Recently I've discovered mountain bike restoration videos on YouTube. I don't know why I'm surprised this is a thing, since just about everything is a thing on YouTube. But I was certainly intrigued since this is what I've been doing for maybe 15 years now, minus the videos of course.
It's very interesting to see what other guys do. What tools and techniques they use, and what part choices they make. Especially with this first 'tuber, but we'll get to that later.
The first video I saw was this Kona Explosif from user oldshovel. It was posted in a vintage mountain bike group I belong to on Facebook, and let me tell you, those dudes were not happy.
He fully modernizes this Explosif, giving it a 1x drivetrain, a dropper post, modern(-ish) forks, and..... disc brakes. Putting disc tabs on the frame meant re-painting it.
The finished product looks very sharp, I have to say.
It's very interesting to see what other guys do. What tools and techniques they use, and what part choices they make. Especially with this first 'tuber, but we'll get to that later.
The first video I saw was this Kona Explosif from user oldshovel. It was posted in a vintage mountain bike group I belong to on Facebook, and let me tell you, those dudes were not happy.
He fully modernizes this Explosif, giving it a 1x drivetrain, a dropper post, modern(-ish) forks, and..... disc brakes. Putting disc tabs on the frame meant re-painting it.
The finished product looks very sharp, I have to say.
I get why the hardline vintage guys don't like this. The frame appears to be in fantastic condition. It is just way too good to sand down and re-paint. Dudes look for years to find something like this for catalog restorations, and here's this guy striping it down like it's some common Specialized...
And then disc tabs? That's just going too far. No doubt in my mind that there are a ton of guys out there looking for a really clean Explosif to build. I'm one of them. I am very impressed with the work, but this could have been done to any bike.
I just have a hard time seeing the reason for making a small improvement in the offroadability of an old steel frame when ten year old full suspension bikes, now made "obsolete" by modern 27.5" bikes, are cheap as free.
Worse things have been done to better bikes though.
And then disc tabs? That's just going too far. No doubt in my mind that there are a ton of guys out there looking for a really clean Explosif to build. I'm one of them. I am very impressed with the work, but this could have been done to any bike.
I just have a hard time seeing the reason for making a small improvement in the offroadability of an old steel frame when ten year old full suspension bikes, now made "obsolete" by modern 27.5" bikes, are cheap as free.
Worse things have been done to better bikes though.
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