1995 Kona Kula

[Pipmeister]

I picked up a 1995 Kona Kula today after winning it on e-Bay this week.

I had to collect it from Luton, but it was easy enough - a lovely new clean quite Thameslink train back to St. Pancras , followed by a nip across to Paddington (thanks for the suggested route Al), then back to Thatcham on a familiar dirty old noisy shitty GWR diesel train :roll:.

It has a mix of XT-M737/9 series and XT-M750, which I think works well. Slightly surprised to see a M750 4-Arm Crank with my preferred Square Taper Bottom Bracket, as I assumed that they were Octalink by then.

The forks will need to go, as quaint as there are – they don’t hold air in both legs, there is no rebound damping, and I’m jiggered if I can see how to sort out an oil change if this is the cause of riding with a pogo-stick up front.

I have a pair of Marzocchi Z2 Super Fly that will keep the geometry happy, and they have a suitably retro look about them.

It did have a Stem resembling a substantial erection :shock: , so the only changes that I have made so far was to replace it with a quill to A-Head conversion and a Controltec Stem, and a pair of nicer Grips.

. by Philip Mock, on Flickr
. by Philip Mock, on Flickr
. by Philip Mock, on Flickr

Pip.

 

[Adam_S]

Very nice. Is that one of the Easton Elite ones or were they still 7005 back then?

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

The 1995 Kula is Easton ProGram 3 Elan.

Sadly mine has no Seat Tube decal, although I am trying to find one.



Pip.

 

[mk one]

I'm kinda glad you got this, even though seeing it again just reminds me of the fact that I forgot it was ending and failed to raise my initial bid :facepalm:

Also would have probably cost one of us a lot more than it went for as I would have bid high. Just love that colour

Mark

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

Hi Mark,

It's always a little awkward on here when we discover after the bidding ends that two of us were trying to out bid each other . So yours was the £111.11 starting bid.

We have a curfew at work for e-Bay using the firm's P.C.s and Internet Connection, so bidding live is tricky. I struggle with a Smart Phone, so as the bidding ended at 09:53am, I did indeed dump a higher price on it before I left for work that morning.

The seller turned up at Luton Station on time with the bike, and he was about 6' 3" so I figured that he wasn't the original owner. He said he mainly dealt in antiques, although his selling history is mainly pure silk ties, and books on beekeeping! The bike was from a house clearance, and he said that he nearly kept it for his son.

I've cleaned it now - de-greased the drive train and waxed the frame, so it's looking a bit better than in the pictures. After I buy a Chris King for the Score, this Kula can have the Cane Creek S2 currently fitted on there - then I can fit the Marzocchi Z2 Super Fly forks.

Pip.

 

[mk one]

Yes mate, mine was the £111.11 bid, placed to remind me about the item, which clearly isnt working

And yes it can be awkward, i also noticed someone, i cant remember who off the top of my head, has a wanted ad for a 94/95/96 Kula, but i didnt contact them either

Anyway, look forward to seeing it built up

Mark

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

A quick update:

Well it was an experience riding on those Marzocchi XC600 for a couple of days.

I’m so spindly & stealth-like, that I can’t even get much flex out of a pair of my favourite fork; the 28mm stanchioned SID. All I can say is fair play to those Team Riders who used to race professionally on XC600 forks – that would have taken some considerable skill. :shock:

I found a couple of FSA Headsets and picked out the best pair of bearings, cleaned and re-greased them and cobbled together a smooth Orbit XL II Threadless for the Marzocchi Z.2 Super Fly.

The bike’s handling is transformed, but it does bring to my attention what I assume to be the somewhat weighty rims and/or tyres.

Anyway, it will do for now as a general hack, although I’m yet to see if I can cope long term with the prone race set-up.

Kona Kula 1995 230817DSF_1 by Philip Mock, on Flickr

Pip.

 

[al-onestare]

Nice work so far, I think it would really benefit from a nicer looking chain-set, something slim looking. I know there's not much can be down about the lack of a cable stop on the top-tube...those clamps are a pet hate of mine but I'd rather have v's than cant's any day of the week. As for wheels, I've got the original Caldera wheels (LX hubs, 221 rims) if you're interested... ;-)

 

[Pipmeister]

Nice work so far, I think it would really benefit from a nicer looking chain-set, something slim looking. I know there's not much can be down about the lack of a cable stop on the top-tube...those clamps are a pet hate of mine but I'd rather have v's than cant's any day of the week. As for wheels, I've got the original Caldera wheels (LX hubs, 221 rims) if you're interested... ;-)

I have a nice slim looking XT FC-M737 5 Arm CD chain-set. I also have a silver Middleburn RS7 in 4 Arm Square Taper, which is one of the most slim & elegant looking Cranks produced. I don't like using 5 arm chainrings for a general hack, as they are becoming harder to replace, and the Middleburn is somewhat high-end for this bike, and I feel that it should be "reserved" just in case something more desirable comes along. I may however go the other way historically and stick on a 1x11 set-up..... if I had more horse power at my disposal, I could turn it into a Single Speed .

The cable clamp for the rear brake will be replaced with a Dog Collar as soon as I find one in 31.8mm.

When I got in this evening I quickly popped the front wheel from my Koa onto this Kula - a Mavic XC317 on XT c/w Continental Contact II tyres. Hey presto, instant nippier handling. I weighed the two wheels to compare, and it was a staggering 250gr difference :shock:. That's 1/2 Kilo that I can loose.... goodness knows what those Rigida deep rims are made of. Anyway, I have another spare / archived pair of Silver 317s on some silver XT, so I'll swap those over, but thanks for the suggestion Al.

Pip.

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

I wanted to see if the Dog Collar would work with a V-brake, and what would be the best angle of curve for the noodle.

So I cobbled together something using a light bracket, and the adjustable screw from a Canti Cable stop.

I thought that the short length of brake cable outer would scupper the idea, but it works just fine.

The cable sits a little high at the rear, but after a bit of fettling, I didn’t like to take too much more material from the clamp for it to sit lower around the weld.
…. Oh yeah, I know that Kaz is selling a Dog Collar in 31.8, but she did point out that it isn’t in the best of shape – looks like K-nine chewed it :shock: .

. by Philip Mock, on Flickr

. by Philip Mock, on Flickr

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