# Diamondback or Kona



## tylercall88 (Feb 5, 2016)

Hey everyone! First post here, and I'm just looking for a little guidance. I'm currently torn between a 2016 Diamondback Sync'r Pro or a 2016 Kona Honzo Al DL. One's a 27.5 the other is a 29er. I've ridden lower end models of both bikes, but want to crowd source some opinions/advice before committing a couple G's to my first mountain bike.

A little background on myself:
I'm 27, 5'11", 200bs and I've been riding BMX for 15 years. Never really got better than gapping stuff, doing 360s off jumps and going off dirt jumps (nothing too big, though. That being said, I'm very comfortable on a bike and I know that I will pick up trail riding pretty quickly. I'm thinking a HT would be my best bet for a first Mt Bike.

After riding both a 2015 Kona Honzo AL and a 2016 Diamondback Line, I'm pretty sure that either of those bike's top of the line builds will make me super happy until I can afford a FS XC/enduro setup. None of the shops in my area carry the AL/DL or the Sync'r Pro, hence why I tested lower models. I like the thought of the Diamondback having 130mm of travel vs the 120mm of the Honzo and I'm a little worried about having 29er because I know I'll enjoy going fast and making tight turns and jumping/playing around on the trails. I've heard the honzo is capable of that stuff though, and feels a lot more nimble than most 29ers. On the other hand, I've never really been a fan of Diamondback because of their BMX bikes, even though their MTBs seem to be pretty high quality.

Bottom line: what are some of your opinions on these bikes? Help! I don't really know anything about MTBs and all the extra tech they have in addition to BMX.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

I'd look at the Mason instead. 27.5+ will give you more performance options including 29. And a Norco Torrent is comparable with a better manufacturer.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

I like that Diamondback - Looks pretty solid, and it looks like is 1x11 which my understanding is that is better than 1x10. Good luck is tough getting a new bike especially with a decent budget..so many options! I'm looking at the Heckler (Santa Cruz) which is close to the price you putting into the HT - That one has 150mm travel though, which is part of hesitation on it, as I don't do crazy stuff.


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## tylercall88 (Feb 5, 2016)

eb1888 said:


> I'd look at the Mason instead. 27.5+ will give you more performance options including 29. And a Norco Torrent is comparable with a better manufacturer.


That Norco looks sick! The Mason never interested me (and that is all based off of pictures online) because of it's shape. Doesn't look like it'd be as playful as I'd like. Now I wanna look into that Norco, though. integrated internal dropper post included Hell yeah!


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## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

I can completely recommend you the Sync'r PRO.
I got the Hook (bottom end of the line) and i'm a pretty crappy rider. Already have crashed like 10 times on 5 feet drops, jumps, sometimes managing to land properly. Nothing has been damaged at all, not even a sligthy bent rim. 
Everything is still running true and problems free, and this is a bike I got for less than $500 through Amazon.
The bike is truly amazing on the descents, that geometry is really what I was looking for.
This is a slighty biased opinion as you can see, and i'm 150lbs so i'm easier on the bike even if I crash a lot and don't have proper technique.
But if the Hook can take the kind of abuse I'm putting her into, I can't find a singly reason of why the Sync'r PRO would be a problem for you, specially since everything on the Pro is stronger and better in every possible way. It's an amazingly capable frame, and the spec of the PRO are arguably better than the Kona's. 
1x11 SRAM GX vs 1x10 Deore on the Kona, more travel, and possibly a stronger frame. The rest is pretty much the same if you ask me, but I suspect the Kona would be lighter. DB's wheels are kinda heavy, my SL7s definitely feel heavy, so the AM280s of the Pro would probably feel the same, while still being stronger than mine.

Not sure on the Kona's other than their bad rep on snapped headtubes and cracked frames, but as far as I know, they have improved a lot and recovered themselves, so they should be just as reliable as DB or any other brand now. 
I only recommend you the Sync'r because it's the exact same frame on the whole line and it has served me amazingly well as a trail/am hardtail. Only differences are rear axle spacing (Boost spacing) and a tapered headtube, so it's even better. 

Diamondback is completely up to the game in the mtb world, as far as frame reliability and quality goes. Their FS bikes aren't very clever though.
I also had doubts about buying from Diamondback, but seeing Kelly McGarry (Ride in peace McGazza) hitting Rampage on a DB-8 from Diamondback pretty much sold me.
He also had like two nasty crashes (you can find them on ytb) and the frame held up perfectly while the rest got damaged badly, so I don't have any worries about Diamondback making reliable frames anymore after watching that. 

I also would like to see someone actually riding the Sync'r PRO  lol. If I end up selling my Hook for a higher end bike I'd like to get the PRO one day, but haven't found a single pic on the internet of the bike in real life, so it would be pretty cool if someone else decided for it. But that's just me, so if you end up getting it make sure to upload something 

What model did you test? I bet it was the Line or normal Sync'r. You should have a pretty good idea of what the Pro would feel like by riding those bikes.
But how did the Kona feel? You say you tested both bikes but in lower end models, so it still should have given you a good idea of what the 29' wheels felt like. Today's 29ers aren't slow anymore, and the myth of them being sluggish on turns and lacking nimbleness is long gone, so it shouldn't be a deal breaker anymore unless you just don't like them, or you're too short, which you aren't.


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## tylercall88 (Feb 5, 2016)

I tested the Hook and the Line models. Both felt great. I think I'm gonna go with the Kona, though. I tried looking for one of those Norco Torrent bikes but nowhere carries them. It seems to be kinda difficult to find a shop that carries a good range of quality hardtails with aggressive geometry. 

I rode the Honzo again (it actually turns out that I've been riding a 2014 model, not a 2015) and just really love that thing. The guy at the shop told me to take it out and really test it for awhile (as opposed to parking lot testing) and it just feels awesome. I've ordered a medium and a large 2016 DL, and I'll probably buy whichever feels better.


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## Cerberus75 (Oct 20, 2015)

With a BMX background, get the one that feels more playfull to you. I made the mistake of getting a long stable bike...just not mu style. Deore is perfectly fine, if you want lighter upgrade to XT when things wear out.


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## kyle242gt (Nov 12, 2012)

I rode a '14 Taro (AL Honzo) and was instantly hooked. There's just something about it. Felt very BMX-y as soon as I threw a leg over it.

Have since put a dropper and 27.5*2.4 rear on it, and whoa momma that is a fun ass bike. Just gotta watch for pedal strikes.


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## TrailNut (Apr 6, 2004)

+1 for Kona, for it's design.

I've been enjoying my 1998 Kona Lavadome steel HT (26"-er) with 130MM Z1 FR fork, since 1998. The fork I added 1-+ years ago, alternating with a Kona steel rigid fork. Broke the frame once, but Bernie Mickkelson weld-repaired it for $100: Another $100 earlier to weld the disc brake boss.


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## mannyfnz (Aug 30, 2014)

I don't think there's any way around the fact that the 27.5 DB will be better for bmx style stuff than the 29er, imo.. and be more nimble/playful. Check out the Youtube video of that Sync'r by Seth's Bike Hacks. Looks like the perfect choice for you..


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## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

It is great that a dealer actually let you test the bike in real trails though. We don't have that kind of dealers here, not even parking lot test excepting a couple of Trek dealers.

Actually, I got my Hook through Amazon without even testing it, not even a similar bike. Did a huge amount of research about its geometry before ordering it, as well as a lot of extensive learning about what could be my preferred riding style, and managed to get the right bike at the end.


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## tylercall88 (Feb 5, 2016)

So just to update, my shop ordered in two 2016 Honzo DL's (medium and large) for me to check out and I am completely hooked! They are very noticeably lighter than the 2014. we weighed them (both size medium) and it was about 4lbs lighter than the older model and came in at 27.6lbs. It was extremely playful and felt more nimble than the DB's I tested, so I didn't hesitate to put my deposit on one.

I did decided to go for a size down from what I probably should have, being my size, but the medium just felt right. Only $200 left til it's in my house! 

Just wanna throw this in there, too, but if anyone's in the PNW, near Bellingham, check out Skagit Cycle Centers. The guys there are awesome! Thanks for everyone posting in here, too. I'm stoked and can't wait to start my MTB transition!


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## mannyfnz (Aug 30, 2014)

Congrats.. A coworker of mine has the honzo and loves it. Looks like a fun bike. Btw, they must've weighed the steel honzo against the aluminum version..hence the weight difference. Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to post your thoughts after some trail riding


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## tylercall88 (Feb 5, 2016)

mannyfnz said:


> Congrats.. A coworker of mine has the honzo and loves it. Looks like a fun bike. Btw, they must've weighed the steel honzo against the aluminum version..hence the weight difference. Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to post your thoughts after some trail riding


Yeah, it was the Aluminum weighed against a steel (I didn't think they made an Aluminum Honzo until the 2016 model). I'll def follow up after I've really ridden it and let everyone know what I think!


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## Todd Cavell (Jan 24, 2016)

I think I might have bought my bike from the same shop (Skagit Cycle) as you. They special ordered a 2016 Kona Honzo AL for me and while i was ordering it they told me somebody had just ordered a large and medium AL/DL. 

I didn't want to drop the money on the more expensive version. Want worth it to me for my first mountain bike. 

Small world!


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## tylercall88 (Feb 5, 2016)

Yep, that was me! Whidbey Island. If I see a blue and yellow Honzo on the trails, I'll ask for Todd haha.

I'm not gonna lie, I went for the DL because I wanted that fork. Other than that, I doubt I'd notice any difference between the two at all...


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## tylercall88 (Feb 5, 2016)

So I got it! Rode it around in the mud on a slightly rainy day after it had been raining previous days and had a blast! Didn't really get much of a ride in, because I didn't wanna wreck the trails. Bike seems to climb better than I thought, though I still might wanna get a 42t on it. On the steeper climbs, the tire would become caked and slip, so I still need a real test on dry trails.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

Congrats!

Kona's are great bikes for Washington riding.


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