Is this an Explosif ?

gtturbo

Senior Retro Guru
I picked this up the other day and whilst I don't know much about Kona's I seem to recall the Explosif I already have has a similar flared seat tube whereby it flares out to the sides but is more flat on the front and back. However after a quick search I can't find a match so perhaps it's had a respray and replacement decals ?. Components are all over the shop so no use in helping to identify or date it. Any thoughts on what it is, and before anyone says it , it's definately not a Zaskar 😀

Once I find my glasses I will have a look for a serial number.

Thanks in advance.

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Looks like a Cinder Cone/Lava Dome frame. As you mentioned the Prestige tubes have a constant bulge around the tube, CC/LD tubesets have a flattened profile front and back.
 
Decals definitely not original, they’re ‘97/98 style, which would not align with the threaded headset.

As for paint, ‘91 & ‘92 were available as all black as an option.

Flared seat tube, looks similar to my ‘94 Explosif. Though that’s with the fluted down tube Tange Ultimate Ultrastrong.

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Serial obviously makes dating it easier.

The bulge butted seatube at the top, and like that at the bottom means it is a Tange tube, unfortunately at that time Explosif wasn't the only one in the range to use it.

It does make it easier to say it's not the mid or low end frames for most years as they will use the ovalised tubes.

Edit...
It could be the 94 CC but that tended to be quite short and I'm sure it was ovalised bb end (of course it could be the picture and it isn't like the picture above, if it is oval but flattened rather than all bulge out, then it's mid to low end, limits the years too, this is a 20" frame I think?. Dropouts keep it to 1994 at the earliest (I think), so the CC is most likely. It may also not be Tange tubing, but Tange tended to be the ies you see with both ovalised and budged style.


Is there any ovalising at the ends of the top and down tubes?

Sorry but hard to see in the bright sunlight on my phone.
 
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