UPDATE: The unicorn has found a new home. It sold on 10/24/14 for $3100, or approximately £1925. Thanks to all of the readers for your lively commentary. It's been fun!
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This is a story of a beautiful bike. A unique bike. It’s all true. And yes, the bike is for sale. It's essentially new, as in never been sold.
If you don’t want to read the long story, skip it, and jump to the photos at the bottom.
When you see the bike, I suspect you might want to come back and read about it.
Old Barns
Have you ever read stories about lucky individuals that manage to find treasures in unlikely places? You know, a perfectly preserved Porsche 356 Speedster, sitting under a drop cloth and dust, tucked away in an old barn somewhere? Well, this story is kind of like that.
I live in Austin, Texas. Each year, in March, there is an enormous music festival called “South by Southwest” (SXSW) that takes over the city for about a week. The festival recently finished. And during that time, as part of SXSW, my wife said, “I have a friend who owns a bike shop, and he is having some bands play at the store, along with free beer, for a musical event…we should get a babysitter and get away for a few hours. It would be fun…and you’d love being able to hang out in the bike shop.” Having worked in a bike shop in San Francisco over a decade ago, I said, “It does sound fun, but I learned years ago that bike shops are not all that…it’s just more consumer product, year after year...it’s just all about pushing the latest gear.” To which my wife responded, “No, my friend is different. And his shop is different. You’ll really like him. He’s more old school…a purist.”
So we got a babysitter, and we headed out for the afternoon on the appointed day, and I was happy to be out, away from the kids. With free beer. And music. And bikes. The bike shop in Austin, Waterloo Cycles, is right next to a military surplus place, which somehow fits. The shop is delightfully rough around the edges. Nothing fancy, a solid and soulful part of the urban neighborhood, with a band playing out front, in the parking lot. The bike shop was small, but full of interesting bikes…many of them no-nonsense commuters, single speeds, and the like. Unpretentious.
I met Michael, the owner, and he was just as my wife described him…thick Coke bottle glasses, a grizzled beard, and a wide, warm smile. As we drank some good craft beer from Austin, I was telling him how I was excited about having recently acquired a vintage Kona frame, in wonderful condition, and that this would be my first adventure with building a proper retro bike, with period-correct parts, and the like.
When I told Michael my frame was an 18”, he responded, “Ohhhhh, that’s too bad…if you needed something just an inch larger, I’ve got a really nice Kona in the back.” I smiled, and said something non-committal and glib like, “ah, that sounds lovely…too bad for me.” And I left it at that.
So we drank more beer, and had more friendly conversation, just me, Michael, and my wife in the bike shop, with stacks of newspapers and bike brochures, and so much stuff that I could hardly see all the vintage bike parts hiding in a display case behind a couch and some cardboard boxes.
About ten minutes later, Michael asked me, “So, do you want to see the bike?”
At that moment, I had honestly forgotten about the Kona he mentioned earlier. I just didn’t really think anything of it. When he reminded me, I said, “Sure...” and he led me to a back room, next to his well-used service area.
And there, hanging upside down, hiding behind several other bikes that I can’t remember at all, covered in a couple decades’ worth of dust….was something truly beautiful.
Unicorns
Why are there so many legends about unicorns? Because the legends say they are rare. Or they don’t exist. Few people have ever seen a unicorn. Well, this story is kind of like that.
Hanging on the wall was a 1996 Kona Hei Hei King Kahuna that has never been sold. As in, “I ordered it for a customer back in the 90s, and he needed one sooner, so I got another one on an express shipment, and I’ve had this extra bike ever since. It’s never been sold. I’ve literally ridden it like maybe three times.”
Have you ever seen a 1996 Kona King Kahuna? Do a search here on Retrobike, and among the first things you’ll find is a post that says, “1996 King Kahuna…does it exist?”
I had stumbled upon a unicorn.
- 1996 was the first year that the King Kahuna option was introduced. The original.
- 1996 was the one and only year that the King Kahuna had full 6/4 titanium seat stays.
- 1996 was the one and only year that the King Kahuna option existed without spoiling the lovely round tubes of the original Hei Hei…no ovalized tubes, no gussets, no frills. Just lovely Sandvik 6/4 titanium in all the right places.
- And to top it all off, this was a complete bike, with all original parts, barely used.
My jaw dropped, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. This bike was lovely. And amazing. The more I looked, the more I saw. All original Kona OEM parts…Velocity stem, Race Light handlebars, lovely amber Scratch & Sniff tires…even beautiful Curve Optimum Modulus components (based on the designs from the original Boulder, CO Curve component shop…exclusive to Kona in 1996).
“You mean to tell me, seriously, that this bike has just been sitting here, like this, for almost 20 years? Just *sitting here,* all this time?”
“Yep.”
“Why???? Why haven’t you done anything with it?”
Michael shrugged.
“Michael,” I said.
“This bike would make someone soooooo happy.”
Beautiful Treasures, Stumbled Upon
I've convinced Michael that it would be a shame for such a beautiful and special bike, with such a story behind it, to be left in a storage room. The bike belongs in the hands (and under the legs) of someone whose heart beats a little faster from looking at it, as mine did. So here are the details on this beauty. The photos include all the images of the original invoices and packing lists, from Kona to Waterloo Cycles. You can even see that all of the serial numbers match the bottom bracket. It’s never been sold, and it has literally been ridden no more than three times.
The buyer does need to understand that while the bike is essentially new, that does not mean it's just-out-of-the-box and literally unridden, nor does that mean it’s completely flawless. While it has never been sold, it has been in the back room of a shop for almost 20 years. The tires have gotten dry and a bit cracked over the years. There are a few small nicks on a couple of the original decals, and some mild marks here and there. The photos speak for themselves.
Frame – 1996 Kona King Kahuna (Hei Hei), Sandvik 6/4 and 3/2.5 Titanium
Size – 19”
Fork – Marzocchi XC 600
Headset – Kona Control Center
Cranks – Sugino Mighty, 94 BCD, 42-32-22
Bottom Bracket - Curve ZVL
Pedals – Shimano SPD M525
Chain - Sachs
Cassette – Shimano XT M737, 8 speed, 11-28
Front Derailleur – Shimano XT M738
Rear Derailleur – SRAM/Grip Shift ESP Carbon
Shifters – SRAM/Grip Shift 900
Handlebar – Kona Race Light, Easton AL
Bar Ends - Control Tech
Stem – Kona Velocity
Brakes – Curve Optimum Modulus (OM)
Brake Levers - Curve Optimum Modulus (OM)
Front Hub – Shimano XT M738
Rear Hub – Shimano XT M737
Rims – Mavic 221
Spokes – DT Swiss
Front Tire – Kona Sniff
Rear Tire – Kona Scratch
Saddle – Selle Italia Expedia
Seat Post – Kona Race Light
Weight – 24.7 lbs.
Yes, It’s for Sale
UPDATED PRICE - As of 7/17/2014
Complete bike, as shown, with all original Kona OEM kit, is £1999 + actual shipping costs.
Again, the original packing slip and invoices from Kona are attached. Michael is real, and he really owns Waterloo Cycles, in Austin. You can see the shop on the web. You can even see Michael in one of the photos (the bearded guy with the Coke bottle glasses). (And in case you haven’t guessed, I really did write this long story and help him out with this sale because he is not the type to do it himself – that’s why he has a beautiful, virtually new bike that has been sitting for 18 years.)
The bike is for sale to buyers in the US or the UK. If you are seriously interested and live in another country, please send a PM and make inquiries and we can assess whether shipping to your location is possible or not. International buyers should be aware that international shipping costs from the US can be substantial, as they include shipping + customs duties + any VAT. Rather than try to predict the actual shipping costs, the seller commits to working with the buyer in good faith to achieve the most economical shipping, with insurance. Shipping costs will be actual - no padding, no extras. If, after shipping costs are calculated, the buyer decides that they are prohibitive, the seller will simply relist the bike and make it available to another buyer, with no hard feelings.
We hope you can tell this whole discovery has been fun for us. Thanks for reading about the unicorn. We would love to make someone very happy with this special bike. PM me with any questions.
**************************
This is a story of a beautiful bike. A unique bike. It’s all true. And yes, the bike is for sale. It's essentially new, as in never been sold.
If you don’t want to read the long story, skip it, and jump to the photos at the bottom.
When you see the bike, I suspect you might want to come back and read about it.
Old Barns
Have you ever read stories about lucky individuals that manage to find treasures in unlikely places? You know, a perfectly preserved Porsche 356 Speedster, sitting under a drop cloth and dust, tucked away in an old barn somewhere? Well, this story is kind of like that.
I live in Austin, Texas. Each year, in March, there is an enormous music festival called “South by Southwest” (SXSW) that takes over the city for about a week. The festival recently finished. And during that time, as part of SXSW, my wife said, “I have a friend who owns a bike shop, and he is having some bands play at the store, along with free beer, for a musical event…we should get a babysitter and get away for a few hours. It would be fun…and you’d love being able to hang out in the bike shop.” Having worked in a bike shop in San Francisco over a decade ago, I said, “It does sound fun, but I learned years ago that bike shops are not all that…it’s just more consumer product, year after year...it’s just all about pushing the latest gear.” To which my wife responded, “No, my friend is different. And his shop is different. You’ll really like him. He’s more old school…a purist.”
So we got a babysitter, and we headed out for the afternoon on the appointed day, and I was happy to be out, away from the kids. With free beer. And music. And bikes. The bike shop in Austin, Waterloo Cycles, is right next to a military surplus place, which somehow fits. The shop is delightfully rough around the edges. Nothing fancy, a solid and soulful part of the urban neighborhood, with a band playing out front, in the parking lot. The bike shop was small, but full of interesting bikes…many of them no-nonsense commuters, single speeds, and the like. Unpretentious.
I met Michael, the owner, and he was just as my wife described him…thick Coke bottle glasses, a grizzled beard, and a wide, warm smile. As we drank some good craft beer from Austin, I was telling him how I was excited about having recently acquired a vintage Kona frame, in wonderful condition, and that this would be my first adventure with building a proper retro bike, with period-correct parts, and the like.
When I told Michael my frame was an 18”, he responded, “Ohhhhh, that’s too bad…if you needed something just an inch larger, I’ve got a really nice Kona in the back.” I smiled, and said something non-committal and glib like, “ah, that sounds lovely…too bad for me.” And I left it at that.
So we drank more beer, and had more friendly conversation, just me, Michael, and my wife in the bike shop, with stacks of newspapers and bike brochures, and so much stuff that I could hardly see all the vintage bike parts hiding in a display case behind a couch and some cardboard boxes.
About ten minutes later, Michael asked me, “So, do you want to see the bike?”
At that moment, I had honestly forgotten about the Kona he mentioned earlier. I just didn’t really think anything of it. When he reminded me, I said, “Sure...” and he led me to a back room, next to his well-used service area.
And there, hanging upside down, hiding behind several other bikes that I can’t remember at all, covered in a couple decades’ worth of dust….was something truly beautiful.
Unicorns
Why are there so many legends about unicorns? Because the legends say they are rare. Or they don’t exist. Few people have ever seen a unicorn. Well, this story is kind of like that.
Hanging on the wall was a 1996 Kona Hei Hei King Kahuna that has never been sold. As in, “I ordered it for a customer back in the 90s, and he needed one sooner, so I got another one on an express shipment, and I’ve had this extra bike ever since. It’s never been sold. I’ve literally ridden it like maybe three times.”
Have you ever seen a 1996 Kona King Kahuna? Do a search here on Retrobike, and among the first things you’ll find is a post that says, “1996 King Kahuna…does it exist?”
I had stumbled upon a unicorn.
- 1996 was the first year that the King Kahuna option was introduced. The original.
- 1996 was the one and only year that the King Kahuna had full 6/4 titanium seat stays.
- 1996 was the one and only year that the King Kahuna option existed without spoiling the lovely round tubes of the original Hei Hei…no ovalized tubes, no gussets, no frills. Just lovely Sandvik 6/4 titanium in all the right places.
- And to top it all off, this was a complete bike, with all original parts, barely used.
My jaw dropped, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. This bike was lovely. And amazing. The more I looked, the more I saw. All original Kona OEM parts…Velocity stem, Race Light handlebars, lovely amber Scratch & Sniff tires…even beautiful Curve Optimum Modulus components (based on the designs from the original Boulder, CO Curve component shop…exclusive to Kona in 1996).
“You mean to tell me, seriously, that this bike has just been sitting here, like this, for almost 20 years? Just *sitting here,* all this time?”
“Yep.”
“Why???? Why haven’t you done anything with it?”
Michael shrugged.
“Michael,” I said.
“This bike would make someone soooooo happy.”
Beautiful Treasures, Stumbled Upon
I've convinced Michael that it would be a shame for such a beautiful and special bike, with such a story behind it, to be left in a storage room. The bike belongs in the hands (and under the legs) of someone whose heart beats a little faster from looking at it, as mine did. So here are the details on this beauty. The photos include all the images of the original invoices and packing lists, from Kona to Waterloo Cycles. You can even see that all of the serial numbers match the bottom bracket. It’s never been sold, and it has literally been ridden no more than three times.
The buyer does need to understand that while the bike is essentially new, that does not mean it's just-out-of-the-box and literally unridden, nor does that mean it’s completely flawless. While it has never been sold, it has been in the back room of a shop for almost 20 years. The tires have gotten dry and a bit cracked over the years. There are a few small nicks on a couple of the original decals, and some mild marks here and there. The photos speak for themselves.
Frame – 1996 Kona King Kahuna (Hei Hei), Sandvik 6/4 and 3/2.5 Titanium
Size – 19”
Fork – Marzocchi XC 600
Headset – Kona Control Center
Cranks – Sugino Mighty, 94 BCD, 42-32-22
Bottom Bracket - Curve ZVL
Pedals – Shimano SPD M525
Chain - Sachs
Cassette – Shimano XT M737, 8 speed, 11-28
Front Derailleur – Shimano XT M738
Rear Derailleur – SRAM/Grip Shift ESP Carbon
Shifters – SRAM/Grip Shift 900
Handlebar – Kona Race Light, Easton AL
Bar Ends - Control Tech
Stem – Kona Velocity
Brakes – Curve Optimum Modulus (OM)
Brake Levers - Curve Optimum Modulus (OM)
Front Hub – Shimano XT M738
Rear Hub – Shimano XT M737
Rims – Mavic 221
Spokes – DT Swiss
Front Tire – Kona Sniff
Rear Tire – Kona Scratch
Saddle – Selle Italia Expedia
Seat Post – Kona Race Light
Weight – 24.7 lbs.
Yes, It’s for Sale
UPDATED PRICE - As of 7/17/2014
Complete bike, as shown, with all original Kona OEM kit, is £1999 + actual shipping costs.
Again, the original packing slip and invoices from Kona are attached. Michael is real, and he really owns Waterloo Cycles, in Austin. You can see the shop on the web. You can even see Michael in one of the photos (the bearded guy with the Coke bottle glasses). (And in case you haven’t guessed, I really did write this long story and help him out with this sale because he is not the type to do it himself – that’s why he has a beautiful, virtually new bike that has been sitting for 18 years.)
The bike is for sale to buyers in the US or the UK. If you are seriously interested and live in another country, please send a PM and make inquiries and we can assess whether shipping to your location is possible or not. International buyers should be aware that international shipping costs from the US can be substantial, as they include shipping + customs duties + any VAT. Rather than try to predict the actual shipping costs, the seller commits to working with the buyer in good faith to achieve the most economical shipping, with insurance. Shipping costs will be actual - no padding, no extras. If, after shipping costs are calculated, the buyer decides that they are prohibitive, the seller will simply relist the bike and make it available to another buyer, with no hard feelings.
We hope you can tell this whole discovery has been fun for us. Thanks for reading about the unicorn. We would love to make someone very happy with this special bike. PM me with any questions.
