95 sex one UPDATED

[sex one]

Right then.....Ive sold all my other bikes and stuff to keep this.....can people give me their opinions as to what would make this look cool?

seat...changed to ritchey original
cranks..changed to nc-17 isis pro arms with fsa platinum pro isis bb
tyres....changed to some 1.5 semi slicks for use on the turbo trainer
Gold hope head doctor...already fitted
Gold chain ring bolts...already fitted
M737 XT rear mech on its way----courtesy of billinjah
New bushes ordered

THINKING


lx/xt/xtr cassette
better bars.....SUGGESTIONS?
better stem....SUGGESTIONS?
xt/xtr v-brakes
better wheels/change the hubs to xt/xtr
Respray and new graphics

any other suggestions?

 

[utahdog2003]

Take off the pie-plate spoke guard from the rear wheel, and ride it as is. Looks fine to me.

 

[sex one]

Take off the pie-plate spoke guard from the rear wheel, and ride it as is. Looks fine to me.

Oh how very dare you :shock: ...thats original dont you know










Its done.....forgot about it if im honest

 

[sex one]

Any ideas for these items?

Stem
Bars
Wheels
Brakes

Im looking for something to bling the bike up a bit..the frame will be resprayed the same original colour and with the goldish colour thats on it already ie..stantions/decals/top cap and chainring bolts....id like some input as to what would suit.....Im not a retro guru like some of you lot on here

 

[Christer]

Old school DH look would be wicked! period correct riser bars and short stem like azonic shorty..

 

[Anthony]

It rides well because that basic design proved in time to be the correct one, not that anybody knew it at the time. Rocky Mountain still build the Element to the same design, mine (below) is earlier but still pretty much as the current ones, and they've been using the design since 1995 as well.

For me the only thing wrong with the bike as pictured is the unsuitable cranks, but it seems that you've got that covered. I think you'll spoil it if you repaint it. A bike of that kind and of that age looks all wrong if it has no battle scars - as if it's been owned by a hairdresser. As it is, it has total trail credibility as a retro bike, I wouldn't touch it.

 

[Geoff]

The paint on the front triangle doesn't look too bad...

I think, from experience that if you can keep original finishes, you should. I'd be tempted to get the rear triangle done, and see if it looked alright like that. If not, you can always sort the second half.

 

[Neil G]

Really like that Kona, the Sus design is very tidy

As above, I'd be tempted to upgrade components and leave the frame as is

 

[sex one]

oh rite :shock: ......was kinda expecting for a mass approval of a repaint.

Dont really know what to say now :shock:

I will probably just upgrade the wheels/bars/stem now....Gives me more moolah to do this too

Im not sure whether to go back to period parts or to go retromodern...if theres such a word?

i.e
newish groupset 9spd
mechs/wheels etc

Decisions decisions :?

 

[Anthony]

As always, the best investment is hand-built wheels with butted spokes, from Merlin or similar. Next best is folding 2.3 tyres. Then just ride with pride.

9-speed gives no performance advantage over 8-speed. Anyway, you can get an 11-32 8-speed cassette from SRAM, and 32 is a fairly decent-size sprocket. Those Avid Vs work just about as well as any, just keep the pads fresh. Good, clean-running cables, chain etc make more of a performance difference than bling mechs etc IMO.