The Operator is Kona’s new prototype downhill bike for 2011. Chris Mandell, Freerife/DH product manager of Kona describes the Operator, “This bike represents a whole new platform for us, and there are a lot of neat little details to discuss. The bike is a 4-bar. Tried and true, refined, rather than a “regurgitation with facelift” like many of the “new” designs currently hitting the market.”

The Operator has 83mm bb shell and an alloy axle. It comes with a 150mm rear end and 200mm of travel. The new downhill bike has ISCG-05 tabs and 9.5×3” shock. It has a 1.5 Zero Stack tapered headtube with the main pivot and rocker pivot using a 6903-2RS1 that has 17mm inner diameter, 40mm outer diameter and 12mm in width. 1-1/8 upper and 1.5 lower bearings are angular contact bearings.

Mandell adds, “The chain stay to seat stay and seat stay to rocker pivots use 66200-2RS1 which has a 10mm inner diameter, 30mm outer and 9mm width. You’ll notice that the pivot bolts for chain stay and rocker pivots are in double shear.”