hi could anyone tell me how to decide on the front mech being bottom pull or top pull, this is on a cinder cone 2003 that im trying to build up
if there are any links please let me know
thanks col

look at the bike?

Kona's are top pull

the cable stop on the back of the seat tube tells you it's top pull. Bottom pulls require the cable to pass uder the BB shell and you'd see the plastic guide

cheer mate thanks for the info
col

If you get the deore front mech. it doesn't matter what type you have, it's universal.

XTR is also universal. regarding top or bottom pull.

Don't forget there is also conventional or Top swing to consider

I got a new mech today, went with conventional, could somebody please explain the difference between this and top swing?

Conventional mechs have the actual mech cage below the height of the tube clamp and pivots. Whereas top swing mechs have the cage and pivots inline with the tube clamp.
The reason they introduced the top swing ones I believe was so the clamp could go lower and not take up so much room on the tube which could be used for a bottle holder (or I guess on some full sus bikes allow a shorter 'dummy' tube on the frame.
You can kind of see the difference on these two pics:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=6074
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=6075