The wheels of the coming disc-brake ‘cross revolution are turning.  Evidence of this can be seen all around the shop, from an increasing number of disc brakes on cross bikes in for repair, to Foundry’s “Auger” and Kona’s new “Rove”.  However disc brakes have not totally eclipsed the prevalence of cantilever brakes just yet, and there is still ground to make up before cross disc brakes become competitive with cantilever brakes in terms of weight.

For their 2013 lineup Kona made the smart choice of outfitting the more commuter oriented Jake with disc brakes.  Where weight is of greater concern, the more race-specific Jake the Snake and Major Jake received cantilever brakes.  The Jake has a tradition of being the horse of the Kona cyclocross line, easily the most utilitarian and well-rounded bike of the fleet, and the choice of outfitting the 2013 Jake with disc brakes simply adds to it’s pedigree.

Slight frame modifications have been made on the rear end of the 2013 Jake, with a reshaping of the seat and chain stays to improve compliancy and stiffness respectively.  The awesome and ever dependable 3 x 10-spd Tiagra groupset is back (it’s worth noting that the crankset can be turned to a double with no new parts and minimal effort).  New additions include the Tektro Lyra mechanical disc brakes with 140mm rotors, and accompanying Formula / Alex disc wheelset.

What was already one of the best multi-purpose cross bikes, the 2013 Jake has returned as an even more agile and able tool.  Perfect for the rider that seeks to do a lot with just one bike.  Come by the shop and check one out for yourself.