2002 Kona Kula

-liam-

With reference to the thread below..

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopi ... highlight=

Short stoy is, current fire mountain has a suspected crack so needed a replacement for the short term while the frame is sent off to be checked tested and replaced..

I actually quite like it though Its also my first build from the frame up.

What do ya think? Be nice

This turned up yesterday..




My little helper..




Token effort at keeping mess off my workshop/kitchen floor




Old frame stripped and ready for the oven. Gas mark 5 for 60 minutes is what I recommend




Partially built. Bottom Bracket, forks, brakes etc etc all fitted.




Gears..




Bottom bracket and crankset..




Done after a bit of a polish!!
















Spec.


Frame: Kona Kula Easton Ultra light
Forks: Recon air sprung
Bars: No name Carbon
Stem: Chrome Raceface Deus xc
Headset: Can Creek
Grips: ODI Lockons
Bar Ends:

Front Brake Lever assy: Bikehut Hydros
Front Caliper: Bikehut Hydros
Front disc: 200mm
Rear Brake Lever assy: Bikehut Hydros
Rear Caliper: Bikehut Hydros
Rear Disc: 180mm
Hoses: Bikehut Hydros


Shifters: Shimano xt
Cables: Shimano xtr
Front Mech: Shimano deore
Rear Mech: Shimano xtr
Chain Device:

Seat: Selle italia xc kevlar
Seat Post: Richey Comp
Seat Post Clamp: Hope

Cranks: Shimano SLX
Chainring(s): Shimano SLX
Chain: Sram
Cassette: Sram PG970
Pedals: Shimano spds
Bottom Bracket: Shimano xt

Front Wheel: Some factory fit Alex crap to be replaced after the winter is done.
Rim:
Spokes:
Hub:
Tube:
Tire: Panaracer fire xc pro 2.1 folding

Back Wheel:
Rim:
Spokes:
Hub:
Tube:
Tire: Panaracer fire xc pro 2.1 folding

jay12

aww look at mini liam

great job on it and a really good price too.

should be light

Harry182

Sweet! Definitely a looker and £70 very well spent.

Let us know how the ride compares to your old frame.

-liam-

jay12 wrote:

aww look at mini liam

great job on it and a really good price too.

should be light

He's no angel, trust me.

The wheels will let it down big style but I'm not buying new ones pre crud and rain that is our winter..Wait till the spring i think.

-liam-

Harry182 wrote:

Sweet! Definitely a looker and £70 very well spent.

Let us know how the ride compares to your old frame.

Will do mate. It is hell of a lot lighter, the tubes seem so much thinner. The geometry is very similar between the two though.

Just need to get some new lockons now as I spent most of the time wrestling with a rounded off locking screw. Ended up butchering the grip to get it off in the end....and then i can get out on it

redvee

-Liam- wrote:

My little helper..

Looks like you might have problems when his legs are long enough to ride the bike

-liam-

redvee wrote:

Looks like you might have problems when his legs are long enough to ride the bike

Haha!

Bought him a little blue bike like Dads earlier...Should hopefully pacify him a little..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWNX:IT

supersonic

He has that look of a kid who just let your tyres down!

Stoo61

Nice build and a good solution to your problem.

-liam-

supersonic wrote:

He has that look of a kid who just let your tyres down!

He'll steal your wheels mate

Stoo61 wrote:

Nice build and a good solution to your problem.

I do actually like it though

hoathy

the kula is a much nicer frame than that fire mountian. Probably worth sticking with it even if they warranty replace your original. Kulas a lovely frame, I thinks its such a shame the newer (non delux/supreme) versions are made of such basic tubing. Yours is a true race machine though, from the days when kona still had a true edge.

The Northern Monkey

Awesome frame for £70!!

adb1006

Blue and white - aren't they Everton colours???

-liam-

adb1006 wrote:

Blue and white - aren't they Everton colours???

Yes yes, that is unfortunate

-liam-

Couple more bits..

DMR Locd Grips along with my xt shifters (bargain at 21quid off fleabay;))



and the BBB Chainstay guard. Looks really nice and seems very tough. Not bad for a fiver.

-liam-

1st proper ride today. I was actually quite sceptical about the difference in Kona "geometries" as at first glance this one looked the same sort of shape as the old bike. However, riding position is completely different - you are far more stretched out and It feels fast. I did go to the trouble of comparing the old frame to the new one whenI got home and the angle of the seatpost and seat stays is actually completely different.

Nothing I have fitted let me down. The xtr rear mech and xt shifters feel much more positive and smooth although, after 2 years of rapid rise, I did catch myself shifting the wrong way on more than one occasion.

With the mud and crap about, I think I need some more suitable tyres though..I've not been out properly in a while apart from tootling around and I wasn't very confident on the mud and wet roots like I used to infact on one occasion I ended up halfway down a steep bank after bottling the turn in and running wellllllll wide lol!

Pics















This is how you wash a bike when you live in a 2 bedroom flat with no "bike wash facility" lol

jay12

nice, i'm glad you like it.

my mum or dad would never let me wash my bike in the bath

pte1643

Built yourself a very nice looking machine there Liam.

Can't see you going back to the FM frame now.

-liam-

jay12 wrote:

nice, i'm glad you like it.

my mum or dad would never let me wash my bike in the bath

Good job it is my bath then

-liam-

pte1643 wrote:

Built yourself a very nice looking machine there Liam.

Can't see you going back to the FM frame now.

No mate, Any replacement will go up for sale I'd imagine. Bike shop have said they would be happy to discount on a better frame though so long as it is kona. Might talk to them about a road bike possibly, to build up.

-liam-

Not that anyone should be interested, just thought I'd update my thread with a few recent additions....You have to appreciate that I am on a proper genuine budget here and have perhaps 50 quid/month at the very most to spend on this heap of junk

Anyway..

I've changed the bars for some nice Bontrager race light carbon fibre risers. I did have composite bars before but a) they were very cheap and also very narrow at around 580mm and the Bonty's look alot nicer Also, as the old bars were standard diameter and the bonty's are oversize, the chrome raceface stem went for a truvativ team 80mm stem....roughly 50 quid for the 2 combined


Next up is the brakes. Replaced the trusty old Bikehut Hydro's with Avid juicy 5 brakes. Bought the front and rear separately. Front were brand new and paid 40 quid. Rears just needed a bleed and paid 20 quid...60 quid for front and rear avid 5's?..happy as ...



Taking into account the better performance, another reason for replacing the old brakes was the shape of the lever. It meant that I couldn't run with the xt shifters "inboard" because the lever just got in the way. Juicy 5's allow that. As my shifters didnt come with the fancy blanking plate behind the optic, I blanked the resultant hole with a little Carbon Fibre effect sheet





...and..

,,,she is a dirty old girl