Sorry turnerguy I neeeeeeeeed some voodoo

taking some pictures of my bizango frame this morning !

That’s fantastic. Frame looks awesome 🙂 getting excited! Cheers!

May as well post mine up again…

Looks lovely that. Is it the original paint? Looks immaculate.

Met up with Turnerguy today and robbed him of the Voodoo. I feel a bit bad taking it away from you. Really nice to have met you and thanks ever so much its brilliant.

I got 30 minutes “cleaning the garage up time” to do a swift build. Gears need setting up properly and its got the wrong forks on at the moment but took it out for a 30 minute ride. It’s perfect. I think I’ve found my perfect frame. I can’t explain it but it just fits right.

It really is amazing. I will post up pics once complete.

Once again. Thanks for the frame and stickers and stuff. So so happy. Early Christmas present t me 🙂

Nope, full nut and bolt restoration, about £900 in the end.

Story here: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=237961

Nice read Rob. Lovely restoration. I’d love to think after all these years my stolen Timberline would come back to me… Or my Lava Dome 🙁

Ah, why not?….

Robdob-what is the part used to run v’s on the back where the seat tube meets the top tube?

It’s a later model Kona Dog Collar, modified to run a v-brake.

robbed 🙁

Robdob-what is the part used to run v’s on the back where the seat tube meets the top tube?

I used a stick on cable guide and a zip tie. Worked just fine, but in the end I just wanted disks and couldn’t get an A2Z to work right.
EDIT: and full cable run to rear V brake

Lots of Decade Virtues/Versas coming up – had one too, very nice zingy frame, but the skinny duster is closer in character I think.

Just bought a fire mountain frame and some p2 forks, never ridden an old kona but want to feel what it’s all about! Ss with v brakes for now but if i feel the love i might try welding some disc tabs on later.. where can you buy them from?

was going to say try argoscycles, but their web site seems to be blacklisted.

Or other framebuilders/restorers.

Here is mine, old unit complete with re-spray and salsa forks.

P1050024 by eastham_david, on Flickr

Waller – while we’re on the subjects of Old Steel frames, heres my old Timberline, after being powder coated and pressed into single speed commuter duties

How much can I expect to pick a 92/93 Kilauea/Explosive frame for? Some coming up for around £170, which seems quite a bit for an old bike frame!!?

Got out for a longer ride today. It just feels right.

Feels like my Chameleon but without the harshness of the rear end. Much more focused than the Soul. I’d say a nice happy medium. And it defiantly has a lively feel to it.

It’s not the lightest in the world I reckon around the 29lb mark fully built up.

I will get it resprayed after winter. Hope to keep as close to the finish as it is now. Really nice pearlescent.

Nice Timberline Binners! Mine was a lovely dark metallic green with a funky U brake on. I’ve got an old GT outpost frame in the garage. Surprisingly heavy 🙂

Another decade virsa alot like my old caldera.

image by Parkesiemtb, on Flickr

Hmmm a friend at work selling his old kona Explosif, he only wants £50 for it but it will need a respray.

Frame only

To buy or not ?

Buy 🙂 but then my name is Waller. And I’m addicted to old hardtails.

29lbs! – what have you put on it ???

My flux has a 6lbs frame and it was 26lbs with decent 32 spoke stans wheels.

The bizango frame is only 4.6lbs so those forks must be heavy !

🙂 a pair of old vanilla 140’s not light 🙂

I’m waiting on the seals to arrive for my converted Talas to floats and will the put them on. Should be a bit lighter.

It’s XTR throughout. Hope Pro2’s on DT Swiss. hope mono mini’s and Thomson and hope finishing kit.

Either that or I’m getting weak…. Will weigh it on the scales

I can’t stop looking at Vortexracing’s bike, if it had silver wheels & finishing kit then I would of been done by now, & it would of saved me having to trawl the net for pron for ever 🙂

I can’t stop looking at Vortexracing’s bike, if it had silver wheels & finishing kit then I would of been done by now, & it would of saved me having to trawl the net for pron for ever

I have been contemplating doing a ‘jones’ crank with silver Thomson stem and post.

It now sports a black charge spoon seat and some dark grey decals

P1050110 by eastham_david, on Flickr

This is a great thread! Any excuse to effuse about old Konas!
I had a Kilauea as my main bike about 5 years ago, but always ended up hankering after something “nicer”. I read that Inbreds were similar geometry, which I suppose is true, but the ride is completely different, bit more agricultural, not bad bikes by any means, just that the CEN testing means they end up a bit tank-y.

I then moved on to a Sanderson Breath, which I have to say was beautiful! Not the flagship odel, bit still rode lovely, with Orange forks, it was so springy and agile. Only moving to 29″ wheels meant I sold it.

Also had a Koa, which wasn’t so nice, whatever I did with that, it just didn’t feel as good as the Kilauea.

However, the Kilauea is still in the collection

This is currently being updated and rebuilt, soldering on some new cable guides for full outers, 1×7 gearing and some headtube strengthening rings. I just cant sell it!
Bit long winded reply, but it’s christmas!

Lovely collection of bikes! Out of interest….. Are you down south as well?

Unbelievably beautiful bikes throughout this whole thread. And the plus point I’ve fallen in love again with mountain biking. Getting a bit fed up trying different frames to feel disappointed. The new one really does suit my riding area and also ability. Be interesting to see how it copes in Wales and the Alps.

What travel forks will the bizango be running in the end?

I think it is supposed to be a 100mm frame, so I think 140 might be a bit dangerous, especially if going to the alps!

Good to know you like it.

Also interesting comments about the Sanderson breathe. I was going to build one up for a mate from a second hand frame and parts we got from eBay, but then he bought a complete cube new, so sold the breathe frame and parts at a loss 🙁

Here’s my Kona (if I get the hang of posting pictures)

It’a a 1992 Fire Mountain which I’ve had from new, modded with V-brakes and a Girvin Flexstem. Dug it out from the back of the shed earlier this year after not riding bikes for years. Really wishing I had done it years ago! Since the photo was taken, I’ve replaced the cables ties securing the back brake cable to the toptube with a nice fancy cable stop.

They will be stepped down talas converted to floats so 100mm 🙂 wouldn’t want to cause a premature death. Absolutely love it 🙂

That’s a lovely colour blue!

Lovely collection of bikes! Out of interest….. Are you down south as well?

Yes I’m in Dover, only the Kilauea in the collection now and that’s the other-halves….
As for the Breath, I really can recommend it as a modern alternative, bit weightier, but obviously with better braking, more modern geometry, but still a similar quality of ride. Think the Life should be even better!

Here is the finished build. I say finished but still a few things to sort. New fork stickers as these are eBay jobs and I put them on upside down like an idiot 🙂 rear brake needs a bleed and some other stuff needs doing.

She hits the scales at 22.8lb

Everything bar the wheels is second hand. Mostly from here. I’m really pleased and it rides absolutely brilliantly!

Thanks again Turnerguy!

Looks great, but it has gears and a bouncy front? 😉

I can’t afford any project 2’s at the moment but when I can I will get some and bang them on 🙂

[img]http://images57.fotki.com/v283/photos/4/763004/7487359/DSC00437-vi.jpg[/img]

Lava Dome
Explosif
Killy

A few of the collection.

Tempted by a Cotic soul though..so it’s funny to hear that you didn’t get on with one.

Looks good; how are you finding it?

I’ve had a Bizango for a few years after asking the same question having had old Cinder cone, Lava Dome and Kula.

Here’s mine:

It’s currently set up with P2s and Avid v brakes so really is even closer to an old Kona.

About to swap it back to discs and Pace/Exotic carbon forks for this year.