Knolly Bikes Review: Decade Old Brand


Knolly Bikes Review: Decade Old Brand

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Knolly Bikes are founded upon a strong love for riding and many years of experience building bikes to endure some of the world’s most difficult trails. They are created with construction grounded in engineering physics, applications engineering, and precision industrial manufacturing.

Based out of South West British Columbia, Knolly Bikes designs its product line to deliver the highest performance and be genuinely innovative amidst the range of bikes and biking products on the market.

While Knolly Bikes has grown into a world-renowned brand and has various models, the philosophy of the brand remains constant. This team strives to build a reliable and highly reliable bike, with variations that pull their weight as individual models. In this review, we will review different Knolly models so that you can better discern which one has the right specifications and features for you.

WHAT ARE KNOLLY BIKES?

The Knolly bike was originally designed with a free-ride frame, and it was built to work reliably on a day-to-day basis. The last things riders want to worry about are deflated or defective seat tubes, tires hitting the seat, shocks tucked in hard-to-access places, loose fasteners, premature bearing wear, and other annoying, faulty mechanics and details.

That’s where Knolly bikes enter the picture with style.

As an enterprise, Knolly Bikes began from the passion of one rider who wanted to offer a well-built mountain bike unlike those offered from any other company. Knolly has created bikes since 2002, building a reputation for great customer service, high quality, and performance innovation. The founder of Knolly Bikes, Noel Buckley, spent a year working on the initial frame design and discovering what did and did not work. He finished his first prototype V-tach frames in 2003, and word spread fast about the strengths of this new model.

PRODUCT SPECS

Knolly Bikes focuses on providing the best suspension mountain bikes worldwide and choosing the best tubing, bearings, fasteners, and finishers on the market. They are built for professional riders that know what they want in a bike and seek out the highest-quality products.

Knolly Bikes are low-maintenance machines that need few repairs due to their carbon fiber and aluminum frames and other solid components. The well-made aluminum frame is integral to this high-quality product that performs very well.

Knolly bikes deploy hydro-formed aluminum alloy tubes as the skeleton of the bikes. This allows these bikes to lessen vibrations when riding on mountain trails. The tubing is made with clean lines and welds with no need for gussets. Further, Knolly bikes’ frames are made of 6066 aluminum tubing, which is highly weldable, strong, elastic, and resistant to corrosion.

All parts, including bearings and fasteners, are thoughtfully placed and held to a high standard. As a finishing touch, Knolly coats the bikes’ carbon frames with a final clear coat so riders can see the bare carbon fiber with no filling.

PRICING

Prices depend on the model, type, size, and more. Typically, Knolly bikes cost anywhere from $5,000 to $7,000. For their thoughtful, high-quality, and unique designs, Knolly bikes justify a serious investment, in our view.

HOW THEY COMPARE

While all Knolly bikes are designed and built to achieve the same goals and expand on a proven design structure, there are various models on the market. We have reviewed a few distinct types and explained their features below.

  • KNOLLY ENDORPHIN TRAIL/ENDURO BIKES
  • KNOLLY WARDEN CARBON ALL MTN/ENDURO BIKES
  • KNOLLY DELIRIUM ENDURO/FREERIDE BIKES 

KNOLLY ENDORPHIN TRAIL/ENDURO BIKES

KNOLLY ENDORPHIN TRAIL/ENDURO BIKES

On its website, Knolly proclaims that the Endorphin “will dominate your local enduro race and the 70-mile out-of-bounds epic you have planned the following weekend.” It is advertised as a do-it-all trail bike. Built with Knolly’s patented Fourby4 suspension frame, the Endorphin looks intense and can handle anything you want to throw at it.

It has an efficient-feeling suspension, and while it looks sizable, it is surprisingly lightweight. It is the “tank” of this bunch.

  
PRICE – $$$An Endorphin generally costs between $4,000 and $6,500, depending on the specifications you choose. The no-expense-spared option might run $6,500, while the stylish Dawn Patrol build costs around $5,000, for example.
PERFORMANCe & COMFORTThe Endorphin is sometimes known as the “trail sniper” due to its cutting-edge geometry. It is well-grounded and grips your trail, regardless of the speed or terrain, and it can perform well on steep climbs and fast, bumpy sprints. You can cut quickly on steep switchbacks, adeptly steer over roots and rivets, and operate this bike on difficult trails. The Endorphin might get you feeling cocky about your line decisions with its awesome suspension that allows you to maneuver easily and take advantage of your bike’s amazing traction.
features & optionsThe Endorphin can be sized to your specifications, and there are various options crossing a range of prices. Check out Knolly’s website for exact details and numbers.
DESIGN QUALITYThe Endorphin has an Industry Nine wheelset with carbon fiber rims and large-diameter aluminum spokes that look great and perform even better. The Endorphin has a semi-click rear tire, which increases its rolling speed and performance. Further, its suspension combines a Fox Float 34 factory fork and a Cane Creek DBinline shock to create an awesome ride.
durability & warrantyKnolly is proud of their products, and they stand behind the quality of their bikes. They offer a limited lifetime warranty on their frames along with a crash replacement program. The frame warranty covers any issues with materials, bearings, or fasteners within six months of purchasing, and rear shocks are covered for a full year.The crash replacement policy supports customers with frame failures that are not covered under the warranty policy, primarily issues that are not due to defective materials or workmanship. Ultimately, Knolly Bikes are designed to last for a very long time, and regardless of the reason for any issues with your bike, the Knolly team wants you to be riding on trails again as soon as possible.

PROS

  • Great suspension (due to a Fox Float 34 factory fork and a Cane Creek DBinline shock)
  • Industry Nine Pillar carbon wheelset
  • Great traction

CONS

  • Expensive
  • Cannot hold a large water bottle

KNOLLY WARDEN CARBON ALL MTN/ENDURO BIKES

KNOLLY WARDEN CARBON ALL MTN/ENDURO BIKES

The Warden is branded as the bike that is always in charge, and a more playful option in the Knolly line. It has been on the market for about three years, and it is known for its versatility and adjustability. It is made for riders that want to tackle trails on mountains or in parks, and it is built to withstand strenuous uphill and downhill slopes.

This bike is designed with the Knolly Fourby4 suspension, so it will stay grounded in whatever riding situations you encounter.

  
PRICE – $$$The Warden can be purchased in the form of a variety of build kits, ranging from about $3,500 to a little less than $7,000. The Warden GC costs around $3,500, the Warden Vice President starts at about $4,000, and the Warden Dawn Patrol starts at around $5,000. A DP (Industry 9/Rockshox) bike starts at around $5,500, and the Warden Supreme Leader will likely run $7,000. Check out the Knolly Bikes site for more details on availability and options.
PERFORMANCe & COMFORTThe Warden is comfortable in an upright pedaling position during low-speed excursions, and it is a nimble ride. It is a great choice for low-grade trails that are curvy because it can adjust quickly and make rapid path changes. It stays grounded and has solid traction over bumps, primarily due to its highly active suspension. It can also climb tough trails and stay grounded for downhill spurts. The suspension design allows the rider to jump rocks and roots with ease.
features & optionsAs mentioned in the pricing section, you can purchase the Warden in a variety of build kits. You can size the bike to your precise needs, and you can purchase the kit that meets your vision of perfection.
DESIGN QUALITYThe Warden bike style is built tightly around this bike maker’s Fourby4 Suspension, which allows this particular make to be quickly adaptable on a winding, challenging trail. The design of the Warden allows each rider to fine -tune the details to his or her ideal ride with its adjustable geometry. Obvious attention to detail makes the Warden a great enduro bike for about any kind of trail you can imagine.
durability & warrantyPlease refer back to the durability and warranty information described above in the section for Knolly Endorphin Trail/Enduro Bikes.

PROS

  • Uninterrupted seat tube
  • Cable routing that can be run internally or externally
  • Well-designed and intentionally placed titanium pivot hardware and high-quality bearings

CONS

  • Expensive

KNOLLY DELIRIUM ENDURO/FREERIDE BIKES

KNOLLY DELIRIUM ENDURO/FREERIDE BIKES

The Delirium bikes mix playful and tough traits, and this bike style is declared “beyond classification” on the Knolly site. Designed with adjustable geometry, these machines allow each rider to strike the right configuration for his or her needs. This style aims for versatility, and it will take your rides to the next level.

  
PRICE – $$$A Delirium will likely cost you between $4,500 and $7,000 or a bit more. The Delirium Vice President is priced around $4,500, the Delirium Dawn Patrol goes for about $5,500, and the Delirium Supreme Leader is about $7,200. More precise pricing and further details can be found on the Knolly website.
PERFORMANCe & COMFORTThe Delirium has great traction, with its rear tire staying planted even on slick or otherwise difficult terrain. It is a “war wagon” that can stay true to its climb, even when you assume an odd body position. It is a fun bike to ride on flat trails, and it can adapt to whichever direction you want to take on curvy trails. It makes you feel very confident on downhill slopes, and it makes you feel great taking more risks. You can make quick changes as needed, and a Delirium bike responds well when you adjust quickly after mistakes.
features & optionsThe Delirium ranges in sizing and options. You can find exact specifications and more details on the Knolly’s website.
DESIGN QUALITYThe Delirium is built with Knolly’s premier suspension frame design and high-quality materials, reflecting the brand’s laser focus on designing the best suspension mountain bikes in the world. The Delirium is Knolly’s most revered model. Launched in 2008 and going strong, it is a rig that can take you free riding, overaggressive terrain, or on any ride in the park.
durability & warrantyPlease see the durability and warranty information described above in the section for Knolly Endorphin Trail/Enduro Bikes.

PROS

  • Excellent traction; very grounded
  • Superior suspension design
  • Responds well to fast rider adjustments

CONS

  • Expensive

CONCLUSION

As you can tell from our bike and feature descriptions, Knolly clearly prides itself upon high quality, great bike performance, durability, and innovation. Regardless of which design you choose, we rate Knolly bikes five-out-of-five stars across the range of models we checked out. We did not have many cons to offer for any of the products above except for their necessarily notable price tags.

However, we think they are worth the investment for those that will love them. These are not bikes for beginners, but if you love to ride and want something that will last, a Knolly bike will get and keep you smiling.

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