Resurrected Kona HT

Sloper

I've just finished putting this Kona together. I've always wanted to do something like this, but with one eye on the budget, couldn't get everything I really wanted. I think it's turned out pretty nice though; certainly more than good enough for a fat old bastard like me!

I started with just a frame and crankset which I bought off a mate at work for 20 quid. It was in a very bad state, so I had the frame powder-coated and binned the original crankset and BB, just keeping the pedals. (I have SPDs on my Merlin, but I'm not liking them too much. I'm gonna give these flats a bash for a bit). Everything else is new apart from the seatpost, which I found in the classifieds on here. What do ya think?

















Frame: Kona
Forks: Rockshox Reba SL
Bars: Reverse DH
Stem: Kore
Headset: FSA Orbit II
Grips: Kona
Bar Ends: none

Front Brake Lever assy: Shimano M486 white
Front Caliper: Shimano XT
Front disc: 180mm
Rear Brake Lever assy: Shimano M486 white
Rear Caliper: Shimano XTR
Rear Disc: 160
Hoses: Hel hoses and fittings


Shifters: SLX
Cables: SLX
Front Mech: Deore
Rear Mech: SLX
Chain Device: none

Seat: Charge Spoon
Seat Post: Ritchey Pro
Seat Post Clamp: Brand X Lightweight

Cranks: Shimano LX
Chainring(s): Shimano LX 44.32.22
Chain: SRAM 971
Cassette: Shimano SLX
Pedals: DMR
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Hollowtech II

Front Wheel: wheels by Merlin
Rim: Mavic XM 317
Spokes: ACI Black S/S DB
Hub: Shimano SLX
Tube: Halfords
Tire: Kenda Small Block 8 DTC

Back Wheel: Yes!
Rim: Mavic XM 317
Spokes: ACI Black S/S DB
Hub: Shimano SLX
Tube Halfords:
Tire: Kenda Small Block 8

Weight: bang on 26 lbs

The Big Cheese

really nice, I like that a lot. Nicer colour to those bars, really nice

Sloper

Cheers Mr. Cheese. That's praise coming from the owner of that feckin' gorgeous Marin!

Da Mighty Chicken

Looks real nice, good job on tidying her up, also loving the stem, bar & spacer combo 8)

Sloper

Da Mighty Chicken wrote:

Looks real nice, good job on tidying her up, also loving the stem, bar & spacer combo 8)

Cheers. I bought a Thomson stem originally, but it didn't fit my 31.8mm 'bars. I really wanted a white one anyway and I was surprised to find the 23 quid Kore was lighter than the Thomson :shock:

In the flesh, the blue of the 'bars doesn't really match the blue Hope spacers too well, but never mind

Anonymous

nice looking bike buddy,
the powder coat looks a top job aswell

jmillen

Liking the colour scheme, any other plans for it ?

Sloper

raceface gt wrote:

nice looking bike buddy,
the powder coat looks a top job aswell

Yeh I couldn't be happier with the powder coating. Well, I suppose if it was cheaper..
It cost 57 quid at Triple S, in Bingley.

Sloper

jmillen wrote:

Liking the colour scheme, any other plans for it ?

Nope, not as yet. Just to ride it and see how I get on with flat pedals.

Last time I was cycling, I used toeclips and straps. The SPDs on my Merlin have caused me a couple of embarrasing 'offs' !

EDIT: LOL. I just noticed the colour scheme is practically the same as your Boardman

KT1973

Looks good

Paul 8v

Looks very simular to what mines going to be like, how does it ride?

Tolk

Lovely job, loving the finish on the powder coating. Interesting stickers on the reba's, seem to fade from red to orange? Mine are just red!

Sloper

Paul 8v wrote:

Looks very simular to what mines going to be like, how does it ride?

I've only managed about 5 miles on it so far as I only finished it on Saturday. It rides fine, if a little harsh feeling. That might be down to my soft arse as I haven't ridden for a few months. I'll be using it for commuting to work soon though, in an effort to get fitter for doing the Trans-Pennine Trail later in the spring, so we'll see. I put 50psi in the tyres, maybe I'll try a bit less next time. I still have to experiment with the fork's damping yet, too. So far I've only put air in them.
The bars feel a bit too wide. I could cut them down a bit but I'll wait to see if I get used to them first. And they might just feel better when I get off-road...

Show us yours when it's done 8)

Sloper

Tolk wrote:

Lovely job, loving the finish on the powder coating. Interesting stickers on the reba's, seem to fade from red to orange? Mine are just red!

Aye I'm very happy with the finish

I noticed that on the photo too. It's a trick of the sun; the stickers are really just like yours.. all red. I reckon they look better fading to orange though..

I just checked-out your 456. It weighs 27lb? I weighed mine at 26lb, which seems unlikely, given the better spec of your bike :? My scales give different readings if I move them around.. now I'm even less confident in them! :roll:

Cheers

The Northern Monkey

Me likey

Paul 8v

Sloper wrote:

Paul 8v wrote:

Looks very simular to what mines going to be like, how does it ride?

I've only managed about 5 miles on it so far as I only finished it on Saturday. It rides fine, if a little harsh feeling. That might be down to my soft ars* as I haven't ridden for a few months. I'll be using it for commuting to work soon though, in an effort to get fitter for doing the Trans-Pennine Trail later in the spring, so we'll see. I put 50psi in the tyres, maybe I'll try a bit less next time. I still have to experiment with the fork's damping yet, too. So far I've only put air in them.
The bars feel a bit too wide. I could cut them down a bit but I'll wait to see if I get used to them first. And they might just feel better when I get off-road...

Show us yours when it's done 8)

Hopefully it'll be finshed soon, I'm running mine with XM719's with 2.3 speed kings so I was hoping to run a lower pressure, maybe 35, at the moment I run quite a high pressure in my tyres on my other bike but it's only running 1.95's. If I run that at 35 it feels like the tyre is constantly squirming!
It should take the wide tyres as I've tried the ones from my missus Kona shred in there and they're pretty chunky Tioga downhill tyres!

Sloper

Can the 719s take wider tyres than the 317s? It's just that someone on here advised me that 317s weren't specced for the 2.35s I was considering.

Anyway, good luck. It'll be good to see it 8)

Paul 8v

Not sure what the 317's can do, it should say on the Mavic site, I know the 719's are for up to 2.3's, the speed kings I'm using come up smaller than 2.3. I'll let you know how much mud clearance there is with the 2.3's on it

fletch8928

You have done a lovely job there.

Da Mighty Chicken

Paul 8v wrote:

Not sure what the 317's can do, it should say on the Mavic site, I know the 719's are for up to 2.3's, the speed kings I'm using come up smaller than 2.3. I'll let you know how much mud clearance there is with the 2.3's on it

Mavics website says for the 317 Disc - 1.5 to 2.3 width tyres.

My wifes Carrera Fury has the 317 Discs on it with the 2.3 Continental Gravitys, the tyres do look smaller than other 2.3s though, but it runs lovely