Project “Christmas Cracker” - ‘94 Kona Fire Mountain.

[sparkybhp]

I recently lent my wife my Sunn Exact to use on a bike ride together where we were tackling at least one particularly steep hill. Her regular bike is a fairly heavy rigid Edinburgh bike with a front rack etc.. Well, she took a shine to it and started saying things like ‘if you put a more comfortable saddle on it I can use it more regularly’.
I’m not too keen on that idea, and set about looking for something to build up for her which will be lighter than her current bike and maybe a hardtail rather than full rigid.
Cue this, advertised as a 17” but it turns out to be 18” - which is fine:

The idea is to make it light, 1x gearing and decent v-brakes, all in time for Christmas.
It is a bit rough and ready but largely original with the P2’s and impact headset etc..

The seatpost had been bodged in with some kind of tiger seal and the clamp squashed too tight. Anyone know what size seatpost it should be? 27.2/27.0 won’t fit, 26.8 goes in a couple of inches but then gets tight??
Anyway - the strip down will continue (covertly) and then parts will be amassed before a stealthy build in time for December 25th - hopefully!!

 

[al-onestare]

Don't quote me but I'm pretty sure it's 27.0 so if it doesn't fit something is up. When you said 26.8 goes in but meets resistance, my first thought was to check the seat-tube for any remains of a stuck seat-post.

 

[sparkybhp]

Don't quote me but I'm pretty sure it's 27.0 so if it doesn't fit something is up. When you said 26.8 goes in but meets resistance, my first thought was to check the seat-tube for any remains of a stuck seat-post.

Thanks - I have had a peek down there with a torch and even given it a clean out with a file and some wd40. There’s no obvious obstruction, 26.8 slides in nicely until where the top tube joins the seat tube. You can get a finger in, just, and it doesn’t feel like there’s anything amiss?

 

[sparkybhp]

I also slackened the dog collar just in case but no improvement.

 

[mk one]

The seatpost had been bodged in with some kind of tiger seal and the clamp squashed too tight. Anyone know what size seatpost it should be? 27.2/27.0 won’t fit, 26.8 goes in a couple of inches but then gets tight??

The seat posts on these are 26.6, same as the '93's. Quite hard to find, that is why a lot of mine are running USE posts

 

[sparkybhp]

Thanks for the tip, I’ll see what I can find.

 

[JCS]

Nice project.
Do you plan to keep the stem? The 135mm Velocity can be quite a long reach, depending on how tall the rider is.

 

[sparkybhp]

Nice project.
Do you plan to keep the stem? The 135mm Velocity can be quite a long reach, depending on how tall the rider is.

Thanks, I’m thinking of converting to a head with suspension forks so p2’s and stem/headset will be coming off.

 

[sparkybhp]

A couple of update pics. I got the frame stripped, cleaned and t-cut. Then assembled with an fsa headset and some manitou Mars elite forks which I have. Second pic is after cleaning etc and has some syncros bars and 9 speed compatible hub with syncros rims.

I’m thinking the black components look the best and have ordered a few bits to assist with the build up. So far so good.

 

[sparkybhp]

A morning off work meant I could continue my stealth build on this. I did as much as I could because getting this in and out of the loft is becoming a hassle already!

Just waiting on a narrow/wide chainring to get this finished. Everything else had arrived in the post or I had in my spares boxes already. The XT v-brakes are a really nice upgrade and I went for an XTR rear mech which I’ve had knocking about for a while.
The Brooks saddle I switched off my wife’s current bike to try it - super comfy.
Nice to have it more or less done with loads of time to spare. I’ve kept the p2’s etc in case we ever decide to put it back to standard.