Kona Explosif 1997 team edition

[al-onestare]

Re: Re:

Lovely build so far ! What will you do about the long scratch on the down tube ?

Cheers Absolutely nothing, it's a proper battle scar along with the paint loss on the rear triangle. Touching it up would make it look like a botch job in my opinion.

Here's another shot of Roland (and Chris Sheppard behind on a Haro). If you're wondering what race this was, I think this was the 1997 nationals at Harwood Hills where he came 2nd. I think Andreas Hestler won (on a Rocky Mountain also sporting slime green Z2's).

That was most certainly the 1997 Canadian National Championships. I know because I raced in it with Roland, Seamus, Sheppard and Hestler, amongst many others! They were in the Pro/Elite division and I competed one group below in Expert. They were lightning fast, especially in the technical stuff.

Back then I rode for a local bike shop who carried Rocky Mountain so I was all about the Vertex's, but it was the Kona boys and their flashy kit (including bikes like yours) who had everyone talking.

It's also the sick flame paint job that personally started me down the path of choosing to ride mostly Kona bikes throughout the past few decades.

Totally freakin' cool! I've posted these before, but let's get them in one spot to bring back those memories:

And the shot that triggered a lot of this:

And another Ryder shot, same era, but on a Kula:

And one I don't think I've posted before

If you have any pic's from back in the day and you'd be happy to share them, it'd be really great to see them, along with more first hand experiences

 

[magas]

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 team edition: out and about P23

cool pics. great history

got the same Kula frame - should I build a replica....

 

[al-onestare]

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 team edition: out and about P23

cool pics. great history

got the same Kula frame - should I build a replica....

You wouldn't need to change much by the look of it; it's a fairly stock looking set-up. It looks like he's running a shim on the seat-post too

 

[al-onestare]

Re:

Roland Green I am not But it was ace to have some shots of me riding it rather than my first person view from my GoPro. I had a lot of fun at Hodgemoor (https://20sixmtb.bigcartel.com), I just wish I peddled harder and had more practice laps.

It ends a great season of riding which was primarily on her. I beat out the dent in the rim but have a nicer replacement set to put on during the winter and I'll keep these as spare / back-up. And now we're moving into the dark season, I can turn my attention back to the Hot and get it built. I'd like to take it and this to Mayhem

 

[al-onestare]

Re:

Slightly related to this - if you're interested in what happened next with the factory team - check this out: Dario's steel bike 1998/99 viewtopic.php?uid=4974&f=41&t=394443&start=0

 

[mk one]

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 team edition: out and about P24

Not sure if you have these pics, a couple of shots of the custom painted forks.

Mark

 

[romanrinos]

Re:

Loved the article and close up shots of Dario Cione’s one off steel built including headset and that rather unique looking RF stem.

 

[mk one]

Re: Re:

Loved the article and close up shots of Dario Cione’s one off steel built including headset and that rather unique looking RF stem.

The stem is a standard System stem and came in various colours

Mark

 

[romanrinos]

Re:

1996-1998 does gets a bit hazy in my memory!

 

[al-onestare]

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 team edition: out and about P24

Not sure if you have these pics, a couple of shots of the custom painted forks.

Mark

And can you name the #3 female Kona factory rider and which UCI event this was?

Here's the mens start, with a glimpse of Dario (I think) along with Cadel, Nick and a host of others...I wonder what's riding..

:shock: Ok, let's save that for another thread