Here's my Kaboom, the second I've owned - originally I had an 18" which was a little on the large side. Ideally I would have a 17" I think, but Kona only made them in even sizes.
It's evolved steadily over the years as I have tried things out and worn stuff out. Originally I had a Hope screw-on hub bult with the axle reversed (and reverse dish). After bending the axle it now has a Phil Wood hub - a bit on the chunky side but bombproof. The freewheel is a White Industries.
It started with a triple butted P2 but I switched to Exotic carbon. The fork is no lighter but definitely takes trail buzz out better and steers every bit as well as the P2.
As the bike is my main winter ride I built up a new front wheel and dipped my toe into discs - Magura MT2 on a Superstar Components V6 hub.
Chainset is Middleburn with 110mm spider and Superstar narrow-wide ring, 36/19 ratio. Genetic Karyotype 103mm bottom bracket. I tried Token but it died after a winter, it has a fatal design flaw in a water trap round the bearings.
Seatpost is ControlTech, with Easton EC70 bars on a Syncros stem. Cane Creek bar ends help a lot when bullying the thing out of the saddle uphill.
Rear wheel is Phil Wood / Mavic 317, front Mavic 717 disc / Superstar V6, 180mm Magura rotor.
Part of the fun was avoiding Shimano bits - Avid 25 Vs do the rear braking along with an Avid SD Ti lever. I dislike the over-complicated screech-o-matic Shimano Vs. The only Shimano bits are the M740 pedals and an XT skewer on the front. I'm not keen on external cam skewers with discs.
No apologies for the pseudo-jungle location to match the graphics.
It's evolved steadily over the years as I have tried things out and worn stuff out. Originally I had a Hope screw-on hub bult with the axle reversed (and reverse dish). After bending the axle it now has a Phil Wood hub - a bit on the chunky side but bombproof. The freewheel is a White Industries.
It started with a triple butted P2 but I switched to Exotic carbon. The fork is no lighter but definitely takes trail buzz out better and steers every bit as well as the P2.
As the bike is my main winter ride I built up a new front wheel and dipped my toe into discs - Magura MT2 on a Superstar Components V6 hub.
Chainset is Middleburn with 110mm spider and Superstar narrow-wide ring, 36/19 ratio. Genetic Karyotype 103mm bottom bracket. I tried Token but it died after a winter, it has a fatal design flaw in a water trap round the bearings.
Seatpost is ControlTech, with Easton EC70 bars on a Syncros stem. Cane Creek bar ends help a lot when bullying the thing out of the saddle uphill.
Rear wheel is Phil Wood / Mavic 317, front Mavic 717 disc / Superstar V6, 180mm Magura rotor.
Part of the fun was avoiding Shimano bits - Avid 25 Vs do the rear braking along with an Avid SD Ti lever. I dislike the over-complicated screech-o-matic Shimano Vs. The only Shimano bits are the M740 pedals and an XT skewer on the front. I'm not keen on external cam skewers with discs.
No apologies for the pseudo-jungle location to match the graphics.
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Loved these.... Is this my old one? The glow in the dark decals are cool too
