Kona Kula ???? - Help with year needed.

Hi folks.

Bought this Kona Kula frame a couple of days ago and need your help with dating it. Frame numbers are: F712K1003 & 81-35 if that helps!



Going to polish it up and start a rebuild so need to know which forum thread to put it under :? Stripped it down today and began wet n dry rub down.



Also picked up a set of Z1 Bombers and a pair of P2 disc only forks with the frame. Both in pretty good nick so may use the Bombers on the Kula build.





Cheers.

looks like a '98 muni-mula a mate of mine had bitd....

hang on

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/mai ... ewsIndex=1

thought so!

nice frame though... same year as my pahoehoe - look forward to seeing it polished!

edit....
i could be wrong though, it has the same head tube as mine... the one in the catalogue doesnt have that... hmm, is it easton tubed?

:? :? :? Has my frame got an identity problem? Seller was pretty sure it was a Kula and i'm a Kona novice so not up on the finer points of recognition!

Not really bothered either way coz i've always wanted a shiny Kona. Just need to know what to call it

Couldn't save much of the components though. Rear mech is ok. DMR flat pedals are worth saving. The BB was a pain to remove but shifted after much effing and blinding. Strange thing was the bike was fitted with two completely different crank arms ! Also stickers were shot so opted for complete removal.

If it is a kula, it's easton tubed. my pahoehoe (same frame as kula) has the word "easton" stamped on one of the tubes somewhere (as far as i recall)... maybe top tube?
I'm only saying it may be a muni mula going from the colour of the decals in relation to the '98 catalogue and the fact there was no model sticker on top tube....

Scrub that.

1999 was the first year that had that rear mech cable routing.

1999 was the first year that had that rear mech cable routing.

Click to expand...

Not sure - my '98 Kila has rear mech cable routed down the seat-stay, though catalogue shows it running along the chain-stay.

So it's a Paho-Kula-Mula-Kila then :? First one of its kind and I thought they'd died out with the Dodo (or is that another Kona?).

Didn't see that Easton stamp when mucking about with it yesterday so will look again. Your right about those sticker colours though on the Mini-Mula!

I don't see any reason to doubt that it is a 1998 Muni Mula.

The serial number says it was built in Fairly in 1997, which is what you would expect of a 98 Muni Mula. The down tube decal looks original. I've never seen that cutout in the non-drive side dropout before. I don't think the 98 Kula had that.

Note the difference in the cable routing between these photos from the 98 catalogue and an actual 98 Muni Mula. As with all the photos in the 98 catalogue, the rear mech routing is shown on the down tube, but they made a change between then and the actual production bikes which had top tube routing.

Muni Mula is aluminum backwards.

Cheers for that. It does seem to be a Muni-Mula doesn't it ? Those down tube stickers did appear to be original but what happened to the top tube ones is anybody's guess!

Some more pics if that helps :?:








Stripped



Cheers.

That explains the 'cut-out' - an optical delusion. And at least you have a replaceable mech hanger, which the 97 frames lacked.

There's nothing much wrong with a Muni Mula frame. They used to sell them for £299. The specs compared to the Kula/Pahoehoe are as follows:

Custom butted 7005 aluminum tubing. Top - 35 x 1.6/1.3/1.6t, Down - 44 x 1.8/1.4/1.6t, Seat - 31.8 x 2.5/1.0/1.6t, Seat stays - 19 x 1.8t, Chain stays - 22 x 2.0t. 3.9 lbs (18")

Kula/Pahoehoe
Easton Elite tubing with 7005 aluminum custom butted stays. Top - 35 x 1.3/.9/1.3t, Down - 44.5 x 2.2/1.0/1.5t, Seat - 31.8 x 2.4/1.0/1.7t, Seatstays - 19 x 1.8t, Chain stays - 22 x 2.0t. 3.5 lbs (18")

Note identical stays. A Kula is definitely worth more though, so if you paid a Kula price you would be justified in asking for a reduction.