1997 Kona Kula SS (finally with decent pics!)

[OrangeRetro]

So here it is.. finally. this one has taken a while and will probably not be to everyones taste.

I got hold of a tired looking 1997 Kula frame earlier on in the year and decided to do a full bare metal respray. After some convincing I decided to go for the original colour and decal combination. The Frame has been painstakingly re-finished, by myself, in rover nightfire red.. the closest match to the original colour. As Gil_M was away at the time I went down the road of making my own decals - laser printed waterslide paper.. a lot of effort, but well worth it.

The idea of the project was to make a light single speed..

Heres the specs..

1997 Kona Kula Easton Elite frame
2000 Triple Butted Project 2 forks

Headset: Da Bomb Reaction Al
Stem: Thomson 4X 110mm
Bars: DMR wingbars
Grips: Kona Jackshit
Seatpost: Kona ????
Saddle: Charge Spoon

Rims: Mavic 517 citrus flavoured
Hubs: Deore XT M750 ish
Tyres: Continental double fighter II's

Brake Levers: Avid 2.0L
Brakes: Deore XT m739 v's
Chainset: Raceface Deus XC X-type 32t with bash guard
BB: Raceface Ride
Chain: KMC
Tensioner: FireEye Spur
Conversion kit: FireEye 14t

Inital ride is pretty good. its very light and the gearing seems about right. I am getting a wierd slipping when I apply some load through the cranks.. :? any ideas? the chain line seems good..

Thanks to all that have helped with this one.. Anthony for all your help with the P2's and your advice on the colour scheme.. Carl(HB) for your continued supply of V-Brakes.. I seem to get them all from you and most recently Ed(Orange71) for the vital missing piece of cable for the rear brakes..

Heres the pic's

 

[Geoff]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

So glad you kept went for the original colour. That looks fantastic.

Incidentally, you did a great job on the decals too. Did you draw them from the originals or did you manage to find a file for them?

 

[OrangeRetro]

I created them in Corel Draw, mainly based on images in the 1997 catalogue. I basically redrew all of them very carefully. It took ages but they have come out pretty well!

 

[Geoff]

I am impressed! If only I had the ability to do that...

 

[Anthony]

I don't know whether I'm more impressed that you made your own decals or that you're hard enough to ride a Kula with rigid forks. I guess the decals must take it though, just for rarity value.

Funny thing though, I'm not sure the thumbs up sticker was often (ever?) part of the bike design, but lots of people put one on their bike, so I guess it's just folks saying 'it should have been, even if it wasn't'.

The original had a colour-keyed Z2 in a colour that I don't think was otherwise available, so now you know what colour you've painted the frame you could do the same to a suitable Z2 if you ever decided to go for the soft life. That's what I'd do no question!

 

[letmetalktomark]

Re: OrangeRetro goes KonaContemporary 1997 Kula

I am getting a wierd slipping when I apply some load through the cranks.. :? any ideas? the chain line seems good..

That bike looks fantastic. :shock:

I had slipping when I had my Kili as a SS. after replacing/testing everything ( :evil: :evil: :evil: ) it turned out to be a slightly bent gear hanger (inwards) only fractionally out but it was enough for the slipping to occur when under tension...........

Could also be the sprocket not properly engaged on the splines of the free hub or it not being tightened enough :?

Again - looks fantastic

 

[OrangeRetro]

I don't know whether I'm more impressed that you made your own decals or that you're hard enough to ride a Kula with rigid forks. I guess the decals must take it though, just for rarity value.

Funny thing though, I'm not sure the thumbs up sticker was often (ever?) part of the bike design, but lots of people put one on their bike, so I guess it's just folks saying 'it should have been, even if it wasn't'.

The original had a colour-keyed Z2 in a colour that I don't think was otherwise available, so now you know what colour you've painted the frame you could do the same to a suitable Z2 if you ever decided to go for the soft life. That's what I'd do no question!

I might keep an eye out for some Z2's.. At the moment though its not going to get thrashed, I've build it up mainly as a training/fun bike. The rigid forks make it very fast of the road and should be good for the odd canal toepath.

Do you have any ideas of the origins of the seatpost. It has one bolt and a crazy thumb wheel for fine adjustment?

I think that the thumb decal only really appeared on the American built frames. I just liked it so thought i'd stick it on. I still have the Easton Frame decal to stick back on it. I need some spray mount first!

 

[OrangeRetro]

hmm just searched ebay for Z2's...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MARZOCCHI-Z2-...hash=item270266942742&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

Looks like these might just be perfect... Doh! :twisted:

 

[Little Bob]

Looks superb - great job with the decals too.

What are those tyres?

 

[OrangeRetro]

Cheers.. They are Continental Double Fighter II's.. not very retro but still very cool..