Kona Caldera 1997

[knickering]

Re: Re:

Tange? Columbus? Something off the back of a lorry?

Whatever it is, it's got a lovely ping to it (!), is slim and dainty and I reckon if we put one next to a Hot of the same era, we'd struggle to tell the difference. Other than getting calipers out and some scales plus an exact replica Hot, I'm not sure how we'll figure it out.

Seller says it is Reynolds.
I will get back to it when I get the frame home and can see for my self.

 

[raidan73]

Re: Kona Caldera 1997 - unicorn scenes

Really enjoying this thread al. My main area of interest runs up to around 94 so it's been good to just sit back, full in a few gaps and learn a few 'new' interesting facts about the Kona's from the mid-late 90's. I'd still gladly have one or two examples of such models but really have to draw the line somewhere (right Scott!!).

Would Tange be a possibility for the tubeset? The last of the WTR's and other steel Goats were still using Prestige and Ultimate Ultralight.

 

[brocklanders023]

Re:

Great thread, best for ages. :xmas-cool:

 

[magas]

Re: Kona Caldera 1997 - unicorn scenes

what a great read - that red Caldera frame is spot on (the build not) - colour reminds me of my 97 Kula.

Al, maybe you can weight the frame only, this could give us a clue about the quality of the used tubeset.

 

[Plus one]

Re: Kona Caldera 1997 - unicorn scenes

Wow .. Great read looking forward to more

 

[flyingdutchmen]

Re:

The serial number is, CA 1309144. I am not 100 % sure about "09", but I think the rest is right.

Thanks for the compliments on the build My other Konas is more OEM style, Lava Dome and a Caldera more. There is a Judy suspension fork and a project two fork, and some other original parts waiting for the buyer.

The color is beautiful

 

[markwashington]

Re: Kona Caldera 1997 - unicorn scenes

This is a fantastic thread. All I can say is well done to Al for being able to find out so much about the frame. It certainly seems like The other blue one might well be a Hot dressed up in caldera paint but then if they were being made in the same place at the same time, they might just have let the serial numbers run concurrently until there was an idea about how many needed to be produced.

Fantastic information about the red bikes as well and it does make you wonder if there was the option to have the frames custom painted if you knew the right people to talk to.

given the numbers quoted by Kona it looks like there were 50 blue and 50 red frames produced. I find it very hard to believe it's that many. I remember there being one on on US Ebay about 3 years ago, is that the other blue one?

I'm looking forward to hearing your progress on frame material, have you managed to weigh the frame yet?

 

[flyingdutchmen]

Re:

I am the "old" owner. The buyer is coming next week to pick it up.

I will probably regret selling the frame many times :roll:

 

[knickering]

Re: Re:

I am the "old" owner. The buyer is coming next week to pick it up.

I will probably regret selling the frame many times :roll:

Don't worry my friend, it will go to a good home

 

[Pipmeister]

Re: Re:

The serial number is, CA 1309144. I am not 100 % sure about "09", but I think the rest is right.

Well I was hoping that Al or Canuck or Magus or someone was going to be able to figure out how this fits into the story so far :?

.....The only part of that serial number that makes sense to me are the digits that are "not 100 % sure about" :?: i.e. "09".

I reckon "CA" looks good, then "13" isn't a year that fits, then "09" is presumably September, but finally "144" is surely to high a figure :?:

I'm going with the assumption of this apparent 50 off batch production.


Quote, "I was running our custom program in Canada at the time so pretty plugged into the facts.
I'm about 6 computers/OS past those days though so some of this I need to pull from memory. I Canada we had 50 red and 50 blue frames and 100 kits for them. You could get a frame, a frame and fork, or a frame fork and kit. The US would have had a similar number. All the custom frames were routed through the US warehouse to Canada and Europe but I can't say how many they got; it could have been the same number or none at all."

We love this stuff! So cumon then, who's gonna stick their neck out

Pip