Kona Kula 2000 - New member, first build thread

[captainsully]

Hi I'm a new member and recently picked up a lovely Kona Kula from Dom (@d8mok - thank you!)



It arrived in great condition and didn't need much of a clean, though I did give it a nice polish and wax - for those interested in the detailing details there's info below.

I'm going to put this together as a bit of a dream build - all the best parts I've collected recently, and some influence from what I wished my first Kona would be a couple of decades ago - which has to include Marzocchi Bombers.

Trigger warning - this build will include a 1x drivetrain. And a dropper (more on that in my next update). But also a cat, so that should keep everyone happy.

As for parts, I'm trying to keep weight down without compromising on it being able to handle a decent trail. Easton Ultra Lite tubing helps there! I'll be weighing the parts and can give numbers if anyone is interested, and currently estimate around 11.5kg if all goes to plan.



Some bits may change along the way - the plan so far is:
Frame: Kona Kula 2000 (glow in the dark decals)
Forks: Marzocchi Bomber MXC 100mm
Wheels: Mavic XC717 on Hope hubs
Crankset: Shimano SLX M7100 (if the chain line is alright)
Cassette: Shimano HG500 11-42t 10sp
Derailleur & shifter: Shimano M6000
Tyres: Either a pair of Maxxis Aspen or Continental Speed King in 2.1 width
Headset: Cane creek 10
Seatpost: Dropper - details coming soon
Brakes: Shimano M665 calipers with M6100 levers (once I put them together)
Stem and handlebars with be picked when I get the rest of the bike put together

The first stage of the build was prep and clean. This turned out really well and I was thinking it's to nice to ride, but then came to my senses.



First removed the stickers with a hair dryer, and cleaned off almost all the marks with a magic eraser. Then a going over with two polishing compounds - Meguiare's ultimate (to restore the lacquer and colour), then Autoglym super resin (protect / fill), then Collinite wax. The photos don't do it justice - I'll make sure to take some outdoors when the weather's good.

What a lovely frame!



Thanks for taking a look.
- Darren

 

[Lostcause]

Hi and welcome. What a beautiful frame, this is going to be a stunner. Looking forward to seeing more of this one.

 

[eric_james]

posted here for updates. very nice, build it, use it and enjoy it

 

[captainsully]

Thank you for the comments! I'm really enjoying the build - here's an update on fitting the dropper. It's a bit of a long post so feel free to skip to the photos!

I've decided to try something a bit of a challenge and fit an internally routed dropper, because it will look more elegant than an external one, but without drilling a hole in the frame.

After some pondering I thought I'd see if I could get the cable through one of the bottle cage bolt holes. The answer is yes - but it's fiddly. And don't worry, I saved the original bolt for use elsewhere on the frame.

The seat tube is 27.0 but the dropper is 27.2. Fingers crossed. I chose an Ascend CX as they're only £40 on CRC at the moment. Being a CX dropper means the lever clamp will be too big for my handlebars - I might get a new lever, or just pop in a shim.

For the bolt hole - luck was on my side. I decided upon a long nose SP41 gear outer noodle, inside a gear barrel adjuster, and it fits into the thread nicely and ensures any cable would (hopefully) not rub as it went round a 90 degree bend.



The challenge though was how to get the cable down the seat tube and out that hole. It would be easier the other way, but dropper cables run the opposite way round to all the other cables, towards to handlebars. The answer was to thread some fishing line up the seat tube, then tie and glue it to the cable and trim it right on the knot. Then pull it very carefully and try not to get to giddy when it appears through the hole. The cat was trying to help identify where the cable was.

The challenge though was how to get the cable down the seat tube and out that hole. It would be easier the other way, but dropper cables run the opposite way round to all the other cables, towards to handlebars. The answer was to thread some fishing line up the seat tube, then tie and glue it to the cable and trim it right on the knot. Then pull it very carefully and try not to get to giddy when it appears through the hole.



With the cable out I needed to then fit the dropper to the end of it, and squeeze it in the tube. On first attempt it was tight, but with a light sanding by hand to remove the paint a bit and make the seatpost smoother, and plenty of grease, it went in surprisingly easily. Very satisfying.



Current weight: 2566 grams, including headset cups, bottle cage, dropper seatpost, and roughly 50 grams of extra cable outer which I'll trim off.

Next I'll be sorting the paint on the forks - which are a bit tatty but still work well, because they're Marzocchis.

Thanks for looking!

 

[rigidftw]

Reaming the seat tube to 27.2mm would make it even lighter!

Cool project! Looking forward for more.

 

[captainsully]

Haha yes I'm glad I didn't need to consider that! Thanks

 

[W7Ford]

Wow, very nice, pleased it's gone to someone who is taking some care over it.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Going to be nice. Cool cat too.

 

[M124]

Very nice.
Green and white is easily the best jungle kona paint
Look forward to the build

 

[moonlite]

Taking note of your regime for buffing and protecting the frame finish -- looks excellent!