Kona Dr Fine

Kona’s Dr Fine is one of the new breed of disc brake equipped, flat bar urban bikes. Kona say the twist here is that the Dr Fine offers the rare combination of internal hub gearing and powerful hydraulic braking. So how fine is this Kona?

My first ride was from Bristol to Bath, along the cycle path. It showed the 8-speed Shimano Alfine gearing range off well but didn’t demand anything from the brakes. So I headed into heavy traffic in the town centre. Here the Dr Fine didn’t disappoint. The brakes were powerful and progressive, and the gears changed smoothly with no slip or lag. And unlike with derailleur systems, I could shift right through the gears when stationary at traffic lights.

The riding position is quite upright, which left me feeling somewhat exposed to the wind and rain. It’s good for looking around in traffic, however, and the frame’s sloping top tube allows for good stand-over clearance, which is always nice when riding in traffic and having to stop and start regularly. The 7005 aluminium frame itself is lightweight, strong and stiff.

Some hub gears can feel draggy in the lowest gears, but Shimano’s Alfine feels slick and efficient throughout. In a city as hilly as Bath, the range is a bit narrow for your average cycle commuter. I got up most hills, although some were a struggle. On flat or rolling terrain, the range is fine with the 45-tooth chainring. If you’re going to ride in hilly areas often, you’ll want to get your local shop to fit a smaller chainring and/or a larger sprocket.

Kona haven’t scrimped on the finishing kit. The Kona-branded bars, stem and grips aren’t exceptional but you do get a decent WTB saddle and quality Continental Contact tyres. Sitting this upright you’re never going to race along. The 700x32C size rolls okay, nevertheless, and the bigger air pocket copes better than faster, sportier tyres on the rough roads that are everywhere after this winter’s frosts.

Shimano’s hydraulic discs front and back are superb, providing powerful and reliable stopping in all conditions. The Dr Fine has been out in freezing fog, winds, rain, and snow. Nothing fazed it. This is the selling point for me: the gears and brakes will cope with anything, making it a fine all-year commuting machine. Its hub gears are protected from all manner of road grime and wet weather, while its disc brakes don’t depend on completely true or clean rims to operate effectively.

Verdict

A tough, low-maintenance town bike with weatherproof gears and brakes