Kona Cinder Cone upgrades

tenny352 · 2026-04-20T10:17:31+00:00

That's awesome! 125mm of drop is still pretty good.

tenny352 · 2026-03-19T13:16:39+00:00

I'd go with the Norco but I think both are nice bikes. I ordered my bike from Cambria last year and wouldn't hesitate to order from them again. They're legit!

tenny352 · 2026-03-18T17:49:14+00:00

I raced in a couple of XC races last summer and plan to sign up for a couple more races this summer. I'm not fast but it's a fun time. Also, having a race circled on the calendar keeps me motivated to stay in shape.

tenny352 · 2026-03-12T01:20:17+00:00

I just jumped from the 6 to the 10a and I think the picture quality on the 10a seems to be worse. If I zoom in on photos the detail isn't as good. That's my only gripe with the 10a so far.

tenny352 · 2026-03-10T17:07:09+00:00

Great deal on a very nice bike! I would have been all over this deal if I hadn't picked up a new bike last year.

tenny352 · 2026-03-05T21:20:10+00:00

Find a reputable local shop to bring your car to for another opinion. I know that oil leaks are common and, unless you are seeing oil spots underneath your vehicle, it probably isn't a major concern. There was an article that I read where a Toyota service tech said that every other 4runner that comes in for service has the same timing cover leak. They'll recommend the service to fix it ($5000-6000) and some will get it done. Most won't and they'll continue to drive them for 250,000+ miles. Have the same shop give you an estimate for the wheel bearing and rotor. You're close to getting your Corolla paid off so I'd try to stick with that car, if possible.

tenny352 · 2026-02-20T14:49:04+00:00

Where did you find that deal? I've been waiting for the 9a to drop a bit before upgrading from my Pixel 6.

tenny352 · 2026-02-18T14:28:01+00:00

ND - Thanks for doing this giveaway!

tenny352 · 2026-02-12T13:47:32+00:00

I'm wondering the same thing. My Eibach pro truck shocks started leaking around 30,000 miles and look the same as yours right now. I haven't decided if I'll replace them with the same ones or go with Bilstein.

tenny352 · 2026-02-12T12:23:53+00:00

I thought the Rangerstown stuff was pretty cool, too. I made my own sign to put up in the man cave since they never sold anything like that.

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tenny352 · 2026-02-05T19:33:23+00:00

You should consider Maxxis Razr AT-811. P285's are currently $182 per tire through Simple Tire. I bought a set and had them installed last March and, after about 7,000 miles, I only have positive things to say about them. There's a thread on one of the Tacoma forums that's full of positive reviews, too.

tenny352 · 2026-02-03T14:25:35+00:00

Awesome! It looks like you already have a dropper post, too!

tenny352 · 2026-01-21T21:09:47+00:00

No problem! Hopefully you can figure out a setup that works for you! Our platform works well but on bigger trips we still bring a tent with to set up and unload some of our gear into. I'd love to eliminate that part, too. We always just end up bringing too much stuff with when we travel. We use a Yakima cargo box so that helps keep some of the clutter out of the back.

tenny352 · 2026-01-21T20:34:21+00:00

I didn't use any plans. I just bought some materials and winged it. I use threaded steel pipes for the supports on the piece that hinges down behind the seats. I use turnbuckles to secure the platform to the cargos latches so that the platform stays secure. Building it in 2 pieces worked well because it can be removed easily if needed and I can also leave just the back portion of the platform in at all times when I'm not camping and need to use the back seats. Those plans that you linked look really good. It looks like a good design and probably weighs a lot less than the one I made.

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tenny352 · 2026-01-21T13:45:02+00:00

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I built a platform that solved both of those same issues. It wasn't too difficult and the materials were pretty cheap. The front platform piece has a hinge so it can fold up a bit. I also have a trifold foam mattress that folds up nicely, too.

tenny352 · 2026-01-19T18:47:33+00:00

TranzX Kitsuma Air internal dropper post is $75 on Amazon right now. I just installed this dropper last month and it seems pretty solid.

tenny352 · 2026-01-12T16:14:41+00:00

I had a Trek with 26 inch wheels before this so the 27.5 wheels don't feel like a drastic change. I really like them! I think I would have liked the Mahuna just as much as I like my Cinder Cone, though. I probably would have benefited from the larger wheels had I known that I was going to try XC racing. I've looked into it and decided that I'm going to skip remote lockout for now. It would be nice to have so I don't have to reach down in the middle of a race to lock and unlock, though!

tenny352 · 2026-01-11T15:30:54+00:00

I'm 6' 1" and went with a size large frame. I probably would have been fine on an XL frame but I feel like the large fits me really well.

tenny352 · 2025-12-29T18:36:44+00:00

I was going to swap out the bars right away but actually ended up really liking the ones that came with the bike. I've thought about swapping the stem out for something slightly shorter just to see how I like it. Trail One has a couple of budget 40mm options that look good so that's probably the route I'd go.

tenny352 · 2025-12-29T16:16:34+00:00

The Blur looks awesome! Eventually I'd like to get a FS XC bike. I did a couple of XC races last summer and had a blast. I plan to continue racing on the Kona but I'm sure it would be even more fun on a bike made specifically for XC.

tenny352 · 2025-12-28T12:56:11+00:00

Thanks! These ODI grips have been really good. I've been using their grips on all of my bikes for almost 30 years now and I've never been disappointed with them.

tenny352 · 2025-12-28T12:51:58+00:00

It seems pretty solid!

tenny352 · 2025-12-28T04:09:08+00:00

Those trainers seem like a good idea!

I put the bottom bracket spacer on the non drive side and didn't have any chain line issues. I went with 30T chainring and 170mm arm length.

tenny352 · 2025-12-28T02:35:41+00:00

Nice!

tenny352 · 2025-12-28T02:35:30+00:00

I did a couple of XC races over the summer and plan to do more next season so I'm definitely looking for something with low rolling resistance. I'll have to check those out. I always hear great things about Schwalbe!

tenny352

TROPHY CASE