MAGIC LINK by KONA

We just finished explaining why Kona refuses to incorporate complicated multi-link suspension designs in our line of bicycles, and now, here we are, releasing a new platform called Magic Link.

Every bike and suspension company struggles to find the balance between plush, active suspension and pedaling efficiency. Kona is no different. We’re constantly striving to provide the best combination of function and durability across our entire range of bikes. Magic Link is our response to this ongoing quest as it applies to a specific, fast-emerging genre of bicycles, Enduro/Freeride. Bikes that need to go up as good as they go down.

However, look a little closer and you’ll see that the Magic Link isn’t a huge departure from our 4-Bar system. In fact, it uses all of the same design elements of 4-Bar, with one major tweak. The Magic Link is, in its’ simplest terms, a “fifth bar”—an additional moving part that enables a wider range of performance virtues on our Enduro/Freeride line of dual suspension bicycles.

For this mid-to-long travel range of bikes—our Coilair series—we felt the 4-Bar wasn’t giving us all that we needed. We wanted a bike that could both climb exceptionally well and descend like a demon, without using any gimmicks or external adjustments. A bike that could adapt to the terrain inherently…by itself. By making further innovations to our tried and true 4-Bar system, we feel we’ve found the solution. A bike that can do it all.

Kona's Magic Link technology is PATENT PENDING.

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HOW IT'S WORK? A. Imagine a mid-to-long travel bike that’s designed to excel when it’s climbing or pedaling really hard: 6 inches of relatively stiff, linear rear travel with steeper head and seat angles and raised seat height. B. Now imagine that same bike when it’s going downwards, braking or hitting big bumps. Not ideal, right? Well imagine that same bike has the ability to change its rear travel to be more progressive, with softer suspension in the initial stages of travel. Not only that, imagine the travel on this bike could grow from 6-inches to 7.4-inches, while its geometry changed to slacker head and seat angles, with an improved wheel path. Sounds too good to be true? We’re not done yet. Now imagine this change could happen automatically, with no need for the rider to adjust anything, unaware that these changes are happening constantly and seamlessly. Sounds like magic, right? C. It’s not. By incorporating what can best be described as a “fifth” arm in our 4-Bar platform—a spring that connects the bottom shock mount to the seat tube enabling the bottom rear shock mount to move—we’re able to achieve all of the aforementioned riding characteristics. The ability to climb like a short travel XC bike and descend like a downhill bike all in one, no switches or tools necessary. No sacrificing one for the other. These aren't two separate modes, either. The Magic Link is constantly reacting to all of the forces acting on it, and it's not like an on/off switch. It's never "stuck" in one mode. It just does what you need. Sometimes it's in between modes, or cycling between modes, but there’s no sudden feeling of change, such as a sudden alteration of the bike’s geometry. The rider is unaware of what's going on, just having fun, riding like a bat out of hell, up and down. For more information visit : http://www.konaworld.com/08_tech_magic.htm