I got into cycling this year as a way to relieve stress after a traumatic event and have fallen in love. I have been riding a Sunday High C (29" BMX cruiser). But I'm looking to upgrade to something better suited to longer rides, fire roads, and some easy-going single track.
I want a steel frame, so I'm not considering Aluminum or Carbon. Between these two bikes, the Kona is more of an all-road/gravel bike, which likely suits me well. I do a lot of riding on a multi-use path in my town. But there are a lot of desert trails nearby and several times a year I go up into the mountains where my in-laws live and there are endless fire roads up there that I plan on riding. Nonetheless, I think pavement is likely going to be 70-80% of what I ride. It has has a mostly Shimano CUES drivetrain, which I believe was designed to be versatile and durable.
The Breezer comes with mostly Shimano GRX components, which are admittedly higher end. I really don't care about shaving off a lb or two from the bike so much as I want high durability and low maintenance. The Breezer seems a little more off-road capable, which is appealing, but I don't think the Kona is a slouch. And since much of my riding will be on pavement anyway, I'm sure the Kona will be fine.
Anyone have any experience with these bikes or CUES vs GRX components? I'm 6'2" 280 lbs., so I want something durable. I'm down about 20 lbs in the last 6 months and I'm continuing to shed weight from my setup by just losing body weight. Not super concerned about relatively minor weight differences between the bikes.
by Ornery-Shoulder-3938