Just ordered my new dedicated commuter online. Haven't bike commuted in about a month and a half, since I rode my last rig (commuterized '00 Mongoose S-20 hardtail) into the ground after Pedal Pittsburgh. It was between this and a Kona Smoke 2-9. Didn't see anything I liked on craigslist, and I've been looking for a while.

I like the fact that it's cromoly, has a rigid fork, fenders, allen bolt skewers and seatpost collar, and the ones I've seen have Kenda K-841 tires w/ reflective sidewalls.

Don't like the gripshift and the 26 wheels.

Anyone else have one? Looks like a practical and sturdy utilitarian ride. Thoughts? Ideally, I would've picked up a Kona Jake, but I figure I save up and get one later.

Looks like a nice bike that can handle a lot of different terrains. Can't beat the REI return policy.

Last year when I went looking for a bike, I went into a shop looking for a Kona Smoke, and walked out with a Kona Dew Plus. Good bike and I'm happy with it; of course I want steel touring bike with all sorts of gadgets now but money being the way it is I'll have to wait till next year or the year after that.

Too true. Dew Plus is a nice ride, it's always, N + 1. Sad. I'm already thinking about the next one.

I was all set on picking up a Buzz V a few months ago as a cheapo commuter, but the REI near me had an '08 Buzz on closeout for less than the V. I slapped a rack, fenders, and Schwalbe Big Apples on it and I'm a big fan.

How's the paint holding up? Reports from the field seem to say it scratches/chips really easily.

It seems alright so far. I've chipped the paint in a small spot on the fork, but the frame seems fine. I don't baby it and to be honest don't expect much for a bike that was less than 400 bucks new. If the paint chips up, I'll think of it as theft prevention.

Reduced to: $379.93 Originally: $449.00

Man, they just went on sale, today. I bought it yesterday, online, and they credited me, too. Serious customer service.