Bloody hell, it's gone all Poirot on 'ere...!
Either way, as mentioned, it's a great looking frame...
Either way, as mentioned, it's a great looking frame...
'98 Kona Hot!
- Thread starter Mr. Zero
- Start date
Well Andrew it matters to Mr Zero if he has invested in a Hot and has something he cannot sell as a Hot. But the paint and decals look original to me and I hope for Mr Zero's sake that Kona will confirm that it is a Hot.
In view of Kona's stated policy that they won't sell high-end decals unless you can prove that you own such a bike, precisely so as to avoid debasing their currency, I would find it surprising if they did what you suggest - although I agree that many worse things happen in the world.
The other thing that doesn't fit is the timing (and I like Poirot, incidentally). The 98 catalogue advertised the Hot as a custom bike, so there must have been a plan that you could go into a shop in say June 98 and pay £800+ for a hand-made bike with your choice of custom finish. But all the other 98 bikes went on sale in September 97, prior to which they had been in lengthy transit in warehouses, on the high seas etc, prior to which they were being built, so the 98 Explosif frames were built at the latest very early in 97. So I don't see how your scenario would arise - in any case if somebody is silly enough to pay £800+ for a steel frame, most people would be very happy to do business with him on the stated terms! So if Kona had planned to offer the Hot during 98, I don't see why they would stop early.
Anyways I've got my fingers crossed for Mr Zero.
In view of Kona's stated policy that they won't sell high-end decals unless you can prove that you own such a bike, precisely so as to avoid debasing their currency, I would find it surprising if they did what you suggest - although I agree that many worse things happen in the world.
The other thing that doesn't fit is the timing (and I like Poirot, incidentally). The 98 catalogue advertised the Hot as a custom bike, so there must have been a plan that you could go into a shop in say June 98 and pay £800+ for a hand-made bike with your choice of custom finish. But all the other 98 bikes went on sale in September 97, prior to which they had been in lengthy transit in warehouses, on the high seas etc, prior to which they were being built, so the 98 Explosif frames were built at the latest very early in 97. So I don't see how your scenario would arise - in any case if somebody is silly enough to pay £800+ for a steel frame, most people would be very happy to do business with him on the stated terms! So if Kona had planned to offer the Hot during 98, I don't see why they would stop early.
Anyways I've got my fingers crossed for Mr Zero.
Anthony":3a4lhmc0 said:
In mainstream bike market, production runs normally end mid year and are replaced with the following years bikes.
For Kona I know their MY98 bikes were first advertised in July/August 97 and the 99 models at a simliar time in 98. If by mid 98 its known that a model is no longer going to be produced and the contract is ending with the custom builder, then for both parties (the builder & manufacturer) there is little incentive to build a custom frame.
Kona's decal policy is not fool proof, and in the past it was a relatively easy task to get what you want if you knew who to ask
Mr. Zero
Senior Retro Guru
Well, it might be looking positive for the frame being a Hot after all. Kona Tech got back to me with the question of whether the down tube is ovalized at the junctions (which I'd totally failed to consider in my initial assessment) and it is. Unfortunately they have not yet provided any feedback based on the serial number. I get the feeling whomever answered my query may be out of the office for the holidays and does not have immediate access to SN records.
I'll drop another post when I know more.
I'll drop another post when I know more.
Mr. Zero
Senior Retro Guru
Well, if anyone's been betting it's time to collect. Just got word back from Kona Tech that based on the serial number this frame is in fact a Hot from the last production run in '98. Kona Tech also confirmed that the last production run of Hots were all built with Kona dropouts.
So that's that. I guess all of my stomping and gnashing of teeth was for nothing aside from the fact that it's still an 18" rather than a 17" :evil: . At least I can now pass it along to someone else confident that it is what it is supposed to be.
If anyone's interested shoot me a PM. If I don't hear from anyone who's been following this thread I'll post it on the For Sale forum in the next couple of days.
Thanks to everyone for your input on this issue. It certainly made for some interesting discussion.
So that's that. I guess all of my stomping and gnashing of teeth was for nothing aside from the fact that it's still an 18" rather than a 17" :evil: . At least I can now pass it along to someone else confident that it is what it is supposed to be.
If anyone's interested shoot me a PM. If I don't hear from anyone who's been following this thread I'll post it on the For Sale forum in the next couple of days.
Thanks to everyone for your input on this issue. It certainly made for some interesting discussion.
Mr. Zero":373ac4zc said:Well, if anyone's been betting it's time to collect. Just got word back from Kona Tech that based on the serial number this frame is in fact a Hot from the last production run in '98. Kona Tech also confirmed that the last production run of Hots were all built with Kona dropouts.
So that's that. I guess all of my stomping and gnashing of teeth was for nothing aside from the fact that it's still an 18" rather than a 17" :evil: . At least I can now pass it along to someone else confident that it is what it is supposed to be.
If anyone's interested shoot me a PM. If I don't hear from anyone who's been following this thread I'll post it on the For Sale forum in the next couple of days.
Thanks to everyone for your input on this issue. It certainly made for some interesting discussion.
That’s good news, but in any case if your Hot has ovalised tubing and a 98 Explosif doesn’t, that in itself is proof that it was US-built to a different spec.
I wonder if Altitude Cycles still exists in Chico and knows the history of the custom frames after Tom Teesdale stopped making them? They seem to have built the other custom bikes as well, but somehow the custom Caldera and the Ku never had star status like the Hot . But from what you say, it sounds as though the frames were built in production runs - so maybe Kona stored them until someone placed an order, then sent them off individually to be painted, and only the paint job by Velographics in Bellingham was truly custom.
As the bike is presumably unique, it seems a pity that it’s not the perfect size for you. I’d make you an offer, but I’m not sure if I’d like a shorter stem than the 80mm I run on a 17. Anyways, a 17 is prettier than an 18!
