The bike is strong enough and long enough, but not too long and not too heavy.

Are there any gripes? Well, gripe may be a strong word, but sure. I think using 26" wheels would have been a better choice. I like the ride of big hoops (both of my mtbs are 29ers), but 26" wheels would probably give a better tire selection and allow for a lower the deck. Also the centerstand is high enough to be rubbed by the chain in some gear combinations. The chain is about as short as it can be, and it still happens. It's not bad though, and I'm guessing that most Utes don't have the issue. Mine is probably just ever so slightly out of tolerance. 

All said, I would get the Ute again. It's a great bike for someone that will still use a car for the 300 lb loads. I hope this helps someone else who is also on the fence.


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## MABman (Oct 5, 2008)

redbeans said:


> Are there any gripes? Well, gripe may be a strong word, but sure. I think using 26" wheels would have been a better choice. I like the ride of big hoops (both of my mtbs are 29ers), but 26" wheels would probably give a better tire selection and allow for a lower the deck.
> 
> .


If you have the dual disc brake version just go ahead and put a set of 26" wheels on it.


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## redbeans (Dec 15, 2005)

MABman said:


> If you have the dual disc brake version just go ahead and put a set of 26" wheels on it.


I have the mullet (disc front/v back). Also, I'm thinking that the bottom bracket is low enough that you wouldn't want to drop it anyway.


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## byknuts (Aug 9, 2008)

utedeck from xrtacycle allows the peapod to be mounted.

http://www.xtracycle.com/cargo-bicycles/new.html

not making it 100% big dummyish, but takes it an important step closer IMO.
anyone have one who can comment on how it handles with an adult on the back?
I'm looking at FULLY fully loaded use


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## redbeans (Dec 15, 2005)

byknuts said:


> anyone have one who can comment on how it handles with an adult on the back?


Does fine with my wife on the back. She is a small adult though @110lbs. I added a stoker bar for her, and I have a trailer for our two kids. We occasionally cruise up to the park like that. It does fine.


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## mtb143 (Aug 26, 2007)

byknuts said:


> utedeck from xrtacycle allows the peapod to be mounted.
> 
> http://www.xtracycle.com/cargo-bicycles/new.html
> 
> ...


The wife and I have used our Ute's for fully loaded bike touring. They work reasonably well, with a couple of caveats. First, the handling can get a bit squirrelly with a very full load. In fairness, I've found this to be the case with regular bikes with panniers and with cargo trailers as well. Just something to be aware of. After a bit of adjustment you just get used to the altered handling and it becomes second nature. The second caveat as to full loads and the Ute is in regards to the gearing - the front 26 tooth chainring isn't low enough for really steep hills with a full load. If you're not going to do The Little Train That Could up steep stuff, then it's not a problem. I've been contemplating throwing a 22/32/42 crank on though to give me a lower low. We'll see.

On a different note, the extracycle replacement deck looks cool for those who want to throw on a kiddie seat. If anyone should go this way and find themself with a redundant wood deck that they'd be interested in parting with for a reasonable fee or trade, please PM me.


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