1996 Kona Fire Mountain

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This topic has 34 replies, 27 voices, and was last updated 11 years ago by PimpmasterJazz.

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1996 Kona Fire Mountain
masterwatson2000
Free Member

My wife has inherited a rarely ridden Kona Fire Mountain from the mid / late nineties which appears to be in good nick. Is it something that is now worth anything or is it safe territory for me to mess about with and make into a SS hack / pub bike?

It is a 3×7 setup with an STX rear derailleur and the Kona project 2 rigid forks. It is blue in colour which has lead me to the conclusion of its age.

Let me know if it’s worth owt or whether it’s worth playing with to create a bike for some winter fun!

Posted 11 years ago

wiggles
Free Member

Check retrobike

Posted 11 years ago

russjp
Free Member

Not worth a penny, I will give you a tenner to take it off your hands 🙂

Posted 11 years ago

jimster01
Full Member

STX,pft, not even worth a tenner. 🙂

Posted 11 years ago

Onzadog
Free Member

Not sure why, but something about that screams at me to leave it in its original condition.

I’ll give you £11.27 and a half finish cough sweet for it.

Posted 11 years ago

st
Full Member

Without seeing pictures I’d suggest expecting around £100-150 if you were to sell it but as above check the forum at Retrobike.co.uk

Posted 11 years ago

Mackem
Full Member

Leave it be and just ride it.

Posted 11 years ago

Munqe-chick
Free Member

I don’t’ think that is 1996 as mine is 96 and it was red, sat in my shed as a town bike. Love it first ever MTB thumb shifters still going strong and are the best!

Posted 11 years ago

ahwiles
Free Member

there was often a choice of colours back then…

(my 96(?) cindercone was available in pink or green)

great bikes!

Posted 11 years ago

luddite
Free Member

You can work out the year here –
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/Manufacturer+Archive/Kona/Catalogues

Posted 11 years ago

Reluctant
Free Member

Fire Mt 96 was grey. 1998 was blue.

Posted 11 years ago

FOG
Full Member

Quite the worst MTB I have ever owned. Not the frame particularly although it was a bit steep for the wife who it was bought for originally, but the components. I can’t remember all the bits on it but something broke almost every ride. By the time it descended to the oldest boy it was a complete wreck despite a relatively sheltered life. Not just the available componentry of the era either, other bikes we had in the family were fine.

Posted 11 years ago

Kuco
Full Member

Looking at the 88 catalogue at the Cindercone made me think of all the people who asked me how did I spill paint on my frame 😀

Posted 11 years ago

allyharp
Full Member

They ride brilliantly. Keep it!

Posted 11 years ago

zbonty
Full Member

It was their bottom of the range number. They generally cut component corners so had crap bits compared to the competition. Sold for £400 iirc.

Posted 11 years ago

dc11
Free Member

Blue with red decals? As Reluctant says, probably a ’98.

Posted 11 years ago

masterwatson2000
Free Member

Thanks all for the responses. Yeah, on further inspection it may well be a ’98 Fire Mountain. I certainly do plan to ride it, why wouldn’t i?!

I’m kind of happy that some of you say that it’s further down the pile of classic Kona’s because now I know that I’m not going to ruin anything potentially worth keeping if I run it as my pub bike!

When I’ve sorted it, I’ll get some pics up for you all.

Posted 11 years ago

jimster01
Full Member

I used to have a 95 cinder cone, the fire dome was the same frame but with a couple hundred quid lower “spec” bike, stilworth an absolute mint.l

Posted 11 years ago

highlandman
Free Member

Dark red with ‘Hawaian’ text stickers, RST or rigid fork, tektro Vs, 8 speed STX-RC, flat Ritchey bars & Mavic 117 rims? 1998 and yes, about £400 at that time. Rides like a lump of gas-pipe. Will make a brilliant rigid hack.

Posted 11 years ago

cookeaa
Full Member

Same sort of blue as this?:

I was told 1997 when I paid £50 for the frame and fork on retrobike.

I also owned a 1995 fire mountain, which came in a sort of battleship grey with 3×7 STX and gripshift, did me well for quite a while actually…

My advice would be, get it rolling either geared or SS as your milage, budget or knees require, and use it as a winter hack to save the nicer, newer kit from the ravages of winter.

If you flog it adopt the “pay it on philosophy” and don’t charge the earth, as nostalgic as I am for old konas, these were decent but basic bikes, intended for people to ride, a show pony it ain’t…

Posted 11 years ago

jerrys
Free Member

This is my 1992 one with a few changes (girvin flexstem and Avid v-brakes). Undecided at the moment whether to keep it or change it for a roadbike or a 29er of some description.

Posted 11 years ago

kimbers
Full Member

cookeaas one is a 97

nice bike, dont sell, ride it, lots

Posted 11 years ago

mindmap3
Free Member

1997 was blue with blue decals wasn’t it? Whereas the ’98 was like Cookeas.

I love old Kona’s and fond memories if my Koa. 1997 was my favourite range the colours and decals were brilliant.

Posted 11 years ago

kimbers
Full Member

ahh yes

97 here

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/Manufacturer+Archive/Kona/Catalogues/Kona+Catalogue+1997/

Posted 11 years ago

hopkinsgm
Full Member

1996 Fire Mountain was available in blue with light blue decals and grey Project 2’s or grey with grey decals and grey Project 2’s. Other spec highlights include canti brakes, threaded forks and headset with quill stem (ahead/threadless from 1997 onwards) and gripshift. I believe 1996 was the last year of the serif font for the decals, before they went over to the “jungle-y” font.

Mine, owned from new, is now a long way from the original spec with 3×9 LX transmission, V brakes, upgraded wheelset, threadless Project 2’s and riser bars – upgraded various bits and pieces as they wore out and/or broke. The only remaining original component is the frame. Sadly, it doesn’t get used as much as it used to, but it does still see the light of day from time to time…

Posted 11 years ago

cookeaa
Full Member

Having GIS’d it looks like Mine is a 98 and my old Grey one which I thought was a 95 was in fact a 96… You live and learn.

Ultimately very little changed Year on year other than paint and decals so from about 1990-1999 They’re all good.

Posted 11 years ago

clubber
Free Member

zbonty – Member
It was their bottom of the range number.

Hahanna was BOR surely?

Posted 11 years ago

zbonty
Full Member

Thats what i ~~said~~ meant.

Posted 11 years ago

plus-one
Full Member

Can’t beat a 90’s Kona

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Untitled[/url] by Plus one2010[/url], on Flickr

Posted 11 years ago

xiphon
Free Member

Holy seat post Batman!

Posted 11 years ago

clubber
Free Member

It’s a 90s bike. of course it has a long seatpost!

Posted 11 years ago

cookeaa
Full Member

zbonty – Member
It was their bottom of the range number.

Hahanna was BOR surely?

[/quote]

Hahanna and Fire-Mtn had the same basic frame I reckon (anyone care to correct me?), just different parts fitted and paint job to meet price points, Shirley?

Posted 11 years ago

kimbers
Full Member

yeah hahhana and fm had same frame (well in 97) but the FM came with rockshox instead of P2s

the frames singly and doubly butted, the lava dome/ cinder cone had some tripple butting

I bought my hahhana in 1997 in Gearworks Cyclery, Massachusetts some low life nicked it from outside tescos in Fulbourne 🙁

Posted 11 years ago

GaryLake
Free Member

Hahanna and Fire-Mtn had the same basic frame I reckon (anyone care to correct me?), just different parts fitted and paint job to meet price points, Shirley?

Depends on the year, I had a 94 Fire Mountain and it was Tange, whereas Hahanna wasn’t. I don’t know what appreciable difference that actually made though…

Had a 94 Cinder Cone too (we had a few 94 Konas that got passed around the family) – Kona’s peaked that year I reckon – vintage year.

94 Hei Hei must be one of the prettiest off the peg bikes ever made.

Posted 11 years ago

PimpmasterJazz
Free Member

Can’t beat a 90’s Kona

You can, with a 150mm stem. 😉

Posted 11 years ago