Kona's page

[harleysteve08]

89 lavadome

Hi, the Black 89 lavadome has a bit of a story... i bought it in the mid 90's for less than £20 for my son and he still has it located in Dorset, next time i'm down there i'll get some pics and post them on here. I was told it was 89 when i bought it but it needs confirming by you experts. last time I saw it a few months ago it was in same good condition, dont know that much about them but mostly original i think...it still has the 'Joe Murray' tyres, avocet saddle, black velocity stem, which i think didnt have velocity on it just Joe Murray decals, black plastic cable guide where the seat tube joins the top tube, grease point on the bottom of the BB shell.. The Kona Decals are white and green from memory... 89? i'll definitely get some pics and post them as soon as i can. Cheers all.

 

[fmarques25]

My almost finished 1993 cinder cone

 

[Anthony]

My almost finished 1993 cinder cone

Very elegant. Have we seen this frame at an earlier stage in your build? The US charcoal colour is quite rare in Europe, but it's great for putting other colours against, isn't it? I very rarely think coloured cranks do a frame any favours, but that one looks just right. And the worn but authentic saddle looks just right too.

 

[fmarques25]

You can see the build thread, but you have already seen it Anthony

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... 495#625495

 

[trigg]

cinder cone alfine

My cinder cone is now carrying an Alfine hub, which is smooth and v quiet. Bit heavier but hardly noticable.

 

[Woodsman]

 

[CalaisWoodBurner]

My 1996 hotrod rebuild!

 

[karlomanx]

Hi all !
After drooling for the last years over those wonderful Konas of yours, I am now part of the Kona "chapel" since I recently found a nice and affordable Cinder Cone in my size. It's a 1994 orange one fitted with a Marzocchi XC51, the same as in the Konaretro catalog.
I plan to change that fork for a 2009 RS Recon SL 80mm because I want to use it without reservation. So I'd like to have your advice on the subject : is it a sensible choice or will the bike handling turn weird ?
Cheers.

 

[Anthony]

Hi all !
After drooling for the last years over those wonderful Konas of yours, I am now part of the Kona "chapel" since I recently found a nice and affordable Cinder Cone in my size. It's a 1994 orange one fitted with a Marzocchi XC51, the same as in the Konaretro catalog.
I plan to change that fork for a 2009 RS Recon SL 80mm because I want to use it without reservation. So I'd like to have your advice on the subject : is it a sensible choice or will the bike handling turn weird ?

I don't think it would turn weird, but it is wise to match the bar/stem combination to the head angle. In other words, making the head angle slacker has a similar effect to fitting a long stem - both will make the steering feel less lively, the bike will be more reluctant to turn. So to counteract the effect of the slacker head angle, you should consider fitting a shorter stem to liven the steering up again.

Also bear in mind that the question is how far your hands are in front of the steerer, looking down the steerer (i.e., not horizontally). So that means that a stem with rise is in effect slightly 'shorter' than a zero-rise stem of the same length. It also means that fitting bars with more sweep has the same effect as fitting a shorter stem.

This can have a powerful effect, so there's no need to over-do it. e.g., a 60/10 stem combined with swept risers would do far more than compensate for the longer fork and would give ultra-lively steering. It is a matter of personal taste really where you strike the balance.

 

[retrokona]

konas

three of my kona's