1991 Kona Hei Hei - Finished pics on page 5

[Minifreak]

Re: Re:

Very cool, Tim. But, seriously, XT headset and seatpost with Suntour drivetrain......?

I’m running Shimano XT QR’s in the Suntour hubs as well just to cause more upset (the lever closure is more solid and they have a nicer finish plus match the Seat qr), and I did have a Suntour/WTB grease guard BB for it but it wouldn’t thread in fully despite being the right size and no visible damage so running an XT sealed unit as well I’m afraid

Good mix of XT and XC Pro in my books and don’t forget about the Dia-Compe SS-5 brake levers just because they are my favourite :facepalm:

Great thing about the UK 91 Hei Hei was we only got it as a frame and then specced what we wanted, I wanted a bike that looked like the catalogue pics with the main parts being the same but using Suntour XC Pro were I could as I’d not used it before and it was a build that suited it.

 

[Minifreak]

So the Track Two fork arrived and I’m very impressed with the condition, it’s a lovely dark chrome and a polish has seen a lot of the marks removed. One big problem that won’t see it fitted to the show Hei, sold to me as a 1 1/8” so I thought that’s fine, I’ll just swap the steerer out from my Tange Switchblade, oh no never that easy, it’s a 1”

Anyone fancy a stunning Track Two fork?!

 

[Coleman]

Re: Re:

Very cool, Tim. But, seriously, XT headset and seatpost with Suntour drivetrain......?

I’m running Shimano XT QR’s in the Suntour hubs as well just to cause more upset (the lever closure is more solid and they have a nicer finish plus match the Seat qr), and I did have a Suntour/WTB grease guard BB for it but it wouldn’t thread in fully despite being the right size and no visible damage so running an XT sealed unit as well I’m afraid

Good mix of XT and XC Pro in my books and don’t forget about the Dia-Compe SS-5 brake levers just because they are my favourite :facepalm:

Great thing about the UK 91 Hei Hei was we only got it as a frame and then specced what we wanted, I wanted a bike that looked like the catalogue pics with the main parts being the same but using Suntour XC Pro were I could as I’d not used it before and it was a build that suited it.

There was a MBUK article with Jo Murray in the UK riding a 1990 Explosive - XT cranks, Seatpost, drive train, Suntour brakes, XT STis - proper mist mash.

 

[Minifreak]

Re: Re:

Very cool, Tim. But, seriously, XT headset and seatpost with Suntour drivetrain......?

I’m running Shimano XT QR’s in the Suntour hubs as well just to cause more upset (the lever closure is more solid and they have a nicer finish plus match the Seat qr), and I did have a Suntour/WTB grease guard BB for it but it wouldn’t thread in fully despite being the right size and no visible damage so running an XT sealed unit as well I’m afraid

Good mix of XT and XC Pro in my books and don’t forget about the Dia-Compe SS-5 brake levers just because they are my favourite :facepalm:

Great thing about the UK 91 Hei Hei was we only got it as a frame and then specced what we wanted, I wanted a bike that looked like the catalogue pics with the main parts being the same but using Suntour XC Pro were I could as I’d not used it before and it was a build that suited it.

There was a MBUK article with Jo Murray in the UK riding a 1990 Explosive - XT cranks, Seatpost, drive train, Suntour brakes, XT STis - proper mist mash.

It all works beautifully together so going to stay, just a shame the fork won’t work.

 

[Coleman]

Re:

I agree - looks like a good mix to me, my next build is going to be similar, although I'd put an impact headset on in place of the XT as they work better (don't keep coming loose).

Pity about those forks. Have you considered having the crown machined out to accept a 1 dia (1 1/8") steerer? Not a big or expensive job for a decent machine shop.

 

[Minifreak]

Re: Re:

I agree - looks like a good mix to me, my next build is going to be similar, although I'd put an impact headset on in place of the XT as they work better (don't keep coming loose).

Pity about those forks. Have you considered having the crown machined out to accept a 1 dia (1 1/8") steerer? Not a big or expensive job for a decent machine shop.

Still weighing up my options but it seems you couldn’t get these in 1 1/8” so it’d never had one anyway even though the 91 catalogue specs one (Project Two in pic though).

If I find a really nice Impact headset I may well do

 

[kaos]

Re:

Hi mate.

Martin from Kona retro community with the kona/merlin here.

Lovely build thread. I dig the outcome and your choice of mixed parts. As long as it's period correct, i could'nt care less.
If i was you, i would look for a P2. Got to be the cleanest and best working fork ever, unless you go for a p2 titanium or other crazy expensive stuff.
Anyway... the first hei hei does look equally good with black non titanium parts as post, stem and fork.

I bought the track two for my Kona/merlin just couse the bike itself with the correct parts is a very rare one, but i got to say it's quite heavy and chunky compered to the P2.