I think it’s finally time for a new project and as it was a 1992 Kona in the form was f a black Lava Dome that brought me into RetroBike I thought it was about time I had another from the same year. I’d been keeps my an eye out for an Explosif but they seem to be very thin on the ground so when this Cinder Cone came up I thought long and hard and eventually did the deal.
I haven’t really run any Suntour on bikes I’ve previously had and kept so I was drawn to the catalogue spec for these bikes using that manufacturer, unfortunately this one seems to have been specified with DeoreLX (maybe a UK spec?), a great group in itself but not what I’m after.
The frame condition and paint, plus an original Avocet Kona saddle in fantastic condition, meant it was the ideal starting point.
I thought it came with original wheels but it’s running more modern 8 speeds Shimano hubs on black MAVIC rims, I will be using some Deore M650’s on silver Ritchey Vantage Experts with Blackwell Panaracer Smokes. Eventually I’d like some Suntour XC Pro hubbed wheels so I can run the cassette and shifters.
A lot of the running gear has been sourced and is in the post, as per above I don’t have the full Suntour XC Pro kit so I’m hopeful my selection will work together for now:
XT thumb shifters
XC Pro mechs (I need a 28.6 band down pull non MD if anyone has one
)
Shimano HG cassette
XC Pro chainset
Shimano chain (Hoping it’ll run on the XC Pro rings)
Brakes are Dia Compe cantis in black with NOS XT M733 all black 2.5 finger levers.
Contact points will be the Avocet saddle and my favourite XT flat pedals and ODI mushroom grips.
Some pics for now before the full strip down and clean/polish:
I haven’t really run any Suntour on bikes I’ve previously had and kept so I was drawn to the catalogue spec for these bikes using that manufacturer, unfortunately this one seems to have been specified with DeoreLX (maybe a UK spec?), a great group in itself but not what I’m after.
The frame condition and paint, plus an original Avocet Kona saddle in fantastic condition, meant it was the ideal starting point.
I thought it came with original wheels but it’s running more modern 8 speeds Shimano hubs on black MAVIC rims, I will be using some Deore M650’s on silver Ritchey Vantage Experts with Blackwell Panaracer Smokes. Eventually I’d like some Suntour XC Pro hubbed wheels so I can run the cassette and shifters.
A lot of the running gear has been sourced and is in the post, as per above I don’t have the full Suntour XC Pro kit so I’m hopeful my selection will work together for now:
XT thumb shifters
XC Pro mechs (I need a 28.6 band down pull non MD if anyone has one
)Shimano HG cassette
XC Pro chainset
Shimano chain (Hoping it’ll run on the XC Pro rings)
Brakes are Dia Compe cantis in black with NOS XT M733 all black 2.5 finger levers.
Contact points will be the Avocet saddle and my favourite XT flat pedals and ODI mushroom grips.
Some pics for now before the full strip down and clean/polish:
