Kona Explosif or what ever

[Bluelight]

Hi first, I have registered for the Retro Bike Forum because I have a problem with the 91'Explosif frame. How easy it is to read I come from Germany / Bavaria. Here in Germany I recently bought a black Kona frame with beautiful 91'Explosif decals, probably the stickers are from Gil. On closer inspection, I have doubts about the year of construction and the model.
Frame 18 "(46cm seat tube, 55cm top tube)
Lime green paint and painted black
The frame has no eyelets on the dropouts
Internal luggage rack eyelets on the seat tube
no welded seat clamp
According to the frame number, it could be a 92´ Kona, right?
Maybe you can help me?
Of course, I can be wrong and it's actually a Kona 91'Explosif, I would be happy.
Greetings Bluelight

 

[Tootyred]

Dont know 9f you have found this....

Catalogues | Kona Archive | Retrobike

Im sure there was a slime green 91 kona explosif!.? And thats a good weight .

 

[Pipmeister]

Hi first, I have registered for the Retro Bike Forum because I have a problem with the 91'Explosif frame. How easy it is to read I come from Germany / Bavaria. Here in Germany I recently bought a black Kona frame with beautiful 91'Explosif decals, probably the stickers are from Gil. On closer inspection, I have doubts about the year of construction and the model.
Frame 18 "(46cm seat tube, 55cm top tube)
Lime green paint and painted black
The frame has no eyelets on the dropouts
Internal luggage rack eyelets on the seat tube
no welded seat clamp
According to the frame number, it could be a 92´ Kona, right?
Maybe you can help me?
Of course, I can be wrong and it's actually a Kona 91'Explosif, I would be happy.
Greetings Bluelight



View attachment 576058

Hello and welcome to Retrobike.

With a Serial number of F204 7151, this would indicate that the frame was built at the Fairly Works in April 1992.

The bike therefore has to be a 1992 or 1993 model - it won't be "backdated" to 1991, which is a pity as Green was used for the German release of the "K" 1991 Explosif seen below.

The Integral Seat Post Clamp was last use on the 1991 Kona frames, and then there is the issue of the Dropout Rack Eyelets, which I guess could have been removed when it was painted Black.

I'll give it bit more thought, and meanwhile someone may come along with a suggestion.




Pip.

 

[Bluelight]

Hey Pipmaster,
thank you in advance!
Can you tell me something about the saddle tube diameter?
I think I heard the Kona in the 90-93 period equipped all or some of the bikes with 26.2 mm supports?
The Explosif shown above needs a 26.4 seat post!
The green Explosif looks delicious !!!

 

[Pipmeister]

Hi again, I was hoping that someone with a '92 or '93 Explosif may add something here with the diameter of their Seat Post, as my documentation disagrees with what we have seen so far!

I have a Kona Spec sheet that says 27.0mm/26.8mm:



My former 1993 Kilauea that had the same Tange Prestige Concept tubing definitely used a 27.0mm Seat Post.

I also have the Tange Catalogue that specifies the Inside Diameter of the Prestige Concept Seat Tube, but it is making no sense to me; i.e. if you subtract 1.3mm wall thickness (twice) from 30mm - maybe there is a need to accommodate the interference fit or something?:




As for establishing the year (and model) of your frame, there are a few anomalies that are keeping me guessing - although as Tootyred highlighted, the weight is correct for a Prestige Concept Explosif.

Pip

 

[Bluelight]

Hey pip,
I think that with the seat tube cleared up for me!
I made a measurement error: - (((
The Explosif (?) Has a 27.0 seat tube!
I'm starting to think it's a 1993 Kilauea, or do you have another idea?
greetings Martin

 

[Pipmeister]

Ah right okay Martin.

Mmm well a 1993 Kilauea would be a possibility. We have a 1992 production Serial number, so that means a 1992 or 1993 bike.

All the pictures that I have in file for the 1992 Explosif have a Seat Stay Rack Eyelet welded on top of the Seat Stay, rather than the Hank Bush that your frame has.
1992 Explosif 20":


1992 Explosif Pro 20":


All the pictures that I have on file for the 1993 Explosif have a Tange Ultrastrong Ribbed Down Tube.

.....AND, check out this 1993 Kilauea in Green, which could account for the colour under your Black respray:

1993 Kilauea 17" Green:



Pip

 

[Bluelight]

The Hank Bush all had 93 'Konas
I already had that from the Kona documents that I could see on me, also that the Tange Prestige Concept tube set is the same as the Kilauea.
What messed me up is the missing eyelets on the Dropouts and seat tube dimensions.
I still have a 93'Lava Dome in my basement and a 93 Fire Mountain stand, both with a 26.0 seat tube diameter.

The frame has certainly seen a lot, and every previous owner has changed something!
But the Kona frame is still there, no rust and no dents.

The green paint on my frame looks almost like from a 90 'explosion.

 

[Jake]

For what it is worth my 18" 1992 Explosif Pro needs a 26.8 seatpost. The 27.0 Syncros I just bought as part of a plan to get it back together again will only go in a few inches and then jams, and calipers confirm it's just under 27mm

 

[amoto65]

The green paint on my frame looks almost like from a 90 'explosion.

Said the blind man on a galloping horse as he rode through the rain storm......