96 Kilauea singlespeed build

Got this frame off trademe for $80 - was listed as a 98 Cindercone.

When I picked it up I found it had a bad respray and decal job, no way a 98. The paint on the inside of the head tube looked turquoise? so i figured it was probably a 95 Cindercone. I had owned one previously and that was a nice ride so was happy to take the frame and figured I'd do a better job on the respray and decals.

I finally got round to building it into a single speed and after the first ride im pretty sure it ain't a Cindercone. I think it's too light and responsive.



I looked at the frame again. It's a bottom pull FD so that makes it pre 97. However most of the 96's don't have the rear cable stop on the top tube ....except for the Explosif?


It has the clearance indents on the chainstays that I think mark the Explosif/Kili frames from the Cindy/Lavadome.



It's light - much lighter than the 92 Lavadome I had to compare it too.
It's springy like I remember my old 96 Explosif.

So I'm wondering if I picked up a 18" 96 Explosif frame for $80 (40GBP). However the overspray wasn't olive green so that makes me think its a Kili. There are bits of show through to a paint that looks like the colour of a 96 Kilauea.

So ...anybody got a 96 Kilauea with a rear brake cable stop?

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What's the serial number?

Re: Unidentified Kona Frame - 96 Explosif/Kili?

Serial starts with H51 I think ....its pretty hard to read with the bad respray. So I thought that would make it a 95? but that cable stop sort of throws 95.

Re: Unidentified Kona Frame - 96 Explosif/Kili?

Maybe I just want it to be my dream bike (a 96 explosif) so much I'm seeing things that aren't really there. Had a 96 previously but it was stolen in 99. Got a 98 after that - stolen in 01. Really want a 96 again....but 90s explosifs are hens teeth in NZ.

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I think the full serial reads

H5L0 5119

The serial is stamped from one side of the bottom bracket to the other I.e. Has the H5L0 on the non drive side and the 5119 on the drive side with a space for the cable guide in between the two sets of number.

All my other Kona's have it stamped around the bottom bracket shell, but they are all aluminum.

96 AA is H6A1 2589
95 Sex One is H4J0 0242
94 Kula is H5J0 4604

So I guess they all came from the same frame makers since they are all "H"? I thought the second number indicated the year but the kula and sex one seem mixed up? There was no sexy Kona's in 94 and the Kula was definitely a gold 94 when I got it. I did see that there's a sex one frame on ebay that has the "H4" serial no. as well tho.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/191680258309?NAV=HOME

Re: Unidentified Kona Frame - 96 Explosif/Kili?

I would say that it dont look like an 95/96 Explosif, as the Columbus Max tubeset has a very distinctive look, which on the pics. I cant tell.

From the serial its a Hodaka factory build frame from 1995 - either a late one for the 95 Kona range or a early one for the 96 portfolio.

The brazed on cable stop for the rear brake also makes me wonder what model you have here. Got 2 96 Explosif and one 96 Kula - and all of them have a brazed on "cable stop", but just to guide the Magura brake lines. I can check my 96 Kilauea for a cable stop, but from my memories I would guess it has no brazed on cable stop and it was supposed to use Kona's dog collar for guiding the brake lines.

Did you weight the frame, before you build it up - that could be a indicator what model you have here.

Re: Unidentified Kona Frame - 96 Explosif/Kili?

Yep, the cable stop is curious. I can't tell by the pictures, does it differ from the front cable stop?

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viewtopic.php?f=6&t=80&start=10

this might be the answer?

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Are you referring to the Hot? Thats a top pull bb so not the same as my frame. Also Hots are custom built in the USA so won't have the H in the serial?

Re: Unidentified Kona Frame - 96 Explosif/Kili?

Hi Al, I'll post pics of both cable stops late tonight but I think they are the same.
I don't think the cable stop is a later addition, unless they both are. Swapping both guides would seem a strange thing to do tho. It'd be easier to get an adaptor ...and given the poor respray it doesn't look like the thing that they'd have done. The front stop is definitely not a cable guide for maguras...my Kula has those guides but these ones are proper cable housing stops.

@Magas - just want to say your Explosifs are awesome. I was looking at them when first trying to match this frame. Because of those pics of your bike I have just brought a threaded tb P2 fork from eBay and will put an old impact headset and Velocity quill stem back on this frame after the respray. And probably the old race lite bar that's currently on my Kula. Love the look of the Velocity stem on old Kona's but want to keep this one rigid.
I didn't weight the frame just wanted to ride it first. Wasn't till after the ride that I got suspicious that it wasn't a Cindercone. Will be breaking it down on the weekend so will do that then. The tubes do seem very straight. Does the Explosif have any ovalisation? I'll get a caliper on them to check. Also do your Explosif/Kilauea serials numbers go across the bb or around it? Just wondering if there's a difference. As you say all the Kili pics I saw had a seatpost collar.