Kona Cindercone 1994

OK, here goes, hope someone can help ...

step 1, usual trick just try to rotate the seat post (with some WD40) to get it free. Then used a sacrificial seat, with a tyre iron for more leverage (jammed under the seat)
step 2, try more wd40, including trying to pry seat post apart with big screwdriver
step 3, turn it upside down, remove BB, fill with coke (kid friendly alternative to ammonia to dissolve the steel/alu oxide weld ... my workshop is in the garage which is used a lot by the family). Leave for 3 days to soak through
step 4, I don't have a vice, but managed to hold the sacrificial seat in my workbench, then held on to forks & tried to rotate ... no luck
step 5, repeat step 4 after cooling the post down in ice (in theory the alu seat post should shrink more than the steel frame (?), but the temperature difference at 0C compared to room temp was just not enough)
step 6, (probably not a good idea), tried to "encourage" it out with a hammer

no success so far ... some more extreme things are needed (dry ice, chemicals, good strong bench vice ...), but at this point I some help from someone with experience would be good ...

You have inspired me. Thank you. My '94 Cindercone I have owned since new. But except for the shifters, frame, seatpost nil else is original.

After seeing yours I think I will put some off road tyres back on.

bit of a break during the vacation, but back now working on the bike.

Thanks to some good advice from my LBS (cycleparts, nijmegen) I got the seatpost out ... basically was not trying hard enough. I used my neighbours bench vice this afternoon, with a bit of effort, a lot of noise (really terrible screeching sound as we rotated the frame), the seatpost was out!

Seatpost was trashed from being held in the vice, but not to matter, it was not original anyway ... on removal I could see that it was a Kalloy unit ...

Now, all I need is a nice shiny Race Light seatpost in it's place. Anyone have one for sale? (will place a post in the appropriate area of the forum).

From what I've read I need a 26.6 size unit. The Kalloy was also that size, but maybe too long? After cleaning it it moved fine in the frame but I could not get the seat post in much further than just below the top tube. When fitted the tube was jammed in well below the top tube. I don't know how far the post is supposed to descend in to the frame. Anyone out there with some advice on this?

@Chris D ... thanks for your kind remarks. How are you doing with getting back off road?

"seat post wanted" thread: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=217723

I gave up finding a nice race light post and used one of these .. They are lighter and with decal on it looks good

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mobi ... delID=6257

With decal
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... 0&start=30

thanks! did you use the 26.4 or the 26.8?

Hi jonny

My 95 cindercone is 27.0 but my 94 lava dome is 27.2 which I'm sure shares an identical frame to your cindercone ... So I would double check your old post if you still have it ? But I have heard some some kona's vary slightly from
Stated seatpost diameter due to wear/over reaming etc..

Col

Hi Col

thanks for the tips. I'm pretty sure it's a 26.6, the kalloy post that just came out says 26.6 on it (I think, underneath all the scratches and corrosion). Will take it in to work tomorrow and measure it to be sure. The 26.6 post did seem too big for the frame (will not fit below the top tube). Guess it could be the variation you mentioned. I may take a punt on the 26.4 post

thanks!
John

finally finished!

Finally finished the rebuild. Took much longer than I initially expected, but very pleased with the result.

Lost some time trying to fix up the original wheels that were not worth saving. In the end got some nice wheels from raidan73, very pleased with the result.

Lots of time waiting for the 26.6 seat post to be posted from the US (first class post takes weeks!)

Happy with the Crank Brothers saddle with matching orange trim - was a bit indulgent, but had to buy it when I saw it.

Some photo's now, before I take it to get muddy over the weekend. Specs to follow later.

Will ride it for a year or so, but already thinking that a respray would also be nice ... maybe some STX cantis as well ...

Hope you all like it

Very nice job. It could not have seen much use if it still had the original A/drive B/drive tires. I still have my original grey A/drive in a box but the B/drive wore out many years ago. You've given me a bit of inspiration to give my 94 Kula a strip and rebuild now.