'New' bike – Classic Kona content

Just in case interested parties haven’t looked at the classifieds today…
Explosif for sale
(nothing to do with me btw)

PP – lovely looking bike, seeing the old stem etc reminds me of my first bikes. Aaah brake boosters and Dart/Smokes…….
I reckon Sanderson make the closest modern equivalent to 90’s Konas.

Cheers 🙂 Not too shabby is it?

Just about every steel hardtail available today borrows from early Konas. They are the DNA that’s been passed down ever since. 🙂

Oh, if I must 🙂

She’s a Beauty! Good work OP

I rode to work on a SS’d old steel Kona (with DB p2s) this morning, and I can’t think of any other bike I’d rather use TBH, 90s Konas FTW…

I’d have been riding a Diamond back Ascent in 1993 finally got a Kona in 96 IO think, kept if for well over a decade…

I do like a proper classic Kona with period parts, but I don’t miss threaded headsets and quill stems, Impact headsets were about as good as they ever got, if I’m honest though I’m still not a fan…

I do like a proper classic Kona with period parts, but I don’t miss threaded headsets and quill stems, Impact headsets were about as good as they ever got, if I’m honest though I’m still not a fan…

I know exactly what you mean. Impact headsets didn’t come loose, but the loose bearings and sealing was crap, so they didn’t last very long.

I was wary of that headset when I got it (It came with the Cinder Cone I had before this) bacause it’s just a lock ring jobbie. But these days I have a single headset spanner. I fitted it, tightened it once after the first ride (all headsets can come loose first time out) and it never budged again. It must be becasue it’s a VERY high quality headset that it stays locked down so well, and it so easy to adjust. It’s no worse then any Aheadset I’ve ever used, and it’s buttery smooth…. Noticeably smoother then the Kings/Cane Creek/FSAs/On Ones we have on our other bikes!

I have an impact threaded headset on Mrs Clubber’s bike but I converted it to ahead (cut off the lock ring, filed out the threads). It works perfectly.

its beautiful Peter!! when you were showing me the frame and stuff in your garage i couldn’t quite imagine it built up so all i could feel was jealous at the rims and the price you got them for! now its all built i’m jealous of the whole thing. i wouldn’t even ride it, it’d stay on the wall and replace the TV as the thing i sit on the sofa and watch in the evenings 😀

john_l – Member
That looks really lovely. Think it’s a ’94 though if the seat tube’s fluted. I had one in that same green & Tange Ultimate tubing. Wish I’d kept it, but sold it on to fund a ’98 853 Explosif frame.

This is mine and it’s a ’94 with no fluting but you can see the butting.

Lovely bike PeterPoddy, The explosive was also my dream bike form back in the day and the Hei Hei my wet dream bike – but they are rare as rocking horse ***t now and cost twice as much.

I’m thinking of Hyrdo rim brakes as well, but not sure whether to single speed it, but I do have the sugino impel cranks. It’s in the loft hiding until I make my mind up.
🙂

and the Hei Hei my wet dream bike

Sorry. Here’s some pics of my Hei Hei, now sadly gone…..

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ygpC8C0[/url] by PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr

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ygpC8C1[/url] by PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr

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ygpC8C2[/url] by PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr

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ygpC8C3[/url] by PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr

Yep. That’s a titanium USE seatpost. That’s the seat post that cracked the frame. That’s why I’ll never use a shimmed post ever again. 🙁

Wow, that really is a pisser.

I’d be raging about that to this day if that was my Hei Hei,

I’ve got a USE on my Kona Kapu, with a shim let hope it doesn’t go the same was as yours.

What did you do with the frame and was there no way of repairing it?

Also you don’t have a spare bung for a Velocity stem do you I’m missing mine, I did ask on Retrobike a while ago but was met by a deafening wall of silence.

Very very nice, all of them. Sweet steel Kona’s from the happy days of mtb’ing. They do look better with gears as well.

Btw H Lloyd for Kona transfers.

618 ceramics? Check your bling!

One day my 2000 Kula will become a desirable thing… Untill then I’ll keep razzing it around with no gears on…

My Kilauea in one of it’s last incarnations before it died. Did everything on this bike – raced it in xc, dh, trials (NEMBA days), duathlon, commuted on it, kiddy seat on it, then it became my first SS. God, it got some hammer.

This is my Mercian resprayed ’94 Kilauea out in the wild last month:

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P3060802[/url] by blackhound59[/url], on Flickr

Nice to see some many retro Kona fans.

Those Hots look incredible. I’ve seen pics of a couple, probably the best looking MTB ever made IMO.

I think I agree with you there.

that’s the same model as mine up there Mr sparkle. how did yours die? mines been rewelded at the DS dropout twice.

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006[/url] by Kerv F[/url], on Flickr

Some lovely old Konas on here. Here’s mine, still used 2 or 3 times a week after 15years in my care! I will get it repainted when I can find some ’97 “mountain shock” decals.

I am linking those gold rims, Kerv! 🙂

I’d be raging about that to this day if that was my Hei Hei,

I’ve got a USE on my Kona Kapu, with a shim let hope it doesn’t go the same was as yours.

What did you do with the frame and was there no way of repairing it?

Well, I’d sold it on eBay before the tiny crack came to light, so I ended up refunding 2/3 of the purchase price on the basis of that. It might still be going as it was, dunno really…..

618 ceramics? Check your bling!

Yeah. I did well with those. I bought this off eBay for £250 delivered:

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IMG_2556[/url] by PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr

The seaport fetched £68 to a guy in Germany. The cranks went for £55, mechs £11, computer £5 so it only owes me £110 right now for these wheels, the Maguras and the Gripshifts. (I’ve still got the frame set and saddle and tyres to sell) but it was those wheels that made me realise I HAD to get the frame sprayed up!

My ’95 Hahanna frame, forks, stem and assorted bits is hanging up in the garage. It’s too new and too low down the range to be really desirable, but it’s lovely and it’s mine.

One day, I’ll have some money and it’ll get rebuilt as a SS with Paul Component[/url] kit and skinwall tyres.

Aah I hate these retro Kona threads! I had a 94 explosif and sold it for a 95 hei hei, man I wish I’d never got rid of that one, it was awesome!!

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2008_0506_183833AA[/url] by http://www.sussex-mtb.com[/url%5D, on Flickr

I don’t know if I am a bit late but just wanted to say that is a really fantastic looking bike PP.

I had alimited run model of a 93 cinder kone….all black!!!

Sold it and got a 94 klein fervor

both bikes…..lovely!!!!

oh and yours too

For all the wannabees there is an old skool kona on eBay in the FoD that I spied today.

peter that bike is heaven on earth well done mate awesome!

Anyone mind if I through in my tuppence? Here’s my 1997 Cindercone owned from new that’s been in my garage since about 2000. I’ve taken the brake bosses off and this week will get Argos to weld on a disc mount followed by powder coating by another company in original colour and stickers from Gil_M. Fox Float RL’s will be reduced to 100mm and all the other bits and pieces to be used are hanging about in the garage (the current stem’s from a road bike and for illustration purposes only).

I remember it being great to ride and I imagine that with non-knackered kit and brakes that work it’ll be awesome. This was meant to be a hack about bike but it’s developed into a proper restoration project!