Finally finished my King Kahuuuuuna 😍

Monkeeee01

Senior Retro Guru
So….. most of you will be familiar with this frame which @Splatter Paint kindly sold me last year

Plan was to is build it up with modern gear to make it different, and to make use of the unique disc tab which I’ve been told Pip believed was factory installed by Kona - despite it being a 97 frame (it’s on the register under 97) @al-onestare - not sure if you want to update it now the blue decals have been removed and 97 repro ones from Gill added.

It’s taken me around 6 months to get all the parts and get it built. I originally wanted to see if I could build a bike with absolutely no Shimano on it but in the end I put NOS modern XT brakes on it as I got them locally for a really good deal.

I’ve just taken out her out for her first ride and she absolutely flies. Really lively and climbs really quickly. I think she feels faster than my 96 Hot (I appreciate she has modern kit and the forks are newer & plusher) but the frame is lighter and felt more responsive).

Full spec is:

97 King Kahuna frame
Chris King Ti headset
Mavic Crossmax SLR 6 bolt disc wheels
Fork 100 Factory series forks (new/wrong decals)
Middleburn cranks
SRAM X01 11 speed mech and shifter
SRAM P1130 11 speed cassette & chain
XT Disc Brakes
Easton Havoc handlebars
PRO Tharsis 3FIVE Stem
Thomson seatpost
WTB Silverado saddle
Schwalble Nobby Nic tyres

Really chuffed with her and I reckon I might end up riding this the most of all my oldskool bikes.

I do want to put a Thomson 100mm 0 degree rise stem with shorter bars on her but I’m not in a rush.





IMG_6185.jpeg IMG_6191.jpeg IMG_6189.jpeg IMG_7205.webp IMG_7204.webp IMG_7486.webp IMG_7487.webp IMG_7488.webp IMG_7489.webp IMG_7491.webp
 
Last edited:
Why not get a set of Fox Float F100's from around that time? I'm sure that's what I had on mine. Went well enough.

In fact I've even got a set of Fox Talas that go from 85-130 you can buy 😉
 
thanks, I’ve got a couple of pairs of Fox F100 from that era but I want to do a more modern build on this one tbh to make it different

I’m looking at these, I know they will be heavier and 120mm might be a bit much but I think they will look really cool and ride well with modern disc wheels

IMG_6195.webp
 
Just a thought….. 80mm travel fork but 27.5” wheel?!? :eek:

I’ve never seen a mullet HHKK before.

The axle-crown measurements will be the killer on a modern fork. The F100 was fine with a short stem and risers, but awful on flat bar.
 
Yeah my mechanic suggested a mullet 27.5 set up on the front but a Quick Look at EBay and I couldn’t find a single 27.5 fork that didn’t have a tapered steerer!!
 
Back
Top