Anthony":3f2h6byd said:The paint scheme, decals and cable routing are consistent with it being a 1998 Hot, but I would be concerned about the serial number and it may be worth checking it.
An H9 number would usually signify that the frame was made in 1999 at Giant's Hodaka works, whereas the 98 Hots were made in the US by a company called Enigma (and yes they were made out of Reynolds 853). I'm not aware that there was any such thing as a 99 Hot, and I would be surprised if a Hot was given an H number. But then I've been surprised before.
I'm afraid that if you hadn't told me it was a Hot, but just gave me the number and the shape of the frame, I would say it was a 99 Explosif (also made of 853). Reasons are first that the number is consistent (my 98 Explosif has an H8 number), second the dropouts are of a pattern used only for the high-end frames, third the down tube looks fatter than the top tube, which was the case with the Explosif but not the Caldera (hard to tell for sure from a photo though, so worth confirming that the top tube is a 31.8 and the down tube a 34.9).
You could try Ratbane who contributed to this thread the other day http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... t=explosiftobibikes":3t4eiiyx said:Has anyone a Explosif frame from 1999 and can tell me his frame no. or where I can find the Kona catalogue from 1999 or pictures of bikes or frames?
Anthony":1sdgbgyu said:If the frame was mine, I think I would want to have Explosif decals on it and ride it with pride. A custom-painted 1999 Explosif is a very nice bike.
Anthony":12h59a3m said:You could try Ratbane who contributed to this thread the other day http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... t=explosiftobibikes":12h59a3m said:Has anyone a Explosif frame from 1999 and can tell me his frame no. or where I can find the Kona catalogue from 1999 or pictures of bikes or frames?
Obviously you bought it as a Hot and you expect it to be a Hot, but looking on the brighter side there are worse things in the world than owning a 99 Explosif and for riding the thing there isn't a whole lot of difference.
I'm not quite sure what Tech meant by tubing profiles, as I would have said they were very similar for the size 20. A Hot would have 853 stays, whereas an Explosif has Reynolds 725 stays, but I'm not sure that makes much difference. If anything, a 725 frame is likely to be straighter - Reynolds specified 725 stays for 853 frames built in production line facilities because cold-setting is easier with 725. I admit there is a cachet about US-built, but I think Giant do a very good job and I don't believe their work is inferior to Enigma's.
If the frame was mine, I think I would want to have Explosif decals on it and ride it with pride. A custom-painted 1999 Explosif is a very nice bike.
ratbane":2zwrl4mi said:I've never seen another one.