2000 Kona Blast - FINISHED

gavinda

Senior Retro Guru
Here we have...always wanted to start like that :LOL:

So, my Blast. Ive had it since 2001 when i bought it to treat myself to finishing my first year as an apprentice hating engineer. It cost me the princely sum of £450 from Evans. It's treated me pretty well and has been very reliable taking me to pubs and long days out, as well as short post work loops. Till now the only real changes had been fitting a Rockshox for to replace the original rst fork and changing to a single chainring on the front.

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Last year i ended up with a flat on the rear, a knackered shifter and a loss of pressure and oilfrom the fork and thus the bike was relegated to the shed whilst parenting duties took over. :roll:

Moving forward to this winter, I started looking at replacing the bits, and as you do, started cruising the forums especially here. (old bike innit).

Big mistake :LOL:

I hadn't realised there was so much out there on bikes and was quickly drawn into the idea of completly rebuilding the bike I had instead of buying a new one.

I really wanted to stick to a budget, though I knew I'd probably have to lay some cash out along the line and started planning.

Through lots of umming, ahhing, tooing and froing I made my plan.

The full Kool aid. Rigid, 69er mullet.

And **** it, the paint was chipped, worn, faded and looked like ass. so it was stripped

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stripped some more

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Bought some surly's as they would fit a 29" wheel without messing with my geometry

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and got medieval as i didnt need thos posts and really wanted some smooth forks :)

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Then I jumped on the train with my little girl and took her and the bits to Armourtex in Hackney for a colour job.


The bits are back from paint now and Im nearly ready to start bolting bits back on.

This really is how stuff gets out of control :LOL: Needed a shifter, started a thread. I was going to reuse most of the stuff that was on the bike, but as you'll see lots ended up being replaced as I couldnt resist that bloody BUY button.
 
I'm around 5'7" maybe a little taller. The frame is indeed a 16" but fits me perfectly. I've also got a 17" Trek 69er SS which feels fine but I have Mary bars on that to shorten things up a little.

I've bought some more bars from on one for the kona but a little different from the Mary bars.
 
just pulling up a chair. very interested to see how this turns out, not to mention your other one :)
 
This is the best pic Ive got of the trek.

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I'll take more the next time I'm out on it.
 
things have slowed down a little as chain reaction held my wheel order back as a couple of sextra bits were oos. so for the sake of posting something, I'll just show some more parts collecting.

Fleegle
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Ti v-brake mounts

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Seat clamp

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and a small preview

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The seat is from my langster and I hope to get another ( 3rd ) b-17 and a thompson seatpost when I get my next bonus from work.
 
so thanks to Windsor Cycles for putting this back together at short notice, I will go to the ball! or at least beer and bikes on the Thames

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tyre clearance!

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business end



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I know the pics arent great but I've just snapped a couple before dinner (mmmmm papa johns) but will hopefully get some better snaps tomorrow. Or if anyone wants/has any suggestions just say.

I'll work out the final parts list soon as well, some quality and some ebay, but not the 'budget build' I first envisaged.
 
I've not yet taken it off piste yet, only a couple MIPS back to the car from the bike shop, but it feels good man.

The real test is tomorrow when I'll be meeting the boys for a ride along the thames from reading back to Windsor and the home. About 40 miles I guess. Maybe I'll strava of I remember.
 
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