99 Kona Caldera

After a few years without a proper bike, this summer I somehow started to think that it might be fun to try mtbing again.. The idea was to build something cheap and at the same time something that would be a blast from the past. I really wanted a steel kona, as my first bikes back in the days were a 94 fire mountain and a 98 cinder cone. Finding such frame in Finland proved to be more difficult than I thought, it seems that all nice old konas have been converted to singlespeed commuters :roll:

I finally found a very nice caldera frameset from UK ebay - it wasn't cheap (the shipping cost almost as much as the frame!) but it was in very good condition - perhaps never ridden offroad?

edit:
Spec sheet 8.10.2008

Frame: 1999 Kona Calder steel

Fork: Marzocchi Bomber Z4 alloy

Headset: Ritchey Logic
Stem: Noname off a GT Tempest
Handlebar: Answer ProTaper
Grips: Kona


Brakes: Avid 2.0
Brake Pads: Avid cartridge
Brake Levers: Avid SD-1.9L

Shifters: Deore 9sp
Front Derailleur: Shimano LX
Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT
Derailleur Cables:
Cassette: 9sp XT
Chain: HG53
Cranks: STX RC
Crank Bolts: stock
Chainrings: STX RC
Chainring bolts: stock
Bottom Bracket: crappy shimano
Pedals: Shimano DX flats

Hub Skewers: crap
Rims: Mavic X517
Hubs: LX
Nipples: alu
Spokes: DT revo
Tyres: Bontrager Jones ACX
Tubes: BBB

Saddle: WTB SST.X
Seatpost: Kona
Seatpost Binder: Kona

Weight:light enough

Here are a few pics of a mock-up build, retro or not - you decide:






The protaper bars seem pretty wide at first, I also have astraight syncros hardcore handlebar to try out. Pedals have been changed out to shimano DX flats and the temprary wheelset and the skinny tires will be replaced with some LX/mavic 517 CD hoops and proper tires. I also have a M950 rear mech waiting to be restored Will post better pics and the spec sheet as soon as I get the wheelset and tires.

Looking good and they are very nice frames,looks to be in very good condition. It was the last year for the Caldera before it went Alu
Is it an 18in?

Had one myself a 1998 in Black, found the original receipt the other month and they sold for £799 here.

I reckon retro, but we all have different views on these things and there are no definitive guidelines
Enjoy

Definatley retro IMHO.

I have the same bike - well frame now that has been moderised. Check the link in my signature.

Cool

Huntso":34wu7iog said:

Looking good and they are very nice frames,looks to be in very good condition. It was the last year for the Caldera before it went Alu
Is it an 18in?

Click to expand...

Thanks, it's an 17".
I remember being pretty unhappy with kona when they jumped the alu bandwagon and gradually dropped all the affordable cromo hardtails :? Funny to think about it, back in the days you almost had to pay extra ot get a alu frame.. nowadays it's pretty hard to find a steel bike that's not custom built from a frameset

letmetalktomark":34wu7iog said:

Definatley retro IMHO.

I have the same bike - well frame now that has been moderised. Check the link in my signature.

Cool

Click to expand...

Haha-I've read thru BOTH of your topics several times while waiting for the frameset to arrive The rear disc conversion is really nice! Did you notice the frame to be any stiffer after the extra tube was added? Really love the feel of a steel frame - almost like having suspension compared to the crappy harsh ride of most alu frames

A couple of pics from todays ride.. the bike rides great!




a bit dirty...


Haven't found time to repair the xtr mech, too busy riding Also got a set of black truvativ firex cranks, not so high-end but most of the components are dark/black already..

A question for the marzocchi gurus: Are all bomber lowers the same, or at least the measurements? The part numbers are different :? I was thinking of getting a 100mm Z1 or 130mm Z1 drop-off and swapping the Z4 lowers on since they're in such good shape and I really like the colour

Shredd":10t5p3ac said:

A question for the marzocchi gurus: Are all bomber lowers the same, or at least the measurements? The part numbers are different :? I was thinking of getting a 100mm Z1 or 130mm Z1 drop-off and swapping the Z4 lowers on since they're in such good shape and I really like the colour

Click to expand...

I don't know the answer, but are you sure that wouldn't ruin the handling for you? It was designed for a fork with 70mm travel and raising the front end by 30-60mm will change the steering/handling a lot, whether for better or worse is down to your personal taste of course.

I agree the Z4 is unworthy of that fine frame though, but would have thought a contemporary SuperFly or Z2 Light would be best for it.

And incidentally, it is a size 18 (centre of BB to top of ST)

Anthony":wtj7a2e1 said:

Shredd":wtj7a2e1 said:

A question for the marzocchi gurus: Are all bomber lowers the same, or at least the measurements? The part numbers are different :? I was thinking of getting a 100mm Z1 or 130mm Z1 drop-off and swapping the Z4 lowers on since they're in such good shape and I really like the colour

Click to expand...

I don't know the answer, but are you sure that wouldn't ruin the handling for you? It was designed for a fork with 70mm travel and raising the front end by 30-60mm will change the steering/handling a lot, whether for better or worse is down to your personal taste of course.

I agree the Z4 is unworthy of that fine frame though, but would have thought a contemporary SuperFly or Z2 Light would be best for it.

And incidentally, it is a size 18 (centre of BB to top of ST)

Click to expand...

The 130mm Z1 would probably be quite a chopper But something like Z1 BAM would be to try out as I had one BITD too.. Raising the front end shouldn't be too much of a problem, and might actually be a benefit on the rocky&rooty trails by raising the BB a bit too. Guess I'll just have to try out and see if the head angle slackens too much

The Z2 might be option too, the superfly would be cool but are they as reliable as the coil bombers.. and work as smoothly.

You could be right about the frame size, never really bothered to measure it :roll:

I run a 100mm fork on my 99 Caldera and the handleing is fine.

I think my reba's are 473mm AtoC and my Z4's were 453mm :?

whats 20mm between friends

I think though that a 100mm Bam fork has an even higher AtoC due to the crown depth...


...any way I'm waffleing - as above nice bike

hmm

I bought the Pro Taper when it camed out. it was really expensive here in sweden, and wide, = the baddest!

but it's a DH/ DS bar, u should stick a flat bar on it and give it a bit more race feel...