killer paint job (although that could be a liability for theft, I guess)
solid components
disc brake

jittery front end with descents
slightly heavier than I had hoped

I was tired of commuting on bikes that weren't really meant for commuting (Trek 1000, Giant mountain bike with slicks), so decided awhile back to get a flat-bar roadie. I had my eye on the 2008 Kona Dr. Dew for a bit, but just so happened to find this shop getting rid of the '07's at a screaming deal.

Thus far, the bike is great. This is my first disc, and the stopping power is scary-good - nice to have in a place with hills and rain. The geometry is near perfect for commuting - not too aggressive, but not sitting straight up either. My only (minor) beef is that the front end gets a little wobbly on fast descents, but I've learned to account for that.

Components are not fancy but are solid: FSA bar & crank, Deore rear derailleur, Hayes brakes (low end of their line), Sun wheels, Shimano pedals, WTB saddle

Similar Products Used:

Felt F45 road bike for racing/weekend rides
Trek 1000
Giant MTB with slicks

Price compared with other hybrids with a decent component list. Wheelset looks as if its pretty tough (front hub is unbranded so I wonder?).

Brakes and those handlebar grips just suck!

Finally Decided to get a new complete bike after having made do with secondhand and home built. It was a choice between the Kona and a Cannondale Bad Boy Disc. I should have a least tested the Cannondale but I didn't like the look of it (flat black paint!) and thought the 48 chainset was inferior to the Kona's 53 (I like a fast commute!). I was only going to test ride the bike and then order it. Turned out it was on sale (that is $100 off the Canadian price) and the 2007 were unorderable any more. I find the ride very positive and the braking great (so far). On the first full ride I had a "race" with another commuter on a fairly average bike (basically I caught up and passed him several times without much effort!). The shifting is pretty good but we'll see after a winter of crap weather that takes a very heavy toll. I may change the saddle to something sleeker and I have reservations about the discs (they are the bottom of Hayes's range and do not adjust automatically)- this way I'll have something to try out on those long, dark, wet days this winter.

Similar Products Used:

Various junk bikes, Norco Terrene (self built into a Hydrid), Tomasso Road Bike.