If the Kona is really a 40 cm frame and you are 6'2" then the Kona is Tiny. 49-cm frame is for 4'11"-5'2'' or something as a rule.

For $1000 .... go to all the major bike manufacturer websites (Trek, Specialized, Fuji, Giant, Cannondale, Surly, KHS (since you might actual see one of those in person) and maybe even google "gravel bikes" so you can see the whole market. You might not find it convenient to drive a long way to look at bikes, but on the other hand, it is pretty inconvenient to spend $1000 and end up with a bike you cannot or will not ride .....

If you know a little about bikes they are still the same (m0ostly) as they were in 2002 or whatever .... pedals, handlebars, gears, derailleurs .....

For gravel most people prefer slightly lower gearing (48-32, 46-30 or so up front) and an 11-36 or so out back, and generally it seems to be accepted that about 38mm tires are the smallest you would want to go for general-purpose gravel riding. (Of course there are exceptions to everything a lots of people will list them here ... but I have talked to a lot of riders and most seem to think 38 is a good place to start for gravel. Whatever.)

Most Important Thing (as https://www.bikeforums.net/members/f...er-435188.html emphasized) is FIT. Get a bike which fits your proportions. You will need to go to a bike shop to test different frame sizes (and every bike will fit a little differently despite having the same numerical frame size) ... You can also go online and look at various Fit Calculators and read a little about how a bike should fit to be comfortable and also mechanically efficient in conjunction with your body.

Most people would probably recommend a 58 or maybe 60 for 6'2" but I am about that height and because I have long limbs and a short torso I do better on a 56. Ultimately you have to decide which bike feels best ... but I also suggest avoiding extremes .... if you are comfortable but bolt upright or are fully laid out and stretched, either might feel okay for fifteen minutes and not work at all after 45.

if you know enough about bikes (or have a friend who does) you can dabble in the used market, but you need to know enough not to buy something burned out which will take three times the sale price to rejuvenate. There are always people out there selling amazing, barely used bikes for a third of MSRP, but they are not always in your area or selling what you need.

I also suggest BikesDirect ... no-name bikes with reasonably good frames and components with a little less markup. If you don't need the latest $18,000 carbon fiber ultra-wunderbike, Bikes Direct can be good sometimes ... but you cannot test-fit or test-ride, and they need minor assembly and adjustment (all of 3hich you can and should learn on YouTube if you plan to ride. Saves you a ton of cash over the life of the bike.)

All this is just my opinion.