95 Kona Explosif

[Andy R]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I'm going to give the P2s a go as I wasn't sure the Pace's suited it either and while I'm sure it'd be a quicker bike with them I think it might be more fun without I thought Kona did offer P2s on the 95 Explosif too

I wouldn't bet on it being quicker with the Pace forks than with Project 2's - unless you ride through lots of baby-head rocks and tree roots, most of the time you're not giving much away with rigid forks (and certainly nothing on most climbing) and for slow speed technical stuff they have lots of advantages.

The forks on that year Explosif were originally silver BTW (not the bronze that you often see on Kilaueas of that age) and mine measure 405mm axle centre to crown race, although nominally I think that they are listed as 410mm.

*Edit*

And clockworkgazz is selling some P2's that are the right year and, at 162mm steerer, I think the right size for you too........

 

[sunchaser]

Great looking Explosif

 

[Anthony]

I wouldn't bet on it being quicker with the Pace forks than with Project 2's - unless you ride through lots of baby-head rocks and tree roots, most of the time you're not giving much away with rigid forks (and certainly nothing on most climbing) and for slow speed technical stuff they have lots of advantages.

The forks on that year Explosif were originally silver BTW (not the bronze that you often see on Kilaueas of that age) and mine measure 405mm axle centre to crown race, although nominally I think that they are listed as 410mm.

*Edit*

And clockworkgazz is selling some P2's that are the right year and, at 162mm steerer, I think the right size for you too........

You're a harder man than me Andy. But if suspension isn't faster than rigid, I wonder why the World Cup racers all went over to suspension at this point?

Revising my view, I may just be able to make out the word 'light' on the top tube, in which case this bike was indeed made for a P2 fork (although the frame is otherwise identical to a Mountain Shock).

Whether you call the colour of 1995 P2s silver or gunmetal is a matter of choice, but they weren't as silver as the 1994 P2. Like the 94 P2, they had an orange underline to the letters Project 2 along the line of the fork. This matched a similar underline on the stem.

Clockworkgazz is selling a 1996 P2 in gunmetal, which as you say is off a size 19.

 

[MikeC]

I think it looks great with the Pace forks, Answer stem and M'burn ring setting off the hubs - leave it like it is and ride it while the sun's out

 

[renaldo]

OK I've swapped the forks for bronze triple butted Project Twos as I already had some - not sure if the grey / silver ones would look better. I've also changed the pads for ceramic specific ones which look a bit odd but should work better. I've only had a quick ride but it felt fast if a little twitchy - according to the bathroom scales its weighing in around the 22lb mark. Maybe I just need to get used to riding rigid again Anyway some pics:

 

[Wold Ranger]

Konaq

The P2s looks way better, although Zochis would be a good alternative.

 

[mikesnowdon]

I think the pace looked OK and proclass2's would look amazing with a gold big ring to match the stanchions.

Like the look of the bike with the bronze P2's however. They might be a bit short and were originally for earlier (pre 95) Konas. I think the later grey ones were a bit longer and should make the handling less twitchy. I could be wrong but hopefully someone else can clarify things better.

Loving the build. Gorgeous

 

[fingers]

Fantastic with the P2's on. Just need a CT stem to match the post and you have the perfect bike

 

[renaldo]

I did wonder about the axle-to-crown length of the forks too. I think they are from 1994 and that they would be the same as those from 1995 - the 94 Explosif came with Marzocchi XC500s and the 95 with XCRs I believe and I don't think theres any difference in the axle-to-crown lengths of those. I actually have some XCRs (steerer too short for this bike and I didn't like them much anyway) so I will have a measure. These P2s are 405mm if that means anything to anyone but I guess regardless a longer fork will make it more stable.

Edit: Looking back I see AndyR's 95 Explosif has 405mm P2s so I guess they're right.

I agree a Control Tech stem would look good too and a silver CT bar went on ebay recently. I always liked ATACs and Hyperlites though.

 

[Anthony]

The a-c length of Project 2s was 39cm up to 1993 and 41cms from 1994 onwards. The forks you have on the bike at present look as though they're 1995 P2s.

The frames from 1994 onwards were built to have a 71 degree head angle with a 41cm a-c fork, irrespective of what fork they were sold with. i.e., your frame would have exactly the same head angle if fitted with a 70mm Pace as a 1998 Explosif would have with the same fork.

Essentially if you take a 43-44cm a-c suspension fork and take account of sag, the a-c comes down to not much more than 41cm anyway. And that's only in 'just riding along' mode - it'll fall below 41 momentarily under load. That's why Kona kept the same frame shape for all those years, and just reduced the stem length to suit as fork a-cs became longer.

In fact the long stem you have on there at present is likely having just as much effect on the steering/handling as a longer fork would have. It may be ok for the P2, but I would fit a shorter stem to make best use of the Pace.