Kona Dr Dew or Charge Mixer

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rshall

Well-Known Member
My work is running the bike to work scheme thing, and this year I'm hoping to take adavantage of it. I've narrowed my choice down to two bikes:

The Kona has an aluminium frame and steel fork, 700C wheels, hydraulic disc brakes and derailleur gears while the Charge has a steel frame and fork, 700C wheels, hydraulic disc brakes and Shimano Alfine hub gear transmission The chain tension is acheived via an eccentric bottom bracket arrangement.

I shall be using the bike for shortish journeys (10-20 miles) to start off with but might want to go further in the future. Both bikes have all the fittings I want, take mudgaurds and cost the same (£700). I want disc brakes because I'm feed up of wearing rims down in winter.

Questions are; Has anybody got any experience of either of these bikes or the Shimano Alfine transmission? Which one would you go for and why? And how seize-proof are EBB?

Thanks in advance.
 

Ashtrayhead

Über Member
Location
Belvedere, Kent.
I've had a Dr Dew for about 3 years now and I love it. It's very robust, handles all road surfaces, but is also fast. (Don't get one mail-order from E**ns though....mine arrived with a broken rear axle). The only alterations I made to mine was to put on thinner tyres and now run on Armadillos and to fit bar ends. It's now on it's 3rd winter with no p******es!
 
The Dew range is very sturdy but try one out first they have a steep head angle and with 700c wheels theres not much room for big feet. Sloping geometry means easy to size. A 56 large is ok for me at 6' but my son also rides it now and again hes 12 and about 5' tall.
I used the bike for lots of 50 milers and quite a few of road routes.
Frame is very stiff though, which is why mine had to go.
 

Dormouse

New Member
I had a Kona Dr Dew and I reckon it is the worst bike, for the money, that I have ever owned. It was OK on smooth tarmac but once you get onto uneven tarmac or anything slightly rough you will hear and feel every little bump. I broke mine up for spares and threw away the lousy frame. Try one out thoroughly before you buy is my advice.
 
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