2010 Kona Kula SS

snotty badger

I picked up this frame from eBay to swap all the bits from the DMR. I thought about getting a "Gucci" brand but quickly realised it wouldn't make me any quicker or even enjoy biking more! This build was to stop so much wear and tear on my Pitch but TBH I really enjoy riding this bike, its very quick around Whinlatter.
I wasn't keen on the blue at first but its grown on me, its in too nicer condition to justify a respray too.

The DMR was great to ride but a heavy old beast for XC/Trail use, the Kula frame is about 1.5kg lighter! Its got a slighty slacker head angle too as well as a longer TT, I did feel a little cramped on the Trailstar.


















The last two photos were taken today on its maiden natural voyage, excuse the blurry-ness please.

It was a mate that recommened using a Stinger as the chain tensioner, I think it definitely looks neater. Seeing as the mech hanger was redundant I made a small aluminium infill to tidy things up a bit.

I got all Blue Peter and made a Mucky Nutz style mudguard using some wafer thin carbon fibre too- its frikkin close to the tyre so I don't expect it will last long.

I was running 2.3 Eskar front and rear but tyre clearance was not great so chucked on a Conti Explorer that I had kicking about - it'll do for now.
I was unsure on the bar width at first too but getting quite use to it now- almost bought some eXotic carbon bars last week too!

Frame: 2010 Kona Kula 7005 RaceLight
Forks: 2009(?) RockShox Reba Race w/Pushloc
Bars: Specialized 2014 alloy flat bars 600mm wide
Stem: Exotic 60mm
Headset: FSA Internal
Grips: Specialized

Front Brake: Hayes Stroker Ryde
Front disc: 185mm Superstar Rotor
Rear Brake: Hayes Stroker Ryde
Rear Disc: 160mm Hayes Rotor

Seat: Specialized
Seat Post: Superstar inline in Gunsmoke
Seat Post Clamp: Superstar

Cranks: SLX HT2
Chainring(s): Hope 32t in Black
Chain: KMC 8spd
Rear Sprocket: Shimano 18t w/Fire Eye spacers
Chain Tensioner: Blackspire Stinger
Pedals: eXotic "Nanos"
Bottom Bracket: Shimano XT

Front Wheel: Mavic Crosstride
Tube: Yes
Tyre: Specialized Eskar 2.3

Back Wheel: Mavic Crosstride
Tube: Yes
Tyre: Continental Explorer 2.1

Weight: 23.5lb

New chain has been ordered, that one is close to 0.75 and has seen better days.

I'll probably get some lighter pedals some time soon. Any other ideas where I can drop some weight?

IT66T

I'm loving your bike and the colour really does look good but i'm not to sure where else you could cut the weight down other than cutting your handle bars down a couple of inches and your seat stem and maybe fitting narrower tyres as that's what i did years ago on my old Muddy Fox Explorer and it does make a slight difference but the thing with cutting the width of the handle bars down is that the bike will feel slightly twitchy but i got to like it when i did mine .

Matt-r8

Rigid carbon fork. I have DMR vault pedals fitted, they are nice and light, but the finish suffers badly when bashed on rocks and every 3-4 rides I have to strip them down and re-grease as the seals don't locate properly. Only takes 5 minutes to strip them down though.
Nice bike

leaflite

You could probably drop about 300g with a new wheelset, and about 200g with new brakes. I dont think you could save much without spending a fortune on it.

It looks great btw

jay12

you could easily save weight with some lighter cranks

snotty badger

I've tried rigid and was a bit to hardcore for me. The bars are quite narrow as they are, I couldn't live with them being any narrower.

I was thinking about swapping the SLX cranks of the Pitch on to the Kona, can't remember if there's much of a weight difference?

New wheels could be a way to drop some weight- I'll trash these ones first though!

Thanks for comments guys 8)

hucking_fell

I used a DMR bb mounted roller guide as a tensioner:



I've often wondered why most folk use a tensioner on the mech hanger as, like you, I think the way you've done things looks a lot neater.

I've no experience of the Blackspire rollers but if they're cheap plasticky ones, like Superstar's, then getting a softer roller, like an MRP, will make your bike super stealthy silent 8)

(It's an MRP roller in the pic above)

snotty badger

The rollers not amazing, only has a bearing on one side, even then the bearing can rotate on the bolt rather than actually spinning on itself.

foy

Looking at your photos it is very obvious that you are high up in the hills. How do you manage climbing and pedalling on the flat with only one gear? What inch gear are you running on your singlespeed and what are the benefits of this set up over a 30 speed system? Apart from lower weight and less maintenance i just cannot see the point, but i stand to be corrected lol!

snotty badger

foy wrote:

Looking at your photos it is very obvious that you are high up in the hills. How do you manage climbing and pedalling on the flat with only one gear? What inch gear are you running on your singlespeed and what are the benefits of this set up over a 30 speed system? Apart from lower weight and less maintenance i just cannot see the point, but i stand to be corrected lol!

I did have a one small push during that ride, but it's a technical climb that can be challenging on a geared bike. It is hard work uphill, but ridable. On the flat I spin out at about 14mph at a guess. That ride was about 25 miles and I averaged about 11mph.

Some people get SS'ing some don't. I built it up to save wear and tear on my Pitch, so I wanted as little maintenance as possible. And I enjoy the challenge of SS'ing. I love not thinking what gear, or wussing out and going for an easy gear when a climb becomes too steep.

I'm also powered my self-smugness when I pass people round Whinlatter on their 3x10 6" travel full sussers!

snotty badger

Small update:

Swapped the cranks over to SLX and the pedals to Exotic "Nanos". I picked up a Charge spoon from Wiggle too, same saddle on both MTBs now.

I was twisting the grips so got some Superstars in blue with orange ends. They looked a bit out of place so got a Superstar seat post clamp and Fire Eye single speed spacers in orange too. I feel a bit dirty for buying bling that I didn't need but the bike looks better for it, well I think it does anyways!