Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

http://konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=rove" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I saw this bicycle at St Kilda cycles in Melbourne. just wondering if anyone has brought one and gone touring with it?

from what I saw of it, the Kona Rove has wider tyres compare to the Sutra more designed to go off bitumen but thinner than mtb tyres.

where you change gears is at the front of the handel bars as apart of the brakes rather than on the bottom of the drop bars.

the one downside was that there was only 2 chain rings on the front, rather than 3, which I'm told can be changed.

anyone else see this bicycle?

thanks

Hi Jemo27,

I don't think this bike is designed for touring. It is intended for cyclocross racing. You probably could modify it to go touring, but since you're buying a new bike it would make more sense to buy a dedicated touring bike, I think.

You already mentioned that you don't like where the shifters are, and that the gearing on this bike isn't low enough for your purposes. On top of this, touring cyclists tend to prefer V brakes for their simplicity and ease of repair in remote locations.

While all of this can be changed, it won't be cheap.

One thing you can't change is the bike's geometry, which seems to be centred around performance rather than comfort. For touring, the preferred position will generally have the handlebars level with the seat.

Don't get me wrong. I like the Rove, and I think it's a great bike... But it isn't right for your purpose.

A touring bike would generally have longer chain stays as well to improve stability and reduce the risk of heal strike on rear panniers. Plenty of people have adapted bikes like the Surly Cross Check for touring though, so you could probably use this bike to tour as well. I reckon you'd want to change the gearing though, and it'll be a bit more twitchy than a touring bike.

I'd dispute the claim that tourers generally prefer v-brakes too - there's a lot of debate about this and no correct answer. Plenty of people are touring using either.