Lots of websites are speculating about the future or fate of Kona when its struggles were made very public after the company set up its Sea Otter Classic booth and then broke it down the evening before the show. This led to posts from media outlets, who made bold claims about the brand’s demise. Because we couldn’t contact anyone at the company, we thought we’d leave it be, knowing how the VC-backed cycling world works from personal experience, and then this morning, Kona posted on Instagram.

Granted, this post could have been made by a social media scheduler app, but still…

This post indicates one thing: the brand isn’t dead. Yet, there isn’t a lot of information available. We’ve tried making contact with our friends at the brand, but NDAs are most likely signed. All that is available to the media right now is a single press release from Kona’s parent company, Kent Outdoors, in which it states:

“Kent Outdoors (“Kent” or the “Company”), which has been helping people in their pursuit of outdoor adventures for more than 60 years, today announced a $100 million credit facility from asset-based lender (ABL) Eclipse Business Capital… the Company performed a strategic review of its operating units and determined that it would continue to seek a buyer for its bike business, Kona.”

Clearly, Kent is keeping Kona alive long enough to find a buyer. This isn’t the same fate as All-City Cycles, which was closed by its parent company. Numerous other bike companies have gone through a similar buy/sell process, and legacy brands like Kona are rarely dumped in the trash. It’s a scary time in the bike industry, but speaking from experience over here, brands live on…

We’d like to wish all the Kona employees safe passage to the brand’s new life. We’ve really enjoyed working with each and every one of you over the years!

– Team Radavist