2019 Kona
Libre
A carbon frame gravel bike with upper mid-range components and hydraulic disc brakes.
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Manufacturer Price
$2,999| Frame | Carbon |
|---|---|
| Suspension | Rigid |
| Fork | Carbon |
| Wheels | 650b Aluminum |
| Drivetrain | 2 × 11 |
| Groupset | Ultegra, 105 |
| Brakes | Hydraulic Disc |
For This Bike
Nov 2019 · Benjamin Topf
Regardless of what your bikepacking adventure may entail, the Kona Libre AL will be your companion through testing times! We gave this new aluminium bike the spurs and ragged it through our gravel testing grounds. Find out how it performed here. Click here for an overview of the best gravel bike 2020 group test. On […]
Calm and stable ride
Numerous mounting points
Purposeful concept
Sluggish acceleration and handling
Limited comfort
Middling braking performance
Jun 2019
Go-fast gearing, a million mounts, big-tire clearance, and dropper-post compatibility—let the fun begin.
Carbon frame and fork
Takes 700c and 650b wheels
Huge tire clearance
Some riders may want lower gears
Stack height may be too tall for riders who want an aggressive position
Apr 2019 · Troy Templin
The Kona Libre DL borrows some mountain for its gravel
Apr 2019 · Clifford Lee
The Kona Libre DL is a carbon gravel/adventure bike built for exploring and long days in the saddle. We put it to the mixed terrain test for this review.
Jan 2019
The geometry of the Kona Libre DL is a bit... different. But in a good way - this was one of our favorite gravel bikes of the year.
Nov 2018 · Logan Watts
Where does Kona’s new carbon gravel bike fit in to an already versatile range? We tested the Kona Libre DL to find out. Here’s the full review...
Nice geometry that hits a sweet spot between comfort and performance—surprisingly nimble, climbs extremely well, and feels exceptionally fast on gravel and pavement.
Tons of mounts, including five pairs of bottle cage mounts.
Solid component spec with no significant shortcomings.
Unbelievably lightweight carbon frame with a nice color and graphics scheme.
Geared too low for bikepacking out of the box—a 34 or 36T chainring will be a necessary upgrade for most mortals with the 700c/45mm tires.
Fork bottle mounts are not spaced correctly for a triple mount cage or bag—the bottom one is spaced a little too low.
Somewhat tight tire clearance in the chainstays when running 45mm tires, and 27.5 x 2.1″ from what I can gather.
Kona Road Bars are nice and wide, but I’d prefer a little more flare, such as a Cowchipper for this style of bike.
| Frame | Kona Race Light Carbon BB Standard: BB86/BB92, Press Fit Color: Gloss Deep Purple w/ Blue & Desert Tan Decals |
|---|---|
| Fork | Kona Verso Full Carbon Flat Mount Disc |
| Shock | n/a |
| Bottom Bracket | Shimano PF |
| Headset | FSA No.42ACB |
| Stem | Kona Road Deluxe |
| Handlebar | Kona Road |
| Saddle | WTB SL8 Pro |
| Seatpost | Kona Deluxe Thumb w/Offset 31.6mm Type: Rigid |
| Pedals | n/a |
| Grips | Kona Cork Tape |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano Ultegra |
|---|---|
| Front Derailleur | Shimano 105 |
| Crank | Shimano 105, 34/50t |
| Shifters | Shimano 105 |
| Cassette | Shimano 105 11-34t 11spd |
| Chain | KMC X11 |
| Chain Guide | n/a |
| Brakes | Shimano 105 Flat Mount Type: Hydraulic Disc |
| Brake Levers | Shimano 105 |
| Rims | WTB KOM i25 TCS |
|---|---|
| Spokes | Stainless Black 14g |
| Front Hub | Formula 100x12mm (centerlock) |
| Rear Hub | Formula 142x12mm (centerlock) |
| Tires | Front: WTB Byway TCS 650x47c, Rear: WTB Byway TCS 650x47c |
| Disc Rotors | Shimano RT54 160mm (centerlock) |
Last updated September 23
Not listed for 2,036 days