I ride every day, my bike is a 96 Kona Kilauea.
Ive been over the himalayas on her,Lands End to JOG, Ireland top to bottom....she is like an old friend...sniff.She's been welded twice!
Im starting to be concerned about her failing on one of my blats down a hill...
She hasn't yet died but I do fear that her days are numbered...what on earth am I going to replace her with?
Has to be steel !
Something custom, based on the same angles? Do a Dave Yates course and build it yourself with help from the man himself.
maybe.
MTFU, take it out the back, and put a bullet in it. It's only a bike, ffs.
And then go and buy a shiny new one! You'll soon forget about it.
On a more sensitive and serious note...
It's only 12 years old. And it's steel, right? Good for at least another 12!
And when it finally does die, frame the bastard, and put it up in the front room.
You fine me a shiny new Kona Kilauea circa 1996 and I will put a framed picture of you in my living room!!
Explosif
Kinesis are bringing out a their new Decade Virtue soon.
http://www.bikemagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/6785
Might be worth a look.
A newer kileau? Same design idea but bit more modern?
trawl the ads, you'll find something old and unloved and make it your own.
I have some brand new old stock Kona parts to fit if you decide to get a replacement built including replica 1996 decal sets, Kona Control Centre headets, Kona cable guides (dog collars), Kona Curve brake sets, Kona Velocity stem etc.
I would get Dave Yates to build a replica using the exact geometry from your current frame if it really must be identical including the tube spec etc.
I would not worry though, I still have my 1992 Kilauea and it is still going strong.
Will he do that?
Steel....wow that sounds a fantastic idea! What sort of dosh?
I will bear you in mind for the decals...
Cheers buddy.
Cotic Soda or Charge Duster Ti - should get more than 12 years out of it then? Or maybe go mad and get a Ti Indi Fab to your spec?
Dave Yates, Roberts and there is that custom builder in the south west (I think) who build steel MTB frames, 853 or a none labelled CrMo alloy. Just can't think of their name and haven't got the old What MTB that one of the journos had one built up in.
Have seriously been thinking about a charge duster love the old school look of them.....do you have to run them with disc brakes though?
Never really felt the need for anything other than v brakes...
How about an old school Ti frame, that would give a nice ride and should go the distance
Or a Curtis perhaps, free repairs for life and top quality too
Off the peg I think you'll be looking at Disk in most cases. Voodoo bikes have as far as I know (not sure about 2009) have demountable canti/V brake posts if you insist.
Try disks, I think you'll be amazed. I have Avid Juicy 5s on my FS and Avid BB7s with XT V brake levers on my rigid SS Voodoo Wanga. Don't forget that Voodoo had design input from Mr Murray, the old Kona man. Have a butchers at sideways cycles website, they have a collection of Voodoo frames at reasonable prices. I love my Wanga (oo er) I must say.
Try some disk brakes, even cable are miles better in ALL conditions and don't weigh that much more (possibly hydros rather than cable).
speaker2animals, you're thinking of Robin Mather but he's not taking orders any more.
If you are intetested in a voodoo wanga, check out my ad in the classified somewhere well as long as you want a 17" frame