I found that it's definitely not a bike worthy of downhill parks. A better bottom bracket and crankset might be all it would need to be more at home, although fork travel is certainly limited too.
@@julianayala7577 At the bike park, not really, but at my local trails, yes. It does a great job for $750 and I've had a ton of fun on it, but I broke the bottom bracket in the process on bigger drops. It rides great but you should probably invest in a chain slap guard and definitely better pedals, and the brakes are mediocre at high speeds.
@@kylebiemiller4313 sorry for sounding like a rookie, by big drops you're referring to big jumps? Not looking to perform MASSIVE jumps but wouldn't mind hitting a few moderate ones on the more technical trails. All 3 bikes I've tried to purchase are no where near arriving but my local shop is getting a shipment of these in the next few weeks so I'm doing my research.
Love my 2020 Lava Dome! As soon as I rode it it just felt right. After some mods.. SLX-derailleur, cranks, cassette, Rockshox Gold air forks, Chester pedals and new grips it does exactly what I want. It behaves well in rock gardens, rocky downhills, medium sized jumps and just fells good all the way around.
I went to Mountain Creek in 2015 on my 2014 Kona Lava Dome. I remember that day fondly though the bike basically rattled the teeth out of my skull. 6 years later and I still haven't been back but I still ride that bike. Got a Fox 32 100mm air fork 2 years ago which was a big upgrade. Just upgraded to a Rocky Mountain Growler which is much more compliant on downhill technical sections. Now I can stop trying to make that XC bike into an enduro bike. Get wider bars on your bike and, if you can, find a used air fork with 120mm travel. Those axles still won't hold up over time in a DH park but at least you got rid of the pogo stick fork.
I'm trying to get into mountain biking and I started my research and ended up with the Trek Marlin 6 and the Kona you're riding in this video, any thoughts? Thanks in advance !
I am eyeing kona lava Dome, kona Mahuna or cube attention. Which of it have a good Frame or maybe you can recommend a hardtail with good frame. And also I am in germany. Some bike what you guys have there, we don't have it here🤣🤣🤣
@@Noybi009 I'm not really the best person to ask because I don't know a lot, if anything, about hardtail XC bikes, but I'd guess that the Mahuna would hold up best once you start improving and do more than just pedal down a light trail. The Cube looks built for speed and wouldn't take too kindly for anything rough.
@@kylebiemiller4313 But do you think that would not be a problem for a man of 110kg? ... plus a backpack ... with jumps of no more than 1mt. (only evaluating the framework, not the components) thanks
@@cristianfuentes69 I think the frame geometry of a bike is more of a matter of opinion. I don't like how the 2021 Rockhopper is all straight lines, I prefer how the Lava Dome has some curves to the bottom tube personally. I would say both bikes seem similar enough that they would work fine for you, the bigger issue would be what parts are connected to them.
@@kylebiemiller4313 the lava dome sure is a smooth ride because of the big wheels and it helps you keep your speed for longer once ypu have it but it makes acceleration from still hard
I've been looking at bikes lately. How do you like those bike? Do you know much about the Marin San Quentin 1? These are the 2 I've pretty much narrowed it down to.. Do you have any advice for a buyer? What's your top 5 recommendation for great bikes under 1000$? Thank you.
I can't necessarily give you a review on the San Quentin 1 because I've never ridden one. I have 2 months of experience on the Lava Dome and it's my very first mountain bike. For $150 less than the SQ1, the Lava Dome has 20 mm less travel on the front fork, comes with a 2x drivetrain instead of a 1x (I only use the bigger crank during road use, never on the trails), and less slack on the head tube angle. Both bikes have a square taper bottom bracket, and the one on my Lava Dome is breaking on me after its second trip to the local downhill park. I'm not sure if the SQ1 is more reinforced or not. Both come with crappy nylon pedals so that's something you'll need to replace. For $750, I got what I paid for with my Lava Dome. It's a great moderate trail bike but definitely isn't enough for a bike park. I'd buy one again for under a grand, because I don't see the need to spend $150 more for the San Quentin 1 which would probably give me the same results at the bike park you see in this video. I hope this helps.
@@kylebiemiller4313 a couple of bikes that have crept onto my list... The Kona Mahuna.. I love the fact that it has air suspension and that green and white is sleek.. Seems like an amazing bike for the price of just 1,000$ etc also the 2019 Giant Talon 2.. I think it's cool how this bike has no tubes and straight air to the tires. Also the drive on this bike looks amazing. Totally digging the grey and green etc... it doesnt have air suspension tho.. I hear these bikes tend to be heavy and I'm not looking for a heavy bike tbh..it's about 280$ cheaper than the Kona, but its features are less too...Any thoughts?
I don't know what year Mahuna you're looking at, but the only color I'm seeing is a burnt orange. The Mahuna's fork has the same amount of travel as the Lava Dome but it looks like the brakes and drivetrain are better. The climbing ability will be better with that 11-42 tooth cassette but you'll be insanely slow on the road. I hate the look of the Giant Talon 2, and their website isn't very descriptive. If you want to spend a thousand, I'd think the Mahuna would be better than the Lava Dome. I don't like that the fork travel is the same but I do like the drivetrain more and I would think the brakes are better too. The Lava Dome's brakes aren't very good. As far as weight, I don't think my Lava Dome is heavy and I don't know how much the Mahuna weighs. My next bike is either going to be Giant's Reign 2 or I'll be buying my friend's Transition Scout NX. A hardtail just isn't suiting my needs at the moment.
Do you think that the Mahuna could handle this trail easier? I think that the better fork and hydraulic breaks on the mahuna would hold up better, don't you? I'm a quick learning biker, but I don't really know a lot about the bikes themselves.
Depending on how quickly you learn and what you're wanting to put yourself up against, I wouldn't go with a Lava Dome and I'm not sure about the Mahuna. I haven't looked into any bike around that range recently. Since it's still an XC level travel bike, it wouldn't be much good at downhill parks. I'm on a Trek Remedy now and it's a great fit for what I do and what I want to do.
That bike looks like it feels like a jackhammer. Looking for a decenbt bike for my wife too. She's an absolute noob, but would like to get her a bike that she can grow into. Any suggestions?
Been looking at Kona’s this summer, anyone have thoughts on the Blast or Mahuna? Believe they’re a step up from the Lava Dome, wondering if it’s worth the extra $$ ??
I've been riding a brand new Mahuna 2021 for a month now. Great beginner bike ! The fork is better just like the drivetrain. No chain slapping on rought terrain or small jumps. Also the breaks are handling my 90kg on sharp stops ! I'm not riding in the mountains though.... If you can afford the Mahuna, go for it ! The specs are definitely better !!
Pierre Carrière cool! Thanks for sharing your experience. Do you think an extra 20-25kgs is manageable on that bike? I always feel like my back tire is running so low and worry that I’ll get a pinch flat on rocks and roots. Hoping a local shop has some inventory soon, damn coronavirus 😡
@@brankojovanov5459 Yeah I can't why you couldn't ride it. Maybe the bottom bracket is a bit cheap. Already broke mine while doing some small drops... As long as you don't start to jump everywhere with it, you should be fine :)
I have the mahuna and I love it. The mahuna has rockshox air suspension and the lave dome just has spring fork. The rockshox is a huge step up and is going to be a way smother ride Edit: I also recommend getting a one up dropperpost as well as upgrading the pedals and the handlebar grips, it makes a big difference
@@pierrecarriere6845 Nice. I was thinking of Mahuna or eventhe Kahuna. Wondering if the extra gear (12) on the kahuna is worth it? Is it a higher gear or lower gear compared to the Mahuna's 11x ?
@@willrobshaw9945 I liked it for what it was capable of. Unfortunately, $750 really does only get you started. Once you start riding very rough terrain and get into bigger jumps and drops, these won't hold up. My bottom bracket ended up having an issue.
@@kylebiemiller4313 sorry I was with my kiddo. What I mean is. Is it worth upgrading the lava Dome? I mean in all aspects to make it a better hardtail in full Potential?
Isn't anyone going to mention the serious fucking rattling that's going on with this bike? There are a grip of reasons why and probably all of them are accurate... DAMN!
Finally a video with someone riding the Lava Dome
I found that it's definitely not a bike worthy of downhill parks. A better bottom bracket and crankset might be all it would need to be more at home, although fork travel is certainly limited too.
Kyle Biemiller do you like it though
@@julianayala7577 At the bike park, not really, but at my local trails, yes. It does a great job for $750 and I've had a ton of fun on it, but I broke the bottom bracket in the process on bigger drops. It rides great but you should probably invest in a chain slap guard and definitely better pedals, and the brakes are mediocre at high speeds.
I have one. Changed grips. Pedals and crank set to 1x now. Rides great im 295 as well hahah so it handles for big guys.
@@kylebiemiller4313 sorry for sounding like a rookie, by big drops you're referring to big jumps? Not looking to perform MASSIVE jumps but wouldn't mind hitting a few moderate ones on the more technical trails. All 3 bikes I've tried to purchase are no where near arriving but my local shop is getting a shipment of these in the next few weeks so I'm doing my research.
Love my 2020 Lava Dome! As soon as I rode it it just felt right. After some mods.. SLX-derailleur, cranks, cassette, Rockshox Gold air forks, Chester pedals and new grips it does exactly what I want. It behaves well in rock gardens, rocky downhills, medium sized jumps and just fells good all the way around.
Hi @le tigre,
I would like to know more about your mods,
I went to Mountain Creek in 2015 on my 2014 Kona Lava Dome. I remember that day fondly though the bike basically rattled the teeth out of my skull. 6 years later and I still haven't been back but I still ride that bike. Got a Fox 32 100mm air fork 2 years ago which was a big upgrade. Just upgraded to a Rocky Mountain Growler which is much more compliant on downhill technical sections. Now I can stop trying to make that XC bike into an enduro bike. Get wider bars on your bike and, if you can, find a used air fork with 120mm travel. Those axles still won't hold up over time in a DH park but at least you got rid of the pogo stick fork.
Thanks for the info!
Hi can you advice between Kona fire mountain and Kona lanai please thanks. I’ll be commuting too. Fire mountain comes in both 2x9 and 1x9
Fire mountain come with better stuff than lanaii , its the same stock from lava dome on the fire mountain but u have 27.5 wheels
Fire mountain
nice
I ride a lava dome for xc
I'm trying to get into mountain biking and I started my research and ended up with the Trek Marlin 6 and the Kona you're riding in this video, any thoughts? Thanks in advance !
I am eyeing kona lava Dome, kona Mahuna or cube attention. Which of it have a good Frame or maybe you can recommend a hardtail with good frame. And also I am in germany. Some bike what you guys have there, we don't have it here🤣🤣🤣
Will do some lite trail first. I am just a beginner.
@@Noybi009 I'm not really the best person to ask because I don't know a lot, if anything, about hardtail XC bikes, but I'd guess that the Mahuna would hold up best once you start improving and do more than just pedal down a light trail. The Cube looks built for speed and wouldn't take too kindly for anything rough.
@@kylebiemiller4313 ok thanks for the time
You're in Germany. Get a Canyon.
SOS hello, do you know if the geometry will be better than a specialized rockhopper 2021? Thank you
I don't off the top of my head. I'd need to have the specs side by side.
@@kylebiemiller4313 But do you think that would not be a problem for a man of 110kg? ... plus a backpack ... with jumps of no more than 1mt. (only evaluating the framework, not the components) thanks
@@cristianfuentes69 I think the frame geometry of a bike is more of a matter of opinion. I don't like how the 2021 Rockhopper is all straight lines, I prefer how the Lava Dome has some curves to the bottom tube personally. I would say both bikes seem similar enough that they would work fine for you, the bigger issue would be what parts are connected to them.
@@kylebiemiller4313 the lava dome sure is a smooth ride because of the big wheels and it helps you keep your speed for longer once ypu have it but it makes acceleration from still hard
I've been looking at bikes lately. How do you like those bike? Do you know much about the Marin San Quentin 1? These are the 2 I've pretty much narrowed it down to.. Do you have any advice for a buyer? What's your top 5 recommendation for great bikes under 1000$? Thank you.
I can't necessarily give you a review on the San Quentin 1 because I've never ridden one. I have 2 months of experience on the Lava Dome and it's my very first mountain bike. For $150 less than the SQ1, the Lava Dome has 20 mm less travel on the front fork, comes with a 2x drivetrain instead of a 1x (I only use the bigger crank during road use, never on the trails), and less slack on the head tube angle. Both bikes have a square taper bottom bracket, and the one on my Lava Dome is breaking on me after its second trip to the local downhill park. I'm not sure if the SQ1 is more reinforced or not. Both come with crappy nylon pedals so that's something you'll need to replace. For $750, I got what I paid for with my Lava Dome. It's a great moderate trail bike but definitely isn't enough for a bike park. I'd buy one again for under a grand, because I don't see the need to spend $150 more for the San Quentin 1 which would probably give me the same results at the bike park you see in this video. I hope this helps.
@@kylebiemiller4313thank you so much! I'll continue shopping!
@@kylebiemiller4313 a couple of bikes that have crept onto my list... The Kona Mahuna.. I love the fact that it has air suspension and that green and white is sleek.. Seems like an amazing bike for the price of just 1,000$ etc also the 2019 Giant Talon 2.. I think it's cool how this bike has no tubes and straight air to the tires. Also the drive on this bike looks amazing. Totally digging the grey and green etc... it doesnt have air suspension tho.. I hear these bikes tend to be heavy and I'm not looking for a heavy bike tbh..it's about 280$ cheaper than the Kona, but its features are less too...Any thoughts?
I don't know what year Mahuna you're looking at, but the only color I'm seeing is a burnt orange. The Mahuna's fork has the same amount of travel as the Lava Dome but it looks like the brakes and drivetrain are better. The climbing ability will be better with that 11-42 tooth cassette but you'll be insanely slow on the road. I hate the look of the Giant Talon 2, and their website isn't very descriptive. If you want to spend a thousand, I'd think the Mahuna would be better than the Lava Dome. I don't like that the fork travel is the same but I do like the drivetrain more and I would think the brakes are better too. The Lava Dome's brakes aren't very good. As far as weight, I don't think my Lava Dome is heavy and I don't know how much the Mahuna weighs. My next bike is either going to be Giant's Reign 2 or I'll be buying my friend's Transition Scout NX. A hardtail just isn't suiting my needs at the moment.
@@kylebiemiller4313 a cheaper hardtail. Not hardtails in gemeral🤷♂️
Do you think that the Mahuna could handle this trail easier? I think that the better fork and hydraulic breaks on the mahuna would hold up better, don't you? I'm a quick learning biker, but I don't really know a lot about the bikes themselves.
Depending on how quickly you learn and what you're wanting to put yourself up against, I wouldn't go with a Lava Dome and I'm not sure about the Mahuna. I haven't looked into any bike around that range recently. Since it's still an XC level travel bike, it wouldn't be much good at downhill parks. I'm on a Trek Remedy now and it's a great fit for what I do and what I want to do.
@@kylebiemiller4313 Ok, thanks!
That bike looks like it feels like a jackhammer. Looking for a decenbt bike for my wife too. She's an absolute noob, but would like to get her a bike that she can grow into. Any suggestions?
I thought Blue Mountain was closed for biking this summer-- how did you get on the trails?
No, they're open. Buy a ticket through their site.
Been looking at Kona’s this summer, anyone have thoughts on the Blast or Mahuna? Believe they’re a step up from the Lava Dome, wondering if it’s worth the extra $$ ??
I've been riding a brand new Mahuna 2021 for a month now. Great beginner bike ! The fork is better just like the drivetrain. No chain slapping on rought terrain or small jumps. Also the breaks are handling my 90kg on sharp stops ! I'm not riding in the mountains though....
If you can afford the Mahuna, go for it ! The specs are definitely better !!
Pierre Carrière cool! Thanks for sharing your experience. Do you think an extra 20-25kgs is manageable on that bike? I always feel like my back tire is running so low and worry that I’ll get a pinch flat on rocks and roots.
Hoping a local shop has some inventory soon, damn coronavirus 😡
@@brankojovanov5459 Yeah I can't why you couldn't ride it. Maybe the bottom bracket is a bit cheap. Already broke mine while doing some small drops...
As long as you don't start to jump everywhere with it, you should be fine :)
I have the mahuna and I love it. The mahuna has rockshox air suspension and the lave dome just has spring fork. The rockshox is a huge step up and is going to be a way smother ride
Edit: I also recommend getting a one up dropperpost as well as upgrading the pedals and the handlebar grips, it makes a big difference
@@pierrecarriere6845 Nice. I was thinking of Mahuna or eventhe Kahuna. Wondering if the extra gear (12) on the kahuna is worth it? Is it a higher gear or lower gear compared to the Mahuna's 11x ?
Whats the weight of the bike?
What derailleur do you have on that because it sounds kinda noisy. I ride lava and i don't hear any chain-slap against the frame.
The stock one that came on it. These trails are very rowdy so it contributes to the noise.
I have the same one but the colour is black.
Is it a good bike
@@willrobshaw9945 I liked it for what it was capable of. Unfortunately, $750 really does only get you started. Once you start riding very rough terrain and get into bigger jumps and drops, these won't hold up. My bottom bracket ended up having an issue.
@@kylebiemiller4313 is it worth it for an upgrade after using it a long time?
@@Noybi009 I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Are you asking if upgrading the bottom bracket is worth it?
@@kylebiemiller4313 sorry I was with my kiddo. What I mean is. Is it worth upgrading the lava Dome? I mean in all aspects to make it a better hardtail in full Potential?
Isn't anyone going to mention the serious fucking rattling that's going on with this bike? There are a grip of reasons why and probably all of them are accurate... DAMN!
Chain guard.
were your forks locked this whole run?
Nope, just a shitty coil fork with less than adequate travel!
Does this model has a clutch?
I don't believe so.
I kink your suspension could be Locked
What makes you think that?
It was just a joke sorry
What is that rattling?
Chain slap.
What’s the rattling
Chain slap.
I thought clutch will help more with that, or is it older version without clutch ?
@@maccam26 That bike really isn't meant for a place like that.
Viel zu langsam 🙈. Jeder Sprung zu kurz.