The latest 2016 annual Kona count, which has been issued by LAVA magazine, and which lists those brands counted at the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship, spotlights a number of brands holding their own and retaining a position held in previous years.
Cervélo is once again the leader of the pack in the Kona bike count for 2016. This builds on the bike brand's leading position at Kona for a number of years. Cervélo had 577 bikes on stand in Kona in 2016. This is up on 522 in 2015 and 490 bikes counted for Cervélo in 2014, helping the brand to bolster its share over previous years. Cervélo claimed 28% of all bikes in the 2016 Kona bike count, up from 24% in 2015.
The top three bike brands in the Kona bike count – Cervélo, Trek and Specialized – have each maintained their #1, #2 and #3 positions this year. The top 10 bike brands claimed 76% of all bikes counted, down slightly from 77% in 2015. With the exception of Trek, Specialized and Felt, which had fewer bikes present in 2016 vs 2015, the remainder of bike brands – Argon 18, Scott, BMC, Quintana Roo, Cannondale and Giant – within the top 10 saw increased numbers of bikes present in 2016 versus 2015.
LAVA mag’s annual count of bikes and products at Kona continues to represent a useful yardstick for tracking the gear used by pros and the world’s top IRONMAN age groupers. While it may not count 100% of all brands, each year the product count does offer up a comprehensive view of the brands finding favour among a key cohort of the world's best long distance triathletes.
Zipp was once again a clear winner in the wheel count on the Kona lava fields. Although Zipp's total of 1,887 individual wheels counted by the LAVA Mag team is below the more than 2,000 Zipp wheels counted in 2015. Nevertheless, Zipp did maintain its number one position in 2016; and it has been the top wheel brand for a number of years. With a 42% share of wheels counted, Zipp is clearly in the lead – ahead of second placed ENVE with a lead of almost 1,600 individual wheels on its second-placed rival.
In the wheel count, while Zipp and ENVE were the first and second favoured brands by Kona athletes, interestingly, HED managed to disrupt the top three ranking. In 2016, HED edged out Mavic for third place, up from fifth position in 2015. Even with a combination of alu and carbon wheels for the Mavic brand, it was unable to usurp the second place position claimed by HED in 2016.
For hydration systems, Profile Design retained first place as front hydration. XLAB remained the most preferred rear hydration system, and Speedfil retained its pole position as number one frame hydration brand.
Within the drivetrain, or groupset, product count at Kona, Shimano has a dominant position. It has remained the number one drivetrain for a number of years and managed to extend its reach in 2016 – with 1,965 products counted this year compared to 1,860 in 2015. This gives Shimano an 84% share of those products counted this year, up from 81% in 2015; while second placed SRAM and third placed Campagnolo both saw a lower number of products counted in 2016 vs 2015.
Having overtaken Fi’zi:k in 2013 to become the number one saddle brand, ISM consolidated its lead again this year. ISM held one third of all saddles counted in 2016, and 2015, up from 30% in 2014.
Overtaking Profile Design, 3T was the most popular aero bar brand in 2016. The 3T brand has steadily edged up from sixth place in 2010 and just managed to gain the top spot this year, with 433 aerobars counted versus 427 for Profile Design.
For those power meters spotted at Kona, Quarq again held its first place position, having previously jumped from third place in 2011 to first place in 2012. Garmin Vector pedal power meters and Stages crank based power meters again made a strong showing in Kona, but were unable to unseat Quarq from the top spot. Mirroring their ranking in 2015, Garmin and Stages took second and third place in the power meter product count this year. Although, notably, this is up from fourth and sixth place, respectively for the two brands in 2014.
Having held number one position in the pedals count from 2011 to 2014, France’s LOOK was kept in second place behind Shimano in 2016. 2016 also mirrors the 2015 ranking, with Shimano, LOOK and Speedplay taking first, second and third at Kona this year.
For helmets, Rudy Project again held its number one position this year, albeit with a reduction in share in both 2015 and 2016. In first place in the Kona helmet count, Rudy Project claimed 26% of all helmets counted in 2016, down from 33% in 2015 and 37% in 2014. Giro and Specialized remained the second and third ranked helmets this year.
2010-16 Kona product count - source LAVA Magazine
Bikes Cervélo: 577 / 2015 #1, 522 / 2014 #1, 490 / 2013 #1, 488 / 2012 #1, 483 / 2011 #1, 488 / 2010 #1, 468 Trek: 261 / 2015 #2, 275 / 2014 #2, 260 / 2013 #2, 220 / 2012 #2, 211 / 2011 #2, 185 / 2010 #3, 108 Specialized: 209 / 2015 #3, 218 / 2014 #3, 242 / 2013 #3, 209 / 2012 #3, 170 / 2011 #4, 122 / 2010: #2, 113 Felt – 139 Argon 18 – 106 Scott – 106 BMC – 100 Quintana Roo – 89 Cannondale – 80 Giant – 70 Ceepo – 59 Dimond – 47 Canyon – 39 Fuji – 27 Orbea – 25 Kuota – 25 Ventum – 22 Planet X – 18 Boardman – 17 Stevens – 16 Kestrel – 12 Cube – 12 BH – 12 LOOK – 12 Parlee – 11 Garneau – 9 Pinarello – 8 Focus – 8 Swift – 8 Guru – 7 Simplon – 7 Merida – 6 Blue – 6 Colnago – 6 Airstream – 6 Litespeed – 5 Willier – 5 Storck – 4 Bianchi — 4 Isaac – 3 Cucuma – 3 Ridley – 2 Serotta – 2 Neil Pryde – 2 Teschner – 2 Diamondback – 2 Masi — 2 Corratec – 1 Jamis – 1 Cheetah – 1 Valdora – 1 Dalkai – 1 DaVinci – 1 Time – 1 Grigio – 1 Griffen – 1 Coure — 1 Freespeed — 1 Apex — 1 Avanti — 1 Basso — 1 Beyond — 1 Haibike — 1 Merlin — 1 Marinoni — 1 Razor — 1 Maehlon — 1 Klein — 1 KTM — 1 GBR — 1 Ribble — 1 Squad — 1 Starley — 1 Skorn — 1 Sarto — 1 Titanos —1 S-Light — 1 Scrane — 1
Wheels (individual, carbon & alu have been combined historically for year on year comparisons) Zipp: 1887 / 2015 #1, 2006 / 2014 #1, 1839 / 2013 #1, 2041 / 2012 #1, 2041 / 2011 #1, 1907 / 2010: #1, 1910 ENVE: 289 / 2015 #2, 308 / 2014 #3, 239 / 2013 #7, 104 / 2012 #6, 100 / 2011 #9, 41 / 2010: na HED: 230 / 2015 #5, 210 Reynolds– 215 Bontrager – 200 Mavic (carbon) – 147 Shimano (carbon) – 127 Roval – 120 FLO – 61 Profile Design – 60 Mavic (aluminum) – 57 Xentis – 53 Vision (carbon) – 52 Shimano (aluminum) – 49 FFWD – 46 Campagnolo – 40 Lightweight – 39 Knight – 36 Easton – 36 Giant – 30 Oval – 28 Planet X – 26 DT Swiss – 22 Corima – 22 Airstreem — 22 Edco — 22 Felt — 21 Pro-Lite – 17 Fulcrum – 16 3T – 14 Rolf – 14 SRAM – 12 Token – 10 Spinergy – 8 Gray – 6 Boyd — 6 Williams – 5 American Classic – 4 Mercury — 4 Syncros —3 Orr – 2 Cane Creek — 2 Cole —2 Flashpoint — 2 Ritchey — 2 Other/unbranded carbon – 324 Other/unbranded aluminum – 83
Front Hydration Profile Design: 597 / 2015 #1, 669 / 2014 #1, 580 / 2013 #1, 601 / 2012 #1, 732 XLAB: 574 / 2015 #2, 402 / 2014 #2, 359 / 2013 #2, 242 / 2012 #2, 128 Speedfil – 102 Torhans – 91 Zipp – 45 Bontrager — 36 Jetstream – 15 Shimano PRO – 10 Vision – 5 Elite – 5 Nathan – 2 Specialized — 2 Podium Quest — 1 Integrated (stock) – 125 Other — 67
Rear Hydration XLAB: 756 / 2015 #1, 696 / 2014 #1, 620 / 2013 #1, 683 / 2012 #1, 527 Profile Design: 188 / 2015 #2, 171 / 2014 #2, 145 / 2013 #2, 155 / 2012 #2, 157 Tacx –76 Shimano PRO – 52 Fi:zi’k — 42 Bontrager –38 Speedfil – 32 Integrated (stock) – 31 Minoura – 22 Elite — 13 Cobb – 12 Beaker Concepts – 11 Giant – 9 Vision — 1 Other — 90
Frame Hydration Speedfil: 46 / 2015 #1, 45 / 2014 #1, 42 Xlab: 40 / 2015 #2, 22 / 2014 #2, 13 Elite – 22 Torhans —13 Specialized – 11 Profile Design – 10 Bontrager – 3 Arundel – 2 Integrated (stock) – 52
Drivetrain (previously stated as groupsets/components) Shimano: 1965 / 2015 #1, 1860 / 2014 #1, 1635 / 2013 #1, 1490 / 2012 #1, 1424 / 2011 #1, 1335 / 2010 #1, 1307 SRAM: 353 / 2015 #2, 402 / 2014 #2, 436 / 2013 #2, 537 / 2012 #2, 505 / 2011 #2, 475 / 2010 #2, 391 Campagnolo: 26 / 2015 #3, 38 / 2014 #3, 52 / 2013 #3, 34 / 2012 #3, 55 / 2011 #3, 43 / 2010 #3, 85 Vision – 3
Saddles ISM: 734 / 2015 #1, 732 / 2014 #1, 599 / 2013 #1, 517 / 2012 #2, 403 / 2011 #2, 328 / 2010 #3, 201 Fi:zi’k: 373 / 2015 #2, 396 / 2014 #2, 401 / 2013 #2, 454 / 2012 #1, 507 / 2011 #1, 485 / 2010 #1, 508 Specialized: 328 / 2015 #3, 294 / 2014 #3, 295 / 2013 #3, 244 / 2012 #4, 215 / 2011 #4, 192 / 2010 #4, 173 Cobb – 267 Bontrager – 140 Selle Italia – 130 Prologo – 83 SMP – 48 Dash – 27 Selle San Marco – 25 Profile Design – 22 Terry – 12 PRO – 11 Fabric – 7 Koobi – 6 Syncros — 5 SQ Lab – 5 Oval Concepts — 4 Serfas – 2 WTB – 2 Forte – 2 Planet X – 1 Vision – 1 Ergon — 1 Zipp — 1 Giant — 1 Oxygen — 1 Tioga — 1 Falcon — 1 Time — 1 Cosine — 1 Brooks — 1
Aerobars 3T: 433 / 2015 #2, 415 / 2014 #2, 364 / 2013 #3, 281 / 2012 #4, 171 / 2011 #5, 114 / 2010 #6, 69 Profile Design: 427 / 2015 #1, 563 / 2014 #1, 467 / 2013 #1, 552 / 2012 #1, 551 / 2011 #1, 562 / 2010: #1, 591 Bontrager: 244 / 2015 #3, 256 / 2014 #3, 253 / 2013 #4, 210 / 2012 #3, 185 / 2011 #3, 148 / 2010 #4, 99 Vision – 192 Specialized – 130 Zipp – 112 Felt Devox – 93 Argon 18 – 74 Giant – 52 PRO – 35 Canyon — 32 Easton — 29 HED – 24 Oval Concepts – 22 ENVE – 22 Syntace – 17 Deda – 17 TriRig — 11 Blue – 9 USE – 5 Ritchey — 5 LOOK — 1 Storck — 1 Xentis — 1 Dropbars — 17 Other — 233
Pedals (pairs) Shimano: 735 / 2015 #1, 739 / 2014 #2, 708 / 2013 #2, 695 / 2012 #2, 642 / 2011 #2, 554 / 2010 na LOOK: 730 / 2015 #2, 702 / 2014 #1, 788 / 2013 #1, 815 / 2012 #1, 776 / 2011 #1, 770 / 2010 na Speedplay: 368 / 2015 #3, 387 / 2014 #3, 357 / 2013 #3, 406 / 2012 #3, 396 / 2011 #3, 395 / 2010 na Garmin Vector – 228 PowerTap – 82 Mavic – 51 Time – 39 Keywin – 11 Crank Brothers – 3 Mavic – 1 Ritchey 1 Crank Brothers – 1 Other – 29
Helmets Rudy Project: 550 / 2015 #1, 639 / 2014 #1, 629 / 2013 #1, 654 / 2012 #1, 354 / 2011 #1, 211 / 2010 #3, 114 Giro: 438 / 2015 #2, 369 / 2014 #2, 350 / 2013 #2, 418 / 2012 #3, 177 / 2011 #3, 160 / 2010: #2, 221 Specialized: 280 / 2015 #3, 257 / 2014 #3, 220 / 2013 #3, 141 / 2012 #5, 43 / 2011 #5, 52 / 2010 #4, 62 Garneau – 124 Casco – 108 Kask – 101 Bontrager – 78 Lazer – 63 Bell – 62 POC – 39 Ekoi – 27 Catlike – 22 MET – 17 Smith — 15 UVEX – 15 Spiuk – 15 Kabuta — 14 Scott – 12 Bolle —12 Limar – 10 Giant – 8 Cratoni – 6 SH+ — 6 Mavic — 5 LAS – 5 Kali — 4 Cannondale — 3 BBB – 3 Giant LIVE — 3 Seluv — 3 Vitoria — 2 Matrix — 2 OGK – 1 Gray — 1 ZeroRH — 1 Azure — 1 Briko — 1 Northwave — 1 Suomy — 1 Salice — 1 Mizuno — 1 Avus — 1 Extreme — 1 Blade — 1 Ironman (Kuji) — 1 Other – 41
Power meters Quarq: 303 / 2015 #1, 289 / 2014 #1, 291 / 2013 #1, 280 / 2012 #1, 191 / 2011 #3, 119 / 2010 #3, 51 Garmin: 228 / 2015 #2, 222 / 2014 #4, 126 / 2013 #5, 23 / 2012 na / 2011 na / 2010 na Stages: 194 / 2014 #3, 170 / 2014 #6, 60 / 2013 #6, 19 / 2012 na / 2011 na / 2010 na PowerTap – 175 Power2Max – 137 SRM – 107 Rotor – 89 Pioneer – 31 Polar – 4 LOOK — 3 Verve — 3 4iii — 3 Bpro — 2
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