1997 Kona A’ha stars n bars

[Dizzle Problems]

Just realized I never put this bike in this section.

I had been looking for this frame for years. It’s a one year only paint and the frame is basicly a Cook bros copy.

Tried to keep it as era appropriate as possible. Tires, rear hub, and bars are modern, as are a few smalls, brake cables, housing and pads. The rest is mid to late 90s.

Huge thank you to local RRBer @thebigorangecat for putting me on the trail for the frame set!

 

[Robertk]

Sweet ride!

 

[BentRims]

Awesome! I've been trying to get one of these's in the 20" range, pretty much impossible.

Anyway's, what a JAW-Dropper! Nice bike

 

[buses 'n bikes]

Awesome! I've been trying to get one of these's in the 20" range, pretty much impossible.

Anyway's, what a JAW-Dropper! Nice bike

There’s one on eBay right now! Big $$$$!

 

[BentRims]

There’s one on eBay right now! Big $$$$!

Indeed! Bid on it. Too rich for my blood

Besides it was a 18" not a 20" as stated.
According to the Catalog, 23.5 Top tube=18" 24.5=20"
not the seat-tube length

I got up to $400 and walked off

 

[Dizzle Problems]

I was a little surprised at how high it went too. But at the same time, when’s the last time one popped up for sale?
And it is indeed a 18” frame. Could tell just by lookin at it.
I was originally looking for a 20 as well, but I’m glad I got an 18. The top tube is plenty long and the bike is really comfy at my 6’1”.

This is the second one I’ve seen for sale since I got mine. Seeing this hit the price it did makes me regret not buying the other one I saw pop up complete at 650

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Finally got around to swapping the fork. I’d been looking for an era appropriate landing gear fork with brake bosses. But they command a bit more then I’m willing to pay right now. So this does just fine.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

What did you do with the Kona P2 fork that was on there? Did you find that the steering changed a bunch with the new one?
PS I don't think I've ever seen a 26 SE fork with brake bosses, that'd look effin sweet on my RockRat!

 

[Dizzle Problems]

What did you do with the Kona P2 fork that was on there? Did you find that the steering changed a bunch with the new one?
PS I don't think I've ever seen a 26 SE fork with brake bosses, that'd look effin sweet on my RockRat!

The steering is the same. The rake on the p2 looks so exaggerated, but that rake is made up for by the drop out placement on the landing gear.
And yea, the 26 threadless LG with brake bosses are sweet. But they tend to be in the $400+ range. And in my months of looking, I didn’t see a chrome pair come up.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

You could sell (me) the Cooks Bros crank to finance it, throw in the p2...

 

[BentRims]

I'm just a lurker, But I gotta speak up! How DARE you dink with my favorite KONA Cruiser on this site! Put that P2 back on it

Still looks Schweet... though, You better let me hold on to that bike, before you get drunk and wake up with Banana seat and a Neon Flat orange rattle-canned paint job

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Lol dinkin with bikes is what this place is all about! Nothing is sacred, no bike is above the law! I'd probably spray bomb it. Believe it or not, those graphix aren't as popular here in Canada

 

[Dizzle Problems]

While I’m searching for a Kona humuhumu, I ‘re-found’ this thread. Figure I’d post an update, all be it minimal. The SE super big honkin bars never quite fit the build for me aesthetically. When I first got the frame the initial bars I wanted for it were mid 90s Specialized Fatboy 4 piece cruiser bars. I had always wanted a Fatboy back then, and my most prevalent bmx in those days had 4 piece bars. Got them, years ago now, and they were a lot smaller then I remembered and wanted, so the SE bars stayed.
Recently I acquired some Santa Barbara Cruiser bars and finally got the look I always wanted on this build. All though it erks me a lil that the bars and fork aren’t era appropriate, I can live with it.

at 37” wide they’re definitely comfy cruisin!

 

[BentRims]

OHHhhh... YEEAaaa!!!

I have a set of those SE super big honkin bars too in black that get moved around from bike to bike

The upturn and back-sweep just isn't right on cruisers for me.

 

[RustyGold]

I'm going to try some Super BHrs on my Kos, as they are vaguely similar in appearance to Kos bars...but, I'll probably end up putting 9"-10" pro bars on it as that is what tends to be most comfy for me, and it is what the original owner put on it bitd.