Skeeter 1 's 1993 Kona Cindercone build thread.

[Skeeter1]

Ok ok after much digging of old photos, this must of been 1992 I was 17 with my year old Lava Dome purchased from On yer bike in London Bridge, was working Sat job at Clarks shoes in Marble Arch, and used to stop off at On Yer Bike on Tooley Street after work, and drool over the amazing bikes, It was a toss up between a Marin Bear Valley, but Im so glad I went with the Kona, and still love an old school steel Kona.

I found these pics, oh the days when I had hair

It's great to dig out those old photos isn't it!!
Memories to last a lifetime!!
I can see your specialized light up front!...I had the same too,I loved that light as the previous one I had was some brick resembling Duracell one!!
Thanks for sharing..... sending loads of Kona love your way Dude

 

[Skeeter1]

Agree, the paint looks in great shape.

I'm still on cloud 9 since acquiring the frame...I can't stop looking at it (and polishing it)
I'm totally dragging this build out as I just don't want the magic to end!
When I first started this build I was thinking down the lines of riding it for fun on fair weather days,but now im getting just as much enjoyment just looking at it in the eyes of my teenage self.
I always knew one day I'll find one ,but never thought it would be possible to have one of my dreams again.
This bike certainly is "my precious" ha ha

 

[RetroBikeCollecter]

It's great to dig out those old photos isn't it!!
Memories to last a lifetime!!
I can see your specialized light up front!...I had the same too,I loved that light as the previous one I had was some brick resembling Duracell one!!
Thanks for sharing..... sending loads of Kona love your way Dude

Totally agree, its always good to remember the times when I had so much energy, especially soon after this I became a bike courier in the city, and used to ride many many miles, right across london, everyday. Then ride back home in Kent!

Specialized light it was yes indeed, good spot! X-lite stubbys, which were originally anodised in purple, but I ended up removing the purple, as it was wearing in places, which ended up getting ditched.

Owned this bike for another 2 years or so, it ended up with almost all XTR groupset, which ended up becoming a 1x7 speed, with a daves chain device, specialized nibus slicks, extremely narrowed bars, to weave in and out of traffic.

I had a very good relationship with On yer bike, bike shop were I originally purchased the bike, and was forever trying out new parts.

It also eneded up with a flite titanium saddle, and a USE alien seat post. Unfortunately the flites were way to narrow for my rotund bottom (ive also ways been a big lad), swapped for a Rolls San Marco, which was way more comfortable. The USE seatpost ended up being swapped for a control tech, as it would never stay tightened up, plus loads of x-lite bits

I did own a few more bikes by this time, namely my bros Dynatech, (which was stolen) then I moved onto a bull burnished 94 GT Zaskar, with Marzocchis, which ended up with a cracked tube at the bottom bracket! unfortunately I have no pics of those bike

Also had a 95 STX equipped Univega, which I swapped an old T.V for, but that didnt last long, a

 

[Skeeter1]

Totally agree, its always good to remember the times when I had so much energy, especially soon after this I became a bike courier in the city, and used to ride many many miles, right across london, everyday. Then ride back home in Kent!

Specialized light it was yes indeed, good spot! X-lite stubbys, which were originally anodised in purple, but I ended up removing the purple, as it was wearing in places, which ended up getting ditched.

Owned this bike for another 2 years or so, it ended up with almost all XTR groupset, which ended up becoming a 1x7 speed, with a daves chain device, specialized nibus slicks, extremely narrowed bars, to weave in and out of traffic.

I had a very good relationship with On yer bike, bike shop were I originally purchased the bike, and was forever trying out new parts.

It also eneded up with a flite titanium saddle, and a USE alien seat post. Unfortunately the flites were way to narrow for my rotund bottom (ive also ways been a big lad), swapped for a Rolls San Marco, which was way more comfortable. The USE seatpost ended up being swapped for a control tech, as it would never stay tightened up, plus loads of x-lite bits

I did own a few more bikes by this time, namely my bros Dynatech, (which was stolen) then I moved onto a bull burnished 94 GT Zaskar, with Marzocchis, which ended up with a cracked tube at the bottom bracket! unfortunately I have no pics of those bike

Also had a 95 STX equipped Univega, which I swapped an old T.V for, but that didnt last long, a

It's funny how all us young ones back then gravitated around those components.
I live on the Isle of Wight ,so I was always an XC rider and still am to be honest.
I raced lots and was always on my club rides where I bought my bike from. I used to ride there every Sunday (8miles) then go on club ride with a mixed group of riders and bikes. Usually for around 18miles and then come back to shop for tea and bikkies and then ride home again.Boundless amounts of energy and then meet up with mates and mess about more on bikes. That was my life....and I loved it! No worries in the world whatsoever.
I never Had a DCD but I had the crud claw (which is one of the few things I still have from back then) I never had the flite titanium,but did have the Vetta sl titanium which I never had issues with.
A friend had X lire handlebars which snapped one day....which put the fear of God up us all ha ha.

I've got lots of old brochures and pretty sure I have on yer bike amongst them to this Day. I would spend hours flicking through those brochures wishing my summer job would pay me more money ha ha.

 

[RetroBikeCollecter]

It's funny how all us young ones back then gravitated around those components.
I live on the Isle of Wight ,so I was always an XC rider and still am to be honest.
I raced lots and was always on my club rides where I bought my bike from. I used to ride there every Sunday (8miles) then go on club ride with a mixed group of riders and bikes. Usually for around 18miles and then come back to shop for tea and bikkies and then ride home again.Boundless amounts of energy and then meet up with mates and mess about more on bikes. That was my life....and I loved it! No worries in the world whatsoever.
I never Had a DCD but I had the crud claw (which is one of the few things I still have from back then) I never had the flite titanium,but did have the Vetta sl titanium which I never had issues with.
A friend had X lire handlebars which snapped one day....which put the fear of God up us all ha ha.

I've got lots of old brochures and pretty sure I have on yer bike amongst them to this Day. I would spend hours flicking through those brochures wishing my summer job would pay me more money ha ha.

I bet you had the best time mucking about on the Isle of wight.

I had every single copy of MBUK and lots of other mags, and all bike catalogues, but years later found myslef having to move house, and sell my beloved mk1 golf GTI and had em in the boot, so they went with the car still have a collection, but some of the early brochures are hard to get hold of, especially Kona stuff, would love a 91 Kona brochure again

 

[Skeeter1]

I bet you had the best time mucking about on the Isle of wight.

I had every single copy of MBUK and lots of other mags, and all bike catalogues, but years later found myslef having to move house, and sell my beloved mk1 golf GTI and had em in the boot, so they went with the car still have a collection, but some of the early brochures are hard to get hold of, especially Kona stuff, would love a 91 Kona brochure again

To be honest,I thought my Mbuk issues from around 92-96 had been binned .
However my parents were going through loads of stuff and came across in a random old cupboard All my issues....along with lots of my old spare Bits tin,Nike N gubas ,Kona race kit X 2 ,my old Hammer head SC jungle Jim.
You can believe my excitement some 24 years on!! And I had just before lockdown got into Retro MTBs.
The find couldn't have come at a better time.
I have a couple of my old Kona brochures,but not 91,as in 91 I was still happily crusing about on my "90" Muddyfox pathfinder. And probably didn't even know about Kona bikes then!

 

[JCS]

Really interesting to see the old pics and hear about the riding experiences back in the early 90's. When I saw the pic of the Lava Dome it reminded me a lot of my Kona (91 Cinder Cone)- lots of upgraded / non-catalogue parts fitted, several stickers applied. Pretty much the only thing that stayed standard on mine was the stem and bars. Over the year's it has turned into Trigger's broom !
This pic is circa 1992 when I had it on slicks:

 

[RetroBikeCollecter]

To be honest,I thought my Mbuk issues from around 92-96 had been binned .
However my parents were going through loads of stuff and came across in a random old cupboard All my issues....along with lots of my old spare Bits tin,Nike N gubas ,Kona race kit X 2 ,my old Hammer head SC jungle Jim.
You can believe my excitement some 24 years on!! And I had just before lockdown got into Retro MTBs.
The find couldn't have come at a better time.
I have a couple of my old Kona brochures,but not 91,as in 91 I was still happily crusing about on my "90" Muddyfox pathfinder. And probably didn't even know about Kona bikes then!

Awesome just like a birthday xmas present

Sometimes i rummage through my boxes of parts, and get excited about stuff I forgot i even had lol

Uh oh Dont start me off on Muddyfoxs, I have owned a few over the years!
In fact I picked up a 91 sorcerer mega in mint original condition last year, the blue metallic paint work is amazing still has the knobblys on the tyres. Sold a mint 91 Pathfinder early this year

Will dig it out at some point, also have a believe to be a 92 Pathfinder in red, but that doesn't have the wishbone design rear seatstay design, I believe thats when Muddyfox started going broke.

 

[RetroBikeCollecter]

Really interesting to see the old pics and hear about the riding experiences back in the early 90's. When I saw the pic of the Lava Dome it reminded me a lot of my Kona (91 Cinder Cone)- lots of upgraded / non-catalogue parts fitted, several stickers applied. Pretty much the only thing that stayed standard on mine was the stem and bars. Over the year's it has turned into Trigger's broom !
This pic is circa 1992 when I had it on slicks:
View attachment 768823

Great pic! They were never gonna stay standard were they?

Especially with all the jewell like CNCd alu & titanium bits that were always advertised in MBUk and the like

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I can see your specialized light up front!...I had the same too,I loved that light

You've both just reminded me that I still have one in a bin somewhere... I'm going to have to dig it out now.