My last hardtail was a 2003 Cove Stiffee FR, which at the time, was one of the best all-mountain hardtails available. Bike geometry has changed quite a bit since then and riding the Stiffee is absolutely terrifying for me now. And so began my hunt for a modern, gravity bent bike that could give me the thrill that only a hardtail could. It had to be simple, versatile, tough, and relatively cheap. After much thought, I settled on the Honzo ST. I plan on riding it through the majority of the wet, Wellington winter and will give you my feedback in a future issue of Spoke. I’ve only had it for a couple of weeks but so far I’m loving it.
The stock Deore derailleur was replaced with a Zee short cage. The faux ‘brazing’ paint detailing looks great on the raw-like, grey wash over the frame.
The stock, static post was swapped out for a dropper – essential on a bike like this.
Also swapped the Kona branded 60mm stem for this Easton 55mm I had lying around.
Maxxis Tomahawk 3C EXO TR tires on 29mm wide (internal) rims come stock. Sweet!
1 1/8″ – 1 1/2″ tapered headtube
Deore brakes – Simple. Reliable.
Extra ‘braze-ons’ help with cable management should you need them.
760mm wide bars (Ø31.8mm)
Matching WTB seat.
Meaty little gusset.
Threaded bottom bracket – Still my preference over press-fit. The steel Honzo has heaps of tire clearance compared with the alloy version. I plan on trying some 650B+ wheels on this thing to see what all the fuss is about.
Seatpost mast gusset
Adjustable dropouts = Versatility. Super simple system too. Since I have the chainstays set as short as possible, there was no need for the limit screws so I removed them.
142mm x 12mm Maxle. Shimano Deore 10 speed 11-36 cassette
Raceface Aeffect 170mm cranks with a 32T narrow/wide ring
Flattened seat stays are a nice touch.
120mm Fox Float 34 Performance fork, Deore shifter, and ODI Ruffian grips come stock.
Is this a small or medium frame..? Thanks!
Sooo anything to say? DId you try the 650b wheels? And were they plus? or nearly plus…?
curious about frame and total weight!
Curious about a full review on this bike, weight, compared to.. other bikes, materials etc.
What is it like on the hills? How about this bike as a replacement for a full suss. trail bike for all round duties? What is the steel frame ride like- springy like a Ti frame or just dull like a cheap heavy steel frame of yesteryear?
If Spoke need a product reviewer, who can write and take his own photographs (saving money on photographers) I am available a very reasonable rate. contact me at froutts@gmail.com