First off Hi there Retro Bike Riders...
I have tried to register here all day with NO luck on the admin email, I have an AOL email account so I assume this is a problem?? I've now used my GM account to join and had success right away (just a note for the Admin)
Brief MTB History..
Back in 89 - 94 I was well into the MTB scene and managed a ride with my local bike shop in the South of the UK and loved riding, never really got into the racing side but very much enjoyed the free cross country riding with the clubs & good friends.. I had several bikes the last 1 being a Kona. I simply loved it, loved the feel, loved the look, loved the design and I didn't realise but even more so now!
Not having even been on a bike for over 14 years!! I decided I wanted one, coming into some money & being less than 2 miles from the Peak District. Of course I had to get the better half a bike & have a child seat fitted to mine (its quick release) so as to make it a fair trade for a half decent bike for me
Anyway, I really wanted a Kona having had the experience I had many years ago. When I started looking online at new bikes I didn't know what was what as I've not seen a brand name in MTBing for over 10 years, the obvious are still there but many new brands are available, whats good and whats not?? Its quite hard to just walk into any decent bike shop and get exactly what you want as I found out.
I must admit I got to the point where I just wanted a bike and I was talked out of a Kona and into a Specialized, don't get me wrong its an amazing, beautiful bike that I stand and look at in awe! BUT there is just something about the ride I just don't like and I don't know what that is!
I'll be even more honest and say I don't think I like suspension in any form! & I don't think I like the hydro disc brakes!
I cant put my finger on it but it feels like your removed from the ride with this bike with all its technology and suspension.
The very next day to buying my Specialized I brought and old Kona - Lava Dome 96 (I think) in Gold (not a preferred colour but hey) I went and picked this Bike up and I got to admit (I don't like to) I fell in Love just from looking at the bike from 100 yards!! Got the bike home and sat on it and had a quick ride up and down the road before I had even done this my mind was made up and this was the bike for me, and thats just from sitting on it - unbelievable.
Its not as if you can spend hundreds of pounds on a bike and take it back 3 days later and say you just don't like it.. I did mention that I couldn't find a good riding position on the Specialized and he said "well people spend hundreds of pounds on saddles, bars, stems, to find a good riding position" all i could think at the time was WHY DO THAT!! why not find a bike that has a good position in the first place, don't make the mistake I made but thats hard to do..
So, I'll stop boring you all now.. this is the brief story that brings me to Retro Bike I want to restore this kona to its former glory and enjoy that ride again.. I found some great bits on here in the For Sale section for this little LD project of mine but I do need some help from you guys.
First off do you any of you out there run a Kona LD and have any pics
I need to know the following:
What was the original Full Spec?
What was the original colour of the Stem & P2 Forks?
What is the BB size so I can replace the one on the bike?
What were the original rims? hubs? chain set?
The frame is in pretty good condition really considering the age, 1 major cable rub on the head tube, and a few minor chips. Lots of parts that I'm sure were not on the bike, it has Avid Leavers & V brakes, Rock Shox IndyC (feel smoother than the ones on the Specialized), Stiffy Stem, Odyssey Pedals, and other parts... will be letting these bits go on here when I get a chance, and I'm going to need the parts replaced with original parts
Cheers & thanks for reading, if you know anyone with the following and is up for a trade or cash let me know.
For Starters...
Original P2 Forks in correct colour
Velocity Stem in correct colour
Race Light Seat Post
Race Light Bars
KonaJJ
I have tried to register here all day with NO luck on the admin email, I have an AOL email account so I assume this is a problem?? I've now used my GM account to join and had success right away (just a note for the Admin)
Brief MTB History..
Back in 89 - 94 I was well into the MTB scene and managed a ride with my local bike shop in the South of the UK and loved riding, never really got into the racing side but very much enjoyed the free cross country riding with the clubs & good friends.. I had several bikes the last 1 being a Kona. I simply loved it, loved the feel, loved the look, loved the design and I didn't realise but even more so now!
Not having even been on a bike for over 14 years!! I decided I wanted one, coming into some money & being less than 2 miles from the Peak District. Of course I had to get the better half a bike & have a child seat fitted to mine (its quick release
) so as to make it a fair trade for a half decent bike for me Anyway, I really wanted a Kona having had the experience I had many years ago. When I started looking online at new bikes I didn't know what was what as I've not seen a brand name in MTBing for over 10 years, the obvious are still there but many new brands are available, whats good and whats not?? Its quite hard to just walk into any decent bike shop and get exactly what you want as I found out.
I must admit I got to the point where I just wanted a bike and I was talked out of a Kona and into a Specialized, don't get me wrong its an amazing, beautiful bike that I stand and look at in awe! BUT there is just something about the ride I just don't like and I don't know what that is!
I'll be even more honest and say I don't think I like suspension in any form! & I don't think I like the hydro disc brakes!
I cant put my finger on it but it feels like your removed from the ride with this bike with all its technology and suspension.
The very next day to buying my Specialized I brought and old Kona - Lava Dome 96 (I think) in Gold (not a preferred colour but hey) I went and picked this Bike up and I got to admit (I don't like to) I fell in Love just from looking at the bike from 100 yards!! Got the bike home and sat on it and had a quick ride up and down the road before I had even done this my mind was made up and this was the bike for me, and thats just from sitting on it - unbelievable.
Its not as if you can spend hundreds of pounds on a bike and take it back 3 days later and say you just don't like it.. I did mention that I couldn't find a good riding position on the Specialized and he said "well people spend hundreds of pounds on saddles, bars, stems, to find a good riding position" all i could think at the time was WHY DO THAT!! why not find a bike that has a good position in the first place, don't make the mistake I made but thats hard to do..
So, I'll stop boring you all now.. this is the brief story that brings me to Retro Bike
I want to restore this kona to its former glory and enjoy that ride again.. I found some great bits on here in the For Sale section for this little LD project of mine but I do need some help from you guys.First off do you any of you out there run a Kona LD and have any pics
I need to know the following:
What was the original Full Spec?
What was the original colour of the Stem & P2 Forks?
What is the BB size so I can replace the one on the bike?
What were the original rims? hubs? chain set?
The frame is in pretty good condition really considering the age, 1 major cable rub on the head tube, and a few minor chips. Lots of parts that I'm sure were not on the bike, it has Avid Leavers & V brakes, Rock Shox IndyC (feel smoother than the ones on the Specialized), Stiffy Stem, Odyssey Pedals, and other parts... will be letting these bits go on here when I get a chance, and I'm going to need the parts replaced with original parts
Cheers & thanks for reading, if you know anyone with the following and is up for a trade or cash let me know.
For Starters...
Original P2 Forks in correct colour
Velocity Stem in correct colour
Race Light Seat Post
Race Light Bars
KonaJJ
