Kona claim the Process 134 DL 29 “strikes a perfect balance between price, performance and an easy upgrade path”. Is it as good a buy as they say?

The Canadian brand have given their mid-travel machine an alloy frame and up-to-date trail geometry.

Heavily hydroformed tubes, beefed up with long weld-seams and braces, suggest a bike that should be able to cope with rough tracks, even if the 134mm of rear-wheel travel doesn’t – on paper, at least – hint at it being the best choice for super-gnarly trails.

It’s a similar story with the geometry, where a longish reach (475mm, large), for stability at speed, is paired with a moderate 66-degree head angle and snappy 427mm chainstays, which aid manoeuvrability in tight situations.

The DL 29 is expensive for an alloy bike with a mixed SRAM GX/NX/SX Eagle drivetrain and basic G2 brakes.

However, you do get a super-supple RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate shock propping up the rear end. The 140mm-travel Pike Select fork uses RockShox’s proven Charger RS damper, while Maxxis Minion and Dissector tyres sit on broad WTB rims.

If you like your bikes to be peppy and engaging up hills, you’ll want to look elsewhere, because the Process 134 isn’t the world’s best climber.

There’s a ton of grip, thanks to the supple rear end, but the bike is held back by pedal bob under power. The seated riding position is good, though, and the shock’s lockout lever is within easy reach, which is fortunate, as you’ll be using it on longer, smoother drags.

However, all is forgiven on the way back down. The suspension is smooth and progressive, giving you a traction-rich connection to the trail, whether wet or dry, firm or loose.

While the geometry might not be radical, the Kona sits into its travel well, its bottom bracket (BB) low to the floor, encouraging you to drop a shoulder and carve corners, or plough through rock gardens. The Process 134 doesn’t have as much pop as some more supportive bikes, or the stiffest front end, but if you like to get loose and allow the bike to deal with what’s coming up, it’s up to the job.

This is where some areas of the spec become unstuck, though. The Select fork is outshone by the beautifully-controlled rear, while the EXO-casing tyres, especially at the back, are prone to punctures when you push the Process as far as it encourages. The G2 RS brakes leave it feeling undergunned, too.