CAPTION CONTEST #2
Send us a funny caption for this photo. The winner will receive a set Kenda Knarly 262.10 rubber tires and honorable mention entries in the next MBA issue.
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BEHIND SCENES WITH KONA
We tested the Kona Stinky Dee Lux in our February 2003 issue. This is an exclusive interview with Pat White from Kona Bicycles, where you can learn more about the bike.
Kona Bicycles may be the Stinky line for out-of-bounds mountain bike. The most important category of bike. These long-travel, burly bikes can be pedaled easily and are the benchmark for extreme riders. MBA and I recently rode the Kona Stinky Dee Lux, and were blown away by our time in the saddle.
Interview with Konas Pat?Paddy (not included in the February 2003 test) is exclusive to MBAction.com. White by Jimmy Mac, Mountain Bike Actions Editor. Pat was responsible for the creation of the Stinky brand.
Jimmy The Stinky Line is five years old. Who came up with the idea?
Pat There were so many things that went into the Stinky. We felt the right time had come for mass-produced downhill racing machines. The Stab was introduced. The Stab was a production downhill bike that could be afforded by anyone who couldn’t afford a custom frame. Our European importers were the biggest surprise. We asked them for Stabs with multiple chainsrings. This surprised us. We were surprised to discover that Europe had a poseur element. Riders were using the Stab to make themselves look bad while riding in parks and cities. We also saw North Shore men using the Stab to do their style of riding.
Jimmy – These guys are nothing but posers.
Pat: Right. These men needed strong suspension and frames that could be pedaled. The Stinky was born. We were criticized for being crazy and that no one would purchase a Stinky bike. However, we modified the geometry, changed frame tubing, and made the bike lighter. The Stinky was considered an out-of-bounds bicycle. It was made for extreme riding, hucking, and speed. It was also used for the poseurs (laughter).
Jimmy: What’s changed in the five-year Stinkys life?
Pat Every year, something has changed. It began as a 13 cm bike for travel with round tubes and gusseting. We upgraded to Easton tubing. Later, we made our own Kona Clump tubing. You guys just tested the bike and the travel continued to increase to 18 cm.
Jimmy Is there a story?
Pat This was a panicky, fourth-gear triple rev that sometimes happens to product managers (laughter). The Tioga Factory multi-use tire was a good choice in testing. However, the first production samples were blowing off the tires! Tioga had made a modification to the tire’s sidewall. They made it thicker, and they wouldn’t stick to the rims. Because we are familiar with the tire, we switched to Nokian. Tioga quickly fixed the problem for us, so if you see a StinkyDee-Lux with Tioga tire at a Kona dealer and it is not the original tires, be assured that they are the better tires.
Jimmy: What is the definition of ‘out of bounds’? riding?
Pat This is a type of riding in which the destination is less important than the journey. It’s not about how fast you can get there, but how much you have having getting there.
Jimmy: Does the Stinky make a good bike for trail riding? Is it overkill?
Pat: That’s a difficult question. All mountain bikers should address the issue you raised. You can’t blame a bike for being well-designed and capable of traveling fast. Stinkys have excellent suspension and great brakes. The Stinkys can be ridden quickly by a skilled rider, even on trails where a rider with lesser suspension and less stopping power would be riding slower. The Stinky allows for more control. A guy who rides above his head will always be there. He will need only one quick fix to get rid of this problem.
