1995 Kona AA

[dullonien]

Hello and welcome to my first retro build. It's been around five years since my previous bike was stolen whilst I was in De Montfort university in Leicester.

The bike in question was a 1995 Scott Pro Racing, the bike I'd spent a couple of years saving for when I was in my early-mid teens. The poor Scott was already in a poor state with the paint chipped and cable rub marks everywhere. It also had a hotch potch of random components, ranging from some Cook Brothers RSR's (although the non drive-side crank was a cheap TruVativ replacement due to stripped thread) and an M900 XTR front mech, to some Rock Shox Judy XC's and Magura Blue hydrolics, and a random selection of STX/STX-RC bits n' bobs.

Well, on to the Kona. Around a year ago, my mate offered me his old Kona AA, always believed to be a 1996 model, but looking in the catalogues section on this site has led me to believe it's more likely a '95. I bought the complete bike, again one which was thrown together with many parts stolen from his old Scott Peak, but some which were updated when money was available (back when we went riding together in the early 2000's). It consisted of a knackered set of Manitou forks, an appalling Alivio chainset, some XT V's and worn LX shifters etc. But it also had a nice M952 XTR rear mech, a Hope Ti Glide rear hub and a Flie Ti.

Upon realising that I could now afford all those out of reach components when I was young (and discovering this website ), I've been slowly building the bike of my childhood dreams ever since. Full XTR and some 1998 Rock Shox SIDs were top of the list and alot of the kit was found pretty quickly. I've waited untill now to post this topic, as it's only now looking as close as damnit to finished. There's still a few pieces that need changing, a CK headset, a matching Hope Ti front hub and some X517's.

I know this isn't half as nice as most on this site, and the Kona AA doesn't appear to be a liked frame (my ultimate would be a Kona Hei Hei/King Kahuna), but untill I find the cash to get a nice Ti frame, this'll do. I should enquire about a lovely 19" Parkpre Ti frame a mate has sitting in the shed .

Well enough talking, here are some pics:

And Finally, the spec sheet:

Frame: 1995 Kona AA

Fork: 1998 Rock Shox SID (decals need sorting, as there's some 2000is ones on them!)

Headset: Unknown (need a silver Chris King)
Stem: Ringle Zooka
Handlebar: Titanium
Grips: Fire Eye Skinnies LockRing

Brakes: Shimano XTR M952
Brake Pads: Shimano XTR
Brake Cables: Shimano XTR
Brake Levers: Shimano XTR M952

Shifters: Shimano XTR M952
Front Derailleur: Shimano XTR M960 (will replace with M952 at some point)
Rear Derailleur: Shimano XTR M952
Derailleur Cables: Shimano XTR
Cassette: Shimano XTR M960
Chain: Shimano XTR
Cranks: Shimano XTR M952
Crank Bolts: FSA Self Extracting
Chainrings: Shimano XTR M952
Bottom Bracket: Shimano XTR M952
Pedals: MKS MT-Lux Compe (will replace with Egg Beaters SL)

Hub Skewers: Halo Hex Key
Rims: Araya RM-395 Team XC Rear, Mavic M123 Front (got a Mavix X517 to replace one, need one more)
Hubs: Hope Ti Glide Rear, TruVativ Sealex Front (looking for a silver Hope Ti to replace the TruVativ)
Nipples: Uncknown
Spokes: Uncknown
Tyres: Michellin XC Dry 2
Tubes: Maxxis Fly Weight

Saddle: Flte Ti
Seatpost: Use
Seatpost Binder: Kona

Weight: 22lb (measured on crappy bathroom scales)

And I'll leave you with one final 'arty' picture:

 

[bkt]

like your build mate, you cant go wrong with a mid 90's kona

 

[Anthony]

I don’t think anybody dislikes the AA, but there’s a lot of steel lovers on this website. In fact there are more AAs around than Kulas, although I thought the Kula sold better BITD.

I quite like the SID with the frame, especially as the early ones had 63mm travel, so they’re more faithful to the designed geometry of the bike. And it looks better with a shortish fork.

I find it interesting the different post/saddle positions that people like. You can take a frame with a 74 degree seat tube angle and another rider might put a layback post on it, saddle far back on the rails and a short stem, whereas you have the seat forward and a long stem. It’s two completely different bikes, effectively you’re running it with a seat angle of 76 and the other rider 72. As I say it’s all to personal taste, but I guess your set up is the retro set up, geared for fast XC/racing with the weight well forward.

The only thing I’d do differently would be that I couldn’t stop myself from touching in the chips in the paint. But that’s just me.

 

[cce]

i had a purple 1994 AA

it was loads faster than my lava dome or kilauea, the power delivery was incredibly instant. i sold it cos it was too big though

you want to get some slimmer tyres on there, konas really look the part on 1.9's rather than 2.1's

 

[lewis1641]

mmm xtr.

nice buke dude. cool pics too

 

[cce]

I find it interesting the different post/saddle positions that people like. You can take a frame with a 74 degree seat tube angle and another rider might put a layback post on it, saddle far back on the rails and a short stem, whereas you have the seat forward and a long stem. It’s two completely different bikes, effectively you’re running it with a seat angle of 76 and the other rider 72. As I say it’s all to personal taste, but I guess your set up is the retro set up, geared for fast XC/racing with the weight well forward.

i run the seat all the way back on a layback post and a 130mm stem - maybe i should be on a 19. i had a 19 with an inline post and 130mm stem and HATED it though

 

[Anthony]

I find it interesting the different post/saddle positions that people like. You can take a frame with a 74 degree seat tube angle and another rider might put a layback post on it, saddle far back on the rails and a short stem, whereas you have the seat forward and a long stem. It’s two completely different bikes, effectively you’re running it with a seat angle of 76 and the other rider 72. As I say it’s all to personal taste, but I guess your set up is the retro set up, geared for fast XC/racing with the weight well forward.

i run the seat all the way back on a layback post and a 130mm stem - maybe i should be on a 19. i had a 19 with an inline post and 130mm stem and HATED it though

That's a bit different though Keir, you're making the position longer, whereas Dullonien is keeping the designed length, but moving his weight forward an inch or more from the designed position. I think both are active positions, but whereas he is loading the forks a lot, you must be shifting your weight forwards and backwards a lot.

Funnily enough, my GF has her set up like yours and to me it looks way too stretched-out for her. There is something to be said for that of course, but getting back to biking for a moment she would need more strength than she's got in order to make that position work. But on the other hand, if you've got the strength, it can be a powerful position.

Funny thing though, the different between an 18 and a 19 is 12mm, whereas the difference between a short stem and a long one is 40mm. And yet most of us think that getting the frame size right is the most important thing.

 

[Monkeeee01]

Nice AA dude. good year,nice stiff frame

 

[dullonien]

I'm still tinkering with the setup really. The stem is probably a little long for my liking, meaning pushing the seat right forward. A 110mm Zooka would probably suit my height better, but alas they're hard to find and I'm getting used to this position.

I might touch up the chips in the paint (of which there are alot), but they don't hugely bother me, this bike has been built to be ridden. We'll see though, as I can be a bit of a perfectionist.

I'm gonna have to sort out my forks at some point, they're leaking a slight bit of oil on the stanchoins, and the other day one of the legs discharged it's air completely :?. Some 2000-2001 valves would sort that out though.

Next on my list is to have a go building my own wheels. I managed to true the ones on there using the bakes as guides, so if I can pick-up a truing stand I think I could manage it. Just gotta find me a silver Hope Ti front hub and another Mavic X517.

Agaain thanks for the comments, nice to know I've done alright .

 

[dullonien]

Nant Yr Arian

As I took my Kona out for it's first real offroad ride today, I thought I'd let you know how it went.

Me and my mate organised to head over to Nant Yr Arian today, we went for the middle distace Summit track (16km I think) as it was our first demanding bike ride for 8 or so years. I probably went a bit overkill with my setup, putting 50psi in the tires + more than recommended psi in the forks :?, but I don't like a mushy feeling bike. My mate was running a modern Stumpjumper Pro Disk for anyone who's interested. He was also using SPD's whereas my eggbeaters hadn't arrived yet.

The day started out in a mixed way, the bike felt great, fast agile and enough power from the V's and enough give in the SID's to keep with my disk and Reba equiped friend. However it took just 20 odd mins for me to crash for the first time. Coming down some fast singletrack through the trees, the trail switched to a technical rocky patch with some odd 1ft drops. This caught us both out and with my friend just stopping before crashing into a tree and myself coming over a drop right behind him I broke as I landed and went straight over the handlebars. No serious damage, off we went.

The next 30 mins went fine (apart from my rear brake cable sticking), plenty of water and mudd to make things interesting, a nice combination of singletrack, rocky decents and climbs, some fast forrestry roads and even a stream. Then along one of the quick singletrack sections with a very large drop to the left, I lost some balance and in desperation to not plumet down said drop, I overcompinsated and ended up going head over heels again into the bank on the right. Again no serious damage luckily, a few kuts n' bruises, but straight back on the bike.

The penultemate part of the trail was a punishing non stop climb from the bottom of the valey we found ourselves in to the visitor's centre at the top of the mountain, nicknamed the 'leg burner'. 2, 3 miles? I'm not sure, it felt more like 10 at the time. And finally it finished with another technical singletrack, although by this time my poor v's were nearly non-existant. Even though by now it was tipping it down and my mate was roaring ahead with his supperior disks, it was a nice ending to a great day (made me forget about that climb atleast).

Cheers for reading, bit long winded I know . Next on the list in a couple week time is Brechfa, just outside Carmarthen.

Edit: forgot to mention a couple of changes to the specsheet. I fanally found a nice silver Chris King Nothreadset (bargain off ebay from USA - £35 posted, like new) and I've just purchased a matching M952 XTR front mech, again off ebay. Chris King was fitted last week, front mech next week along with some Crank Bros Egg Beaters when they arrive.