95 Kona Kula (photos added)

mr-mac

Retro Guru
Pictures soon......

This will be where I detail my re-commission of the 1995 Kona Kula I have owned from new (paid for by house insurance when my specialized epic road bike i’d built myself was stolen out my granddads garage. Was as per catalogue except it had impact cranks and Pace RC35 MXC... only thing I think I changed was elastomers to stiffer ones and V brakes were updated to more modern style as the original brakes were utterly useless.... it’s an Easton elan program 3 frame, ti tec titanium bar, gripshift xray (been flawless since day I bought it), full XT setup, inc hubs and mavic rims) and impact cranks 24 speed iirc.

Anyway over time bikes fell out of favour in my life but even if just to cycle with the wee lass they are coming back to this overweight fat bastard. Hope it will be more than just odd cycle.

Collect bike from my grandads tomorrow and 1st item to make sure I don’t immediately regret it and never use it again has arrived. Discounted on amazon I have one of the inbike saddles which I hope will prevent any injury from being a heavy sod, canny grumble as a few group tests for heavy riders put it top or near top and was down to £17

Other bits to go on are a new headset (well a ritchey one bought on here), Recently serviced pace rc36 evo 3 and a pace stem are to go on (elastomers will be old and fecked and tbh can’t seem to get hard elastomers anywhere) so hopefully the evo 3 should give me some useful suspension travel and suit a heavier weight without really changing the overall look of the bike as it was when I bought it.

If things go well I would like to find a seatpost that will take a little more rear end clatter out as always found it a bit clattery (even when I was fighting fit). Would love carbon or titanium to aid the removal of clatter but tbh don’t think i’ll find one in 27.0mm

After that i’d Like to do something a little flashy with wheels maybe and a few other fun touches but that will come in time :)

Wish me luck
 
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New bits
 

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I have a hankering for 90’s deep v velocity rims in red on pace hub with some fancy spoke work up front and same rim with plain spokework and undecided rear hub (would go ti glide but can be fragile).

Frame is light metallic green and reckon I will accessories with red and orange thinking red rims with orange tyres, orange gripshift with red grips and orange bar ends, maybe look at other bits to introduce some colour over time.
 
Re: 95 Kona Kula Re-Comission etc...

I've no experience of them so could be completely wrong but I imagine Deep V rims wont help with comfort.
 
Re: 95 Kona Kula Re-Comission etc...

CTK":2c0ljb36 said:
I've no experience of them so could be completely wrong but I imagine Deep V rims wont help with comfort.

No they won’t but hope with my nice fat bugger seat having some suspension built in and if I eventually find a carbon or titanium seat post I should be good from the clatteryness point of view.

Was one of those things I saw those rims in shop on some very cool fat chance frames the shop had built into their own creations and they were utterly stunning. Defo of the era to use those rims and some crazy spoke patterns. When I bought bike I had planned to go back for those wheels.... my specialised epic road bike had a set of purple velocity rims on hope ti glide.... and I loved them.

If I had more dosh i’d Be buying that dynatech mt4 frame and putting it together with some double crown pace forks and would be less worried about an alloy seat post
 
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Well few more bits sources...

Full set of STX v brakes to replace the mismatched LX and Bike Hut set.

Renthal RC130 in red

Just need a nice comfort helping seatpost and set of wheels to complete my initial build (yes I may add some shiny bits along the way but that would finish current work).
 
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Got any photos of the Kula as it is now?
Some nice parts to go on it there :)
 
Re: 95 Kona Kula Re-Comission etc...

Nice stem. Forks look in good nick too. Agree about the elastomer ones. Had them myself but even if you can find them, the hard ones reduce travel down to about 40mm.
Enjoy the build but like the others said, PICS!!!! :)
 
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And to the bike as it stands (seatpost low, stem short etc as my mum was using it and well she’s a short arse and it was too big).

Not cleaned or given any attention apart from giving my mum her saddle.

That’s to come as got cleaning stuff, lubrication and grease etc.
 

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