Hey! Thanks for stopping by, this was the bike I built last week for the retro ride. I took this on a solo ride around Rotorua, the Whakarewarewa forest loop. The Kula was *amazing* and had heaps of fun. Cheers! 🎉🤙
Haha I hope not, the price of old rigs can already be too high 😅I’m surprised the Easton tubing rigs aren’t more popular! Really nice ride feel to them, always impress me. Those old Trek 8000 ride well too 👌
Cheers maate! 🤙 some really beautiful spots around for sure, some even a short ride from Auckland city to 👌 this bush was a few hour drive but well worth it, heaps of sweet trails in Rotorua When you make it here I’ll show ya around 😁🤙
It shined up pretty well eh! The blue on the Sid fork is lovely in person too, almost anodised looking! Are you the Jon that might come to next years ride? Cheers either way! 🤙
Highly recommend, if you can find something with Easton or similarly nice/middle of the range tubing it would be ideal 👌 sweet era for handling:feel, nimble bikes. Cheers!
Cheers Glenn! The trails for sure haha, really love the bike but the trails and area are just unreal 😍 looking forward to riding the Kula more though 😄
white spirits/disc brake cleaner work REALLY well on sticker goo. spray it on, let it sit a minute, wipe off. Also, some conti racekings or trailkings with TPU tubes would take this bike up to the next level in feel and speed. I'm really envious of those trails! They look SO FUN, and the aesthetic of the local plants and trees is so different than around here in the northeast USA, its so cool.
Racekings would be ideal I think too! Have some tpu tubes on the way already haha. I’ll swap out to some Conti’s in due time too, along with the Easton Carbon bar when I find an uncut 31.8 one 😄 These trails are wonderful on this bike, or similar fast rigid rigs! The bush is beautiful too, but keeps things a bit cool. Something amazing about the smell too, but the smoothness of the trails and feel of the area is an awesome experience. Cheers for watching 😄🤙 if you ever happen to be these ways yell out I’ll get ya on a bike!
Awesome to hear! They’re lovely bikes eh, will hold onto this one for sure. An “upgrade” to a Primo would be nice at some point though. The white and orange looks really cool on them 👌
Lovely looking bike fella! NZ certainly looks like a nice place to ride, do like the fact at the end of the trail you can get a burger and beer, that needs to be at more trails. Little tip for cleaning dirty jockey wheels, leave them bolted in and use a flat blade screwdriver against it to scrape the dirt off as you turn the wheel, saves you sitting there with a pick trying to hook it off, then you can take them out to scrub and regrease.
If you're keen on your own, but can only find a smaller frame than you'd normally ride, a gravel conversion is very possible with disc brakes and drop bars (drops with a smaller frame and a high rise stem like an Ergotec High Charisma). 26x2.3 is roughly the same diameter as 650x47B (WTB Horizons & Byways etc), and with discs a 650B conversion is no problem at all. Incidentally 700x23C is about the same diameter as well, but theoretical in this case. Could even use something like a modern Surly Ogre fork (to make up for suspension geometry) to make an adventure bike, with everything loaded up front on all the Ogre fork mounting points.
Lucky! I’d love one of them, best colourway I think 👌 haha it’s hard to not, they can be quite light! Current form is 11.1kg, so with the lighter tubes will be in the 10kg range 😅 haha
Greetings! 👋 good to have ya, ooh you should check out an Irishman’s channel he just started! Awesome dude, popped in to see him when I was in Aussie this year. He was the main reason I grabbed this Kula! Haha, the blue Kula he pulls apart is the one I rode in Sydney and fell in love with youtube.com/@nextintheworkstand?si=B6r4pwJKRnZ40u4P
Haha thanks! 🙏 really really happy with it, just classic XC styling but still very comfortable and fun to ride. Handled beautifully, think a matching Easton carbon bar would be the cherry on top for me 🤞 cheers!
Cheers heaps! Bit out of my usual but really happy with it. I have a Cannondale f800 with a lefty fork, similar era, I might do on the channel at some point too 🤔
hell ya love konas, bike turned out amazing and looks like it rides great too. love all the details - how's that stem extender holding up ? I had to superglue in mine after a while
Looove a good Kona, there’s a 94 Explosif that’s shown up for sale recently here too 🥹 big size too 🫢 it held up fine on that 30k ride 🤙 would’ve epoxied it in if I had some but a trip to Bunnings on a time crunch wasn’t justified haha. But now it’s survived the ride I’m unsure whether it needs it, I used some fibre grip in it though which maybe helped! This is just one of the cheap ones, have the nice VeloBike one on my Cinelli 👌
Built up super clean. Have always wanted a mid-90's steel Kona with the Project II, especially the Columbus MAX one. Can I ask what you scored the bike for.
Ooh yeah an Explosif showed up here recently in a good size. But didn’t sell and hasn’t been re-listed yet ha. It was a while ago so can’t quite remember what I paid for the frame etc, think it was 100-120nzd? Maybe plus or minus $30. The Explosif was up for sale at $350, and thought to be a Columbus one as it didn’t have the splined downtube of the Tange Ultimate one(which a friend has and is a lovely bike!)
Hey! Thanks for stopping by, this was the bike I built last week for the retro ride. I took this on a solo ride around Rotorua, the Whakarewarewa forest loop. The Kula was *amazing* and had heaps of fun. Cheers! 🎉🤙
2000s alu mtb in going to be in style now.
Haha I hope not, the price of old rigs can already be too high 😅I’m surprised the Easton tubing rigs aren’t more popular! Really nice ride feel to them, always impress me. Those old Trek 8000 ride well too 👌
I noticed the same in the last months... Maybe because 90s MTB on the market are becoming rare.
@Londinius yea same. In 5 years will will reach the 2005 mtb era. I mean i already fell for the hype....
Damn dude. NZ is beautiful. What a place to ride!
Kona looks awesome too
Cheers maate! 🤙 some really beautiful spots around for sure, some even a short ride from Auckland city to 👌 this bush was a few hour drive but well worth it, heaps of sweet trails in Rotorua
When you make it here I’ll show ya around 😁🤙
That’s legit gorgeous.
It shined up pretty well eh! The blue on the Sid fork is lovely in person too, almost anodised looking!
Are you the Jon that might come to next years ride? Cheers either way! 🤙
@ yes I am 🤞🏼
"all good, i'm sure you're more important" absolute gold - perfect response to those guys
Always wanted a Kona. Beauty of a build. Recently gave a friend my 2009 trek 6000. Tempted to get a mid aughts alu xc bike again.
Highly recommend, if you can find something with Easton or similarly nice/middle of the range tubing it would be ideal 👌 sweet era for handling:feel, nimble bikes. Cheers!
Very tasty build. I love the Canadian RaceFace crank .
What a beauty! This is a great era for bikes
The handling and capability of it is immense! 🤤 seems to be a sweet spot for hardtails, not too slack like later ones and can still really pedal 👌
I don't know what is more stunning the trail or the bike, that is the dream thanks for sharing.👍
Cheers Glenn! The trails for sure haha, really love the bike but the trails and area are just unreal 😍 looking forward to riding the Kula more though 😄
That innertube hack is legit! Thanks for sharing! I use a Glue gun to accomplish the same thing.
It held up well on the ride too! Completely forgot until the end but they’re still there haha
white spirits/disc brake cleaner work REALLY well on sticker goo. spray it on, let it sit a minute, wipe off. Also, some conti racekings or trailkings with TPU tubes would take this bike up to the next level in feel and speed. I'm really envious of those trails! They look SO FUN, and the aesthetic of the local plants and trees is so different than around here in the northeast USA, its so cool.
Racekings would be ideal I think too! Have some tpu tubes on the way already haha. I’ll swap out to some Conti’s in due time too, along with the Easton Carbon bar when I find an uncut 31.8 one 😄
These trails are wonderful on this bike, or similar fast rigid rigs! The bush is beautiful too, but keeps things a bit cool. Something amazing about the smell too, but the smoothness of the trails and feel of the area is an awesome experience. Cheers for watching 😄🤙 if you ever happen to be these ways yell out I’ll get ya on a bike!
I still have one. Noway I would ever part with it. Great job.
Awesome to hear! They’re lovely bikes eh, will hold onto this one for sure. An “upgrade” to a Primo would be nice at some point though. The white and orange looks really cool on them 👌
What a great build ! I have a late 90s Gary fisher paragon xtr spec bike so much fun to ride and so light !
Ive got an 04 Orange/Blue Kula Deluxe sitting in my garage just asking for a rebuild. This video might get me to do it.
Ooh sweet! The orange Kona colours are so cool, the white and orange looks really cool
The bike looks amazing and so do the trails! 👍
Cheers Tony! Stoked as with it, and the trails there are beautiful as can be. They pack super hard almost like asphalt, run really fast
Lovely looking bike fella! NZ certainly looks like a nice place to ride, do like the fact at the end of the trail you can get a burger and beer, that needs to be at more trails. Little tip for cleaning dirty jockey wheels, leave them bolted in and use a flat blade screwdriver against it to scrape the dirt off as you turn the wheel, saves you sitting there with a pick trying to hook it off, then you can take them out to scrub and regrease.
Yeah love that little bonus at the end of the trail. Sounds like you might want an ultrasonic cleaner 🧼
If you're keen on your own, but can only find a smaller frame than you'd normally ride, a gravel conversion is very possible with disc brakes and drop bars (drops with a smaller frame and a high rise stem like an Ergotec High Charisma). 26x2.3 is roughly the same diameter as 650x47B (WTB Horizons & Byways etc), and with discs a 650B conversion is no problem at all. Incidentally 700x23C is about the same diameter as well, but theoretical in this case. Could even use something like a modern Surly Ogre fork (to make up for suspension geometry) to make an adventure bike, with everything loaded up front on all the Ogre fork mounting points.
Beautiful build! As someone else said, amazing trails in NZ.
Beauty Kona fun ride
Thanks heaps Michel, those are the Mavic Crossride wheels you sent me!ha 👌
@toastyrides looks really nice ,so many wheels I can't remember hahaha
I recently got an orange and white frame. Waiting on some parts. Originally was gonna use up some spares I have. But, going weight weenie route 😅
Lucky! I’d love one of them, best colourway I think 👌 haha it’s hard to not, they can be quite light! Current form is 11.1kg, so with the lighter tubes will be in the 10kg range 😅 haha
What incredible scenery
That is a gr8 looking Kona 🇦🇺👍
Dublin in the house, rad build, beautiful trail.
Greetings! 👋 good to have ya, ooh you should check out an Irishman’s channel he just started! Awesome dude, popped in to see him when I was in Aussie this year. He was the main reason I grabbed this Kula! Haha, the blue Kula he pulls apart is the one I rode in Sydney and fell in love with
youtube.com/@nextintheworkstand?si=B6r4pwJKRnZ40u4P
Frame came up nice. Thanks for posting
Thanks! The paint really shines now, love how it pops ✨ cheers for watching 🤙
Outstanding! The bike turned out looking amazing Adam. It looks like it rides pretty sweet also.
Very nice 👌
Haha thanks! 🙏 really really happy with it, just classic XC styling but still very comfortable and fun to ride. Handled beautifully, think a matching Easton carbon bar would be the cherry on top for me 🤞 cheers!
Great build toasty
Cheers heaps! Bit out of my usual but really happy with it. I have a Cannondale f800 with a lefty fork, similar era, I might do on the channel at some point too 🤔
@toastyrides I love the konas of that era, have a humuhumu of that era and my first proper mtb was a 06 kona scrap, then an 07 kona stinky deluxe
Nice bike. You must be the only person on the internet cleaning up old plastic bottle cages.
Hahah I’d say that’s true but I know Gary’s Projects has OCD with these things too 😩😂
@@toastyridesguilty as charged 🤣🤣🤣
hell ya love konas, bike turned out amazing and looks like it rides great too. love all the details - how's that stem extender holding up ? I had to superglue in mine after a while
Looove a good Kona, there’s a 94 Explosif that’s shown up for sale recently here too 🥹 big size too 🫢 it held up fine on that 30k ride 🤙 would’ve epoxied it in if I had some but a trip to Bunnings on a time crunch wasn’t justified haha.
But now it’s survived the ride I’m unsure whether it needs it, I used some fibre grip in it though which maybe helped! This is just one of the cheap ones, have the nice VeloBike one on my Cinelli 👌
@ nice !! ya 30k ride probably dont need it 😆 i heard loctite green is good too
Built up super clean. Have always wanted a mid-90's steel Kona with the Project II, especially the Columbus MAX one. Can I ask what you scored the bike for.
Ooh yeah an Explosif showed up here recently in a good size. But didn’t sell and hasn’t been re-listed yet ha. It was a while ago so can’t quite remember what I paid for the frame etc, think it was 100-120nzd? Maybe plus or minus $30. The Explosif was up for sale at $350, and thought to be a Columbus one as it didn’t have the splined downtube of the Tange Ultimate one(which a friend has and is a lovely bike!)
Kona❤
Very nice!
I can't help to rebuild my aluminum vintage
I was given a nice red Kula frame as a consulation prize because a Hot frame I bought from that same guy way found to be full of tiny rust holes.😅😂
Dental tools yupp :)
Gotta have all those handy picks 😂
Hi at 30:25 is that overlooking Rotorua? Thanx - beautiful
So nice
Thank you! 🙌
love your youtube channel .... i have surly birdge club size m ... the firm like kona kula deluxe
Thank you! Oo those are awesome bikes 🤙
@48:18 My back is killing me just looking at the saddle height in relation to the handlebars
Haha it’s crazy that aging has that effect even when it’s not your bike 😂 that’s wild, some yoga might help!
@toastyrides don't laugh Pal..someday u will be old too.. btw u should be buying a right size frame i
😂 Go shake ya fist at some skateboarders old man
Sube mas el sillin, creo que quedo muy bajo jajajajaja
Tidy rebuild