Kona Ku

[theboy]

Thanks chaps, some interesting stuff there, I can remember lusting after the 97 one in the catalogue, and some of the colours above are very nice. I know what you mean about 14 year old Ally frames, however I think if treated properly, and not underbuilt for weight saving (see: Manitou) they should be alright.

That first one Anthony posted looks like a 95 to me, assuming decals are original.

It was bought in 1996 from a bike shop in Colorado, the decals are original, its frame number KU015.

 

[Geoff]

Wow congrats! Defo looks like 95 then, nice bit of gear, first 95 I've seen, rare bit of gear.

 

[Kona Paul]

That first one Anthony posted looks like a 95 to me, assuming decals are original.

95-96 had the same style dt decals (94-96 actually, but no 94 Ku), and as paint was custom, it could be either.

 

[Kona Paul]

Some more pics:

I've never really got into Alu frames but I am warming to them now. I'd love a Ku to build up as a superfast top end bike...but can we really trust an aluminium frame that is 11-14 years old? I don't know? Some of them would make great wall art though!

I know of a couple of 97 Kula´s and a 96 alloy Voodoo that are still rolling, so it's totally conceivable they have life left in them.

And no, there was no 94. As stated above 95-98. Despite the occasional suggestion on the mtb site here, it seems unlikely the fellow who has Kona.dk will be bringing the site back to life. Shame really.

 

[Anthony]

Thanks chaps, some interesting stuff there, I can remember lusting after the 97 one in the catalogue, and some of the colours above are very nice. I know what you mean about 14 year old Ally frames, however I think if treated properly, and not underbuilt for weight saving (see: Manitou) they should be alright.

The other thread about aluminium aging contains some mixed views, but I would just point out that none of the bikes pictured here has a replaceable mech hanger (the picture of the 98 isn't quite clear, but the Kula didn't have one until 99 or so). That may be part of the reason why there are so few of them around - that plus there only being maybe 50 Kus per annum in the first place.

This is a picture of a 97 Kula though, owned by OrangeRetro. He says it is still going very strong and showing no signs of its life being finite. It's similar to a Ku in one respect, its custom paint and decals - except in this case they are the work not of Velographics, but of OrangeRetro. And a remarkably fine recreation too IMHO.

 

[theboy]

agreed, a good job on that there Kula.

any idea why the Ku has two threaded holes in each dropout? there are no rack mounts on the chainstay or bridge?

and its a bummer about the non-replacable gear hanger too.

 

[Anthony]

agreed, a good job on that there Kula.
any idea why the Ku has two threaded holes in each dropout? there are no rack mounts on the chainstay or bridge?
and its a bummer about the non-replacable gear hanger too.

I guess the dropouts on the Ku might well be different from the ones on the Kula, and would be whatever was the pattern that suited the Easton Elite stays. I doubt if they were made specially for the Ku though, my understanding is that dropouts are made in huge numbers and for a wide variety of applications.

 

[Geoff]

That first one Anthony posted looks like a 95 to me, assuming decals are original.

95-96 had the same style dt decals (94-96 actually, but no 94 Ku), and as paint was custom, it could be either.

96 decals are not quite the same as 95... The top tube decals are square in 95, jungle in 96.

 

[theboy]

96 decals are not quite the same as 95... The top tube decals are square in 95, jungle in 96.

that makes the blue one and Jez's old red one '95s then I guess, although what with them being custom frames, ordered at different times through the year then I assume its not unconceivable that there were some frames built in those periods when they were bringing in the new models.

The blue Ku above is actually a pretty much identical colour to the first 'proper' MTB I had, a '95 (I think) Hahanna.

 

[Geoff]

Pretty sure Jez's old one is a 96- looks jungle font to me (the fruit only turned up in 97). But you're right- what with being built elsewhere, it's very hard to know whether they stuck to the exact decals for each year.