# My new commuter - 2009 Kona Honky Tonk



## SlowIsMe (Oct 3, 2007)

I've been commuting to and from work for almost 4 years now, and all that time it has been on my '87 Schwinn Super Sport that I converted to a fixed gear. It *barely* fit 28c tires, and the fenders were hideous, though I managed to make them fit. Finally put a clamp-on rear rack on it, but it kind of annoys me. That plus a number of other things have me ready to go back to gears, and something a little more versatile. So after many thousands of miles, I'm ready to put it out to pasture.

Enter this Kona Honky Tonk! It seemed right up my alley for a sturdy commuter that will see all kinds of miscellaneous miles doing gravel rides, less hasty road rides, and maybe even some groceries. Who knows. Even though I was able to tackle all hills that I attempted on my fixed gear, I admittedly stayed away from the hillier areas when taking the long way home. 

After building it up, I did a roughly 55 mile circle around the city (St. Louis) and found it to be one of the smoothest riding bikes I've ever had! It has a nice spring to it when you want it to move, too. I was in love right away! Of course, that ride was before I started dorking it out for daily use.

It comes with 28c tires, but I found that it will just barely squeeze 32c tires, if they are slick and you aren't planning on fenders. I took the Conti Ultrasport tires off and replaced them with some Panaracer Pasela Tourguards. Much better. It was an extremely tight fit to get the Planet Bike Cascadia road-width fenders to work without rubbing, but I managed to do it with a fair amount of adjusting and rigging. Wouldn't mind having more tire clearance with some chainstay manipulation, but oh well. With the rack, fenders, headlight/battery/taillight system, computer, pedals, and mostly full bottle of water, it was pushing the scales at around 32 lbs. Definitely has lost some of the snap that it had without any extras, but that's the trade-off I suppose. 

I wondered how I'd like the DT shifters, and I have to admit that it hasn't been the bane of my existence. I kind of like how it has a tendency to remove the urgency from shifting, and puts me in a slightly different frame of mind when riding it. I've already logged almost 200 miles on it, and I look forward to getting my position dialed in, and really living with this thing. Love the blue, too! 

Just thought you all might like see the set-up. I'm sure it will change eventually. Anyone else been considering this bike? A well-thought-out bike for the money, for sure.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Hey, allright! I`m surprised they went out of their way to put the shifter bosses on- nice touch. I take it you went back to 28 tires when you installed the fenders? Have fun- looks like a great bike.


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## SlowIsMe (Oct 3, 2007)

Well, I never actually used the 32's, I just installed them to see if they'll fit.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Sweet. I love that color. Since you've got a pump peg, why not go with a full-sized pump?

The Honky Tonk is a worthy competitor to the Salsa Casseroll, but the Casseroll geometry suits me a little better.


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## zpl (May 7, 2007)

Nice bike! Now that I'm riding a Casseroll, I have so much appreciation for bike designs that put comfort and practicality first. The ability to run wide tires and full fenders has changed how and why I ride in good ways.


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## acckids (Jan 2, 2003)

Did you cut off the steerer tube to its present length or did it come that way?


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

tarwheel2 said:


> Sweet. I love that color. Since you've got a pump peg, why not go with a full-sized pump?


The pump he's using is a Topeak Morph. Much better than any frame pump I've ever used in the past 40 years. It has a built in gage, and the end of it folds down so that you can use it just like a floor pump. It has a hose o you don't have to hold the head and be concerned about the stem breaking. It's a great pump. The only fault I've found with it is the mounting. It zip ties on, and the )(&^#$^& zip ties are always moving around on the top tube. The zip fasteners catch on my tights. I've torn holes in two pair. :mad5: Great pump though.


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## morryjg (Jan 6, 2008)

Sweet ride! Not to rain on the new Kona's parade, but I'd like to see pics of the Schwinn. I'm commuting part time on the same bike. (either that or mine is an 86) I was thinking about fenders and such for it and would like to see what you did.


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## kykr13 (Apr 12, 2008)

Mr. Versatile said:


> The only fault I've found with it is the mounting.


I can't take credit for this buck-and-a-half solution (someone else here posted it awhile back), but it works pretty well. It's designed for a pump that's bigger in diameter so just use the velcro strap from the Topeak mount and you'll be all set. 

My pump is the older Road Morph, sans gauge, and the head is a little in the way but I don't hit it. Not sure if the newer one is any different there. Just thinking, it might actually be better upside down... :idea:


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## zpl (May 7, 2007)

kykr13 said:


> I can't take credit for this buck-and-a-half solution (someone else here posted it awhile back), but it works pretty well. It's designed for a pump that's bigger in diameter so just use the velcro strap from the Topeak mount and you'll be all set.


You can also wrap a few layers of electrical or duct tape around the pump in the contact areas to make it fit snugly in those pump clips. I'd still use the velcro strap for the piece of mind, though.


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## SlowIsMe (Oct 3, 2007)

acckids said:


> Did you cut off the steerer tube to its present length or did it come that way?



That is the way that the steerer came. It could probably be considered a little short, but there are ways around that. 

Moryyjg, I'll post up some photos of the schwinn with it's fenders once I get to a computer that has them. I'm going to warn you, it is ugly - zip ties, p-clamps, and a dremel made it happen. and some bar-tape squares to reduce vibration.


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

*I was going to say*

that the pump looked a little fugly, even if those things work well! Mostly it's the zip tie thingemajigs...

Nice bike, though! 

If you ever DO get tired of the DT shifters, barends rock for commuting.


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## brujenn (Nov 26, 2007)

I have a Spec Sequoia set up much like your Kona. I'm experimenting with a theoretical "one bike". So far so good. I'll post about it in the near future.


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## kykr13 (Apr 12, 2008)

It's not really obvious from the Performance link exactly how this works - picture's worth a thousand words...


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## SlowIsMe (Oct 3, 2007)

morryjg said:


> Sweet ride! Not to rain on the new Kona's parade, but I'd like to see pics of the Schwinn. I'm commuting part time on the same bike. (either that or mine is an 86) I was thinking about fenders and such for it and would like to see what you did.


Morryhg, does your Schwinn look like this at all? Here is what I did to it. I converted it to a fixed gear, and removed the rear brake. (that makes it a lot easier for a fender in the rear.) The fork is also different from what came on it originally. The fenders I used were a mountain bike set that I had scored for a buck at a clearance sale, and had them laying around until I realized that they could fit on to this thing.

Over the rear wheel, I went OVER the rear brake arch (keep in mind these fenders are mtb width) and clamped the uprights to the seat-stays using p-clamps (and bar-taps pieces are shims), since there are no eyelets. I also had to use two zip ties to keep the front of the rear fender secured to the frame on the non-drive chainstay and the chainstay brace.

In the front, I used p-clamps to secure the uprights to the fork legs. The tricky part was getting it to be secure up near the headset and front brake. I usd a dremel to cut down the length a little, since I could not extend the fender in front of the fork. So I butted it up against the fork crown, and wrapped a zip-tie around the crown and through two dremeled holes in the fender. When cutting the end of the fender off, I shaped it so it the fork crown would have a little notch to sit in.

The thing is hideous frankenbike that should be put out of it's misery, but it has survived thousands and thousands of miles with VERY few issues. In fact, it's been the most reliable and trouble free of all 4 bikes that I own. I do have minimal toe-overlap with the front fender, but it isn't much of a problem.


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## morryjg (Jan 6, 2008)

SlowIsMe said:


> Morryhg, does your Schwinn look like this at all?


That's the exact same year. Ugly purple and all! I still have the stock fork on it and gears. I did get rid of the bio-pace that came with it. My biggest problem has been the headset. The original got really pitted and I can't find another to fit it nicely since it's that weird japan 1" headset. 

Definitely some food for thought on the fender thing. I'm still on the fence as to whether I'm going to do it. Riding in Denver there just isn't that much call for fenders. Although, with them I'd probably be more likely to ride on the cr*p weather days. What was the widest tire you were able to put on? It looks to me that the rear would present more of a clearance problem than the front.


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## SlowIsMe (Oct 3, 2007)

morryjg said:


> That's the exact same year. Ugly purple and all! I still have the stock fork on it and gears. I did get rid of the bio-pace that came with it. My biggest problem has been the headset. The original got really pitted and I can't find another to fit it nicely since it's that weird japan 1" headset.
> 
> Definitely some food for thought on the fender thing. I'm still on the fence as to whether I'm going to do it. Riding in Denver there just isn't that much call for fenders. Although, with them I'd probably be more likely to ride on the cr*p weather days. What was the widest tire you were able to put on? It looks to me that the rear would present more of a clearance problem than the front.


I'm sure there is a headset to work for you, though it might not be anything special. I know that the stock headset does require that stupid wrench to adjust it. 

The widest tire I have been able to fit is a 28c, both front and rear. just barely fits, but don't expect to have the fender fit between the tire and frame.


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## vandalbob (Dec 13, 2001)

*Honky Tonk Frame Enroute*

I just ordered a Honky Tonk frame to be my extra bike and commuter. Pretty stoked about getting it. We'll see how well I like the ride. Was pretty torn between a Paddy Wagon (but I'm very content with my Concorde fixed gear conversion I've had for 9 years), a Soma Smoothie, a Salsa Casseroll, or trolling through ebay hoping to land a frame that would suffice. Can't wait for it to arrive.


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