Pre Kona lava dome?

[GT BIKE RIDER]

Hi.I am new here.First i would like to say this a great site and keep up the excellent work.Now,I recently purchased this bike from a police auction.I would like to know if anybody here has any info or brochures for this bike.I know there is a great Kona community here.It is what i believe to be a TBG Cascade Lava dome.However i cannot see the model name beacuse it has been worn off.It is designed by Joe Murray.The serial number is T8804 0745.I know Kona was started in 1988,but before the Kona name came to be they were called Cascade.I have seen a Cascade Fire mountain and a Lava dome.They both had u brakes under the chain stays.All components are from 1988.I would appriciate any info.I will reply as soon as i can.

 

[GT BIKE RIDER]

Pre Kona Lava Dome

 

[GT BIKE RIDER]

 

[lewis1641]

Hi can't help with your bike but welcome to the site. There are a couple of very knowledgeable Kona bods here so i'm sure you'll have some info soon. Dave

 

[Dave_H]

Not sure if you've seen this?

http://www.re-buy-cycle.co.uk/details.php?id=254&temp=1

This seems to imply that TBG distributed Kona's.

As Lewis1641, there'll be a wealth of Kona knowledge along soon who will give chapter and verse on the history.

That braze-on on the LH chainstay is quite distictive. I wonder what it's for?


EDIT
D'oh, just realised it's a U brake mount.

 

[Dave_H]

Another TBG Kona here

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1588

 

[Dave_H]

Final update.

TBG info here

http://www.completesite.com/mbhof/page.cfm?memberid=94&pageid=6

In 1987, Paul Brodie began producing frames for his own company. Dan Gerhard formed The Bicycle Group and handled Brodie’s worldwide distribution. Pippin Osborne and Peter Hamilton founded Syncros bicycle components in the same year. In 1988, Jacob Heilbron and Joe Murray joined with Dan Gerhard to start Kona Mountain Bikes. Doug Lafavor joined Kona in 1990.

Dan Gerhard is once again a US-resident, the token American in this nomination. He heads up Kona’s world headquarters in Ferndale, Washington, about 100 miles north of Seattle. Doug Lafavor is the technical designer in Kona’s product group. Jacob Heilbron is the COB of KonaWorld, Kona’s design center in Vancouver.

So it seems that Kona and TBG are the same thing.

 

[Dave_H]

Very final piece now. It's all available here on Retrobike

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42778&sid=cd96e6ea2167be4898a541cf8b9237d1

I've learnt a lot this morning!

 

[PurpleFrog]

Wow! It's like seeing a family photograph of Mitochondrial Eve! Nice condition and an amazing find - my 88/89 Kona Lava Dome and I say thank you.

 

[PurpleFrog]

That braze-on on the LH chainstay is quite distictive. I wonder what it's for?

EDIT
D'oh, just realised it's a U brake mount.

If I was you I'd lie down and have a nice cold Duff...