1996 Kona Kilauea

lusty

Retro Newbie
Hi all, I'm Dave and thought I'd share my "retro" bike. I'd like to point out that this is all as it was when I put it together so I've not gone out of my way to do this. I'm sure I'm in the right place to say it was trendy at the time. Unfortunately I've just had to replace the Smoke/Dart (perished) with the dreaded blackwalls as I couldn't find a single amberwall. Hope you all enjoy the memories.


whole bike

rear mech (blue sprockets, green bolts), bullet bros chain tensioner

Rasta chain rings, red gold and green.

CND cable hanger, ritchey logic canti's

Flite ti and USE ti seatpost

Judy SL with red brace thanks to a..um...drink racing accident. the red was all they had in stock to fix the Judy's.

Suntour XC pro thumbies...I know you all want them :) and a Bontrager Ti handlebar, dead straight and very very light looking the same as the day I bought it.
Cheers
Dave
 
edit

I've edited to make the pics smaller, they are now links to big pics.

Also, forgot to mention that this used to have lovely shiny TNT silver cranks...until they snapped. Now it has cold forged hard as nails ones which have lasted a decade.
 
Tasteful. So did you buy it new as a frame back in 96 and build it up all to your own design, or buy it as a bike and upgrade it?

I must admit, I agree Shimano springs are pretty feeble, but I've never considered one of those chain tensioners to help out. Of course, the other way to get your gears to work is to fit STX-RC shifters, but I guess you're going to say you've never missed a shift with that contraption?

Looks in beautiful condition incidentally.
 
Thanks, everything is in very good condition still.

I originally bought a 1995 Kilauea which developed yellow spots on the frame, as the frame was white this looked aweful and I wasn't sure if it was rust or not. The shop upgraded the frame FOC. I then upgraded almost every component on the bike and ended here.
The Bullet bros was the only tensioner I ever considered as it doesn't fiddle with anything like the rollers do. I've never had any issues with shifting before or since. As for the shifters, have you ever tried the suntour thumbies? They are clearly the best on the market unless you need more than 8 gears at the back :)
 
Get some nice outdoor pictures! :D

Then go and ride it, and come back with a huge grin.

Odd about the yellow spots, never heard of that. Sounds like a very poor example of the usually quite tough finish on the 95.
 
Geoff":1plv59iz said:
Get some nice outdoor pictures! :D

Then go and ride it, and come back with a huge grin.

Odd about the yellow spots, never heard of that. Sounds like a very poor example of the usually quite tough finish on the 95.

I've a feeling it may have been some rogue grease that stained it. Shh don't tell Kona though!

Had a huge grin from riding it all weekend :) just didn't want to take the camera out with me.
 
Nice one there, I've got the same :D I use it as an everyday singlespeed commuter. It could do with a repaint and new decals soon, but I'm definately gonna keep it in the same colors.
 
nice bike. i too had one but never rode it! bought as a frame and sold on. regretting that now, big style
 
i think i have your old one lewis1641?

it gets loved regularly.
 

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