About The Kona Fire Front Suspension Mountain Bike

The Kona Fire is a hardtail mountain bike designed for developing off-road riders who want disc brakes, a real drivetrain, and a properly sized platform without a complex setup to manage. It runs a 6061 butted aluminum frame paired with a 100mm SR/Suntour XCE28 coil fork — enough travel for trail chatter, root crossings, and moderate drops while keeping the cost and maintenance demands accessible.

One detail that sets the Fire apart from other entry-level hardtails: wheel size is matched to frame size. Size XS ships on 26" wheels, size S on 27.5", and sizes M through XL on 29". Each rider gets proportional geometry rather than a one-size platform scaled up or down. The Shimano ESSA 8-speed drivetrain — built around an 11-45t cassette and a single 28t chainring — covers real climbing range with no front derailleur to adjust.

Who It's For

  • Newer riders building trail skills on dirt paths, doubletrack, and natural surfaces
  • Smaller or younger adults who need a 26" or 27.5" platform — the XS and S sizes are genuinely sized down, not just shortened
  • Budget-conscious riders who want mechanical disc brakes and a Shimano drivetrain without settling for rim brakes
  • First-time mountain bike buyers who want a dependable platform that won't need immediate upgrades
  • Consider a different bike if: you're riding technical terrain regularly, want a dropper post, need hydraulic brake performance, or are upgrading from a prior mountain bike and want more suspension refinement.

What to Look For

  • Wheel size is fixed at purchase. Size XS = 26", S = 27.5", M–XL = 29". Confirm your size before ordering — there's no retrofitting a different wheel diameter.
  • The 28t single chainring and 11-45t cassette work well for moderate climbing and trail riding but limit top-end speed on flat terrain — appropriate for this bike's intended use, not XC racing.
  • Tektro mechanical disc brakes are reliable and easy to service but require periodic cable stretch adjustment. If you want set-and-forget braking, budget for a hydraulic upgrade down the road.

Key Features

Frame & Fork: Kona's 6061 butted aluminum construction reduces weight at tube junctions without sacrificing stiffness — a meaningful spec distinction at this price point. The SR/Suntour XCE28 coil fork delivers 100mm of travel sufficient for hardpack trails and light technical terrain. Coil springs require less maintenance than air forks and maintain consistent performance across temperatures.

Drivetrain: Shimano ESSA 8-speed with Altus-level shifters and an 11-45t wide-range cassette. The single 28t chainring eliminates front shifting, reducing failure points and keeping cockpit controls clean. KMC Z8.3 chain. Crank length is 170mm on XS–S and 175mm on M–XL.

Brakes: Tektro MD-M280 mechanical disc calipers with a 180mm front rotor and 160mm rear rotor. Mechanical discs outperform rim brakes in wet and muddy conditions and are field-serviceable with basic tools. Tektro CL-330RS levers.

Wheels & Tires: Double-wall aluminum rims laced with stainless 2.0mm black spokes. WTB Ranger tires on XS (26x2.25"), WTB Trail Boss on S (27.5x2.25"), and WTB Trail Boss on M–XL (29x2.25"). The 2.25" width provides adequate traction on loose and hardpack terrain for trail riding.

Rider Intent Summary

  • Biggest strengths: Size-appropriate wheel fitment across the full size run; mechanical disc brakes at an entry price; simplified single-chainring drivetrain with genuine climbing range.
  • Tradeoffs: Coil fork and mechanical discs are capable but less refined than air-sprung or hydraulic alternatives; limited top-end gearing on flat terrain.
  • What makes it different: The XS/S/M–XL wheel size split means smaller riders get a proportionally correct platform, not a resized adult bike.

Victory's Take

The Fire is a well-spec'd entry point with no glaring weak spots for the terrain it's designed for. At Victory Bicycle Studio, we'd recommend it to a newer rider who wants a low-maintenance, properly fitted platform to build trail confidence on — one that won't be the limiting factor on the ride.

What you get

  • Frame - Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted
  • Fork - Suntour XCR 32 LO-R Coil Spring 100mm
  • Groupset - microSHIFT Advent 9 Speed Mechanical
  • Wheels - Alex DP27K
  • Tires - WTB Trail Boss
kona fire aluminum mountain bike

Kona Bicycle Company

Kona Fire Front Suspension Mountain Bike

Regular price $699.99 USD
Sale price $699.99 USD Regular price $699.99 USD

Specifications

Frameset
Frame

Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted

Fork

Suntour XCR 32 LO-R Coil Spring 100mm

Front Suspension

100mm Travel

Wheels
Wheels

Alex DP27K

Front Hub

Joytech 100x9mm

Rear Hub

Joytech 135x10mm

Spokes

Stainless Black 14g

Tires

WTB Trail Boss

Drivetrain and Brakes
Rear Derailleur

Microshift Advent w/ Clutch

Chainring

28T

Bottom Bracket

Feimin 73mm

Chain

KMC X9

Pedals

Kona JS2

Shifters

microSHIFT Advent

Brakes

Tektro HDM275

Front Rotor

Tektro TR180 180mm

Rear Rotor

Tektro TR160 160mm

Brake Lever

Tektro HDM275

Cockpit
Handlebar

Kona Aluminum Riser

Headset

Feimen HP-H868B

Stem

Kona Control

Grips

Kona Key Grip Slip on

**Specifications subject to change without notice

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the bike packaged and how long does delivery take?

All bikes are securely packaged to ensure that damage doesn't occur during shipping. All parts of the bike are padded and if needed, zip tied to minimize or eliminate movement inside the box. Once a bike is handed to the shipping company (usually Fedex or UPS), depending on your location, delivery will range from 1 day to 8 days. If you do choose the option for Professional Assembly or White Glove Delivery, this can add anywhere from 2 days to 5 days to the lead time.

Can I finance the purchase of my new bike?

Yes.  Simply select the Shop Pay Installments option which will allow you to buy now and pay later.  Shop Pay Installments is powered by Affirm.  If you would like to determine your spending limit, simply download the Shop app or the Affirm app on your smartphone and after you create an account on one of these apps, the app will let you know what is your spending limit.

Can I return the bike if it doesn't suit my needs?

Our return process is as follows. The customer is responsible for the return label ($150). Once the returned bike arrives at our warehouse, our team will inspect it and make sure it is in new condition and undamaged. Once we verify, we will process the return and issue a refund to the original payment method on file. To clarify the amount refunded, it would just be the amount of the bike (and tax if applicable) less the $150 shipping label that we provided, but the original shipping is not refunded. So if the original bike cost $4,500 and shipping was $150 (so you paid $4,650), you would be refunded $4,350 (the $4,500 less $150 for the return label) assuming the bike was returned in new and un-used condition and within the 30 day return period.

What does the warranty of my new bike or product cover and what is the warranty period?

Depending on the bike or any product, different companies have different warranty policies.  If you do ever have an issue with your bike or any product, simply email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we will assist with any warranty issues and clarify the warranty for the affected product.

Can I have my bike serviced at any bike shop?

Typically, to avoid any issues with your warranty, you should bring your bike to a certified mechanic or bike store for that bike (i.e. if you have a Trek bicycle, you should bring the bike to be serviced to a local bike store that is an authorized Trek dealer).  If you need assistance, simply email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we can direct you to a certified dealer of your bike.

Do you ship bikes internationally?

We unfortunately do not ship bikes outside of the 48 contiguous states of the United States. We do recommend for international customers to open (or use a current account) account with a freight forwarding company. If you use a freight forwarding company located in the U.S., make sure to put your billing address for a dedicated credit card as the same address as the freight forwarder so that you don't have any credit card or payment method issues).

Once you do this, simply place an order with us and we can ship to the U.S. address as long as the credit card doesn't get rejected. Once the freight forwarder has the box/order/shipment, you would instruct them to then ship to you in your home country and they would charge you their own shipping charge to ship to your international address.

Do you offer free shipping?

We do offer free shipping on non-bike orders over $100. We do not offer free shipping for bicycles unless it is a one time promotion. Generally, bike shipping will cost $150 and that covers just the shipping of the bike with no assembly. If you were to bring that bike to your local mechanic or bike store, you would pay them their assembly fee. If you choose our Professional Assembly option for $200, our service technicians would assemble the bike before shipping and then re-pack the bike safely for transit. When you receive the bike you would attach the front wheel, attach the seatpost/saddle, and raise the handlebars and clamp them. Those three items do have to be detached to minimize or eliminate the chance of damage in transit.

How much does shipping cost?

For orders of parts, accessories, apparel, etc. on orders under $100, shipping is a flat rate of $9.99. Regular bike shipping without assembly is $150, bike shipping with Professional Assembly is an additional $200 (so $350 in total which includes the $150 of regular shipping). Our White Glove Delivery option is $699 and that will cover the assembly of the bike and our White Glove Delivery partner delivering your dream bike to your front door, ready to ride!

How can I track my order?

When you place your online order, you will receive an instantaneous email update with your order number and order details, and shortly after, you will receive a follow up order email with the tracking number for your order.  If you still need assistance with your order, feel free to email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we will respond asap.

What happens if my package arrives damaged?

If your package arrives damaged, email online@victorybicyclestudio.com with pictures of all angles of the box and pictures of the damaged product and we will work with you to either send a new replacement asap and coordinate return (or re-imburse you for labor or costs incurred to fix the issue at your local bike store).

Are pedals included with the bike?

If you do not see pedals in the bullet point product specs on the product page, the bike does not come equipped with pedals.  Many manufacturers do not spec bikes with pedals, so they are often purchased separately.

If I only pay the $150 for bike shipping, can I assemble the bike on my own?

Victory Bicycle Studio highly recommends that you bring your bike to your local certified bike store for the brand of the bike that you purchased. If you do attempt to assemble the bike and damage occurs, this may result in your warranty not being honored. For that reason, we do highly recommend to select our Professional Assembly option for $299.