【#MyFirstBike】KONA Dew ~A first bike you'll love no matter how old you get~

I don’t have any memories of a faithful black childhood bike, or experiences of discovering the possibilities of adventure and a sense of accomplishment. Not to brag, but I didn’t learn how to ride a bike until I was in the sixth grade. (Seriously, not to brag!)

The very first bike I ever had was given away to someone else before I could even take the training wheels off, and there are all sorts of other stories—like how my younger sister learned to ride before me and teased me about it, eventually leading me to just hop on and ride without any practice—but please, ask me about those when you see me in person.

So, for my #MyFirstBike, I’d like to talk about the first bike I ever bought at Circles: the KONA Jake.

The KONA Jake was an entry-level frame that featured the trend of the time: a cyclocross frame with 700c wheels, cantilever brakes, KONA’s signature aluminum construction, and—though not visible in the photo—a steel fork.

I had it painted by Kyutai Paint, swapped out the fork for a carbon one, and used it for everything from CX races to touring from Nagoya to Kyoto. I even took it with me when I moved to Tokyo for school, riding it all over the east and west.

Between the stiff ride of the aluminum, my first set of drop bars, and the then-new SRAM road components, everything about it was fresh and different from the heavy steel cross bike I’d been riding before. It was so much fun to ride that I literally ran out of words to describe it.

Unfortunately, the Jake was discontinued a few years ago, so you can't get one anymore, but the reason I wanted to introduce this bike is that it was the first one I bought with money I earned myself.

My First "Own Thing"

I got this in 2010, my second year of high school and the first year I started working part-time at Circles.

I chose the parts, had them put together an estimate, and paid for it by putting a full month of my first paycheck from Circles (literally, an entire month’s worth) into an envelope, so in a way, it’s a bike I felt deeply attached to from the very moment I bought it.

Even for a high school part-timer, spending a full month's wages is a big deal. A really big one.
The value of something isn't just about the price tag, but because I paid for it with "my own money," it felt truly like "my own thing," and my attachment to it was immense. I’ve parted ways with most of the components from when I bought it, but I still have the frame, even now that I don't ride it anymore.

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If I Were Buying a First Bike Today…

The preamble went on for a bit, but if you’re about to get your own #MyFirstBike, I’d like to recommend the KONA Dew.

It offers that same solid ride quality as the aluminum frame of the Jake, along with a modern paint job and plenty of mounting points, making it a build that fits a wide variety of riding styles.

✔︎ Trendy Specs / Coloring

With 650b wheels, wider slick tires, disc brakes, and an understated earth-tone frame, it’s a spot-on combination that hits all the current trends.

✔︎ A Multi-Use Build You Can Customize

Of course, it also comes fully equipped with versatile mounting points for a front rack, fenders, and a rear carrier. 👍
It’s great to use as a daily commuter, or you can add a rack and carrier and head out on a tour.

And if you’ve ridden it for years and it needs a refresh, I highly recommend getting a makeover from Kyutai Paint, just like I did!

✔︎ An Affordable Price