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'''Kona Bikes''' is a [[bicycle]] company based in the [[Pacific Northwest]]. The company was founded in 1988 by Dan Gerhard
Gerhard and Heilbron worked initially with [[Mountain Bike Hall of Fame]] rider [[Joe Murray (cyclist)|Joe Murray]] to create a range of custom steel hardtails. Kona was the first brand to produce a complete range of sloping top tube design mountain bike frames.
[[Paul Brodie (businessman)|Paul Brodie]] collaborated with the TBG and was likely instrumental in implementing the sloping top tube design from previous work with Rocky Mountain and with his own company.
The Canadian headquarters are located near the famous [[North Shore Mountains]] of Vancouver, leading Kona to develop a range of [[Freeride (mountain biking)|Freeride]] mountain bikes in 1998 known for durability as well as for their ability to handle extremely technical downhill terrain. In the 1990s, provocative names were used on Kona bikes and components like Humuhumunukunukuapua'a, Sutra, Sex One, Sex Too, Stinky, Jackshit,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theproscloset.com/blogs/news/the-best-bike-names | title= The Best Bike Names| date= 5 November 2019}}</ref> while there are rumors about one of their early logos being inspired by an anus,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.goclipless.com/2007/01/cycling_logos.html#comment-6a00d83451b7e469e20168ebe0d06f970c | title= 8 great cycling logos}}</ref> aiming to be placed as an "alternative" bicycle company or as the "smallest biggest company in the world".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://nsmb.com/articles/the-smallest-biggest-bike-company-in-the-world/ | title= the smallest biggest company in the world}}</ref>
Kona has gone on to develop a complete range of road, commuter, [[cyclo-cross]] in addition to a complete range of [[mountain bikes]]. Using a range of materials including [[carbon fiber]], [[titanium]], [[aluminum]] and [[steel]], Kona's bikes are sold in over 60 countries worldwide.
On January 19, 2022, the founders announced the sale of the company to diversified outdoor equipment maker Kent Outdoors. On April 19, 2024, Kent Outdoors began winding down operations with plans to sell the brand.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://road.cc/content/news/kona-bicycles-winding-down-and-sale-307945 |title=Kona Bicycles winding down and up for sale as parent company abandons struggling bike market |first1=Ryan |last1=Mallon |date=2024-04-21 |website=road.cc}}</ref>
On May 20, 2024, Dan and Jake announced that they had re-purchased the brand from Kent Outdoors with plans to re-launch it.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kona Bicycles press release: Kona 3.0 |url=https://www.bicycleretailer.com/announcements/2024/05/20/kona-bicycles-press-release-kona-30 |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=Bicycle Retailer and Industry News |language=en}}</ref>
== Kona Factory Team==
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After finishing 4th in the World Solo 24HR Championships in 2015, and 2nd in 2016, Kona Factory Team rider Cory Wallace won the event 3 consecutive years, from 2017 to 2019. Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the event was unable to proceed in 2020 and 2021, however in 2022 Wallace once again defended his world title. [[File:Cory Wallace Championship.jpg|thumb|Cory Wallace wins his first WEMBO Championship]]
Wallace won all four championships while riding a Kona Hei Hei CRDL.
== Advocacy ==
Kona has been an [[International Mountain Biking Association]] corporate supporter since 1994, and has developed fundraising projects including the Kona Buck-A-Bike program, the Kona Bro Deal program, the [[Interbike]] bowling tourney and Kona/IMBA Freeriding grants.
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For 2008, Kona pledged to donate 1,000 Africabikes for the project and due to the overwhelming customer support of this project, Kona set up a non-profit/humanitarian organization from their European HQ in Geneva, Switzerland called Kona Basic Needs. This organisation's aim is to continue to raise more funds and awareness of the Kona Africabike program and to continue the donation of these bikes. {{Citation needed|date=September 2009}}.
== External links ==▼
* {{Official website|http://www.konaworld.com/}}▼
* [http://vimeo.com/konaworld Kona's Vimeo page]▼
* [http://www.classickona.com/ Classic Kona, a collection of past Kona bikes online]▼
==References==
{{Reflist}}
▲== External links ==
▲* [http://vimeo.com/konaworld Kona's Vimeo page]
* {{cite web |url=http://www.completesite.com/mbhof/page.cfm?pageid=6&year=2002&memberid=122 |website=The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame |title=Hall of Fame Inductees |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080831120248/http://www.completesite.com/mbhof/page.cfm?pageid=6&year=2002&memberid=122 |archive-date=2008-08-31}}
{{Canadian bicycle manufacturers}}
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