Hey, I'm kinda new to biking and unsure which of these bikes to get. Any help is really appreciated 🙂
Kona Rove AL 650 https://en-eu.konaworld.com/products/rove-al-650-1?_pos=12&_fid=95aee0c88&_ss=c
(I found an offer for 630 Euros)
or
Kona Rove DL https://en-eu.konaworld.com/products/rove-dlsh?_pos=18&_fid=95aee0c88&_ss=c
( I found an offer for 1170 Euros)
At the moment, I’m looking for a bike for everyday use, including hills and forest trails, and light bikepacking. I’d like to get to know bikepacking. In the future, I’d like to go on longer bikepacking tours, including in remote areas. I want to find out what sort of bike I need for this and might buy my own bike for future longer tours, ideally with good mechanical disc brakes for easy repair. So I’m now torn between the affordable Kona Rove AL 650 and the Kona Rove DL.
I think the Rove 650 AL sufficient for my current plans. It’s just the limited 1:1 gear ratio that I see as a downside for riding in the hills and mountain area i live in. I’m leaning slightly towards the Kona Rove DL, as it might also be suitable for my future plans for longer and more remote bikepacking tours, provided I can get to grips with the disc brakes. That way, I’d only need to buy one bike.
Also, my budget is a bit limited. Originally I wanted to spend max. 1000 Euros including gear like rags, bags ect. If i get the cheaper AL 650 i could still upgrade the gearing if needed and would have spend less considering getting a second more specific bike in the future. But also the DL is just better in specs, especially for the mountains.
I really apreciate any type of recomendation and opinion as I'm new into the biking / bikepacking world. Until know i just rode old hardtails to get around town. xD
P.S. I'm 171cm and between size 52 and 54 in the Rove. Do you have any recomendations?
Thanks a lot everybody 🙂
by Historical_Card_7632
7 Comments
I would save money and get the al version. You might be able to have a local shop swap the front chainrings for smaller ones to lower the gearing. I have an older dl model and it’s a great bike.
https://preview.redd.it/oqie00g2zh6h1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94afd40d074bb38aff63777be81cef8684d65b9c
I had a 650 AL, it’s a decent all rounder for a good price. Had no issues with the mechanical brakes. My gf currently has the DL and it’s really a better bike. If you have the budget go for it.Â
Hey, thanks for your reply! How did the gearing from the 650 AL work for you? Is it also 2×8 shimano claris? Could you test it in a mountain area? Thanks for the advice! : )
If you’re going to be using it regularly as a daily driver and as a touring bike, I personally would justify the higher cost DL simply because it has more modern equipment and therefore will be more future-proof. It’s got disc brakes, a plethora of mounting points, a tapered head tube, and thru-axles, plus it’s chromoly steel which which tends to be better for repairability and longevity.
The only downside imo is the 1X drivetrain, but modern 1Xs are pretty wide and should accommodate your needs while reducing the maintenance of having to deal with a front derailleur and extra cables.
All this is just my perspective, though. I’ve been car-free for about 4 years and bought myself a Kona Sutra a few years back because I wanted a bike that could serve as both a daily commuter and as a heavy hauler that was easy to fix and tough enough to withstand some abuse. You’ll have to use your own judgement and look at your own finances and use-case to determine if the extra money is worth it. For me, saving the cost of a car easily gave me financial space to pay for a nice bike like the Sutra.
If you are new to cycling and are unsure of what you will like and appreciate in the long term, it might be worth getting the AL now and then deciding if you like it before committing to a more expensive bike like the DL down the line.
I don’t think I’d buy a 54 rove at your height. In my experience they come up quite large compared to other brands.
I have the AL (w/ 700c) from 2019. The Claris set is the major limiting factor if you want any loaded tour on hilly areas. I’m currently upgrading it with a GRX set (with the only pain of having to sort out the PM calipers instead of the GRX ones) to inject a bit more life into it.
That said it’s a great bike and very nice frame. I would go for the DL if I had the option, especially for the 700c wheels, but otherwise the AL works equally well if you’re not fussed about the wheel size.
I have the 650 AL. It came with Claris and I put on 2×10 Tiagra (34×50 front, 11×36 rear) and Tektro Mira CX. Works great.