Ed – The following is a guest review done by Joe Daniels, our correspondent in the wintry north of Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is the first in a series of articles that will be his review of the Kona Dew Deluxe.
One of the joys of my life is exercise. I ride 3-4 times per week for fitness on a local trail and around town. I’ve also recently started using my bike for more commuting purposes. I love riding, and am excited to put the Kona Dew Deluxe through the paces over the next few months and give you my thoughts on how it rolls as a commuter and fitness bike.
The Dew Deluxe arrived last week. I had a local bike shop assemble it, true the wheels, and fine tune the derailleur. When I arrived to pick it up, one of the first things that grabbed me was the looks of the bike. The metallic gold that Kona chose for the Dew Deluxe has a bit of an orange tint which appeals to me. I love the simplicity of the frame and components, which is just what I am looking for in a bike.
My first experience was a ride up and down my street. I immediately felt the difference in the Kona versus the older hybrid-style bike I had been riding. The bike felt solid and smooth at every point. It seemed to dampen vibrations caused by bumps. The hydraulic disc brakes stopped the bike smoothly, quickly, and efficiently. The gears shifted effortlessly. I found myself going up and down my street over and over again just enjoying the ride.
My next two rides were two 20-mile trips on the White Pine Trail, a local walking and biking trail here in West Michigan. This same trip with my older bike used to wear me out and I’d have “nothing left in the tank” afterwards. After returning from both rides on the Kona Dew Deluxe, I was ready to ride more! Much of this is due to the efficiency and smoothness of the bike. It rolls effortlessly and the 24 gears seemed to be positioned perfectly. It was a total joy to ride, not to mention that I let my partner in the dust. The bike almost pulls aggression out of you to peddle harder and faster.
If there is anything I had to adjust to, it’s the single hand position and the seat. I am used to having bar ends on a bike, which offers me the opportunity to put my hands in several positions for rest and circulation. I found my wrists somewhat uncomfortable unless I moved them frequently. Also, the seat is a bit smaller than I had anticipated, yet it has sufficient padding. I wore my cycling shorts and was just fine.
After putting somewhere between 45-50 miles on the bike already, I have to say I’m liking the Dew Delux so far. I love the way it looks and the way it rides. Over the new few months I’ll be commuting with it much more and hitting the local trails as well. Some pictures and specs are below. Stay tuned for future updates…
MSRP: $699
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