And Another New Bike Question...

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Hi and another newbie to the forums here...Also seeking for sage advice about a new bike.
I currently cycle once or twice a week on (some quite rough) back roads back and forth from work, which is a 32 mile round trip, with 2 or 3 small steep inclines, on a second hand Dawes Discovery (which has been great though feels slow).
The cycle to work scheme has just been offered at my work and I have narrowed my choices down, due to being limited to one of two local bike shops, to either a Trek 1.2 or Kona Honky Tonk.
Does anyone have any opinion of one over the other?
Both will be able to take mudguards and cycle rack.
I was also wondering if any one has had the opportunity of trying the Kona as my LBS don't actually stock it and will not get it in unless I offer a non-refundable deposit to try it out. Unfortunately I am leaning towards this as I have been told that the steel frame would offer a more comfortable ride on the rougher roads and I am hoping it will last and last...and it is just a little different, which does appeal to me.

Cheers,
Dave
 

threebikesmcginty

Corn Fed Hick...
Location
...on the slake
Welcome Dave!

The Kona Honky Tonk IIRC has down tube shifters which is the big difference. The Trek is a probably the better bet with combined brake/gear levers and is also a triple which you might be thankful of.

Probably a better bet from the Kona range would be the Dew with drop bars - it's a popular commuting choice and probably the one I'd go for in that price range.

If the road are really rough a cyclo-cross bike might be worth considering although I don't know which ones are around for that sort of money.

Good luck!
 

Norm

Guest
The Kona Honky Tonk appears to have Sora shifters, which I have on my Secteur Sport. I quite like them, although the thumb lever means you can't move to smaller rings when on the drops, they are, IMO, easier than Tiagra shifters when changing gear from the hoods - where I spend most of my time anyway.
 
OP
OP
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DavetheAxe

New Member
Thanks for the feed back guys. My main concern is that I would find it quite heavy compared to the trek 1.2 and am very nervous about putting down a deposit on a bike without trying it out.
They do stock the Kona Jake, which is the aluminium framed cross bike and I wonder if anyone else has tried the Honky Tonk and the Jake to get some opinion on how they compare?

Cheers,
Dave
 
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