'98 Kona Caldera

[Spudly]

Thought id start off a thread in here as ive already posted a couple of pics in the local forum but wanted to get a history/wip thread going.

Purchased this from a guy in leeds through ebay a couple of weeks back (the seller has to be the most helpful and genuine guy ive ever dealt with, and was a true gent)

It had been sat in his cellar for a few years and was in nigh on original condition which i was very impressed by and i dont intend to change too much on it, but im keeping everything i change so that i can put it back to original spec if needed at any point in the future.

Any ways enough of my drivvel, some pics...

It had a butterscotch michelin wildgripper on the front and a specialized tyre on the back, which were both showing age and didnt match, its had a white and blue viscount saddle fitted along with blue annodised x-lite bar-ends and other than that was as factory spec..

(although i had just fitted some dmr V8's in these pics)

Then after a visit to my LBS, i replaced the tyres with the only tyres in 1.95 fitment that they had, a set of panaracer trailraker mud tyres, a set of dmr V8's and a new set of cables throughout, gave everything barring the front mech and crankset a strip and clean aswell...

Original STX-RC rear hub..

OB-1 front hub..

Kona seat post..

And a couple of random ones from a ride i went on locally with a mate..

Any comments welcomed and thankyou for looking

 

[coomber]

Ditch the crud catcher.

Apart from that it looks really good and bombers go really well with it.

Would get a nicer stem but if that suits your ride then keep it.

Very nice.

 

[Spudly]

Im not happy on the colour of the crud catcher but its better than getting a face full of crap when the weathers not good, i missed a decent condition black one on the bay yesterday morning for about £3, wasnt happy but as soon as i find another period correct one the yellow will be going

Ive only really ridden it once properly so im still working out what needs to stay and what needs to go, its currently got my old club roost riser bars on it so ill see how it rides with them on before looking at stems and such, cheers for the input though

 

[swos]

Very nice bike although I would replace the seat.

 

[otherself]

ditch the saddle, it's an eyesore :x replace with a black charge spoon or wtb.

 

[konaben82]

caldera

....if you ever want to sell that frame......PM me!

 

[Spudly]

Wow, just looked back at this thread, didnt know it was going on three years ago since i last updated it, oops lol


Well after saying i was going to leave it pretty much as it was, i seem to have changed every component on the bike haha, its my regular rider/abuser and ive done thousands of miles on it now and still absolutely love it!

Today i changed the wheels on it as ive gone through two rear wheels now, both STX-RC hubbed with mavic 138 rims, one the wall collapsed on the braking surface, the other i destroyed the hub, and freehub twice!

Now she has a set of 739 XT hubs, with a mavic 517 rear and 221 front, with blue anno nipples, and double butted spokes on the front and plain stainless dt rears.

Spec is now full XT/XTR, forks are the original bomber z3 lights, which after fitting some judy xc's as a temporary measure when the seals failed on the bombers, they have now been fluffychicken'd and resealed/oiled so are back on and working flawlessly!

Few pics, like i say, i 'was' going to leave her as was (oops)





























Sorry for the shedload of pics peeps, got a touch carried away lol, i adore this bike and it rides perfectly, i have so much fun on this bike, it never fails to make me smile when i ride it!