1997 Kona Kilauea - Special Edition ?

I saw a few threads on here that this was a mid year release for North America and fairly rare ? Can anyone help me on information? Are the parts all original?

I guess I am looking for general info on the frame and the bike from all you experts.

XT shifters and rear derailleur.
LX front derailleur and cranks.
Avid brakes
Marzocchi Bomber Z2 fork.

I have a pretty nice 1995 lava dome I use for riding the streets (STX everything) and I can feel the weight difference. This is obviously quite a nicer frame/bike.

Frame is in good shape with a few scratches from a lock on the top tube and the whole thing needs a cleaning.

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That is a lovely example of the somewhat rare 1997 Kilauea SE.

I think that you have pretty much covered everything in your post. The main desirable features being that superb colour for the Columbus Cyber frame, and the colour-keyed Marzocchi Z2 forks. There are a few examples highlighted on here, and the link below shows a little detail:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=250851&p=1882050&hilit

I don't have a Kona spec for the bike, but yours seems to have most of the original components according to the Bicycle Blue Book listing:

https://www.bicyclebluebook.com/SearchL ... odel=45842

Pip.

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I'd say it's more than somewhat rare, especially this side of the Atlantic. Lovely bike.

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Thank you for the replies, any other info or comments welcome.

I am in Ontario, Canada and the bike was originally purchased at a local store in Toronto.

Anyone know what the original grips would have been ? Those on there now are thin and awful so I will be replacing them just want to see how careful I should be removing them.

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The grips are not listed in the U.K. 1997 Kona catalogue, but there is this picture in the general information on page 27.

Your grips appear to look the same, but I would need a better picture to be certain. To remove grips intact, I slip the straw from a can of WD40 under the rubber, then reattach the can and gently spray. It helps if you slip a robust cable tie under the grip first, and slip the straw in alongside it.

97Page27 by Philip Mock, on Flickr

Pip

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That definitely looks like them, I was hoping they were aftermarket so I could just cut them off.

Thanks for the tip on how to remove.

Nice, paint looks in good conditiontoo.

I do the same as Pip when removing grips, apart from i use a plastic knife under the grip. Prise it up, stick straw in and squrit, slide knife round, push knife in further and repeat

Mark

mkone":8ufkvske said:

Nice, paint looks in good conditiontoo.

I do the same as Pip when removing grips, apart from i use a plastic knife under the grip. Prise it up, stick straw in and squrit, slide knife round, push knife in further and repeat

Mark

Click to expand...

Thanks. Paint is in great shape other than a few chips on the top tube front a metal bike lock or something...

Mortonm":ybukn7t0 said:

mkone":ybukn7t0 said:

Nice, paint looks in good conditiontoo.

I do the same as Pip when removing grips, apart from i use a plastic knife under the grip. Prise it up, stick straw in and squrit, slide knife round, push knife in further and repeat

Mark

Click to expand...

Thanks. Paint is in great shape other than a few chips on the top tube front a metal bike lock or something...

Click to expand...

Yeah, thats a shame.

My '96 Kilauea came with a little pot of touch up paint, not sure if they still did in '97? maybe ask the person you got it off if they still have it?

Mark

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I was thinking about that and I did ask he doesnt have it. Hasn't even been ridden in 5 years.

I'll have to see if i can find some model paint to match