Reviews

These are links to some reviews of the Kona AfricaBike. It'll be updated whenever I find new, or interesting ones.

Adam Greenfield's Speedbird

Cyclorama

Fortworthology

Manchester Cycling

MCRcycling

Post Industrial Brambles

Road CC

Not a review, but you gotta read this!

Security

When I take my bike for quick errands I use the "integrated rear wheel lock" and a "chain lock" to secure my bike. If I had to leave it for long time, I'll throw in another U-lock in the mix.

I also have the old "bicycle chain in a inner tube" trick for the saddle. I would also cover the saddle with a plastic bag to hide and "ugly-fy" it a bit if I was gonna leave it locked for a long time.

A professional bike thief will still be able to take the bike or saddle.  The best I can hope for is to slow them down, or make them look for an easier target.

UPDATED APRIL 3, 2011:  I decided to remove some security features.

Retired For The Winter

I've cleaned and lubed the chain with Finish Line Dry Teflon Lube. Now it's hung up for winter storage. I admire the people who tough it out in the winter.

Since I won't be riding for awhile, I'm thinking about possible modifications. Maybe I'll turn it into a light weight road beast with drop bars. Or a touring bike. Maybe a mountain bike with suspension. Oh I know...a cyclocross bike. Hmmm...so many options.

Spotted In The Wild

I saw my first Kona AfricaBike locked to bike rack (downtown Toronto). It was an older model with the removable rear rack. If I wasn't in a car, I would have taken a picture of it. It's strange that I was a little excited to see one. Now I look at bike racks all the time to see if I can spot another one. Weird huh?

Riding A Mountain Bike

It's funny how accustomed I am to the Kona AfricaBike after only one month of riding it. I recently hoped on a mountain bike and was shocked how strange it felt.

The extra reach to the handlebars. The extra pressure on my shoulders and arms. I never notice that before.

Adding A Water Bottle Cage

I mounted a water bottle cage on the basket with zip ties. It takes up a bit of space but there's still enough room for stuff.

I'm not sure if I want to keep it on though. Before I could throw stuff in the basket. Now things have to be placed in or else it'll get caught on the cage. Anyway, this mod is easy enough to redo or undo.

UPDATED OCTOBER 6, 2010: I removed it today. haha

UPDATED MAY 29, 2012: I installed a handlebar mount bottle cage.

Specialized Fatboy Tire

I replaced the Continental Traffic 1.9" with a set of Specialized Fatboy 1.25" tires and Presta valve inner tubes. I wanted tires more suited for road and paved trails. The combination of a slick tread, lower rotation mass, and high PSI did the trick.

With the Fatboys inflated to 100 PSI really surprised me. I was expecting a harsher and twitchy ride. It feels similar to the Continentals except for the extra speed/efficiency I gained.

1'st and 2'nd gear on the bike used to feel a bit high. After installing these tires, the gearing feels a little lower.

The Continentals are good for what they were designed for, but the Fatboys are perfect for my needs. They're awesome.

UPDATED NOVEMBER 20, 2010: I keep them at 85 PSI now. They feel way more comfortable and just as fast.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 28, 2011: Depending on how and what you ride over, pebbles, twigs, etc. can cause the front/rear end of the bike to instantly skip left/right.  It'll startle you if you're not expecting it.