This is actually Rasmus’s third Explosif frame from this production year that he’s owned, and this one is special to him, as it’s the bike that started his addiction. 

I was first introduced to the bike when the trainee mechanic at the bike shop I worked at let me try it out. He’d build it up running 1×10 with 27.5 and a Reba fork. It weighed in at less than my very modern alloy bike with similar specs and rode so much better, I just had to get one. So when he retired it, I knew I had to buy it.

It’s quite the community bike as most parts have been sourced from mates. The unbranded steel fork was basically gifted from a friend for the low price of sharing a pint. The XT crankset came off my boss’ old bike. And so it continues with shifters, derailleur, wheels etc – so many parts from friends and swap meets to make this build complete.

It’s running a 1×10 SRAM Apex/GX setup – gotta love the cross-compatibility of the old 10s stuff! The 27.5×2.2 were the largest tires I could comfortably fit – the sliding dropouts allow for the old 26’er frame to run 27.5 just beautifully. Stopping is courtesy of TRP Spyres, and the smooth steering is managed by the retro Syncros headset.
It is a beautiful bike and a joy to ride. Sadly, due to financial reasons, I’ve had to clear out the stable and the bike is no longer mine. I’m certain I’ll have multiple Konas in the future, however – how could I not?

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