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I can't tell you how excited I was when I found this was available, and you'll have to read this story to find out why.
Back in 1994 my 92 GT Tequesta was stolen, and with the insurance money I went with my dad and bought a lovely 1994 Kona Kilauea in the 18" size from Castle Cycles in Newark, Notts. Some of you will find this odd but I swapped the XC Pro thumbies with SRT500R Gripshifts at the point of sale. I always wanted them and back then the thumbies were seen as a bit old fashioned.
I shortly after that went to Uni. The Kona was upgraded in my first year with Pace RC130 bars, Pace chainrings, red anodised bits. The GripShift, which I loved, got upgraded with the uprated metal spring, Jonnisnot grease, Yeti grips and an uprated spring for the rear XT mech.
I rode it all round the Holme valley, riding to the top all the way from Huddersfield, sometimes out riding three times a week. I bought a set of Magura HS22 brakes (£280 for the set!!!!!! - and they brought out V-brakes a month later..... :roll: ) as you needed the best brakes round here. I also bought the Gore-tex cables when they first came out, and I didn't touch my cables for 18months with them, even with Gripshift in the Yorkshire mud and grit.
Then the Kilauea was gone.
I got into BMX after that, but the Kliauea was always the best MTB I had ever owned.
I've been on here a while now and some may know that I've been after a Kilauea for a while. But they rarely are in the 18" size, and always have the top tube dint in them. :evil:
So imagine my excitement when I was told by a surprise meeting with someone who said to me "I've got your Kilauea".
I couldn't believe it. I never thought I'd get another Kilauea as they seemed so be quite rare in the 94 version but here I was, a few days later, with my bike back in my hands for a reasonable payment.
Here it is:
As you can see, the gripshifts are still on there, the Pace bars have gone (I probably wouldn't have used them anyway as I remember when I bought them being warned only to use them for a couple of years!!) and replaced with Roox bars. The XT rear mech is still there, tight and in good nick, the stem and forks ok, dog collar and seatpost ok and a nice LX chainset and front mech too.
Unfortunately the wheels and brakes have gone, as have the post and seat.
The decals have long gone and the paint is looking shabby so I think a respray is probably best to bring my baby back to life again, but I'm not 100% sure on that to be honest. Maybe a touch-up and polish and new decals would be enough...??
This is one I will never sell - I have to say goodbye to the Cannondale and GT to get this but it's well worth it!
Back in 1994 my 92 GT Tequesta was stolen, and with the insurance money I went with my dad and bought a lovely 1994 Kona Kilauea in the 18" size from Castle Cycles in Newark, Notts. Some of you will find this odd but I swapped the XC Pro thumbies with SRT500R Gripshifts at the point of sale. I always wanted them and back then the thumbies were seen as a bit old fashioned.
I shortly after that went to Uni. The Kona was upgraded in my first year with Pace RC130 bars, Pace chainrings, red anodised bits. The GripShift, which I loved, got upgraded with the uprated metal spring, Jonnisnot grease, Yeti grips and an uprated spring for the rear XT mech.
I rode it all round the Holme valley, riding to the top all the way from Huddersfield, sometimes out riding three times a week. I bought a set of Magura HS22 brakes (£280 for the set!!!!!! - and they brought out V-brakes a month later..... :roll: ) as you needed the best brakes round here. I also bought the Gore-tex cables when they first came out, and I didn't touch my cables for 18months with them, even with Gripshift in the Yorkshire mud and grit.
Then the Kilauea was gone.
I got into BMX after that, but the Kliauea was always the best MTB I had ever owned.
I've been on here a while now and some may know that I've been after a Kilauea for a while. But they rarely are in the 18" size, and always have the top tube dint in them. :evil:
So imagine my excitement when I was told by a surprise meeting with someone who said to me "I've got your Kilauea".
I couldn't believe it. I never thought I'd get another Kilauea as they seemed so be quite rare in the 94 version but here I was, a few days later, with my bike back in my hands for a reasonable payment.
Here it is:
As you can see, the gripshifts are still on there, the Pace bars have gone (I probably wouldn't have used them anyway as I remember when I bought them being warned only to use them for a couple of years!!) and replaced with Roox bars. The XT rear mech is still there, tight and in good nick, the stem and forks ok, dog collar and seatpost ok and a nice LX chainset and front mech too.
Unfortunately the wheels and brakes have gone, as have the post and seat.
The decals have long gone and the paint is looking shabby so I think a respray is probably best to bring my baby back to life again, but I'm not 100% sure on that to be honest. Maybe a touch-up and polish and new decals would be enough...??
This is one I will never sell - I have to say goodbye to the Cannondale and GT to get this but it's well worth it!
