Kilauea advice needed please!

[bishbosh]

Evening all!

First post on this forum, so be nice!

My mounting biking life started in the late 80's with a Raleigh Montage, that got nicked (thankfully, it was brutal!) and I replaced it with an Alpinestars Cromega DX, with thumb shifters rather than those new fangled two leaver wotsits (too complicated for me!!) Sold that to a mate and bought a Kona Kilauea. Fitted RC35's to it and left it in the shed for the best part of 15 years! I've done so few miles on it, the rear tyre is the orignal!! (Had to change the front as it was too fat for the RC35's)

There wre a few reasons why it languished in the shed for so long - living overseas, getting married etc etc, but the main reason I think is that I was never really comfortable on it. It is too short front to back for me and I always feel I am about to go A over T.

Anyhow, with my 40th just around the corner :shock: I have decided it is time I got off my fat a$$ and out on the trails again.

Budget is tiny so I am thinking of replacing the frame with a larger one (has to be steel!) and rebuilding the bike.

So, what do you lot recommend? I have been away from the scene for so long I have no idea which manufacturers are making decent stuff these days. Of course, a suitable retro frame would be great too!

All advice welcome!

Cheers,

Bish.

 

[Tad]

Why replace the frame? Have you out grown it?

 

[bishbosh]

I don't think it ever really fitted me to be honest.

It felt OK in the shop but out and about it was always too short...

 

[FluffyChicken]

Why replace the frame? Have you out grown it?

He says it's too small.

Just look out for a similar Kona of a larger size, try and work out your size.

oh and it obligatory to post up pics and like me if you're still stuck in the early 90's then welcome to the site. Don't look to hard as it may get expensive

What bike did you really like the look of BiTD, put it this way, your frame if in good condition will sell for good money

 

[bishbosh]

Just nipped out and measured the frame -

Centre of bottom bracket to centre of top tube - 400mm

Centre of seatpost to centre of headseat - 560mm.

So what size frame do I have..? :?

Oh, and I will post pics in a week or so as I am off skiing shortly!

 

[Tad]

You can do a lot with a longer stem/sliding the seat back...

Though if it doesn't fit you're in the right place to swap it for something more suitable.

 

[Andy R]

Just nipped out and measured the frame -

Centre of bottom bracket to centre of top tube - 400mm

Centre of seatpost to centre of headseat - 560mm.

So what size frame do I have..? :?

18" ??

 

[Anthony]

The only Kona that had those dimensions was the 1993 size 19 - I don't suppose it has two-tone red and silver paintwork, has it?

The 93 frames were slightly shorter than subsequent years. From 1994 on, it was the size 18 that had a 56cm c-c top tube, and that was designed for height up to 6-0. If you're taller than that, you could obviously go for a bigger size frame, but one thing to try first would be to raise the height of the bars. I'm assuming you have a zero-rise stem and flat bars at present, and combined with the shortish RC35, that could well be making for a front end that is too low for you and engenders that A over T posture.

 

[bishbosh]

Yup, red and silver two tone.

I have fitted raised bars, but in the original stem that is quite flat.

I worry that if I go for a longer stem that it will put me too far forwards again?

I am 6' 2" with a 32" inside leg and long back, which doesn't help with the weight distribution!

Perhaps I should go for a steeper stem first? Any recommendations?

 

[Anthony]

Well you're within the recommended height range for a size 19 Kona (up to 6-3), but with a long back it's possible that you might eventually be better off with a size 20 from a later year. Your bike is fairly desirable to the market, as the two-tone 93 paint is popular and the RC35 is a significant asset. So you should be able to buy a size 20 Kilauea/similar for the same kind of money as you'd raise by selling the one you've got (est c£300).

As far as modifying the 93 bike is concerned, you are a bit limited in stem choice because there obviously aren't that many quill stems around. Rather than recommend one, I think it's a matter of keeping your eye on the for sale here and on eBay and posting a wanted ad on here. Another limitation is that the 93 frames were the last that weren't suspension-adjusted, so although it's fine with the RC35, it wouldn't be quite so happy with a longer fork. So that frustrates another possibility for raising the front height.

Just as an example, the 1994 size 20 Kilauea shown below is currently for sale on eBay. Compared to your frame, it has a 2.5cm longer top tube, a 2cm longer head tube and it is suspension-adjusted, so you could fit a longer fork to it. That would get the front end significantly higher and give you a better posture. That sort of thing could be your eventual solution.