1996 Kona Lava Dome - COMPLETE

[superstu]

Geat bike, I've just rescued one similar. I've sourced P2's, they're how Kona's were meant to be!! So stick with them if you can

Ditch the gripshift and the LX levers (never liked the shape of the levers for my spade hands) and chuck some wheels on and you've got a whippet on your hands

 

[Nick C]

It's going to be rigid for the moment and certainly those levers are going, I have the curve breaks and matching levers and while they were not the best brakes on the market, they certainly looked fantastic. Can anyone remember what shifters the 96 Kona's had? I'm sure my old one didn't have thumbies or gripshifter.

Headset arrived today thanks to Alex's speedy service (many thanks).

I need to learn a little about polishing I think, I wouldn't mind trying to 'fade' this scuff a little.

I've also decided that the frame has too many scratches on it for my liking and as it's stripped down to the crankset (which I need to have removed), it may as well get stripped and a new coat of paint added. I've spoken to a local powder coaters today and they are happy to do the work, the lad who I spoke to has a mate who restores Choppers and Grifters (which is where the gripshift era should have ended) so I'm hoping it will be in good hands. The big question will be colour, I've just seen one in white on this forum which looks fantastic, I guess I'll need to see what colours are available however.

 

[Anthony]

It's actually a 1996 Lava Dome, although I admit the colour is vaguely similar to the 1997. This was the optional colour to the orange one that you had.

That explains why you have 96 decals, a threaded headset, downtube cable routing and Curve brakes. The P2 is triple-butted if it's original, and worth 30ish, while the Velocity is worth 10ish and an Impact (although that looks like a Control Centre) 15ish. So you could sell all that and replace with ahead/suspension if you wanted.

 

[Anthony]

This is a 1997 Lava Dome

 

[Nick C]

Thanks Anthony. I bought mine in 96 and think my Brother bought his in 97. Of course he may well of done and still have a 96 model. It's also possible that my Burnt Orange lava Dome originally had gripshift too, which why riding with them seems to jog memories. I most likely swapped them out at some stage.

I did have at one point an Elastomer Rock Shox on my bike and sold it to my brother when I took it off and bought a Rond WP air fork, which I presume are like rocking horse droppings now as I don't think I ever saw another when I was riding with it. My Brother had the Rock Shox on the bike above I think when he gave it to me, but I'll be buggered if I can find it! That the reason I needed to swap the headset over though.

 

[Nick C]

I can see the difference now, thanks for the additional information and yes it's the original P2.

Here are a small set of pics of the Curve brakes, still love the look of them now.

 

[majoreyeswater]

Go on Nick & join my white Lava Dome gang - you know you want to matey

Nice ride you've got there. Keep it rigid and a white powder coat will look cool and pretty tasty. Thanks for the comment re my Dome BTW

Cheers and look forward to seeing which path you take.

Steve.

 

[Nick C]

Thanks Steve. I'm also considering a black frame and white fork, although while this combination looks good on a bike with front suspension, I think the P2 all white may look a little ucky.

While I mull this over, can anybody offer a little advice on the gear train, about which I really don't know anything technical? I've been monitoring the sale items and I do fancy XTR running gear, but I'm afraid to purchase mechs, cogs and cranks etc. that are incompatible. I'm going to ride this bike, rather than have it sat for show...I may even decide not to use those lovely Curve brakes as I remember how poor they were!

 

[guysbikes]

which version of xtr did you have your eye on? xtr bits are interchangeable with other shimano groupsets really as long as you're not swopping across numbers of sprockets. Even if you are bits like brakes won't be affected.

 

[Nick C]

Firstly I'd like to point out that I know almost enough to understand that the gear train won't affect the brakes, cough.

I hadn't really come to any decision on which ERA of XTR, as long as it's not brand new kit costing the earth. This is a limited budget build, most funds are presently being invested on the house and car, both against my will.

The problem I have is that while there is lots of shiny kit being sold, I was afraid to buy a rear mech that didn't suit the cassette, or a front mech that didn't suit the chainset or was the wrong size for the frame. It's these details that I'd really appreciate advice on.