My lovely 2003 Kona Explosif

DJ311206

OK, so I've spent a lot of time on here, checking out other peoples bikes and thought it was about time I showed mine. I bought it new in 2003 (online) after originally ordering a Kona Kula (£900). The shop for some reason sent me the Explosif, which was actually £400 more. I removed it from the box and immediately fell in love with it! I couldn't afford the additional £400 and being an honest guy, I phoned them to let them know they'd made a mistake. At this point I did get a bit cocky and suggested that rather than going through the ballache of returning it, I would make them an offer of an extra £50 and amazingly they said yes! So I ended up getting a brand new £1300 bike for a bargain £950!
It's been through many changes over the years and was featured in What MTB in 2011 looking very different (Fox Vanilla forks, Crossmax wheels and a USE suspension seatpost). I've had opportunities over the years to replace it but could never bring myself to let it go and I could never really justify having more than 1 bike. I have a real emotional attatchment to it (as daft as that sounds!) and refer to it as my "second child" behind my 6 year old son! I look after it very well, clean it regularly but also use it on my daily 11 mile commute to work through any weather conditions.
Anyway, enough of my waffle, here's the details. Enjoy!:

Frame: 16inch True Temper OX Platinum steel.
Forks: Exotic Carbon rigid
Bars: Answer Pro-Carbon
Stem: Ritchey 4-Axis 90mm
Headset: VP Comp
Grips: THE Lock-on with Hope end plugs


Front Disc: Hope Mono M4 with Clarks lightweight 180mm rotor
Rear Disc: Hope Mono M4 with Clarks lightweight 160mm rotor
Hoses: Goodridge (white)


Shifters: SLX
Cables: Goodridge (white)
Front Mech: XT (original!)
Rear Mech: XT

Seat: Charge Spoon
Seat Post: Thomson
Seat Post Clamp: Hope QR

Cranks: SLX with MOWA red bolts
Cassette: SRAM PG990 Redwin Red
Pedals: DMR V8 Magnesium
Bottom Bracket: Funn

Front Wheel:
Rim: DT Swiss XR400
Hub: Hope Pro2 SP with Hope skewers
Tire: Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.25 (black with silver stripe)

Back Wheel:
Rim: DT Swiss XR400
Hub: Hope Pro2 SP with Hope skewers
Tire: Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.25 (black with silver stripe)

Weight: A touch under 24 pounds.

In the next couple of weeks I will be replacing the tyres as both are now quite worn. Can't decide between Panaracer Fire XCs (black with red stripe) or another set of the Nobby Nics (black/silver). Any opinions?
After that its Clarks floating rotors (red) and possibly changing the brakes to Clarks Exo Skeletal's but unsure on that one at the minute. Piccys....

cameronb

Looks very well mate, that frame doesn't look 10 years old at all!

chez_m356

not a fan of rigid forks, but thats a nice looking bike, looks immaculate

Carl170

chez_m356 wrote:

not a fan of rigid forks, but thats a nice looking bike, looks immaculate

+1!

I have recently been locking my forks out as my main stretch is on an old waggonway. I have noticed how much faster and fluid the ride seems to be without the front bobbing along. I have a Kona Blast from 2006 (very little of the original bike is left now).

I had a Cromoly Scott in the 90's and never struggled without suspension, and I pretty much ride the same trails today.

As most of us don't use susupension to its full potential, I wonder how much of the fork is really dead weight?

Lastly, if I went rigid, I would go with CrMo fork. I believe the forks flex slighty to absorb trail shock, hence the tapered and curved tubes.

Regards

Carl

PS re Tyres - The Panaracers are excellent (I also have the Red/Black). They grip really well and are VERY hard wearing. I have put over 800 miles on mine and they just don't seem to be wearing out!. They are slightly draggy on Tarmac though, but thats about the only downside. I have tried a few other tyres from different manufacturers, and while I was pleased about them rolling a bit quicker, I came off a couple of times on runs I had previously done with the XC's on (The back end slid out). So I swapped back.