Kona P2 Forks

[Ally]

First post - Hello everyone!

Could someone please explain P2 forks to me please. Around 1996ish, did they go from welded dropouts to cast safety style ones? I will be after a set at some point as I am to be getting a Kona in a few weeks and it has suspension on it. I am obviously going to put it back to a rigid bike.

Been looking on e-bay and looks like there are two types of P2's, but possibly just me looking at the photos wrong.

Cheers.

A.T.

 

[FluffyChicken]

They did use to come with suspension as well, but what Kona model is it and any pictures.


P2 are just a straight bladed fork, nothing really special. Just get the right length for our bike.



'96 cats
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/mai ... 6bbc4e9f38

 

[Ally]

No - no pictures yet. Its a 96 Kileaua (greenish). I'm buying it from a pal and won't get photos for a week or so as its at his parents house. I'm waiting to find out if its a threaded or aheadset type. I know its 1-1/8". I guess there's a few forks I could fit, just liked the look of the P2's, but as above - looks to be two types on the go - or is that me looking at it wrong?

 

[Anthony]

I don't think there are different types of dropout on P2s. There is a P2 from a 96 Kilauea on eBay at the moment, and there's a thread about it in the ebay section on here.

As it's a 96, it'll be threaded and 1 1/8, so you need to fit it to a frame of the same length head tube (or slightly shorter if you cut the steerer down). It will be the triple-butted version, weighing c800g, depending on steerer length. It will be 41cm a-c, made for a suspension-adjusted frame.

It is a pretty good fork if it's suitable for the frame you have in mind for it, but you'll need to tell us about the frame if you need advice as to whether the P2 is suitable.

 

[Ally]

Cool, thanks for that. Just wasn't too sure.
I won't have the bike for a couple of weeks, so I'll probably wait until then before I get forks.
It was P2's on it before my pal put on suspension, so they'll be fine on it again.
Its a bit of a blind buy really at the moment.
I've had plenty of bikes from that time, just never wanted a Kona before, but I do now.

 

[Anthony]

I'm sorry, I thought you meant it was the P2 forks you were getting from your friend. If you mean you're getting a 96 Kilauea frame, then you can fit any fork you like to it, threaded or threadless, but most people find that 80mm travel is the most you can plug in without the head angle getting too slack.

If you want to get a contemporary P2 for it, like the one on eBay, it needs a threaded steerer c3cm longer than the length of the head tube. If you get a later ahead fork, it needs a steerer at least 7cm longer than the head tube (my 97 Kilauea's P2 had a 187mm steerer for its 11cm head tube).

I don't know if you noticed, but the 96 Kilauea frame pictured below sold for £205 on eBay a few days ago. It was apparently in good condition but even so that was an exceptional price - an average condition one would normally go for around £100-125.

 

[Ally]

Probably me being unclear. I'm trying to floor the bathroom and look after my daughters, plus I'm easily distracted.
Aye, its a blind buy as to condition and so on, but we'll see in a week or so. Thanks for the sizing info: I'm going to wait anyway and if its still a threaded headset I'll convert it to threadless when I do the forks and then I'll be able to measure up.
I've got the time to decide what to do. He's going to send photos next week. Looking forward to a rigid bike again.
Thanks for the info. Nae doubt I'll be asking more questions.

 

[Mr Panda]

There are also more recent P2 "jump" forks available with the dropouts welded to front of fork blade. Not to be confused with proper P2s. I bought a set for my sons bike and they are much heavier than the original P2s. Tough, but heavy. They're ok if you get them cheap enough

I like the real P2s though - great for off road as long as you're not jumping off cliffs - excellent for farm tracks / landrover tracks etc

Frame prices - yep variable in the least - just missed out on complete 1992 Explosif today on Obey which went for £170 :roll: Quick service was all it needed - good buy

 

[suburbanreuben]

Some time between '93 and '97 the dropout DID change quite considerably. I had a chance to compare mu old Kilauea, sold to a mate, and much regretted ever since, and my new one. The old P2's (triple butted) had a quite considerable shroud around the dropout, that the newer ones do not have. The oldies are much neater, and ooze "Quality".

 

[Ally]

Ok - That's exactly what I'm looking at.
I assumed the shroud bit came later, so I've got it the wrong way round. Thanks for clearing that up: the photos I've been looking at aren't too clear, but I though I was seeing things.
Not that it will make any odds to what I get, but I like to know these things. (I'll still look for an early one though).
Aye, ment to comment earlier, that frame above did seem expensive. If it is the same thing I'm getting, its a fair bit less I'm paying for the complete bike, but as I've said before - its a blind buy.