1993 US cinder cone project

I'm not sure what's worrying you, it looks fine to me. Bear in mind though that however hard you work on it, any decent painter will still shotblast it because that's the only way of achieving a totally clean and smooth surface for the primer.

The only rust you need to worry about is rust that has come from the inside of the tube and has reached the surface, but I can't see any signs of that.

As far as the rust on the inside of the seat tube is concerned, you always get surface rust down there. Is there anything specific to make you fear that it might be structural?

I always think it best to replace the original decals, but the colour is up to you, whatever suits your taste. As you're in the US, one different option to consider might be the 93 world colourway shown below. A lot of people think the 93 two-tone colourways were the best ever.

I've already got the decals from gil (he was great with fine tuning them).
I was worried because the chainstays looked really rusted so I stripped it to be sure there weren't any big rust spot's, it looks good after the stripping but I do not have much experience with rust so I wanted a opinion from you guys.
I know it going to be shotblasted anyway(already contacted a painter) but I enjoyed cleaning it.
I've removed the surface rust from the seat tube and now i'm trying to get a hold off a seatpost that fits, the measure is 27.0 right?
I wanted a retro USE one but got outbid on ebay lol, any recomendations seatpost wise any good alternatives?.
As the colour goes, I'm not in the US I live in portugal and to be honest I still don't know what I'm going to do but the 2 tone is an option.

Thanks for all of your input

Those are certainly 1993 decals, but having checked black wasn't the 1993 US colour - the catalogue picture below shows the US colour which was called Charcoal Metallic Titanium, and it's clear that it's a long way from black. But you used to be able to get all Konas in a black option up to 1992, so I think your frame gives us some evidence that this option lasted into 1993 as well.

I know it looks black but that is because of the lighting, it's a really bad picture. It is that grey in the picture.

It's the internals that matter, not the outside! It LOOKS structurally OK in the usual worst places. Can you feel inside the chain stays at the shell? Have you flushed it out with oil/white spirit to see what emerges? Does it "ring" OK when suspended and played like a triangle?

I've had at least two old steel frames on which previous owners have spent much money on pro re-sprays and which on closer inspection I've cut up and scrapped! The highly reputable (and expensive) folk who did one of them really should have known better....

As to colour, it's only a bike - whatever you fancy.

Original color.

I have an Explosif that is needing a chainstay replacing. I am having it resparyed in an original color but 1 year later due to personal preference, but that gunmetal is a beautiful and rare color. I'd keep it as 'Joe' intended!

Got really busy and had no time to dedicate to the project (also getting parts), but i'm doing a mock up built rigth now, I have a question and was hoping you guys could help me.

Is the seatpost 26.8???
I've measured it but I would like to confirm because I don't have a micrometer, i got a retro use seatpost and want to buy shim that fits.

Also I'm doing a retromod for now, mainly because I don't have the money to buy new parts so i'm using parts I have laying around (some i could sell to buy new one's but I'll buy the retro ones one by one)

Spec Sheet

Frame: kona cinder cone 1993

Fork: suntour 80 mm

Headset: fsa orbit xl 2
Stem: element neon x
Handlebar: element radium
Grips: specialized enduro

Brakes: shimano V brakes
Shifters: Xt 770
Front Derailleur: deore ???
Rear Derailleur: lx m581

Derailleur Cables: jagwire
Cassette: sram
Chain: sram
Cranks: middleburn rs7 4 arm
Chainrings: fsa
Bottom Bracket: shimano UN-72

Hub Skewers: purple anodized
Rims: mavic 221
Hubs: lx m560
Tyres: -------
Tubes: -------

Saddle: Brown Charge Spoon
Seatpost: USE 25.0 mm
Seatpost Binder: Kona

Do it brown.


Seriously.


I havent seen a brown Kona here yet

Finaly got it painted original color.