This story comes straight from the Forum, – big thanks to Alistair Freeman – with startling news about the warranty offered on the Kona Explosif that we tested and loved a few weeks back.

Despite their roughty toughty lumberjack “out of bounds” marketing imagery, it seems the Explosif is a decidedly delicate flower and they’re only willing to back the frame with a one year warranty, and then even that will be voided if you use longer travel single crown forks such as Pace. They also state that though team bikes get a full Scandium frame, the production bikes only use Scandium top and down tubes.

Our Forum insider on Taiwanese manufacturing says this may be the root of the problem as Scandium requires different heat treating methods from 7005 aluminium and what works for one is likely to upset the other. This would lead to a further reduction in the already short 3 year waranty span for fully Scandium frames.

Kona defend their position by saying the bike is a pure one season pro race design:

“The frame warranty is one year from the date of purchase. The word lifetime refers to the life of the frame, not the owner. In that case the Explosif has a life of one year. You’re asking why so short now. This bike is like a F1 car, made to be used hard by a pro level (read sponsored, not paying for the bike)racer for one season. None of the frames used by our Factory race team broke. It’s up to you to decide if this bike is right for what you’re going to do.”

Yet there’s no clarification of this in their marketing unless you ferret around in the warranty small print. Considering the fact they’ve fitted risers (albeit carbon ones) and have traded on their super strong singletrack image for years we have to say we’re not impressed by such a move.

It also brings up an interesting score quandry – theoretically it’s performance is still the same (until it breaks) but we have to say if we knew we were on such a limited warrranty frame we wouldn’t be comfortable riding it half as hard as it encourages you to do. It’s value score goes right down the pan though seeing as you can only expect it to last a year, which for a £700 frame is ridiculous. We have to say we can no longer recommend this bike, unless you really are a wafer light racer on a private income. Kona – Nil Points.

Hopefully Kona themselves will come onto the forum to discuss this and present their side of the story, but for the full low down so far join the Forum discussion and let us know of any other hidden warranty nightmares you’ve found.

To set your mind at rest on the other bikes we’ve tested, the US built Sugar and Fuel are lifetime of original owner warrantied, while even ultra light STP gets a 5 year frame guarantee. None of them will accept triple clamp forks though.