1988(I think)KONA Cinder Cone, but are the parts original?

[AMPrider]

I am not a KONA collector, so I need some help identifying the age of this frame, and whether the parts are original. I will post pictures soon. The bicycle is in Canada, so details may vary from the UK version.

It's a KONA Cinder Cone. Judging by the decals, it is probably a 1988 frame. It has a large K on the top tube. It is white with blood set splatter. The Fork matches the frame and is obviously original. The decals are all intact, including the TBG decal on the head tube and the Tange MTB sticker on the seat tube.

The frame is actually in very good condition overall. No scratches or dings. Chainsuck marks don't go past the primer.

The components are:

Avocet saddle, XT seatpost, Suntour XCD gruppo, including brakes, brake levers, shifters, front and rear derailleurs, cranks, pedals and hubs. All Suntour parts are gray anodized. Rims are UKAI UM 20, and are in extremely good condition. The Stem is a KONA original with internal cable routing. The handlebar is black steel, not aluminum. I assume it is KONA as well.

And it's too small for me!

 

[Skeelsie]

Sounds more like an 89/90 to me but pretty much all original apart from the XT seatpost which has replaced a rather bland Kalloy one.

Spec list for the 89/90 model.

http://www.konaretro.com/articles/catalogues/1990/6.jpg

Can you see the serial number underneath the bottom bracket shell?

The early early 88/89 Cinder Cones had a rear U brake rather than an Suntour XCD self energising cantilever.

88/89 model.

 

[AMPrider]

Sounds more like an 89/90 to me but pretty much all original apart from the XT seatpost which has replaced a rather bland Kalloy one.

The serial number is with IF9088***. I have left the last three digits out.

 

[Skeelsie]

Definitely an 88/89 then, U brake bosses, red and yellow mustard splatter instead of red and blue and the seat clamp the other way round from the 90.

Kit looks spot on, just different tyres.

 

[AMPrider]

Definitely an 88/89 then, U brake bosses, red and yellow mustard splatter instead of red and blue and the seat clamp the other way round from the 90.

Kit looks spot on, just different tyres.

Judging by the photos on Adam's Kona Shrine, it looks like a 1988. The 1989 frames do not seem to have the large K on the top tube. Again, I am no expert.

 

[Drewson]

This is certainly an 88/89'. Mine came with a Mountain LX group though....
The 88' Explosif ran Deore 2..... they changed to Suntour in 89/90 if IIRC...

Nice bike....shame it ain't ur size (even with the post up a tad higher?)

 

[AMPrider]

This is certainly an 88/89'. Mine came with a Mountain LX group though....
The 88' Explosif ran Deore 2..... they changed to Suntour in 89/90 if IIRC...

Nice bike....shame it ain't ur size (even with the post up a tad higher?)

It is definitely too small for me. This machine will go into the MTB For sale section now that it has been more or less properly identified.

Parts, frame and fork or complete bike?

 

[Drewson]

Always gonna make more if u split it.....

Is the stem a Kona Velocity? If so, i'd be interested in taking it off your hands....

 

[Drewson]

Oh, by the way.....it's obviously not running the original Joe Murray Maximum and Reaction tyres as well as the seatpost change but that shouldn't make much difference if you sell it anyway....

 

[Alex Creasey]

Definately an 88/89 frame (I still have mine in the garage) but definately didn't use Suntour untill around 1990. As someone else has mentioned most of the groupset was Deore LX with the eliptical Biopace chainset.