A little bit of background on this, I really like the 99/2000 Kona graphics, and I'm gradually building up a bit of a fleet of bikes which take me back to going into the local bike shop and looking at them without any money to buy in my teens. They are from the above time period, and always in their original paint, but generally with newer components. I'm admittedly a serial tinkerer, and my bikes are always being upgraded in some way, so more often than not in bits.
First up is my latest purchase, a Kikapu. I've recently bought a really nice Kula frame off here, and as a result I'm shuffling bits around on some of the others leaving me temporarily without a bike I can just jump on and ride. This '03 Kikapu came up for sale locally, and I've lately been appreciating the early 'splat' graphics a bit more, and as I'm approaching 40 and getting a bit fat, I thought an entry level full sus bike would give me something to get out on immediately, and if it's got a bit of weight to it, then it might burn off a bit more bacon.
I picked it up at lunch time, popped it in the back garden whilst I endured the days video calls and screen staring, and then took it out for few miles this evening. It definitely did my mental health some good to blow the cobwebs away for an hour or so. The bike seems OK, the brakes are pretty sharp, a few creaks from the bars and front mech needs twisting around a bit, but as a completely untouched bike straight out of someone's shed, it seemed fine. Spec wise, it's pretty standard, the tyres, grips and saddle have all been replaced by whatever cheap parts were to hand by the look of it.
My short term plan is to give it a very basic service and keep using it. In the longer term it's inevitable that I'll put some lighter bits on it, but hopefully I can resist that urge until something else is back together.
First up is my latest purchase, a Kikapu. I've recently bought a really nice Kula frame off here, and as a result I'm shuffling bits around on some of the others leaving me temporarily without a bike I can just jump on and ride. This '03 Kikapu came up for sale locally, and I've lately been appreciating the early 'splat' graphics a bit more, and as I'm approaching 40 and getting a bit fat, I thought an entry level full sus bike would give me something to get out on immediately, and if it's got a bit of weight to it, then it might burn off a bit more bacon.
I picked it up at lunch time, popped it in the back garden whilst I endured the days video calls and screen staring, and then took it out for few miles this evening. It definitely did my mental health some good to blow the cobwebs away for an hour or so. The bike seems OK, the brakes are pretty sharp, a few creaks from the bars and front mech needs twisting around a bit, but as a completely untouched bike straight out of someone's shed, it seemed fine. Spec wise, it's pretty standard, the tyres, grips and saddle have all been replaced by whatever cheap parts were to hand by the look of it.
My short term plan is to give it a very basic service and keep using it. In the longer term it's inevitable that I'll put some lighter bits on it, but hopefully I can resist that urge until something else is back together.
Last edited:
