Kona - Explosif 1997

[FluffyChicken]

Well I've decided to buy a modern frame.

Regulars will recognise it
It's a 1997 Kona Explosif

Painted green and it's far 'greener' than I thought from the photo's but then I shouldn't use a laptop screen for gauging colours

It has an added Canti brace at the back
It's 20"

Knowledge weaned from KonaRetro and WayBackMachine Kona website circa1997 and previous owner and the usual Kona Guru

EXPLOSIF '97
· Constructed entirely of Columbus Nivacrom Max OR tubing.
· Tubing wall thickness: Top - .7/.4/.7, Down - .8/.5/.8
· The seat tube is custom drawn for Kona by Columbus with a wall thickness of 1.3/.6/.9
· Columbus drawn, oversized seat stays dramatically improve braking performance.
· Made for 27.0mm seat post, 28.6mm front derailleur, 68mm bottom bracket, & 1-1/8" headset.
· Made with Italian tubing.
· 4.0 lbs for an 18" frame.
Actual frame weight is 4 lb 10½ oz (4.65lb) (20")

seat collar 29.8mm (30.0 is fine)
I know it came with 63mm suspension forks. (INDY-SL '97)

So there we are.
I know little about this era of bike, which is good as it means I can just pop cheap nice looking stuff on it and use it as a runabout.

Also it's the same weight, frame size, seatpost size, mech size, headset size as my 1991 RM Altitude (need to check headtube but think it's similar length).
So that makes things a touch easier to know what it'll end up like


This is the build so far

Yep, not got very far.
so the graphics are ugly and not the best quality, it's green and I have no idea what goes with it.
(better picture once I remove the grubby kids smudges :x from the lens and the sun comes out.

No real idea where to start with this one, but it's going to be a budget build.

 

[Agency_Scum]

You're an inspiration FC. I'm still waiting to get a retro Kona frame.

 

[bedraggled]

This is the build so far

BUILD –verb, to construct (esp. something complex) by assembling and joining parts or materials:

 

[BG]

I love your workstand - very organic and goes with your 'green' theme.

 

[Mr Panda]

Ha Fluffy - I was really tempted by that one but just couldn't get on with the colour

Good luck with it

 

[KeepItSteel]

it looks the same green on my monitor


looking forward to seeing it built.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Ah poop, project delayed, my RM's headtube is shorter (Whys Kona's so long) so don't think I have any forks for it Needs to be around 225mm by my calcs (150 h/tube+ 35 h/set + 40mm stem).

The greens looking better in the dark dark room, at the bottom of the dark dark stairs, in a dark dark house....

Actually it's not bad really, I just think its the lumo orange of the stickers.
Might build it up with black parts, I don't think silver will go or anything anodised.

 

[Mr Panda]

GREEN ANNO

 

[RockiMtn]

build so far? :roll:

 

[FluffyChicken]

Green Anno... interesting, though I would never be able to find the bike if I lay it on the grass

I did have this suggestion
And if you fitted a red fork and a purple saddle, you'd have the only Columbus Max bike in the world that no thief would touch.
Now I may go for the red fork, as I have some JudyXC legs in a 'fat red' colour

Been doing some maths (again)
150mm h/tube + 28mm headset (Ritchey WCS as I have one and making both bikes use the same headset seems sensible and they are nice and understated)...
leaves me with a need for a 30mm stack stem.

The one I have FSA something or other for testing is 40mm, is it ok to run it 10mm under height, I know a few are needed anyway.

Only other one's I have are 40mm RaceFace (modern) and a tall stack Syncros cattlehead with the power-zit.
So that's my next search, lol.

Once I sort that i'll do a quick (for me) test build to see if it's not too long for me.


(I have Judy XC 208mm & MAG-SL 205mm steerers)

Edit : ohh MPart:Inline headset, only 24mm stack. I think that may do it, but I'm watching F1GP.