Unknown age Kona

Calling Kona experts, what and what year (I think about'9.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KONA-KILUEA-RACE- ... dZViewItem

don't know the year but does nowt for me :shock:

It's certainly a 97, from the cable runs, and I'm pretty sure it is a Kilauea as claimed. I have a 97 Kilauea and all the visible features match, in particular I think I'm right in saying that those dropouts that fit around the stays are only on the Kilauea and Explosif and it isn't an Explosif.

It's a size 18 and I would guess the frame weighs 4.3lbs or so as my 17 weighs 4.2.

I quite like it in red, but it really needs some authentic decals IMO. Without decals, it looks like any old bike.

Avoid. Unmatched tyres and non-original fork=crashed Non original headset, calls it 18 years old when it's a 96 or 97 and a bland mixture of part ( except the 737 mech which is scratched to buggery ). Poorly described too. Nowt I can put me finger on but altogether screams " Wrong 'Un. "
Walk away.

Yeah I would avoid it too. I don't like the paint job (maybe it looks better in the flesh?) Where are the P2 forks??? Rear mech looks well used, it has a high starting price and a reserve. Have to ask why it was stripped down and resprayed like that, and if it was just taken for an honest respray why were new forks put on it? P2s are part of the Kona look.

A random example of a good Kona advert...
good Kona advert.

Feedback's +20's and good ( though don't go by that alone ).

Drivetrain's near enough original.

Seller's knowledgeable about the subject ( " I'm selling it for a mate/family member/taliban fighter who ain't got no computer and I don'ts knows about bikes so I can't answer questions. " )

It's not been resprayed ( or if it was it would have replacement decals )

and he goes on so much about his shiney new paint job and the cables are touching on the seat post
and there is a carbon paint protector kit on the invoice lol

rob

I think you're all being a bit hard on this bloke. The absence of P2s doesn't surprise me, remember that at £999 this was just about the most expensive rigid bike on the market back in 1997 and oftentimes they were upgraded before they ever left the shop. He says he bought it with Judys and it's quite plausible that they were the original forks. I don't see any implication of crash damage at all - surely if he'd broken the Judys, he wouldn't mention them?

The parts don't seem up to much though. The wheels are original and they're strong but quite heavy, the XT rm is original (but the fm isn't) and I think the brakes are original, but that's about it.

As to the paint, it's funny how some people on here are all for respraying any frame that isn't mint, and yet you guys are all saying 'don't touch that, it's been sprayed'. Provided you can be sure what it is underneath and it has correct decals, at least a frame that's been resprayed has been rustproofed twice in its life and not just once. And Rob I must confess that I have my cable routing just like that around the seat tube (I don't find it causes cable rub) and I think the carbon protector on the chainstay looks quite nice, better than mine anyway!

yeah im not saying it (the paint) dont look good (looks a good job actually)
but if i was as proud of the paint job as this guy seems it would be causing me mental problems to have a cable rubbing unprotected :?
just my opinion of course

Let's have a recap-
don't touch a respray....I didn't say that. I'd be weary if there were no replacement decal is what I said.

I AM being overly hard on him because he's not the one I'm talking to. I'm talking to the chap who nearly spent a wad on a bike with a dubious history, poor parts selection and unexplained age.

Sorry if I'm coming over as a gert big Nazi c0ck end.