My Custom 2022 Kona Rove DL Gravel / Adventure Bike
Back in October I started talking to the guys at Evergreen Bicycle Works in Fort Edward, NY about ordering a new gravel bike: a Kona Rove! I had considered a few other options like the All City Gorilla Monsoon or the Kona Sutra, and I knew I wanted a steel gravel bike to withstand the type of riding I do. I ultimately settled on a Kona Rove DL. After much discussion with the shop, we decided on ordering a frame and building it from the ground up. There was a very long waits for a complete bike, and ordering the frame would most likely arrive quicker, and would also allow me to customize it exactly how I wanted! The frame arrived at the shop in December and the build was completed in the middle of March. After 5 months of waiting–my new bike was going to be perfect!
The guys took the measurements of my Diamondback and did an amazing job setting it up the Rove. Here’s the component breakdown for those interested.
Bars
Spank Flare 25 Vibrocore Drop Bars
Redshift Really Long Bar Tape
Stem and Seatpost from my previous bike
Velo Orange Grand Cru setback seat post
Not sure who makes the stem
Saddle
Ergon SM Pro Women’s Saddle (from my previous bike)
Wheels
DT SWISS G1800 Spline Gravel 700C Gravel Wheels
Tires
Teravail Cannoball Light & Supple (from my other bike)
Drivetrain Mullet Setup
Business in the front: SRAM Rival Road Shifters
Party in the back: SRAM Eagle MTB Groupset (10x52t)
Made possible with the Ratio Conversion Kit
*the main reason I wanted a custom built gravel bike was so I could have the gearing I needed for the type of riding I do! Stock gravel bikes don’t have enough gears for me. Ever feel like you run out of gears on tough climbs? This solves the problem.
Pedals
Deity Deftrap flat pedals
Bottle Cages
Salsa Side Entry bottle cages
I *highly* recommend checking out Evergreen Bicycle Works if you need anything from a LBS. They are a bit of a drive from Albany area but totally worth it if you are up that way. They were easy to communicate with and are extremely knowledgeable about building bikes (obviously). They are also the only Kona dealer in the area! Most bike shops around here make me feel out of place, while Evergreen always made me feel welcome. Check them out!
I am so happy with my new bike. They maiden voyage was my first time riding a steel bike and it was so comfy. The steel dampens all the bumps and makes for a nice ride. Despite being steel, it is not any heavier than my previous aluminum gravel bike. Here’s to many awesome adventures on my Kona Rove!
Share this:
2 Comments
Barbara
Hello,
I came across this site when searching “meniscus tear with arthritus”, yes, that’s my issue. I tore my meniscus in 2017, however, it was apparently tearing for years, decades actually until it finally went. What made it worse was my 3-5 hour daily (driving) commute in the densley trafficked NJ. As of October I am no longer commuting so my knee has improved substantially. I do Crossfit 3x a week, ride when it’s above 50, hike, and XC ski. I have not yet tried alpine skiing. Next month I will do a backcountry ski/snowshoe trip in the ADK High Peaks area.
ASside from the above, I’m writing to ask you about gravel bikes (smal 48cm range). Do you prefer steel over carbon for a gravel bike? As I have not had a steel bike in decades (and I now ride a carbon road bike and alum. mt. bike) I am curious. I am hoping to find a reasonably priced gravel bike this year as I want to ride the Erie Canal ride and maybe some of the rides on the site as well.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Jen
Hi There!
I have never had a carbon bike, so I cannot say whether I prefer one over the other. I will say that all of my mtbs have been aluminum which has been great for me. I’ve had both aluminum and steel gravel bikes- and I prefer the steel, it’s more comfortable (steel dampens the rough surfaces i typically ride on) and it was no heavier than my aluminum bike. In fact I’ve PRed some strava segments on it which I was surprised about. Good luck with your search! I want to ride the entire Erie Canal trail eventually! Thanks for reading!