RIP Kona Zing

While I was away on vacation last week, I had the Kona in the shop prepping it for the Fléche.  I got a call on Friday informing me that a “fatal” crack had been discovered in the seat tube near the bottom bracket.  The bike could not be ridden again.

This bike had taken me 21,441 miles over the past 51 months.  Not a bad run for a $900 bike.

On Monday, I took the frame to the bike shop from where it had been purchased and submitted it for warranty replacement.  I was assured that it was under warranty.

Today I learned that it would be replaced by a 2012 Kona Zing frame (the last year this frame was made), and that I might even get the replacement before the Fléche.  The color will be different.  It will not match the fork from the old Zing.

All of this leads me to consider purchasing a new bike.  I’ll have the cobbled together replacement Zing and my fixie.  Is it time for another, better fitting bike, one well-suited for how I ride?  Maybe.  Stay tuned.