If you spend any time following the bike industry, Kona Bikes has likely crossed your radar. For decades, they’ve been a familiar name, especially in mountain biking circles. But by early 2024, rumors began to swirl: was Kona Bikes on the verge of closing for good?
You might have caught wind of some big changes or even spotted headlines about layoffs, canceled events, and store closures. Understandably, a lot of people—especially those who own or aspire to own a Kona—wanted answers. Let’s break down what happened, where the brand stands today, and what’s next for Kona Bikes.
A Tough Road After the COVID Bike Boom
Just a few years ago, the bike industry looked unstoppable. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, people everywhere dusted off old bikes or splurged on new ones. Sales shot through the roof, and even basic bikes became hard to find.
Kona Bikes, like other brands, rode that wave. But then things shifted. Demand fell off once pandemic restrictions eased. Suddenly, stores that were previously desperate for inventory found themselves stuck with too many bikes and not enough buyers.
For Kona, this meant trouble. To move bikes, dealers began offering deep discounts—sometimes even buy-one-get-one-free deals. If you saw those offers, it was a clue that cash flow was tight and the company needed money fast.
New Ownership—And New Challenges
Back in 2022, Kona’s original founders sold the business to Kent Outdoors. Kent Outdoors is a big name in outdoor gear, but their approach to managing a niche bike brand like Kona turned out to be bumpier than expected.
At first, there was talk of fresh investment and energy. But within a year or two, it became clear things weren’t clicking. Overstocks, slashed prices, and strained relationships with dealers started to pile up. Reports from inside the company mentioned morale dropping and staff facing growing uncertainty.
The bike industry overall was fighting its own problems, too. As supply caught up with—then surpassed—demand, almost every brand felt the squeeze. Kona just seemed to feel it harder.
Shut Down by Kent Outdoors
By April 2024, the writing was on the wall. Kent Outdoors made the decision to shut down Kona Bikes. The company laid off much of its workforce, including those who had been there for years.
Word spread quickly after Kona’s abrupt pullout at the Sea Otter Classic, one of cycling’s most important trade shows. Their booth was torn down mid-event. Sometimes actions speak louder than press releases, and this move was a clear signal that Kona as people knew it was going away.
Shops that carried Kona stopped getting new bikes. Customers called support lines and got little more than a voicemail. Online forums and news sites filled with speculation and disappointment.
Store closures followed. Physical shops, including their much-loved Bellingham, Washington flagship, shuttered. For many fans, this made it all too real.
After the Shutdown: What Was Next?
For weeks, it wasn’t clear what would happen to the brand. Would Kent Outdoors try to sell the Kona name and designs? Was this just a temporary pause, or the end for good?
There was almost no public communication, which let rumors thrive. Some enthusiasts wondered if Kona would become one of those ‘legacy names’ that just gets stamped on cheap department-store bikes. For long-time fans, that was a depressing thought.
Founders Buy Back Kona Bikes
Then, something unexpected happened: the original founders, Dan Gerhard and Jake Heilbron, stepped back into the picture. These two had launched Kona in the late 1980s and spent decades building its reputation.
In May 2024, they officially bought the brand back from Kent Outdoors. For people who follow bike industry news, it was like a plot twist that nobody saw coming.
Gerhard and Heilbron made a statement: they weren’t interested in quick profits or just flipping the brand. Their goal was to keep what made Kona special alive. That meant bringing back trusted staff, rebuilding relationships with shops, and keeping the feel of the original company.
“We want to keep the Long, Sweet Ride rolling,” they said, referencing Kona’s old slogan. They promised to do their best for both customers and bike shops that had supported Kona for years.
Getting the Brand Rolling Again
Of course, buying back a bike brand doesn’t mean everything is back to normal overnight. By June 2024, Kona Bikes was back under its original ownership, but there was still plenty to do.
The founders started reconnecting with former employees, many of whom still felt loyal to Kona. Having familiar faces involved is usually a good sign, especially in an industry where personal connections with shops and customers make a big difference.
Then came the work of talking to the network of Kona dealers. Many shops had taken financial hits when inventory and support suddenly dried up. Winning their trust back is going to take time and real action, not just words.
One thing Gerhard and Heilbron emphasized: they are not turning Kona into a mass-market, price-driven brand. Their focus will stay on quality bikes and smaller-scale production. That was always Kona’s niche—and it’s probably their best shot at survival moving forward.
The View from Summer 2024
So, is Kona Bikes “going out of business”? Not anymore. As of June 2024, Kona Bikes is no longer owned or run by Kent Outdoors. The brand is not dead, but it’s definitely regrouping.
In practice, that means you won’t see brand-new Kona bikes in every shop immediately. There are supply chains to restart, models to update, and staff to rehire. The rebuilding process isn’t happening overnight.
Still, the fact that the founders bought back the company says a lot. If anyone has a reason to make this work—and understands what longtime fans want—it’s the guys who launched the whole thing in the first place.
If you’re a Kona owner or fan, you might be looking for details on warranty support, spare parts, or future bike releases. At the moment, those details are still being worked out. The founders are expected to give more updates as they relaunch the business. For ongoing business updates and news like this, sites such as Blue Business Mag are worth a look as well.
It’s probably going to be a smaller, more focused Kona for a while, which doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Sometimes, simpler is better, especially for brands that made their name by being different from everyone else.
And if you’re a bike dealer, you’re likely watching for signs that Kona’s back in the game. Many shops have had to adjust their lineups, and getting back in with suppliers who left them high and dry won’t be automatic. Expect the founders to spend real effort on mending fences.
Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
There are still plenty of challenges. The bicycle market you see today is not quite the same as it was three or even five years ago. There are still excess bikes in warehouses from the pandemic supply glut, and consumer spending across the industry is more cautious.
On the positive side, Kona’s quirky style and history have always given it a loyal following. The founders’ return should help restore some of that credibility. If you value bikes that are a little left of center and built by people who know the scene, there’s reason to watch what happens next.
It’s probably not going to be a quick road back to the top for Kona. Restarting a brand after a near-shutdown takes money, time, and a lot of patience. But there’s a shot at a second act, and for many bike fans, that’s already a relief.
Wrap Up: Where Kona Bikes Rides from Here
It’s rare in business to see founders boomerang back in and try to save the brand they once built from scratch. But that’s what’s happening at Kona Bikes right now.
For anyone wondering if Kona Bikes is going out of business, the answer is no—a shutdown happened, but the brand’s original owners are working hard on a comeback. They’ll face plenty of questions about production, quality, and customer support in the coming months.
If you’re invested in the bike world, or just own a Kona, it’s a story worth following. The fight to bring Kona back is just getting started, and while it won’t be smooth, the company has a unique shot at revival with the original founders steering once again. For now, we’ll see how long “the Long, Sweet Ride” can continue—and riders and dealers alike are hoping that’s for a good while yet.
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