|   The end of an era | shabadew
Jun 30, 2003 5:50 PM | | I spent the past weekend not in D-ville, but in another cycling mecca called Crested Butte. I was there for a DH race (took 3rd in expert 25-29 , woo hoo!), but over the course of a weekend rallying a big squishy bike I was seduced by the buff looking trails that peel off in just about every direction. The whole vibe of the town over the weekend, with a party at the hall of fame(Zap sighting...he was being heckled by some old timers at the keg), plenty of cool townie bikes and good two wheel inspired smiles all over place got me thinking...big climbs, backcountry, buff trails...thats what was really sparking my imagination and calling back to my HT roots. On the drive over Kebler Pass (holy crap! That pass kills it!) last night I decided I would take my trusty ole orange Kona frame, which many of you know so well, and rebuild it with the parts off my Chameleon. Sacrificing a HT play bike/dirt jumper/beer run bike for a worthy 3 ring trail HT. I'm still sticking with 4" fork, burly tires and rims tho.
So this morning I roll over to the shop to take care of business, psyched to rally the old girl around CO for the next couple weeks, then on to the wisconsin homeland and points east for a month, giving the Fly a well deserved rest here and there and keeping it somewhere close to race ready...while also getting some good cardio training for the longer DH races ta boot. I get the headset pressed in and am in the process of getting cables and levers sorted out when my helpful friend Mike points out some slight cracks behind the seat tube at the top of the stay. "Not the end of the world," I say, "I'm running a 410mm Thomson post, she'll hold up for a month or two, I'll just ride it till the creaking gets REALLY bad." Then I begin to clean and inspect the rest of the welds and discover a monster crack at the seattube/BB, one under the down tube at the headtube, and yet another small one on the brace bewteen the chainstays. Yow! Is it all for real? Is the Kona finally dead? Yup. I can't focking belive it. This bike has been my trusty steed all over Norcal, Tahoe, Mammoth, Oregon, Wisconsin, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and even some stuff in Ireland where I'm not sure bikes had been before us.
She served me well...adios my friend. Tomorrow she'll be boxed and sent to Kona for what sounds to be a promising warranty situation. Hopefully I can get a steel explosiv as a replacement, and get some time on that while I'm on the road this summer.
Oh the drama!
Happy trails!
For those that have known and rallied with the orange Kona...please feel free to pay your respects..it would be cool to see who remembers the old girl.
-Joe |
| Not acquainted with your Kona, but... | GirchyGirchy
Jun 30, 2003 6:16 PM | | ...I feel your pain with the cracks. I found a crack in the same place as the one your friend Mike found, about an inch long, on the '84 Mongoose I had just bought and had only ridden once around the parking lot. It's fixed now though...thank goodness for steel. I wish you tons of luck with your warranty situation!
Brian |
| Bummer. | Pete.
Jun 30, 2003 6:37 PM | | |
| Rallied with it? | Fast Eddy
Jun 30, 2003 7:46 PM | |
I was right behind Pete that fateful day on Mr. Toad's. Gone maybe, but never forgotten. |
| Gawrsh | Photo-John
Jun 30, 2003 8:23 PM | | I remember her fondly, sitting forlornly on the rack while you laguished in front of the TV with your leg in a cast, the remote in one hand and the bon- errr, I mean, a beer, in the other.
Sorry about the photo. It's all I could find on such short notice.
By the way - I am an idiot. I put your name in my phone, but not your number. Give me a call so I can fix that. And you really, really, really MUST come to Whistler. It's gloriousness cannot be proclaimed loudly or oftenly enough.
John |
| so how were the locals dissing Yap? | club
Jul 1, 2003 4:03 AM | | it's always entertaining when that bizarre freak shows up someplace and the Real Mountain Bikers dish it out thick and steamy. What'd they say? |
| Dab a shoe! | Ichabod
Jul 1, 2003 7:41 AM | | I have fond memories of the ride where we were pretending not to bonk in whatever ranch. Walker ranch?
I didn't check out passion for a little while, and all of a sudden you're on the track to becoming a pro DH'er. And you live in Moab? So much can change in like two years. |
| on we go... | j5
Jul 1, 2003 8:17 AM | | doood -
sad to hear, but such is the nature of our toys. i thought i'd NEVER get rid of the white hawaiian... something even betterrerr always comes along.
next week at whistler - you need to be there. we've got rooms, vans, trailers, big crew ready to rally.
lost your number in one of my periodic celly meltdowns - drop me an email.
j |
| robotjason yes? Launched. nm | shabs
Jul 1, 2003 10:25 AM | | nm |
| I've only seen her once... | kristian
Jul 1, 2003 6:38 PM | | ...when you were showing all of us freeriders how to do it in Phoenix. It's a shame when a good bike cracks. Hopefully you'll be on an even better bike soon and it will bring you to a whole new level of riding. Then again if you're getting third expert (nice job) your riding doesn't have a whole lot of room for improvement (so when are you jumping to semi-pro?).
There are a whole lot of nice old trails here in CS begging for you to show them your tires... |
| Y2K Tahoe Gathering | parkmeister
Jul 3, 2003 9:57 AM | | By the shores of Marlette Lake.
I hope you get as much enjoyment out of the new one as much as you did with the old one.
gary
this blurry old pic is from my pre-digicam days, you're on the far right. |
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