Early 90's Kona Hot - $350 (Vancouver)

[Err]

I've agreed to take this. I've enquired about whether there's a TET stamp.

 

[Anthony]

I've agreed to take this. I've enquired about whether there's a TET stamp.

Well done Alex. If it is a Hot, there must be a TET stamp - Tom T says there was always a TET stamp on his frames. But it looks like a nice bike anyway.

 

[Err]

The seller thinks not, but is not sure. When I get the serial I'll contact tech. The seller thinks it might be dekerf built, but that doesn't fit with what we know about hot building timeline. I wonder if it's an enigma built frame following wht Jeffb says in the big hot thread. But then what about the tubing, surely they had switched to Columbus Max by then? Intriguing who knows, nonetheless looks like a cool bike.

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... t&start=30

Anthony wrote
Did you build the bikes in one big batch? i.e., there was no ‘custom’ element, it was just ‘US-built’ that was the magic ingredient?

They were all handbuilt by 2 sometimes 3 guys. We usually ran 5 at a time of a particular size. To me 'custom' means building a bike to your exact body measurements using tubing tailored for your riding style and size. But outside of that, these were built the exact same way we built our 'customs'.

I just thought of another possible identifier for you guys. Teesdale's bikes had the cables routed under the BB. All Enigma bikes had the cables routed on the top tube.

With all of the talk about different dates you guys have me second guessing myself as to dates but my wife reminded me we were still building Outland Designs frames up until December of 96.

On a side note. I have seen people incorrectly state that all 853 frames have 853 tubing as the main triangle but not the chainstays or seatstays this is incorrect. We got the first all 853 tubesets produced by Reynolds and made the first entirely all 853 frames for the HOT's including chainstays and seatstays.

 

[Anthony]

No I don't think it can be an Enigma frame. As far as I'm aware after that thread, the Hot chronology is:

1991-92 Tom Teesdale, Tange Concept
1993-95 Tom Teesdale, Tange Ultimate
1996-97 Jeff Lindsay/Altitude Cycles/Mountain Goat, Reynolds 853
1997-98 Enigma, Reynolds 853

If as I suspect, the frame has been repainted, the TET stamp may not be that clear to see. Incidentally, Tom T says he made the E slightly out of line with the Ts to make it more difficult to fake. If the seller has had it since new and if he knows that the Velocity is original, then it is definitely a 95 Hot, as that is a 95 Velocity and the Hot was the only 95 Kona with a fluted down tube.

Fingers crossed!

 

[Err]

TET.

 

[GearlessinSeattle]

YEA!