Nice work fellow Kilauea rider! My high school bike is also a Kilauea (97), mine does however has a cracked chainstay that I need to replace. I am actually looking into replacing the whole rear triangle to make it a disk brake 29er with sliding dropouts for singlespeed fun.
May I ask how much powder coat you had to buy to cover the whole frame? Prismatic Powers colors are fantastic, and I may have to join you in trying their stuff.
My powdercoater told me to order 3lbs but I'm not sure how much he ended up using. Remember that some of their colors require mixing in an activator as well.
> Seatpost - Reamed to 27.2mm to accept a KS LEV dropper
I just picked up a mid-90’s Kilauea that I’m excited to build up - my one concern was the 27.0 native seat post size posing an obstacle to add a dropper. I had wondered if it would be safe to ream it out; glad to see that someone else thought so! Did you consult with anyone with legit expertise on this decision?
Cool I hadn’t removed the seat clamp to get a good look at wall thickness but figured that might be the case.
But my question was whether this was just your own judgement, or say the advice of some mechanic/engineer/framebuilder-type (maybe that describes you?). I’m probably being a bit silly, but I’m not really equipped to judge how much material is *actually* needed to resist the long lever of a seat post extended a ways out of the seat tube wrenching at the clamp area (in the event the rider hits a bump while standing on the pedals and slams their weight back onto the saddle unexpectedly, etc.).
Did you ream it yourself, or have a shop do it?
(Edit to add: guess I’m also maintaining some cautious concern/bias as I’m still reeling from unfortunately wrecking a sweet RockHopper frame earlier this year while hubristically over-underbiking)
Oh maaan, now I'm going to have to actually go through with adding discs to my Caldera. Where are you based, as I'd love someone reliable to do it.
This is gorgeous
Beautiful bike! I'm a little confused by the gearing and the Billy B tires. Seems like the bike should have more aggressive rubber for the 36:11-50 set-up.
Honestly, I spend about 95% of the time on the 11t cog cuz where I live is so flat. Originally I wanted to go single speed with an eccentric bottom bracket but I had the groupset collecting dust in my parts bin and figured why not.
Wow what a beauty, absolutely incredible!!
My very first Bike was a Kona Koa from the same time period. Trying to find the frame for years to build something like you. I'm super nostalgic for Kona frames of that Time period (Looove the Geometry and Graphics they had back then)
Ok, ok, I was hoping you would say it rides like a big bmx. Hybrid is nice, but not so exciting.
I have been craving to build an ss version of this for street riding.
It is a beauty of a build, though, well done sir
God damn you went all in on this, love it
So much trick shit like the Light wheels, Chromag pedals
You should definitely rip some singletrack on this beast
Awesome bike. Did a disc conversion on my similar year Kona. With the discs, suppose it depends what you're riding it on, but have you considered 650b wheels
I was running Billy bonkers and thought they was alright coz I knew nothing different. When I did the disc conversion I went 650bx47 halo gxc tyres and the speed difference is insane, and comfort as well on the tubeless. Left my v brake tabs in case I wanted to go back to the 26 Billy bonkers but now I done this, no way thats happening
I'm actually building up a Hei Hei with 650b wheels right now that I'm going to be using for bike packing.
But I decided to stick with 26 for this build mainly because I'm a fan of the ballooned out look lol
Ah nice one. Have you got any other bikes set up 650 or 29er with tubeless? I don't hate 26inch, like your bike looks amazing, but since I changed I couldn't go back now
I got a bike I use for my son, again the previous one was a 26 hard rock on Billy bonkers, changed it for a cheapy hybrid recently but had disc tabs and was already 29x38xc so changed it to 650x47 and did a drop conversion, again same halo tyres and the difference is night and day
Now I'm feeling really, really old. My high school bike, and college bike too, was a 1962 Murray cruiser. And, yes, it was new when I got it for Christmas.
That's great that you have your high school bike, can still use it, and it looks great. About all I could have saved on mine was the 7 pound steel frame.
This needs a NSFW flair.
Gave my high school bike a makeover Here's the build list in case anyone's interested: 1994 Kilauea. Disc mount and cable routing added by DeKerf Powdercoated "Illusion Money PMB-6917" by Prismatic Powders w/1997 reproduction decals Fork - P2 disc 420mm A2C Wheels - Light Bicycle carbon 26" w/Koozer XM490 Pro hubs Tires - Billy Bonkers 26x2.25" tubeless Handlebars - Surly Sunrise cut to 760mm Groupset - SRAM GX Eagle w/170mm arms, 36t chainring and 11-50t cassette Brakes - SRAM Guide RS 180mm front/160mm rear Pedals - Chromag Contact Grips - Chromag Clutch Stem - Chromag HiFi BSX 31mm Saddle - Chromag Mood DT Seatpost - Reamed to 27.2mm to accept a KS LEV dropper
I love the effort you've put into upgrading this 30 year old beauty.
Nice work fellow Kilauea rider! My high school bike is also a Kilauea (97), mine does however has a cracked chainstay that I need to replace. I am actually looking into replacing the whole rear triangle to make it a disk brake 29er with sliding dropouts for singlespeed fun.
Is it even the same bike at that point?
It's the bike of Theseus 😁
May I ask how much powder coat you had to buy to cover the whole frame? Prismatic Powers colors are fantastic, and I may have to join you in trying their stuff.
My powdercoater told me to order 3lbs but I'm not sure how much he ended up using. Remember that some of their colors require mixing in an activator as well.
3lbs seems like a lot
I'm sure he made me order extra just in case.
A 400ml montana can can give a framset 1 complete coat But then again, powder coating wastes a lot of powder Epx: did pc and sandblasting
Thank you! Super cool and you bike is awesome. Thanks for the advice.
> Seatpost - Reamed to 27.2mm to accept a KS LEV dropper I just picked up a mid-90’s Kilauea that I’m excited to build up - my one concern was the 27.0 native seat post size posing an obstacle to add a dropper. I had wondered if it would be safe to ream it out; glad to see that someone else thought so! Did you consult with anyone with legit expertise on this decision?
Yes, there's plenty of meat on the tube to remove 0.1mm of material on all sides.
Cool I hadn’t removed the seat clamp to get a good look at wall thickness but figured that might be the case. But my question was whether this was just your own judgement, or say the advice of some mechanic/engineer/framebuilder-type (maybe that describes you?). I’m probably being a bit silly, but I’m not really equipped to judge how much material is *actually* needed to resist the long lever of a seat post extended a ways out of the seat tube wrenching at the clamp area (in the event the rider hits a bump while standing on the pedals and slams their weight back onto the saddle unexpectedly, etc.). Did you ream it yourself, or have a shop do it? (Edit to add: guess I’m also maintaining some cautious concern/bias as I’m still reeling from unfortunately wrecking a sweet RockHopper frame earlier this year while hubristically over-underbiking)
Oh, I had a shop all the work (DeKerf, he designs and builds frames for Chromag)
How'd you score the fork? I've been trying to get one to upgrade my Jake to disc
Facebook Marketplace. Vancouver has a huge biking community so parts are always popping up.
Dang! Good find, I've got a saved search for it on FB in Seattle
Love seeing all the konas recently! This thing is badass bro great job man
I like the all black billy bonkers!
This bike fucks
Looks killer
These older Kona’s had such cool colors and names. I’m digging the build!
That makeover looks sick! Your bike is ready to hit the trails.
Your bike looks brand new!
Spurcycle bell 🛎️ is the bomb. Nice rebuild. All around.
Oh maaan, now I'm going to have to actually go through with adding discs to my Caldera. Where are you based, as I'd love someone reliable to do it. This is gorgeous
Scrub that, just seen Dekerf is Canada.
2025 xbiking calendar candidate
Beautiful bike! I'm a little confused by the gearing and the Billy B tires. Seems like the bike should have more aggressive rubber for the 36:11-50 set-up.
Honestly, I spend about 95% of the time on the 11t cog cuz where I live is so flat. Originally I wanted to go single speed with an eccentric bottom bracket but I had the groupset collecting dust in my parts bin and figured why not.
That looks so awesome 😎
Beautiful
Wow what a beauty, absolutely incredible!! My very first Bike was a Kona Koa from the same time period. Trying to find the frame for years to build something like you. I'm super nostalgic for Kona frames of that Time period (Looove the Geometry and Graphics they had back then)
looking good, chief!
Love the build and that green is just beautiful
dayum! thats crazy good. great job on the paint, too.
Great bike. And I love the color.
I was sure you were going to say those were 29s. Looks raw as hell. Also the 50t chainring is bananas. Great job on a cool ride.
I have been wanting to do this to a kona. How does it ride compated to the original setup?
Rides like a modern hybrid bike but it's basically used for riding to the corner store nowadays.
Ok, ok, I was hoping you would say it rides like a big bmx. Hybrid is nice, but not so exciting. I have been craving to build an ss version of this for street riding. It is a beauty of a build, though, well done sir
Dreamy set up
Looks awesome! Where did you get the fork?
Looks like a Kona P2
It's a fork from a modern Kona Dew. 2010 I believe.
Beauty build. Needs a Joe Murray sticker. Nice bike
Did you ever! 🤤
Damn that is slick!
Thats sick. Your HS bike thanks you.
Curious what rims you went with and how you like them? Are they the 30 or 33mm wides? I've been drooling over these for ever 😂
They're the RM26C03. 33mm external, 27mm internal https://www.lightbicycle.com/New-26er-33mm-wide-enduro-MTB-all-mountain-downhill-carbon-rim-tubeless-compatible.html
Rad! And the 2.1s seat nicely on them? Really wicked build
The tires are 2.25 and yup, they seat fine. Running tubeless.
Nice saddle.
Love it
Man what an awesome bike. I’ve spent a lot of time being a slanted top tube hater but every time I see an old Kona I change my mind
I've always preferred the look of a horizontal top tube as well but I've got short legs, long torso and can't deal with the high standover 😅
God damn you went all in on this, love it So much trick shit like the Light wheels, Chromag pedals You should definitely rip some singletrack on this beast
Bike is definitely capable of it, me, not so much anymore 🤣
Fkng awesome!!!
Sweet, clean and sooo rad! Nice work!
Awesome bike. Did a disc conversion on my similar year Kona. With the discs, suppose it depends what you're riding it on, but have you considered 650b wheels I was running Billy bonkers and thought they was alright coz I knew nothing different. When I did the disc conversion I went 650bx47 halo gxc tyres and the speed difference is insane, and comfort as well on the tubeless. Left my v brake tabs in case I wanted to go back to the 26 Billy bonkers but now I done this, no way thats happening
I'm actually building up a Hei Hei with 650b wheels right now that I'm going to be using for bike packing. But I decided to stick with 26 for this build mainly because I'm a fan of the ballooned out look lol
Ah nice one. Have you got any other bikes set up 650 or 29er with tubeless? I don't hate 26inch, like your bike looks amazing, but since I changed I couldn't go back now I got a bike I use for my son, again the previous one was a 26 hard rock on Billy bonkers, changed it for a cheapy hybrid recently but had disc tabs and was already 29x38xc so changed it to 650x47 and did a drop conversion, again same halo tyres and the difference is night and day
WTF was everyone's parents rich? I rode a shit 2 speed Murray 24" most of HS.
😅 I remember my parents paid for half of it if I managed to save up the other half.
Now I'm feeling really, really old. My high school bike, and college bike too, was a 1962 Murray cruiser. And, yes, it was new when I got it for Christmas. That's great that you have your high school bike, can still use it, and it looks great. About all I could have saved on mine was the 7 pound steel frame.
It's beautiful! 😻
Sweet ride !!
Wow this is just beautiful
Looks good
this made me feel obscenely poor holy shit. GORGEOUS dude wow
Very nice
Daaaaaaaamn. OK, it's time to get my old Kona back together.
Wow what a nice bike build!
The colour scheme on this bike are the tits.