Original Owner Ti Kona Hei Hei frame- FS

Well, I'm older than the bike by at least 22 years, so I don't actually remember what year I got it anymore - either 1989 or 1990 (I think). It's been ridden hard and put away wet over the years and was still in use as a 69er conversion until last fall. Since then it's sat in the shed and I can honestly say I don't ever see me using it again (my aged body has thoroughly adapted to full squishy suspension), so it needs to go off to a new and deserving home.

Almost legible stamps on the BB shell say 'MADE IN U.S.A.' and although hard to decipher, I believe 'B1901C' (the C may be another 0) - this may be enough for some of you to tell me more about it.......

From what I recall (and I'll stand corrected if someone can do so with documentation) these were built by Lavoie in Bellingham, WA at the time I got it on pro deal. I never amounted to anything special as a racer, but I've ridden this all over North America. That includes hitting a 7/16" galvanized cable across the head tube in 1993 (again, year may be off by 1 or 2) in Canmore, AB that resulted in bent saddle rails and two tacoed wheels - frame was still true, but there are cable gauges on the head tube to this day!

Twelve years or so ago I cut off the seized on original P2 fork (horribly regretting that maneuver ever since), mounted a Manitou 2 up front and grabbed a Brake Therapy adapter for the rear when I converted it to half suspended and disc braked. Donated the junk Manitou to a poor(er) buddy about five years back and ran it with a Fox for a few years before finally throwing a 29er P2 fork on a couple seasons ago and running it as a 69er for a couple seasons - this never did feel quite right to me, but it got lots of positive feedback locally.

I always thought it was a 17", but I just measured centre BB to centre top tube as 16", to top of seat tube is 19". Top tube is +/- 22"......

Decals are almost all MIA. There's a couple vintage Powerbar stickers, a Kona head tube sticker (wrong year for the frame, if I recall correctly) and a couple 'TOPSOG' decals (these were from my buddy Jose who headed up the informal group(s) = Team Of Pint Swilling Old Guys/Pot Smoking Old Guys - depending on your preference), nothing else.

It'll ship with the Brake Therapy adapter, the original canti bosses and the seat tube macaroni noodle that I still have in a box - if you know this era of bike you'll know the macaroni noodle reference. Will also come with a set of bar ends that (for once) I actually won at an event on Mt. Seymour in about 1997. I'll also include the original Deore seatpost that I built it with AND a new Thompson post I got when I bastardized it to a 69er.

I'll ship anywhere at buyers expense. Paypal payments only. Price is NOT negotiable - it's $850 CDN, a bit less than half what I paid for it over 20 years ago. If you're looking for a pristine example (ie. never ridden and great for wall art), then this is not the frame for you. I tried attaching a couple images (both too large), so if you want pics, send me a PM with email address and specific image requests and I'll fire them off to you.

Thanks for reading through to here! Hopefully the next owner gets another quarter century of fun out of her!

We absolutely need pictures here, not just for you to sell it but for our records and curiousity! An early Hei Hei, like this, is proper rare if that serial number is what I think it is (1990 production): B1901C.

Am I misunderstanding or have the rear brake noodle and canti mounts been cut off?

Re:

Brake noodle was removed, but you'll see in the pictures I sent you that it can be popped right back in (with strong fingers!). The canti bosses are intact. I removed the drive side canti post when I added the disc brake adapter, but it will go with the frame and simply threads back into the boss.

I've replied (I think) to all the PMs I received. So far none of the emails have been returned as undeliverable, so if you haven't seen the photos you requested, check your junk folder. There's a (good?) chance one of the parties will insert the images into this thread - which will clearly be easier for me and likely so for all of you too!

Thanks to all for your interest.

Re:

Thanks for the photo's David. I will post them up for you as soon as they've finished uploading. I would say that, as you thought, the 'C' at the end of the serial number is actually a 0 so B19010 meaning the 10th 19" Hei Hei built. That would make it a 1991 model, the first year of the Hei Hei. The 1990 model was simply called a Kona Titanium and used the standard Merlin Mountain frame of that year. I would be smashing open the kids' piggy banks right now if it was a smaller size

Well, that was quick - thank you!

And FYI, the best shipping to the UK I could find was Canada Post @ ~$230 CDN. If someone knows of a more cost effective means - please share!

Cheers.

Hopefully this isn't abusing listing policy - let me know and it won't happen again...

TTT!

SKI-R":3qnhjude said:

Hopefully this isn't abusing listing policy - let me know and it won't happen again...

TTT!

Click to expand...

Not at all - you can do that once every 24 hours if you like

That shipping price sounds about right for airmail from memory. I recently received a frame surface mail from Canada - it took a couple months but was around $100 cheaper if I remember correctly

Still taking up space in the shed. Anyone interested for $1000 CAD shipped? I'll end up reconfiguring it as a townie otherwise.