MTB / Test: Large 29″ wheels are fast – no question about it. But if you are looking for an agile fun bike, you can still benefit from 27,5″ wheels. With the Process 134, Kona has an all-mountain/trail bike with fun geometry up its sleeve. We test what the bike can do.
Even bike pros like Sam Reynolds, Sam Pilgrim or Matt Jones are now riding trail and enduro bikes with 27,5″ wheels again – simply to ride more playful, agile bikes. Because speed is not always everything. The bike pioneer Kona – who, by the way, has been building bikes since 1988 – has recognized this and therefore produces a 29″ version, also known as the 27,5b, in addition to the 650″ version of the Process. The bike in the tested, inexpensive equipment variant is aimed primarily at beginners. With 134mm of travel at the rear and 140mm at the front, the Process 134 falls into the all-mountain/trail bike. However, its geometry is definitely suitable for descents and playful. So Kona tries to offer the jack of all trades with the best properties from uphill and downhill. Our test shows whether this works.
Kona Process 134: all information & data
Amenities & Features
- Frame material: Aluminium
- Size: XS, S, M, L, XL
- Suspension travel: 140mm front, 134mm rear
- wheel size: 27,5"
- models: 2 equipment variants (Process 134, Process 134 DL)
- Price: 2.899 € to 4.499 €
The equipment of the Kona Process 134 is solid and functional with a Shimano Deore circuit - as are the wheels with Shimano hubs and WTB rims. A cheap RockShox chassis with the Recon RL as a suspension fork performs reliably, but is correspondingly limited in terms of adjustment options. A fork with thicker stanchions would be desirable for a little more stability on the descent. With the Maxxis Minion DHF and Dissector, Kona uses grippy tires that perform well on the descent and still have moderate rolling resistance. Another positive aspect of the equipment is that Kona has installed a dropper post with an adjustment range of 200 mm in frame size L. The resulting freedom of movement supports the playful character of the bike, as does the low top tube.
There are losses on the equipment side, primarily with the brakes: Kona relies on a cheap one here Alohonga HT472 with 180 mm disc size at the front and 160 mm at the rear. The brake and shifter cables, which are mostly routed externally, are not quite up-to-date - but any component changes can be carried out easily.
Our test bike weighs around 15,4 kg. Accordingly, it is not lightweight, but for an aluminum frame it is still within the acceptable range of the price range.
| frame | Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted 134mm Travel |
| rear shock | RockShox Deluxe Select Trunnion |
| Gabel | RockShox Recon RL Motion Control Solo Air 140mm Tapered 110mm Spacing |
| Crank | Shimano Deore |
| chainring | 30 t |
| Bottom bracket | Shimano Deore PF92 |
| Chain | KMC X11 |
| in Kassetten | Shimano Deore 11-50t, 11-speed |
| derailleur | Shimano Deore 11-speed |
| Gear levers | Shimano Deore 11-speed |
| calipers | Alohonga HT472 Hydraulic |
| Front brake disc | Alohonga 180mm |
| rear brakedisc | Alohonga 160mm |
| Brake levers | Alohonga HT472 Hydraulic |
| tax rate | FSA No. 57B |
| Links | Kona XC / BC 35 |
| Stem | Kona XC / BC 35 |
| Seat post | TranzX Dropper + RAD Internal 31.6mm |
| Seat clamp | Kona clamp |
| Claw | Kona Key Grip |
| Saddle | Kona Trail |
| front hub | Shimano 110x15mm |
| rear hub | Shimano 148x12mm |
| Spokes | Stainless Black 14g |
| Rims | WTB ST i30 TCS 2.0 |
| Front tire | Maxxis Minion DHF EXO TR DUAL 27.5x2.5" WT |
| Rear tire | Maxxis Dissector EXO TR DUAL 27.5x2.4" WT |
Geometrie
The geometry of the Kona Process 134 is quite modern but playful. Kona achieves the latter primarily through short chain stays with a length of 425 mm and a comparatively high bottom bracket with a drop of only 12 mm. Nevertheless, a long reach of 475 mm in our test size L ensures smooth running at higher speeds. It also compensates for the disadvantages of short chainstays when going uphill. In addition, the steep seat angle of over 76° counteracts the short chainstays. With a steering angle of 66°, Kona meets the interface between agility and downhill stability. Thanks to the available frame size XS, even very short people will find a suitable bike in the Process 134.
| SIZE | XS | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube length | 360 | 385 | 410 | 450 | 485 |
| top tube length | 537 | 567 | 596 | 625 | 664 |
| Reach | 400 | 425 | 450 | 475 | 510 |
| Stack | 585 | 595 | 605 | 615 | 626 |
| standover height | 674 | 687 | 712 | 712 | 711 |
| Steering angle | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 |
| Head tube length | 116 | 127 | 138 | 149 | 160 |
| Seat angle | 76.8 | 76.6 | 76.5 | 76.3 | 76.2 |
| Chain stay length | 425 | 425 | 425 | 425 | 425 |
| bottom bracket drop | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| bottom bracket height | 343 | 343 | 343 | 343 | 343 |
| wheelbase | 1131 | 1160 | 1190 | 1219 | 1259 |
| fork length | 532 | 532 | 532 | 532 | 532 |
| leader | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 |
Test: The Kona Process 134 on the trail
Driving characteristics uphill
Despite the short chainstays, the Process 134 pedals relatively well uphill - even long, alpine climbs can be mastered with ease. The moderately stretched sitting position has a positive effect here. Even on level terrain, you can easily generate propulsion in this position. Easy trails uphill are also fun: The long reach keeps the front wheel on the ground, the short chain stays ensure maneuverability in switchbacks, for example. The rear end is fairly neutral on the climbs. It neither sags nor rocks. In summary, the Process 134 is quite fun uphill. Only for extremely steep alpine climbs could the gear ratio be a little smaller.
Driving characteristics downhill
On the descents, the Process 134 can be run quite nicely. Despite the "small" 27,5 inch wheels, the bike feels good and safe on the trail, but doesn't come close to 29″ bikes with a low bottom bracket. The rear end works reliably and cleanly even in rough passages; it also feels like more travel at times. If it gets really rough, the rear end of the suspension fork is a bit superior and this reaches its limits. This may also be due to the thin 32 mm stanchions of the fork, which are not particularly stiff. The rear triangle does not sag in the suspension travel, so the bike retains its playful character. The downhill position on the bike is stretched enough for fast, rough sections, but hardly affects the Process 134's agility.
With its properties, the Process 134 in 27,5 inches is in good hands on alpine trails, for example - or on varied, sometimes winding trails in general. The comparatively high bottom bracket and the not too soft rear end ensure that with the Process 134 you can and want to use every little kicker and every edge as a jump off. Only the weak braking performance and moderate dosing of the Alohonga HT472 may limit and cloud rapid and playful descents. A stronger brake would be worth a possible surcharge here.
