I've been posting a lot in the -->1997 forum recently but thought I post a bike I'm actually riding a lot at the moment. It's a bit heavy but actually rides really nicely. Amazing how much geometry changed in the 12 years after the 1995 bike I'm working on, more so than in the 13 years since...
2007 Kona King Kikapu
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Splatter Paint
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I had a Kikapu just like that I had loads of fun riding XC and racing. They're great looking bikes. Mine cracked in a weird place and was replaced with a warranty Hei Hei 100 in metallic brown :facepalm: Seeing yours brought back fond memories of blasting through the Chilterns.
SP
I had a Kikapu just like that I had loads of fun riding XC and racing. They're great looking bikes. Mine cracked in a weird place and was replaced with a warranty Hei Hei 100 in metallic brown :facepalm: Seeing yours brought back fond memories of blasting through the Chilterns.
SP
Konas of that era are really nice. I use my 2009 Dawg as a Trail bike and it copes really well. I've converted it to 1x transmission (actually went with 2018 1x11 SLX) which helps save a fair chunk of weight. The other obvious heft on that is the forks, the Toras work well enough and they have a decent moco damper but they are heavy, the stancions are steel and so is the steerer, I think most models also had a coil spring which doesn't help. If you can track down a set of Recon SL or Rebas from that era you'll save about 1.5lbs and it will peform better. The rest of the platform will be more than capable of handling the better fork. It looks in cared for condition too.
I can't decide what to do with it next to be honest. I could upgrade it, but modern upgrades (as opposed to the really retro stuff I mostly do) are expensive and by the time I look at light forks, wheels and a 1x, I may as well splash £2k on what I really need for the XC riding I do (85% of the time going uphill) on a entry level carbon hardtail (which have my eye at the mo).
I'm impressed by how well this thing does for a 13 year old bike, but it's only going to get older now, and it's not yet a classic, it be be time for it to sit out for while. I'm out for a group XC ride again on it at the weekend. If I'm more competitive going uphill now the lockout lever is back in place, it might get reprieved yet though.
I'm impressed by how well this thing does for a 13 year old bike, but it's only going to get older now, and it's not yet a classic, it be be time for it to sit out for while. I'm out for a group XC ride again on it at the weekend. If I'm more competitive going uphill now the lockout lever is back in place, it might get reprieved yet though.
