Karma Kona!! Knocked together in an afternoon.....

[LikeClockwork]

(Build pics now added further down )

Finally managed to meet up and collect this lovely little karma frame off of Rojo (thanks again, JB!) after the weather playing havoc with our best efforts for weeks.... :facepalm:

Anyone got any ideas on model? 16" frame and weighs 5lbs 7oz on my Mum's fairly accurate old kitchen scales, so assuming something like a Hahana or Fire Mountain, as that seems heavy especially for a small frame. Top tube cable routing so surely that helps with dating? Resprayed by Argos and used pretty well by the looks of it since then, the decals are 'stuck on' after market ones rather than under lacquer.

Kona drop outs, numbers on BB as per pic, and a frame number that is a little illegible due to the repaint but starts with 'F804'......

I leave the rest to you guys.... :mrgreen:

 

[LikeClockwork]

Re: Karma Kona!! But which model is it??

Also, can someone just remind me of the older Kona seat clamp size, I measured it quickly as 30mm?? Know post is 27mm, got one of those already!

 

[konaman1]

Re: Karma Kona!! But which model is it??

Clamp should be 30.0

 

[LikeClockwork]

Re: Karma Kona!! But which model is it??

Thank you!

I had a load of Kona dog collars and the canti guide thingies a couple of years ago, sold them as a job lot on ebay for about a tenner, now just seen the price they go for :facepalm:

 

[matt24777]

Re: Karma Kona!! But which model is it??

Hmmm The 94 19 inch Fire mountain I had was 5.5lbs so that does seem a wee bit lardy. The tubes do look quite fat in the photos,

I would think looking at it, based on the cable routing and weight, a 98/99 onwards Hahanna. (the Fire mountains were double butted so I would have thought lighter than 5lb 7oz)

 

[al-onestare]

Re: Karma Kona!! But which model is it??

Yep, that triple cable routing for a Kona steel hard tail means it's a 1998 or later model. In fact, based on what I've learnt this week with drop out's on later Kona's, this may be a 1998 model not a 99.

 

[LikeClockwork]

Re: Karma Kona!! But which model is it??

Wasn't sure as the decals weren't original....best get mods to move this then :facepalm:

Does the frame number not help at all with dating on Kona's? Or does that '8' stand for '98??

 

[LikeClockwork]

Well, managed to get this pretty much put together this afternoon! Some of the finished article pics not the best as the light was going, the baby blue colour is much nicer than it looks in those...

Mish mash of parts, lots of XT, forks are actually off a Carrera Subway and are quite impressive, if heavier, P2 look a likes. Minor build niggles included trying to get a new cable in the XT shifter, sure enough as warned the screws are rubbish and though I had two shifters to choose from, both had one screw that rounded off :evil: Eventually, after much cussing, I gave up and put a slot in it with a needle file and used a flat blade screwdriver on it.

Still need to give it all a good polish on the paint work and a new brake cable on the front, longer gear outer at the rear mech, and a couple of other adjustments, and haven't got a seat clamp for it! Which means it's impossible to put in the work stand properly by the post, and is making checking the gears a real niggle too....

Surprising when you add up the cost of a build like this, it's just thrown together and a lot of the parts were very cheap or karma, like the frame, yet it still comes to over £170, and there's no way it's worth that as a complete bike! Now just to ride and enjoy for a bit, well once I've got that post secured....

 

[matt24777]

Nice, How does it handle?

 

[LikeClockwork]

Dunno yet Matt, didn't risk a test ride without that saddle secure, lol! And do just need to double check all the bolts are tight, it was getting cold out so I gave up and came back in!