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First Impression: Kona Dew Deluxe
September 10th, 2008 by Tim Grahl 
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 dérailleur. 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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September 10th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I have had a Dew (not deluxe) for several months. I love it, it’s held up very well, even though I’m not very good at taking care of it. I ride it every day as a commuter bike.
September 10th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Go ahead and throw some bar ends on there — it’ll make a huge difference for your hands. Ergo-style grips may help as well.
FYI: The saddle in the photos is a WTB Speed V, and not a Kona Comfort as listed in the specs…
Looks like a sweet bike!
September 10th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I’ve had this bike for about a year and a half now, ride it almost every day between 10 and 40 kms and it’s still in great shape. The disc brakes need adjusting every now and then but that’s pretty easy. Highly recommended!
September 11th, 2008 at 6:32 am
This looks like a perfect bike for me. For anyone else curious, the MSRP is $699 according to Kona’s website. That seems like a great deal to me.
Two questions:
1) Does the fork have eyelets to mount fenders?
2) What’s the weight?
September 11th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Well, I see now that the fork does have eyelets….but, can you get fenders on the bike or do the disc brakes cause some problems?
September 11th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I commute about 10 mi. per day on a Dew FS that I bought in May. I love it. I kitted it with bar ends, Planet Bike fenders, a rear rack and a Serfas Rx saddle.
September 11th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I got a 2008 Kona Dew FS exactly 1 year ago. LOVE the bike. I wrote up a briefish mini review of the first year with the bike.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:11 pm
i’ve had a regular dew since 2005 and it is an awesome commuter. i’ve logged around 1k miles on it, before shelving it in favor of a long-distance rider. recently i’ve gone back to school and so the kona is out again. it’s perfect because it’s high quality but not super-flashy enough to get stolen.
two thumbs up. way, way up.
September 26th, 2008 at 6:53 am
I’m riding on a kona dr dew ‘07 for two years now. I use it for commuting, travelling and so much more. It’s a great ride, very reliable and beautiful. No complaints at all.
October 20th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I have a Dew Plus and am thinking about changing the tires and going with something thinner (and faster). I’ve been looking at the Armadillo but not sure which size is best for the bike. I have the standard Continentals that came with the bike on now.
Can I go with a 26 or 28?
Thanks,