To save me taking the cranks off as I haven't purchased the replacement yet, anyone know what the size of the BB is on my Kona Blink? It's the original one, not resized for new cranks or anything.
Also, is the FSA Power Drive the same as Shimano Octalink or some other 'standard', or do I need to stick with the original? Only asking so I'm armed with all the facts when I buy a new one, there doesn't appear to be anything fundamentally wrong with the FSA one.
Sorry I don't know the answer to your question but maybe the tech section of Kona's own forum will:
http://forums.konaworld.com/index.php?
Hope that helps - as a fellow Blink owner I thought I would try!
Didn't know about that forum, thanks I'll have a look/post on there later.
Bit of a google search suggests that Power Drive is unique.
No worries. Hope you get it sorted.
A bit OT I know, but there doesn't seem to be many Blink owners about. Have you changed much on yours?
I have done the usual contact points (grips/ pedals / saddle) plus bars and stem. Everything else is stock. It's getting used less now as I recently bought a Spesh Camber Expert as I needed* a fs.
* 'needed' may not be exactly accurate!
I bought it second hand, off here it came with a nicer looking white saddle and different rotors. All I've done to it is take off the Nevegal's, (pretty good for grip, not so good for pedalling) and put a Schwalbe combo on. Paint is in a pretty bad way, really scuffed and dulled so that may be the first big thing I do.
It's my 'spare' bike, but I'm finding it gets used at least as much as my Anthem. I had a Camber for a bit, didn't really suit the sort of riding I do, (hence the Anthem). [img] 
[/img]Just an all round, basic, nice MTB really.
Thanks for the reply.
I got mine new, but very much reduced (from Merlin) and like it a lot.
Only downside, imho, is that it is somewhat weighty.
Wandering further OT, what was it with the Camber? They seem quite love it/hate it on here.
I am very happy with mine so fall into the former category.
I took it to the Peak District a couple of times, (the Camber that is) where it was absolutely stupendous. Loved sitting down, pedalling through rocky sections, fast as you dare riding. But most of my trips are round Delamere and the north east corner of Wales where a faster steering less stable bike is preferable, (to me anyhow) It went to a bloke in Scotland, I'm sure it's right up his street.
The blink is indeed a weighty beast, and I never believed that original RRP, if I remember the Merlin price correctly though it became a bit of a bargain. You got a picture of yours to share?
Yes, it was a decent bargain so can't complain. Mine also came with 180 rotors front and rear rather than the 180/160 the spec said.
Here you go:
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Took this recently after giving it a clean up.
As you can see I used the orange logo on the seat tube to bring a bit of colour to the bike with the black/orange Charge Spoon and Mg1's.
The stock 660mm bars seemed a tad narrow so I replaced them and then tried out a shorter stem. The bars are 700mm Crank Bros and the stem is a 60mm one from a Kona Shred (which I had in the parts bin). The grips are Odi subliminal.
Did the tyre swap make much impact on the weight by the way?
The tyres are quite a bit lighter, but I really think it's a massive reduction in the rolling resistance that made the most difference. Reckon most of the excess weight is in the fork and the frame so it's never going to be a fly weight until those are knackered.
Powerspline is gash and not the same as any other bb system out there
Better off looking for a second hand deore ht2 chainset when the bb dies
Really? This BB is probably 3ish years old and I've other internal type BB's (square taper mainly) that are over that vintage. Don't think I've ever had an external bearing BB last over 12 months and regularly less. That experience seems fairly common from many threads on here.
How much use in 3 years ?
I used to sell the things in bikes - did plenty warrenty on power splines
Ah, now that I don't know as I've only had it a few months. I suspect, (from the state of the paintwork and rim stickers etc.) that it's been pretty heavily jet-washed by the original owner so perhaps it's not even the original.
I reckon I'll try one before swapping to a different type if it proves short lived.
I've had a Blink from new, about 18 months now.
Definitely a heavy beast, but I've had plenty fun around Kielder, Hamsterley and Glentress up my way.
I use it mainly for bombing back and forward from work so run Conti DoubleFighter II tyres on it and stick the Nevegals on when I take to on trails.
Only other thing I've upgraded are the pedals to some orange Superstar Nano Techs, awesome grip.
Being the first bike I've owned in years I'm not really in a position to compare, I've caught the bug though on this bike so it must be doing something right.
Front fork isn't great, and the only problem I've had is with the chainring bolts rattling loose at GT which cut a day out short.
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I've just bought a Commencal Meta 5.5 2011 carbon frame which should be here on Tuesday so the Blink will become my ride to work.