GALLERY --> 2003 KONA FIRE MOUNTAIN

Update - 4.4.2007 - The Kona Fire Mountain has had a few more upgrades / component changes recently, along the lines of:

• Suntour Duro chainset (a bit of a cheapy)
• Specialized Hemisphere road tyres
• New DMR V8s
• Bike Hut mens saddle
• Uno seat post

Update - 13.11.2006 - After the seatpost / saddle from the Fire Mountain were stolen, I have now replaced them, in readiness for starting to commute to work again. Have also purchased new lights for the bike, and new road tyres should be on their way pretty soon.

Pictures are available on the bike riding accessories section of the gallery.

Before purchasing my 2003 Kona Fire Mountain, I had some dire experiences with a Saracen Vice, purchased from Halfords. To cut a long story short, I was taking this back to the shop every week for about 5 weeks – broken bottom brackets, busted pedals (after three rides!), etc etc, even though I wasn't off-roading at the time. As I was taking it back broken so often, I eventually made a deal with them for me to pay another £200, and swap the bike for a Kona Fire Mountain, which I’d seen in the “Dirty Dozen” review in MBR Magazine. I’d always wanted a Kona, since back in the days when I was 10, and had a 10 speed “Lew-ways Trakstar” as my first mountain bike (and later, when I had a gunmetal grey Raleigh Activator!).

Despite the Fire Mountain being a big improvement on the Saracen (well, it did cost twice as much), I still break parts quite regularly - I tend to go through pedals quite quickly, and usually have to replace my DMR V8s every 6 months or so, by which time the bearings are crushed. To be fair, I do weigh 15 stone and don't exactly ride gently..

The 2003 Kona Fire Mountain was originally available as either a greenish, 24 speed, with a Rockshox Judy TT suspension fork, or a silver, 27 speed, with a cheaper Suntour Fork. I requested from Halfords that I get the 24 speed / Rockshox combo, preferring the better fork over more gears, but they'd never heard of the option. After a bit of digging around in the store room, they found a colour matched Judy TT fork and put that on the bike - so I got the better fork and more gears!

The Kona Fire Mountain is currently used as my commuting bike. There wasn't enough light outside when I took the picture, hence the photo being taken in my kitchen!

Since owning the Fire Mountain, I have carried out the following upgrades / part replacements:

• Rear derailleur about three times (now upgraded to a "Shimano Deore LX" model - these are cheaper than the Shimano Deore’s at Wiggle).
• Crankset once (swapped from a Truvativ 5D to a Shimano Deore)
• Pedals at least three times (on all occasions, to DMR V8's)
• Bottom bracket at least three times (UN52/3's - Shimano Deore equivalent)
• Front derailleur - upgraded to a Deore from an Alivio / Acera (can never remember the originally specced one!)
• Wheels - upgraded to Rigida wheels with double-wall rims due to repeated buckling of the originals
• Freewheel - replaced with a SRAM model due to wear
• At least 4 chains - for various reasons; gone rusty / snapped, bought new to go with the new crankset / cassette etc etc.

The current spec of the Fire Mountain is as follows: