Dario Cioni's Kona steel bike 1998/99: what do we call it?

[al-onestare]

For those on Facebook you might have seen these pictures posted up before Christmas. It immediately got my attention for all the usual Kona reasons, not least for the team Explosif and Altitude research I did a while back but also because it's one of those things that, as far as I and others can work out, has never had a sufficient answer. Specifically, what on earth was Dario riding in 1998/99?

Instinctively the answer has "always" been Hei Hei's. There's plenty of evidence out there that shows this.

I mean that's what's here right?

Nope. Que part of me thinking, that's definitely not a ti drop-out I've seen before and there's no extra gusseting that the KK (HH) sported. And those tubes look smaller. But que the other half of me thinking, surely he wasn't riding steel this late in mountain bike racing evolution? That'd be mad.

And "mad" it is. I'll hand over the Pip - the dapper don - who once more did some cracking digging to shed some light:

The dropouts are like a Richey Hooded type, and I read Charlie Best replying to Will Peters referring to these type on that FB thread that you sent me. He was saying that these were part of the left over tubing Hots that were rumoured to have been produced, right down to a mix of Reynolds and Columbus tubing - see below

I should add that whole conversation I had about 98/99 Hot's is crazy good. I'll save that for another thread - needless to say - it's revealed some quality insight into the issues Altitude had, the Enigma pick-up and the transition away from high-grade, "custom" made steel frames. Back to Pip - and big-up Raiden!

The magazine piece is on Dario Cioni, and how he had stopped ridding Titanium in favour of a Steel bike.

Headline: “Born from Steel the Revolution Dario Cioni”

Text: “The champion of Kona Mapel has left the titanium to choose a new concept alloy. His Kona is heavy, but it guarantees more rigidity when it attacks downhill.”

You have sent me pictures of the 6-4 1999 King Kahuna that he was riding for a while, and you may recall that I nearly bought that very bike some years ago from a shop called Back Country in Tahoe California – see below.

So maybe the Steel bike that Dario is riding in the magazine piece is the same one in the picture that Radian sent you? After all his K.K. ended up in a shop, so why not this Concept Steel bike? Columbus decals aside, I wonder what it was made from – I’ll do a bit more translating and get back to you.

Mental! Back to Pip:

The frame was made from Columbus Foco Thermacrom Steel alloy – see below.

The dropouts seem to be Richey, but I could be wrong about that – see attachment of some similar Richey Dropouts.

This some more broken English text that I translated:

“The attack provided by the new Columbus' partner and the newly developed Foco alloy, which has characteristics very similar to those of aluminum. It’s a material that this year faces its second season of experiences and in the programs of the….”

Well, what should we call Dario’s frame then? It’s a Custom Team Issue frame built from Steel, but does that mean we call it a Hot?

And that's the place to pause and ask - what do we call it? It was never released as a factory bought model or frame, a true "one-off".

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

Cheers Al, that’s a great piece – it’s good to see all the information collated in one place like this for everyone to see.

I’m still intrigued to know where the picture was taken that Raiden originally sent you - the road sign does look like it was taken in Blighty. What is astonishing is that some of the kit that Dario had fitted for competing appears to be on the bike – Race Face X-Y Seat Post and that Red and Black Race Face Stem.

Just for reference and continuity, here are a couple of the pictures taken of Dario racing on the Columbus Foco Thermacrom Steel bike that you sent me.

Dario Steel water splash:

Dario Cioni 1999 Team Steel_8 by Philip Mock, on Flickr

Dario Steel climb:

Dario Cioni Team 1999 Steel_3 by Philip Mock, on Flickr

….. And this is the 6-4 KK that he moved away from in preference of the Steel Rocket.

Dario 6-4 Team:

DarioCioni King Kahuna by Philip Mock, on Flickr

Finally, here are two more pictures of the 6-4 KK that I may not have shown you before. These were from the advert that I stumbled across back in 2011.

6-4 Team front:

Dario Cioni 6_4 KK_2 by Philip Mock, on Flickr

6-4 Team rear:

Dario Cioni 6_4 KK_1 by Philip Mock, on Flickr

Pip

 

[mk one]

Great piece, very interesting, thanks Al and Pip.

When looking at it the tubes look fat, i was thinking Alu at first. Is there any proof to where it was actually made? is it a Kona project or a riders own project? meaning is it something Dario had made for him from a company he liked and just badged as a Kona, wouldnt be the first time Kona rebadged other brands bikes.

Mark

 

[al-onestare]

Good questions to which I don't think we have definitive answers right now.

I'd be very surprised if it was made by another supplier. At this point in time, they've enough clout and knowledge to make their own - Ti aside. The geometry is too Kona to be replicated or sold elsewhere without a ton of trouble.

 

[legrandefromage]

Those big stays remind me of Columbus Max

 

[magas]

Great read and good research. Thanks guys.

 

[mk one]

Another pic of Dario on steel (not as great a pic as some of the larger ones above0 and one of a Ti team bike.

Mark

 

[al-onestare]

Re:

That's future Giro winner Ryder and his 64 ;-)

 

[mk one]

i had forgotten his name when i posted it so just highlighted the team bike

Im still waiting for the part where you tell us you found a steel frame belonging to Dario and its on its way to you

mark

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

Thanks for the pictures Mark – I’ve not seen that particular one of Ryder Hesjedal before. I had no idea that more than one of the Ti KK Team bikes existed. I have always assumed that Dario’s was a one off!

That's future Giro winner Ryder and his 64 ;-)

Do we take it then that Ryder’s frame is the same as Dario’s 6-4?

Those who are wondering how we came to know that 6Al-4V Titanium was used for Dario’s bike instead of standard 3Al-2.5V, here’s a link to Kona’s “Ti Tuesday” feature back in December 2015:

http://cog.konaworld.com/tituesday-dari ... ng-kahuna/

:......Im still waiting for the part where you tell us you found a steel frame belonging to Dario and its on its way to you mark

Yes, that is something that I would very much like to see …... now that picture in the street, just where and when was it taken – um, Raiden?

Pip