{Originally Published Sept 26, 2020; Last Updated January 19th, 2026}
I mused about updating this piece in my SBTISAOAF piece for January 16th, and a few submissions arrived, so I’ve gone ahead and added whatever Honzo pictures {I could find that} I was sitting on, plus those. If you fired me a photo of your #1FG Honzo and I didn’t add it, sorry. But if you drop me an e-mail, I’ll add it this time!
Cheers,
Andrew
Honzo Single-Speed Roll Call {September 26th, 2020}
Kona forever changed single-speeding for me when they released the Honzo for the 2012 model year. I had owned a few different one-speeds, including a classic Kona Unit, before then, and I would own a few different ones, including a Unit, afterward, but Honzo wasn’t so much a new ride as it was a new understanding.
HONZO! Not just a bicycle but an attitude.
Previously, I would have a single-speed with a lightweight build, faster rolling tires, and a more limited trail selection on the North Shore. It was paired with a more ‘Shore worthy’ full-suspension bike, or hardtail, with a full complement of gears, big brakes, and mean rubber. A first Honzo filled the latter category, but those sliding dropouts kept calling to me. I wasn’t strong enough to fight off the siren’s song, but it turns out that with judicious gear choice, I was strong enough to pedal it with 1FG.
My first one had a frame that weighed close to eight pounds.
The Honzo is a tank. It’s always been a tank. I already actively suggest you never weigh your frame or bike, unless you’re racing competitively, and that goes doubly for the Kona in question. It’s also an amazing single speed. Up trails and down. Even in the jankiest rainforest locales. That doesn’t have to make sense.
Heck, science isn’t really sure how bikes stay upright (yet).
I know a lot of people who own, or have owned, a Kona Honzo. That’s every generation from those first category-changing 2012 blue 29’ers with the little smiley face graphic to the freshest Honzo ESD with fully modern geo (well, except for that throwback to ’12 chainstay length). Surly fans can agree-to-disagree, DMR fans can agree-to-disagree, Kona Unit fans can agree-to-disagree, but I don’t think there’s ever been a more unique, more loved, basic steel hardtail frame in the history of mountain biking.
At least 2/3rds of the folks I know run {or have run} their Honzo single speed.
And here I am just talking about the actual Kona Honzo. I’m not including frames that are obviously inspired by the Honzo, whether it’s custom setups like my Walt V2 or production bikes with adjustable dropouts and slack, or slack-ish, head angles from the Santa Cruz Chameleon to the Specialized Fuse, to the RSD Middle Child, and countless other examples. Even the wack of new 29’er hardtails with geo charts coming across from Enduro race bikes is walking in Honzo’s shadow.
They’re just going to have to take a step back for a moment.
Honzo is one of the most fun bicycles ever made – then and now – and even more so if you just choose a gear ratio and stick with it. You’ll sit and spin out on the road. You’ll stand and hammer on the climbs. Sometimes you’ll get off and walk. And no matter how basic your build starts, you’ll love Honzo so much that you’re going to start buying it nice things. It may be named after an alcoholic, chain-smoking, monkey with a violent attitude but the frame is really quite lovely once you get to know it.
Single-speed Honzo. Actually, give it a try; you might love it!
And don’t just take it from me. Here are a few examples of single-speed Honzo’s that I’ve collected. I’ll be adding to it as more submissions arrive:
{Photos from 2020}
{Photos Added 2026}
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