My Kona Dew-e DL 2022

[EmilyRides]

@Bikeknit , Yes, nearly all bikes can take clipless pedals, and since I've been using them for years on all my bikes, I have a very hard time riding without them, to be honest. That was the hardest part of my test ride today, getting started without one foot attached! I will definitely take price into consideration; it is already pricey enough! I didn't ask today, since I don't even know that they have pricing yet, but if it's up another $300 for the 2023 and she can get a 2022, I would probably go with that the 2022. My panniers are red, so they would definitely look better with blue, but it's not a deal breaker.

 

[EmilyRides]

@Bikeknit , Well, it looks like I'll be joining the "metallic mauve" club! The LBS manager just called and said that her rep can get me a 2022 within a month. My hubby said "take it!" So, even though the blue was tugging at my heartstrings, it might cost $300 more and mean waiting until next spring. So, I am going for it. My red panniers are going to clash, and I'll just have to deal with it. But I am excited!

 

[Bikeknit]

Before I replaced my back bag! And after...

 

[EmilyRides]

Nice! I think I'll just deal with non-matching panniers, because they are really nice Arkel ones, still in fabulous shape. Who is going to judge me, anyway? I actually think your first set look nice with the "mauve" too, which to me is definitely more brown, after seeing it in person.

 

[EmilyRides]

@Bikeknit , Hello! I just picked up my Kona Dew DL today...woohoo! One thing I forgot to ask the LBS guy that you might be able to answer quickly for me is how to put the motor into walk mode. I am definitely going to need that for getting the bike up the steep, gravel hill out of our little rural subdivision. Thanks!

We're going to spend some time getting it set up for me: pedals, saddle, bike bag, water bottle cage, etc., before I take it out, but I'm super excited, and a little nervous.

 

[Bikeknit]

@EmilyRides I just reviewed how to do this. Use the controller that you use to change assist levels, instead of tapping the bottom button, you hold it for a couple of seconds until you see "walk" on the display. I haven't really needed walk mode so haven't used it beyond learning how to turn it on. You may have to experiment a few times to get the feel of it but then it is easy.

How exciting that your bike is here. I know you'll love it. Let us know how it goes.

 

[EmilyRides]

Thanks so much, @Bikeknit, I would never have figured that out. Were you given a manual for the bike, or did you find one online? I suppose I could google it. I think every bike should come with a manual, especially ebikes!

 

[Bikeknit]

Generic bike manual was provided but not much use. I found a manual for the Shimano Steps e6100 motor online. One thing to note is that Kona used Shimano's mountain bike motor display and controller on our bike. So you want to find a manual that has both displays. I think this one should work:. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1659872/Shimano-Steps-E6100-Series.html

 

[EmilyRides]

Thank you @Bikeknit! I will bookmark that and take a look over the weekend. Really appreciate your help. Hope you are getting to ride your bike a lot and are still enjoying it.

 

[EmilyRides]

@Bikeknit, I took my maiden voyage ride on the Kona Dew-e DL this morning, and WOW! This bike is a game changer for me. I was able to keep up with my speedy hubby just fine and logged my longest ride of the year, just under 30 miles. My average speed was about 3 mph faster than I could do on my non-e Bike Friday, and I mostly stayed in "Eco" mode. I turned the motor off now and then, if I sensed a long flat or slightly downhill. I only cranked it up to "Norm" for a couple of hills. Fabulous! The range on this battery looks to be amazing.

I'm even warming up to the color! I took the saddle off my mountain bike and put it on this bike (rather, hubby did that), and it has a purple and pink stitched logo on the back, which really brings out the "mauve" of the bike. What looked brown in the online photos no longer looks like boring brown to me. You were right! Thanks so much for all your posts on this bike -- they were so helpful. I think I have many happy miles ahead of me, and I can't wait.

 

[Bikeknit]

So glad you love your new bike @EmilyRides
It's a sweet bike. I'm excited to have another dew-e fan around.

I actually rode 36 miles today, way longer than I've ridden on a single day in several years!

 

[EmilyRides]

That's fantastic, @Bikeknit! I haven't ridden over 30 miles since we lived in Florida in 2018. I used to do much longer rides but have decreased over the past few years, for various reasons. It's nice to have a bike that can go the distance!

 

[newtothis]

Reviving this thread to join the club, @Bikeknit (and @EmilyRides ) ! I recently became the proud owner of a Kona Dew-E DL 2022.
Now contemplating rack options and whether I want to add bar ends...

 

[Bikeknit]

Welcome to the Dew-e dl club @newtothis Looks like you did a thorough search. I'm jealous of your discounted price. No discounts when I was looking. I live in a hilly city (I know everyone hears Midwest and thinks flat but we're in the river bluffs) and this bike makes me smile every time I zip up a hill. I wanted more tread on my tires and replaced them with Specialized Pathfinders. If you've been riding with skinny tires that may not be an issue for you.

I have a medium but don't find getting the battery off to be too difficult. I sometimes carry the bike on a rack and would like to do so with the battery off but Kona recommended I leave it on since, as you noted, wires etc. are exposed. It'd be nice if they made some sort of cover for transport without the battery. But it hits all the buttons: light weight, rides like a bike, helps you when you want it.

Happy riding!

 

[EmilyRides]

@newtothis, Glad to see your post and welcome to the Kona Dew-e DL club! Like @Bikeknit , I didn't get a discount either, since I bought during the bike shortage brought on by the pandemic, last summer. I saw on the Kona site that the 2022 was discounted, and even the beautiful blue 2023 (the one I really wanted) was less at MSRP than the 2022 was when I bought it. D'oh! If only I'd waited six months, I would have saved quite a bit. But still, no regrets.

Like you, I am petite (5'1"), and had researched and thrown out over a dozen models before deciding on the Kona. Unlike you, I didn't test ride any others, just did buckets of online research, took notes, contemplated, etc. I hadn't even heard about the Kona until I found @Bikeknit's thread here and watched Court's review of the 2021 model on this site. Like you, it instantly rocketed to the top of my list, and when I was able to test ride the non-e Small Kona Dew, I knew it would fit, so it was my best and perfect choice.

I love this bike! After riding it for a year and putting a couple K miles on it, my only regret is that I wish it were a Class 3 ebike. I originally focused my search on Class 3, as my DH is so fast on his non-e Trek roadie that I was afraid I'd fall far behind him when he was really powering along at 20+ mph during portions of our rides. And yes, that does happen occasionally. Fortunately, I can use the motor to help myself catch up when the road turns upwards, so it's not a huge liability, though I'd still prefer the Class 3 level of assist.

Other than that, I love this bike and hope you will love yours as well!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

my DH

One learns acronyms everyday: "Dearest Husband"?

 

[BikerG]

One learns acronyms everyday: "Dearest Husband"?

I learned that from a cooking forum I used to frequent..

 

[BikerG]

As far as platform pedals go, I’m still having slight difficulty landing and positioning my feet on the sweet spot. Therefore, I keep going back to my clipless system I’ve been using for decades. I know there are double sided pedals out there but I’ll eventually get the hang of platforms. The platforms I have are spiked, so I sometimes run my shin into it, especially during the walk mode. I bikepack, off road mostly, so I like platforms where I can wear my hiking or trail shoes.

 

[EmilyRides]

One learns acronyms everyday: "Dearest Husband"?

Yes, or "dear husband" or "darling husband". It's used on a lot of forums that women tend to frequent, so I have a tendency to use it without thinking about where I am!