1990 Kona Fire Mountain

Splatter Paint

Retrobike Rider
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Here’s my 1989 Fire Mountain, after owing one in 1992, I decided in 2007 to buy another, I knew nothing about RetroBike, so eBay produced an incomplete heap for £50. I spent a bloody fortune doing it up, which was a waste of time as the frame was twisted, scored and the frame numbers ground off. I have never in 20 years of cycling seen a bike so abused. :( In the winter of 2008, I was browsing eBay and this bike was for sale, pick-up only in Southampton: Fire Mountain number 3 was here!

When I went to collect it, it was immediately apparent that the bike had little use in the last 18 years and it was almost totally original, the only non-standard part being the saddle. The tyres had their extrusion bobbles on and the rims almost unmarked on the braking surface! Life by the sea had not been kind, the seatpost was stuck, the spokes looked like Twiglets and there was a good dose of surface rust / corrosion. Well, I made one good bike of the two and sold the junk.

The wheels were re-laced and polished by me and finished by Dave at DNA Cycles, the XT stuff was from eBay and Retrobike and a few bits and pieces from the spares box. A good polish had everything come up great. The virtually unworn tyres were bought by my wife at car boot today!

The bike is tidy enough so I really look after it, but has enough of a patina that I really don’t mind giving it the berries. Now the brakes have been swapped, I can stop too. I have all the original parts, but the performance upgrade I got from the XT makes it worth fitting. I like the stock-look of the bike and after riding many, many bikes over the years this is my favourite. Which is why my username is Splatter Paint. :D

SP

Frame: 1989 Kona Fire Mountain – chromoly steel (18”)
Fork: Kona Project Two (1”)

Headset: Sealed Tech
Stem: Kona Chromoly
Handlebar: Kore Race Light
Grips: Specialized Body Geometry
Barends: Tesco!

Brakes: Shimano U-brake & STX cantis
Brake Pads: Clarks
Brake Cables: Shimano
Cantilever cable hangers: Shimano
Brake Levers: Shimano Deore XT

Shifters: Shimano Deore XT
Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT (M730)
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT (M730)
Derailleur Cables: Shimano
Cassette: Shimano Hyperglide HG-70
Chain: KMC
Cranks: Shimano 300LX
Crank Bolts: Shimano
Chainrings: Shimano SG
Chainring bolts: Shimano
Bottom Bracket: Tange with greasesealer
Pedals: - Wellgo alloy

Hub Skewers: Shimano / Joytech
Rims: Araya RX-7
Hubs: Shimano Exage / Joytech
Nipples: DT
Spokes: DT Swiss Stainless plain gauge
Tyres: Tioga Psycho
Tubes: Maxxis

Saddle: Avocet Racing
Seatpost: Kalloy
Seatpost Binder: Shimano

Weight: 29.45 lbs (no pedals)
 

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Sweet looking Kona you've got there matey. Nice, original & oozing soul :cool:

I also went to a car boot today but came across b*gger all :roll: Never do to be honest !

Steve.
 
I just weighed it, 29.45lbs (no pedals) - that's quite lardy. Maybe that's why the later ones were dubbed 'Race Light'. Still it rides great.

SP
 
Re: 1989 Kona Fire Mountain

Ah old friend, when the weather improves you will see the sun again. Keeping you in the dark is cruel but preserves your lovely paint and ancient tyres.

SP
 
Re:

Splatter Paint":d775hp9n said:
I just weighed it, 29.45lbs (no pedals) - that's quite lardy. Maybe that's why the later ones were dubbed 'Race Light'. Still it rides great.

SP
I weighed my wife's 94 Hahanna, and it came in at 27lb with plastic pedals :oops:
 
Re:

Splatter Paint":etohpmjl said:
I just weighed it, 29.45lbs (no pedals) - that's quite lardy. Maybe that's why the later ones were dubbed 'Race Light'. Still it rides great.

SP
That'll be the frame :)

With what you've fitted I think it deserves a little better than Tesco bar-ends...or just buy a Cinder Cone frame and stick the XT stuff on that ;-)
 
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