Kona started in 1988, in Vancouver, British Columbia by bike industry veterans Dan Gerhard and Jacob Heilbron. In the early years, the duo worked with Joe Murray to create custom steel hardtails. Kona was the first brand to produce a complete range of sloping top tube design mountain bike frames. Paul Brodie collaborated with the TBG and was likely instrumental in implementing the sloping top tube design from previous work with Rocky Mountain and with his own company. The Canadian headquarters are located near the famous North Shore Mountains of Vancouver, leading Kona to develop a range of Freeride mountain bikes in 1998 known for durability as well as for their ability to handle extremely technical downhill terrain.