Help me choose a new commuter - Kona vs. Breezer?
 

I have started commuting around 3.5 miles one way to work on my old Specialized Rockhopper. I am wanting to switch to something that is a bit easier to ride on the road since most of the commute is on the road, but I am not wanting a road bike. I want something like the hybrid/crossover bikes I've been looking at with disc brakes and fenders (rains a lot here), and rack mounts.


I have narrowed down my two top choices:

Kona Dew Deluxe

Breezer Greenway Elite


1. Do any of you have these bikes and would you recommend them?

2. Are the components comparable?

3. Any other recommendations?



Here are the bikes I have been test riding and/or looking into:

Kona Dew Plus

Kona Dew Deluxe

Breezer Greenway Sport

Breezer Greenway Elite

Trek 7.2 FX Disc

Trek 7.4 FX Disc

Specialized Sirrus Sport Disc

Specialized Sirrus Elite Disc



Thanks!

Unless you really want a new bike (n+1!), you might want to try swapping the tires on your RockHopper from a MTB tire to more of a road slick. To my knowledge the older RockHoppers had rack and fender mounts on the bike and are well liked as commuters because they are basically bomb-proof. You might be able to convert that bike to an excellent commuter with only a moderate to small outlay.

Then again, if you're going to keep it and ride it off-road, go for the new bike. Nothing feeds the n+1 habit better than convincing yourself you've just gotta have a new bike! Just make sure it's got fender and rack mounts already on it.

I like the Breezer options and I would never turn down a Specialized. I like the Sirrus a lot as it's just the more road oriented version of the Crosstrail I ride.

The Breezer and the Kona are about as close to identical as bikes get - with the exception of included rack, fenders and a (dynamo powered!) light on the Breezer. Get whichever one you like better.

I like the looks of the Breezer, but I don't have to ride it.

For what you're describing I'd want to stay away from derailleurs and get something with an IGH (internally geared hub) and chaincase as well as dynamo lites front & rear.

City Bikes | LocalMile

How do you have the Rockhopper set up? I commute 10.5km/6.5 miles on a 90's steel GT MTB and have no complaints. I run 26x1.5 slicks at 80 psi.

I have it set up with a rack, front fender, home-made partial rear fender, and a water bottle holder. It rains a lot here though, so I'd really like to have full fenders. I set the front shock to be as stiff as possible and get the tires up to 70-80psi, but they are MTB tires.

I thought about getting slick tires and it is still an option. I'd probably get some ergo grips too for comfort.

Breezer..... :D :)

It has dyno lights & front rack mounts.

- Andy

If you are on decent pavement, the shock is just slowing you down. Breezer looks like a great ride.

I'm in the same spot down in Olympia. I currently commute on a steel road bike with drop bars and caliper brakes and want something more commuter-y with disc brakes and the dynamo-hub powered lights of the Breezer are a huge plus. I rode a Kona Dew today that had a front rack on it and I absolutely hated it. I tried a Breezer Infinity before but can't get my hands on a Greenway around these parts... have you ridden it yet? Have you seen them in person? The one shop in town that carried them just closed so I need to get up to Tacoma/Seattle to try to find one. I don't know why but it seems like LBSes don't think much of Breezer, but they also don't seem to know much about them, either, or care about the hub lighting, which, after having my fancy lights fail on a bunch of winter night rides, has become a huge huge huge must item for me. I'm just worried about the ride quality.

You could contact ASI and see if they are willing to do a demo with the breezer lineup in your area. Just a thought. :)

- Andy

I vote breezer for the included accessory equipment. It's nicely equipped out the door. Though the other cheaper bikes you could set up just as nice for the same price, probably. Are you a 'buy one thing that's good enough' kinda guy or do you enjoy the gear research and assembling the perfect setup(Which isn't substantially better than the 'good enough' single purchase)?

Though if your rockhopper has fender/rack mounts I'd probably just put slicks, fenders and a rack on it, personally. Unless you need a mountain bike for actual MTBing or just want to buy a new bike(valid choices!).

If it's purely a commuter, you're not going to be putting enough mileage in for component choice to truly matter as far as derailleur quality, etc. You're going to need to clean the chain because of road grit/rain just as often no matter what level components you have.

Bar ends (to lean forward and get out of the wind, also to give another hand position) and slicks would probably wake the MTB up a bit.

Re: the IGH recommendation, see if you can try before you buy. I don't hate my Nexus 7 but it isn't as "right" as a derailleur. Too much internal loss.

Fenders, rack and kickstand, probably. Dynamo hub and lights? That would be tougher.

I'm 30 mins north of you, so I we have the same weather. I run the Planet Bike Cascadia's... doesn't mean you not get wet though. For tires I use Specialized Nimbus Armidillo's and I have no complaints.

Another vote for the Cascadias. I ran Planet Bike Sodapops for a few years and when I switched it was a night and day difference. Much better spray protection and they stay where they're supposed to.

If you find SKS on sale, they're functionally equivalent from what I've read.

Judicious shopping should get you a dynamo and light for $150, easily. Another $50-100 for fender/rack.

Definite yes to the ergo grips.

Thank you for the suggestion; I am not sure I know what ASI is?

I called a shop up in Tacoma that is listed as a Breezer dealer on their site, and they said they can order them but don't keep them in stock. I would have to purchase one, they would order it, and then if I hated it I could return it with their money-back guarantee. I am starting to feel like this is more trouble than it's worth and I don't know why! They SEEM like such complete, everything-you-need bikes.