Nice ! That's my fear too, buying too big of a frame size. We seem to know about buying too small a frame so we opt for a larger size. I had the same fear. Totally unfounded fear after I got it adjusted and sorted out, I have my perfect size and chose correctly. It's a completely natural extension when it's that comfortable on the road. Really loving the fit ! You really bought a fantastic bike that will take you everywhere and I'm very glad it's a perfect fit for you ! Wishing you many happy trails !
Yeah, it's really a sweet bike. I'm dreaming about riding it again soon. Now I'm just cycling on my winter bike with studded tires here in chilly Sweden.
Interestning. You are ahead of us then. We still have no snow on the ground here in northern Sweden. But the temperatures switched to below zero C (below freezing) during the nights this weekend, so it's only a matter of time before we get snow now.
Just bought this bike 3 days ago on Cambria bikes online the last bike which happens to be my size. Excited to get it soon and do some riding as summer is coming and getting mild temp here in NY. This will be my first touring steel bike. I like the Kona brand and I've own Kona mt bike for years now...my Kona Dawg Supreme which I enjoy riding on and off the roads. This Kona Sutra will be my weekend warrior bike😎
Hi Joshua! That's great! You have a great spring/summer to look forward to. I just wish spring would arrive here so I can get out with my touring bike. By the way I have a new video coming out later today where I go through the features of the Kona Sutra, for instance how you can raise your handlebar in an easy way.
@@BikeTouringMike That's great! I would like to see that as it will help me learn more about my Sutra. I have been looking at this bike for some time now and it was the only one left in their stock, luckily it is also the bike size that fits my height according to the size chart. I have never own a road bike before, but have ridden one and borrowed one that I used in some long rides I joined in the past. So I was not really sure of my frame size, good thing Kona has size measurement chart base on height. What sold me to get this bike is the look of the book, the color, the steel frame and the saddle - Brooks. Still waiting for it to arrive and according to UPS it will be delivered by wednesday next week. Meanwhile I just purchased my spd A53O pedals.
Thanks Mikael great informative video. I have a hand built Roberts Tourer but unfortunately the largest tyre it will take is 32mm and it has cantilever brakes. Cantilever brakes really are a pain to set up correctly so I would now like to get something with discs. I have been thinking about getting a Gravel bike because they have bigger tyres but I really only need something that will enable me to cycle over rough ground rather than a mtb trail. I also still love having a triple chain set and in fact on my Roberts I have a 44t largest chain ring which suits me fine. You,ve definitely got me thinking of buying one of these as they aren't too expensive either. Always enjoy your videos Mikael and although I have yet to do it you alongside Darren & Kevin are inspiring me to actually get out there and to do it. Wish I had Darren & Kevins money to buy a pinion gear box bike. Thanks again.
Thanks for that long and interesting comment. The Sutra does very well on gravel. I have tested that a lot during the tour I'm currently conducting. I don't think you'll need a fancy $5000 bike just to go touring, although the Pinion or Rohloff seem pretty smooth to maintain. If you want alternatives to the Kona Sutra try Trek 520, Salsa Marrakech or Surly Disc Trucker. They are all around $1500. Let me know if you have any other questions. I'll gladly answer them.
Have you tried replacing the cantilever with v brakes? Normally a pretty straight swap but with much better braking. Failing that I have put Koolstop pads know my tax cantilever and it's make a big difference.
Greetings from Wales - I bought the same bike a few months back. Done 630 km so far on day rides and touring holidays. Strong tough dependable touring bike which is capable of carrying heavy loads over all sorts of terrain. No punctures at all ! Overall - great bike !
Thanks for the video! Would you say this Bike is capabele for touring South America or Central Asia? Asking for a friend that s doubting between this one and the Surly Troll
I would think so. The frame is made of Steel and there aren't any weird parts that need to be replaced. The only thing that breaks the pattern is that the wheels use a through axle instead of a quick release.
Thank you for the review, Mikael. I'm hoping to purchase a Kona Sutra later this year, as it has all of the features I'm looking for, at a reasonable price. Please let us know if you are still as pleased with your Sutra as you were at the time you made the video. Be well and take care.
Hi! It was like that for me to. I got down to two bikes in the end. The Trek 520 and the Kona Sutra. But since the Sutra came with a Brooks saddle (which I was going to buy anyways) plus fenders and a rear rack it wasn't a hard choice for me. I still love the bike, although I haven't been able to ride it for 5 months now (read: a lot of snow). I plan to do a 1 year review of the bike, which would mean in May. But in the meantime you can check out the video I released earlier today about buying your first touring bike (featuring my Kona Sutra).
I just got this bike 3 days ago and have been riding it for 3 days now and my impression of this bike is just pure awesomeness. It not only looks sexy and beautiful but the ride quality as it is a steel frame is just phenomenal in my opinion. The bike is sturdy and well built capable of absorbing any bumps on and off roads. It is likewise very nimble and just pure pleasure to ride on and off roads giving you a smile in your face as you pedal into the sunset. The groupset is decent and very capable as well although it could be upgraded later on as budget becomes more available he,he,he...The group set is that of a moutain bike components which is very common among touring bikes. I just wished it had a much higher end group set comparable to my old Kona Dawg supreme which is equipt with Shimano xt group set. Nonetheless, this Sutra in my own honest and humbe opinion is simply an orgasmic pure joy two wheeled transporter.
That's great Joshua! I read some review of the bike upon buying mine where it read something in line of "This bike is bad news for your boss, since he'll see a lot less of you at work after purchasing this bike." I've had a Deore groupset on my hybrid for 14 years and it has server pretty well. Some minor glitches now and then, but nothing that the LBS couldn't help me fix. You' ll have to let me know when you've been out for your first tour with it.
Hey Mike, greetings from Moldova and another Kona Sutra owner :) I wanted to clarify one point in respect to front rack, I know that you have the XLC LR02 rack in this video, but I think i've spotted a Tubus Tara on other videos of yours, could this possible? If so, could you please advice on how these two differ given the price is three time greater for Tubus. Thank you.
Hi! For me, your bike is a curious choice because at the time of the belt, the chain is really outdated, dirty and noisy. Above all, with a belt system, it's absolute silence, especially when freewheeling. Otherwise, disc brakes are not my cup of tea. I was able to remove the disc brakes on my steel frame with belt. As I like to go down the mountain with a load, with my v-brakes and BBB tri-stop rubber, I benefit from progressive and durable braking. Otherwise, my 2nd travel bike is chain-driven with 3 chainrings + rear overspeed. But above all, it is a gooseneck frame. What a comfort to be able to go down even in the middle of the hill and go back up like on a scooter. I wish you great trips and look forward to your next reports!
I scrolled through the comments for this answer, but it did seem to come up. I'm 6ft2in also but with a longer torso and shorter legs than you. I'm wondering how the 56 sutra would work for someone like me or should i get the larger 58? Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🙏
Great review Michael, thank you! As I mentioned on your "Touring Bike Buying" video, I'm planning on buying the Kona Sutra 2019 or the Kona Rove ST 2019. I'm just getting into biking-I commute 10Km every day and do a 16Km bike ride at lunch time once a week-but I see myself getting into it a bit more. I test rode the Sutra yesterday at my LBS and loved it, I was very skeptical about the shifters at first but after 5 minutes they were fine. I also test rode an older Rove (a smaller size though) and it was also very cool. The main differences are that the Rove comes with 650b wheels, a 1x11 drivetrain (SRAM Rival), and is more of a gravel bike, however, I've seen some Rove bikes that people have set up for touring and they look great! My only hesitation on the Sutra is that it feels antiquated or like I'm buying "old technology"... I know it's a different kind of bike but I can't help to think about it. Do you have any comments on any of this ramble? :)
Well they are almost similar component wise. The Sutra is maybe an inch longer than the Rove, due to the longer chainstay. I guess it depends on what type of road conditions and topography you have on your commute. If you have a relative flat commute mainly on paved roads I would go for the Sutra. Hilly and mostly gravel - Rove. When it comes to the shifting, I never really think about it being an issue. Like you said, after a couple of minutes you get used to it. And like I said I have a reasonably flat commute, so I don't really shift to many times. What do you mean by old technology?
@@BikeTouringMike Thanks for your response. What I mean about old technology is that many bike manufacturers are moving away from 3x and 2x systems and preferring the 1x11 drivetrains instead. They are simpler to maintain and the new ones (I think) give you similar shifting ratios. The Rove just feels more in tune with current trends (650b wheels 1x11 drivetrain) but I know the Sutra is a very capable bike-and 3x9 systems are also not going away! Thanks for your comments, I need to do some soul searching :) Please ket me know if you have any other input, as I mentioned earlier, I'm very new to biking and there are just too many options!
Ciao Mikael, how tall are you? I'm 178, what size do you suggest me to buy, as i'm thinking about to buy one. Also the rear rack is it alluminiun or steel, what about the new shifter levers? They don't seem easy tu use, can you also change shifter, also with the brake lever as it seem that you push laterally the lever in the video. Last, what about compare to your old alluminiun city bike? Is the Koga more comfortable and better for ciclotraveling, is it worth the change. Looking forward to your answer, i wish you a lot of funny cicling km
Hi Ralph! I suggest you check the size chars for Kona bikes. Just google and you shall find. But i suspect you would consider getting a 56 or 54 cm frame. I'm not a hundred percent, but I think the rear rack is made of aluminum, feels like it. Yes you push the lever up and down. It takes a ride or two to get used to. After then you're not going to think about it again. I really like the shifters, feels really quality made. The Kona is definitely an upgrade from my old hybrid bike. If feels a lot more stable fully loaded. But the biggest upgrade is drop bars and disc brakes. My rim brakes on my old hybrid were really bad so it felt kind of unsafe driving around with them fully loaded. And the drop bar did wonders for my hands and wrists. No more numbness. Hope this information helps you somehow.
Thank You! That was nice review by regular person! I'm also 6'2 and it's soo nice to see someone do a XL Bike review. Looks as though you did have to bring the seat up a bit. wondering if the Drop-Bars could be swapped out for some Low-rise Mountain bike bars for a more upright ride? What is your inseam? I'm at almost 34".
Hi Greg! Really sorry about not answering your comment until now. Must've missed it earlier. Don't really know about the bar question, that's really out of my expertise. But I can answer the second question. I have an 95 cm inseem which would correspond to 37,4 inches. I have really long legs.
@@BikeTouringMike thank you, that answers my question.. I have an inseam of 97cm and height of 194cm.. so looking at your seat height gives me a really good idea ☺️
Well, according to the size charts at konaworld.com a 56 should fit just fine for you. But it all depends how your body is shaped. I've got tall legs, and a shorter upper body for example. You can also measure your inseem and check the size chart. But if you don't have really short legs I would go for the 56 model if I were you.
I have a 2011 Sutra, 58 cm. I am 6 foot 2 also and it feels too long, but not too high. I had to completely change the bars and raise them. I wished mine had wider chain stays too, for wider tires. 700x32C is only good for pavement.
hi, I noticed one of your touring bikes has front suspension and flt bars and this new Kona sutra has no suspension and drops. I'm looking at the Kona myself and would be making the same change, Whats your the on these differences, have you adapted well?
Yes, the grey bike that I used in some of my older videos is my Hybrid bike. I still use on a daily basis when I'm commuting to work. But for my bike tours I use my Kona Sutra. While it may look like the hybrid has suspension, the bike is 15 years old and basically has no working suspension anymore, which is a good thing. I'd rather tour with a stiff fork. When it comes to flat vs drop bars and the geometry, when I was searching for a touring bike about two years ago I wanted to find one that was close geometry-wise to my hybrid, since I fell really comfortable on it. The Kona Sutra was practically identical except that it had drop bars instead of flats. To compensate for me having to reach a little bit further (when I'm in the drops) I've raised the handlebar half an inch or so with the help of a spacer. And now I switch between the bikes every day or so and it doesn't really matter which bike I'm riding. I feel comfortable riding both of them.
Great choice, Marko. You won't be sorry. Nothing new really. Only two things I forgot to mention. First is that both 2018 & 2019 model have a thru axle instead of a quick release. And second thing is that the tires can be used as tubeless tires if that's your cup of tea.
If you're cycling on gravel or if it's raining it's bound to get a little bit dirty. I mainly use that bottle as a buffer. When I'm out of water in the other bottles if pour over the water from the third bottle to one of them. So I never actually drink from that one. It can also be used to store tools in.
thanks for the response @@BikeTouringMike , just one more question is the bike very comfortable/ fast for touring long distances on tarmac? I know it does quite well on gravel
@@paulaustin1763 I basically done all my touring on tarmac. During my trip in Swedish Lapland 100% of the trip was on tarmac and in the Czech Republic 95% of the trip was on tarmac. During my tour in Swedish Lapland I had a light setup with only the two rear panniers. I managed to maintain a daily average of 22-24 km/h. However I did have a slight tailwind during the ride. So I would say the bike is pretty fast. Regarding comfortabilty I have no complaints. If you give yourself a couple of weeks to ride in the saddle and make some adjustments to seat and handlebar positions you should be fine.
Hello Mikael; I am enjoying the video about your trip with Darren, Line and Kevin. Is the Kona frame stable fully loaded? Did you use the lowest gear (26) often while climbing? Have you had any flat with the Schwalbes? I am 173 cm. I thought of getting a 54cm Kona. Thank you Do you prefer Kona over the bike you took to Barcelona?
It's extremely stable fully loaded. I only used the lowest gear a couple of times during my week in the Czech Republic. Maybe it's partially a mental thing; I want to have one more lower gear to use, so I usually went with the second lowest gear. I think we climbed hills with 13% grade at the most. The second day was a lot of hills between 10-12%. No, I haven't had any flats with the Schwalbes yet. My old hybrid bike that I had on my previous trip is a nice bike but it was getting pretty old, and therfore a bit unstable fully loaded. Also it's frame is made of aluminum. Plus the brakes and shifters were a bit run down. The biggest benefits of the Kona compared to my old hybrid is that it's more stable, and that it has disc brakes. Otherwise they have pretty much the same geometry.
Yeah, that's everything, including the fenders, front and back racks, pedals. I think the official weight is 13kg (28,7 lbs) (inc. back rack & fenders, no pedals).
If you want to see lots of castles aim for the Czech Republic. Did a tour there 2 years ago and I think we rode past 10 castles on average per day. Plus it's really cheap and have great beer!
No, thankfully that has never been a problem. Like I said (complained :-) ) in the video, the handlebars of the Sutra a really wide. I guess it's to be able to accustom the handlebar bag, but it also means the sifter are way out from your knees.
@@BikeTouringMike that is interesting.... I changed the shifters to STI because several times I hit my knees with end-bar shifters when standing on pedals.... I also changed to a wider handlebar with larger flare.... mine is 2016 also XL ... 1.9m tall.... geat great bike!
This was one of my candidate for my affordable touring bike but sadly my lbs stop selling Kona, bought Marin four corners instead and very happy with $600 I spent lol
I was actually deciding between a Surly (Long Haul Trucker) and the Sutra when puchasing my first touring bike. The Brooks saddle, the fact that it came with fenders and a rear rack plus the lower price point was what made me choose the Sutra.
Hello, I been following your trips with Darren and your trip on your own in Lapland. Thanks for showing us your adventures interesting and informative. I must commend you on your English you speak without a Swedish accent and your English is very good, much better than the typical Swede speaking in swinglish. Did you live in a English speaking country for a while.
@@BikeTouringMike Yeah i have ridden at least 15000km with it and it's only getting worse haha! I've been looking at the ism saddle's because according to marketing u will be able to ride more lower without out pain. Only problem is that they look horrendous.
@@2wheelsrbest327 yeah i have tried almost everything. Latest modification was to move it more towards the handlebars now it feels a bit better and that my sit bones are better supported. Although I've only ridden around 100km with the new setup so il have to see how the comfort holds up in the long run.
Hello...nice info for lowering the downtube bottle mount... How much clearance for wide tire on Kona Sutra? Can I mount 29x2.1 XC tire with 30mm inner width rim?
Do you mean the clearance against the fenders? I can't really answer your question right now, since I'm traveling right now but I'll get back to you in a couple of days when I get back home.
Unfortunately I don't think you're going to be able to fit that tire. If you're using the fenders that came with the bike you can use a 700x40c tire. 700x45c would be pushing it.
I do see the limited utility of the under-the-down-tube bottle cage mounts, but not for a bottle. I'd be hard-pressed to touch a water bottle with dirty debris from the ground, never mind to drink from it.
I mainly use that bottle as a buffer. When I'm out of water in the other bottles if pour over the water from the third bottle to one of them. So I never actually drink from that one. It can also be used to store tools in.
@@BikeTouringMike A smart idea. I used mine to secure a folding lock on a bike, but it became so dirty I felt I needed to wash hands every time I touched it. A tool bottle is, indeed, a good idea. By the way, while I am no proponent of larger saddles, I must admit the Sutra was among by favourite touring bikes for a long time. It has a lot of competition now (since the emergence of the adventure / gravel segment), but even so it's still among the better dedicated metal touring bikes. On sizing: I think, you are spot-on. Manufacturers almost always recommend a size (sometimes two sizes!) larger frame than the ideal size for a given rider height. For instance, My 55.5cm Norco Search XR C2 with stock 100mm stem, while recommended as the size for me, is really better suited for someone with a 3-4cm greater reach. To counter the issue, I had to replace the stem with a much shorter one, precluding me from using a suspension stem, for instance: the shortest Redshift or Kinekt suspension stems are 90mm long. A bummer.
Thank you. Hopefully I'll be able to do an updated review soon, as soon as the snow disappears. I have some new reflections, plus I had some audio issues when filming this one.
I absolutely hate bar end shifters. I had a touring bike with those and my knees constantly hit them when I was going up a hill. In general they are annoying (in my opinion). I'd never use them again.
Are you sure you sure the frame wasn't to small for you? I have never had that problem myself. There are other touring bikes in the same price range with STI shifters instead of bar-end shifters. I think the Salsa Marrakech, Surly Disc Trucker and Trek 520 all have STI shifters.
@@BikeTouringMike No. The frame was actually too big in the end and caused me extreme lower back pain so I ended up having to sell it. The bike was the Fuji touring bike. I hated it. It was too heavy as well. I rode faster on a Giant folding bike than I did on that touring bike. I now ride on a Triban RC 500 from Decathlon. It's 4 kilos lighter, less money and better specs and I actually have joy again while riding it. People say the weight of a bike doesn't matter but when you're a 52 kilo small human riding 2 hours a day (not now since I'm working from home) it does matter haha. It sooooooo matters.
Hi Mike, Really enjoying your videos. I had the same problem fitting a larger water bottle to my bottom bottle cage - very frustrating. However, I managed to solve this with a Bikebuddy bottle cage. This allows you to mount a bottle cage lower down, providing the necessary clearance. Their website is www.bikebuddy.co.uk/. Hope this helps. Nikki Biddle
Yeah, this was one of the first videos I made. I'm planning on doing a new review of the bike pretty soon without the "ehhhs" and "ummms" but with my thoughts about the bike after two years of using it.
Thanks for the review.
Ended up buying the 2019 version a year ago and do not regret it!
I'm glad you found a bike that suited you. Hope you will have many great adventures with it in the future!
Nice ! That's my fear too, buying too big of a frame size. We seem to know about buying too small a frame so we opt for a larger size. I had the same fear. Totally unfounded fear after I got it adjusted and sorted out, I have my perfect size and chose correctly. It's a completely natural extension when it's that comfortable on the road. Really loving the fit ! You really bought a fantastic bike that will take you everywhere and I'm very glad it's a perfect fit for you ! Wishing you many happy trails !
Thanks for the super nice comment!
It was good to see this video and particularly the Brookes B17. I bought my first Brookes 35 years ago and am still cycling on it.
I purchased the same bike in April 2018. I have ridden approximately 1800 miles. Excellent piece of equipment.
Yeah, it's really a sweet bike. I'm dreaming about riding it again soon. Now I'm just cycling on my winter bike with studded tires here in chilly Sweden.
@@BikeTouringMike Understand. We now have regular snow in Iowa in the US.
Interestning. You are ahead of us then. We still have no snow on the ground here in northern Sweden. But the temperatures switched to below zero C (below freezing) during the nights this weekend, so it's only a matter of time before we get snow now.
Thanks for the review. This is on my list of possibilities for my new touring bike.
Just bought this bike 3 days ago on Cambria bikes online the last bike which happens to be my size. Excited to get it soon and do some riding as summer is coming and getting mild temp here in NY. This will be my first touring steel bike. I like the Kona brand and I've own Kona mt bike for years now...my Kona Dawg Supreme which I enjoy riding on and off the roads. This Kona Sutra will be my weekend warrior bike😎
Hi Joshua! That's great! You have a great spring/summer to look forward to. I just wish spring would arrive here so I can get out with my touring bike. By the way I have a new video coming out later today where I go through the features of the Kona Sutra, for instance how you can raise your handlebar in an easy way.
@@BikeTouringMike That's great! I would like to see that as it will help me learn more about my Sutra. I have been looking at this bike for some time now and it was the only one left in their stock, luckily it is also the bike size that fits my height according to the size chart. I have never own a road bike before, but have ridden one and borrowed one that I used in some long rides I joined in the past. So I was not really sure of my frame size, good thing Kona has size measurement chart base on height. What sold me to get this bike is the look of the book, the color, the steel frame and the saddle - Brooks. Still waiting for it to arrive and according to UPS it will be delivered by wednesday next week. Meanwhile I just purchased my spd A53O pedals.
Thanks Mikael great informative video. I have a hand built Roberts Tourer but unfortunately the largest tyre it will take is 32mm and it has cantilever brakes. Cantilever brakes really are a pain to set up correctly so I would now like to get something with discs. I have been thinking about getting a Gravel bike because they have bigger tyres but I really only need something that will enable me to cycle over rough ground rather than a mtb trail. I also still love having a triple chain set and in fact on my Roberts I have a 44t largest chain ring which suits me fine. You,ve definitely got me thinking of buying one of these as they aren't too expensive either. Always enjoy your videos Mikael and although I have yet to do it you alongside Darren & Kevin are inspiring me to actually get out there and to do it. Wish I had Darren & Kevins money to buy a pinion gear box bike. Thanks again.
Thanks for that long and interesting comment. The Sutra does very well on gravel. I have tested that a lot during the tour I'm currently conducting. I don't think you'll need a fancy $5000 bike just to go touring, although the Pinion or Rohloff seem pretty smooth to maintain.
If you want alternatives to the Kona Sutra try Trek 520, Salsa Marrakech or Surly Disc Trucker. They are all around $1500. Let me know if you have any other questions. I'll gladly answer them.
Have you tried replacing the cantilever with v brakes? Normally a pretty straight swap but with much better braking. Failing that I have put Koolstop pads know my tax cantilever and it's make a big difference.
Greetings from Wales - I bought the same bike a few months back. Done 630 km so far on day rides and touring holidays. Strong tough dependable touring bike which is capable of carrying heavy loads over all sorts of terrain. No punctures at all ! Overall - great bike !
How do you find the saddle? Have you worn it in yet?
@@BikeTouringMike Quite hard ! No. Have to wear padded cycle shorts on long rides. It will take some time to wear in.
@@surfnewt2768 hello from Wales the saddle does get better sugar soap is good but miles miles miles will make it easier
Thanks for the video! Would you say this Bike is capabele for touring South America or Central Asia? Asking for a friend that s doubting between this one and the Surly Troll
I would think so. The frame is made of Steel and there aren't any weird parts that need to be replaced. The only thing that breaks the pattern is that the wheels use a through axle instead of a quick release.
Mike, I enjoy your videos, great job. I just purchased a Sutra. What rear rack are you using?
Thank you for the review, Mikael. I'm hoping to purchase a Kona Sutra later this year, as it has all of the features I'm looking for, at a reasonable price.
Please let us know if you are still as pleased with your Sutra as you were at the time you made the video. Be well and take care.
Hi! It was like that for me to. I got down to two bikes in the end. The Trek 520 and the Kona Sutra. But since the Sutra came with a Brooks saddle (which I was going to buy anyways) plus fenders and a rear rack it wasn't a hard choice for me.
I still love the bike, although I haven't been able to ride it for 5 months now (read: a lot of snow).
I plan to do a 1 year review of the bike, which would mean in May. But in the meantime you can check out the video I released earlier today about buying your first touring bike (featuring my Kona Sutra).
I just got this bike 3 days ago and have been riding it for 3 days now and my impression of this bike is just pure awesomeness. It not only looks sexy and beautiful but the ride quality as it is a steel frame is just phenomenal in my opinion. The bike is sturdy and well built capable of absorbing any bumps on and off roads. It is likewise very nimble and just pure pleasure to ride on and off roads giving you a smile in your face as you pedal into the sunset. The groupset is decent and very capable as well although it could be upgraded later on as budget becomes more available he,he,he...The group set is that of a moutain bike components which is very common among touring bikes. I just wished it had a much higher end group set comparable to my old Kona Dawg supreme which is equipt with Shimano xt group set. Nonetheless, this Sutra in my own honest and humbe opinion is simply an orgasmic pure joy two wheeled transporter.
That's great Joshua! I read some review of the bike upon buying mine where it read something in line of "This bike is bad news for your boss, since he'll see a lot less of you at work after purchasing this bike." I've had a Deore groupset on my hybrid for 14 years and it has server pretty well. Some minor glitches now and then, but nothing that the LBS couldn't help me fix. You' ll have to let me know when you've been out for your first tour with it.
Hey Mike, greetings from Moldova and another Kona Sutra owner :)
I wanted to clarify one point in respect to front rack, I know that you have the XLC LR02 rack in this video, but I think i've spotted a Tubus Tara on other videos of yours, could this possible? If so, could you please advice on how these two differ given the price is three time greater for Tubus. Thank you.
You can modify the bottom bottle holder to sit lower on the frame (redrill) holes), and you'll be able to fit the longer bottle under
Hi! For me, your bike is a curious choice because at the time of the belt, the chain is really outdated, dirty and noisy. Above all, with a belt system, it's absolute silence, especially when freewheeling. Otherwise, disc brakes are not my cup of tea. I was able to remove the disc brakes on my steel frame with belt. As I like to go down the mountain with a load, with my v-brakes and BBB tri-stop rubber, I benefit from progressive and durable braking. Otherwise, my 2nd travel bike is chain-driven with 3 chainrings + rear overspeed. But above all, it is a gooseneck frame. What a comfort to be able to go down even in the middle of the hill and go back up like on a scooter. I wish you great trips and look forward to your next reports!
I also have been riding this model for 2 years. Absolutely love it. What front racks do you use?
I scrolled through the comments for this answer, but it did seem to come up.
I'm 6ft2in also but with a longer torso and shorter legs than you. I'm wondering how the 56 sutra would work for someone like me or should i get the larger 58?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🙏
Great review Michael, thank you! As I mentioned on your "Touring Bike Buying" video, I'm planning on buying the Kona Sutra 2019 or the Kona Rove ST 2019. I'm just getting into biking-I commute 10Km every day and do a 16Km bike ride at lunch time once a week-but I see myself getting into it a bit more. I test rode the Sutra yesterday at my LBS and loved it, I was very skeptical about the shifters at first but after 5 minutes they were fine. I also test rode an older Rove (a smaller size though) and it was also very cool. The main differences are that the Rove comes with 650b wheels, a 1x11 drivetrain (SRAM Rival), and is more of a gravel bike, however, I've seen some Rove bikes that people have set up for touring and they look great! My only hesitation on the Sutra is that it feels antiquated or like I'm buying "old technology"... I know it's a different kind of bike but I can't help to think about it. Do you have any comments on any of this ramble? :)
Well they are almost similar component wise. The Sutra is maybe an inch longer than the Rove, due to the longer chainstay. I guess it depends on what type of road conditions and topography you have on your commute. If you have a relative flat commute mainly on paved roads I would go for the Sutra. Hilly and mostly gravel - Rove.
When it comes to the shifting, I never really think about it being an issue. Like you said, after a couple of minutes you get used to it. And like I said I have a reasonably flat commute, so I don't really shift to many times.
What do you mean by old technology?
@@BikeTouringMike Thanks for your response. What I mean about old technology is that many bike manufacturers are moving away from 3x and 2x systems and preferring the 1x11 drivetrains instead. They are simpler to maintain and the new ones (I think) give you similar shifting ratios. The Rove just feels more in tune with current trends (650b wheels 1x11 drivetrain) but I know the Sutra is a very capable bike-and 3x9 systems are also not going away! Thanks for your comments, I need to do some soul searching :)
Please ket me know if you have any other input, as I mentioned earlier, I'm very new to biking and there are just too many options!
Ciao Mikael, how tall are you? I'm 178, what size do you suggest me to buy, as i'm thinking about to buy one. Also the rear rack is it alluminiun or steel, what about the new shifter levers? They don't seem easy tu use, can you also change shifter, also with the brake lever as it seem that you push laterally the lever in the video. Last, what about compare to your old alluminiun city bike? Is the Koga more comfortable and better for ciclotraveling, is it worth the change. Looking forward to your answer, i wish you a lot of funny cicling km
Hi Ralph! I suggest you check the size chars for Kona bikes. Just google and you shall find. But i suspect you would consider getting a 56 or 54 cm frame. I'm not a hundred percent, but I think the rear rack is made of aluminum, feels like it.
Yes you push the lever up and down. It takes a ride or two to get used to. After then you're not going to think about it again. I really like the shifters, feels really quality made.
The Kona is definitely an upgrade from my old hybrid bike. If feels a lot more stable fully loaded. But the biggest upgrade is drop bars and disc brakes. My rim brakes on my old hybrid were really bad so it felt kind of unsafe driving around with them fully loaded. And the drop bar did wonders for my hands and wrists. No more numbness. Hope this information helps you somehow.
@@BikeTouringMike Thanks Mikael
Tack Mikael. Du insprerar. Får jag fråga vilken hjulstorlek din cykel har ? är det 26 inch eller 28 ?
Det är 28-tummare. Lätt att inse hur mycket man glömmer säga i videorna i efterhand. Måste nog skriva ett manus till nästa gång. :-)
Good review, thank you. Do you use kickstand?
Thank you! No, I don't use a kickstand. I usually just lean the bike against a tree or a wall.
Thank You! That was nice review by regular person! I'm also 6'2 and it's soo nice to see someone do a XL Bike review. Looks as though you did have to bring the seat up a bit. wondering if the Drop-Bars could be swapped out for some Low-rise Mountain bike bars for a more upright ride? What is your inseam? I'm at almost 34".
Hi Greg! Really sorry about not answering your comment until now. Must've missed it earlier. Don't really know about the bar question, that's really out of my expertise. But I can answer the second question. I have an 95 cm inseem which would correspond to 37,4 inches. I have really long legs.
@@BikeTouringMike thank you, that answers my question.. I have an inseam of 97cm and height of 194cm.. so looking at your seat height gives me a really good idea ☺️
@@davomccranko Did you buy the bike? I'm 195 cm an not sure if the frame is large enough
Very nice review... Hope you have great adventures n health. Cheers.
Thanks for the kind words and wishes!
Thank you for this! I plan to get one soon for touring. :)
Hi Michael, in your opinion, would a 56 be too big for someone who is 6 foot tall? Based on you maybe thinking that a 56 would have been OK for you?
Well, according to the size charts at konaworld.com a 56 should fit just fine for you. But it all depends how your body is shaped. I've got tall legs, and a shorter upper body for example. You can also measure your inseem and check the size chart. But if you don't have really short legs I would go for the 56 model if I were you.
Hi Mike, have you ever tried to put any kickstand that could fit on the Sutra?
No, I haven't. But If I were to I would probably go for dual kickstands, since I doubt that one would be able to support all that weight.
I use a kickstand from Decathlon, mounted to the chainstay and seatstay. Works great.
I have a 2011 Sutra, 58 cm. I am 6 foot 2 also and it feels too long, but not too high. I had to completely change the bars and raise them. I wished mine had wider chain stays too, for wider tires. 700x32C is only good for pavement.
hi, I noticed one of your touring bikes has front suspension and flt bars and this new Kona sutra has no suspension and drops. I'm looking at the Kona myself and would be making the same change, Whats your the on these differences, have you adapted well?
Yes, the grey bike that I used in some of my older videos is my Hybrid bike. I still use on a daily basis when I'm commuting to work. But for my bike tours I use my Kona Sutra. While it may look like the hybrid has suspension, the bike is 15 years old and basically has no working suspension anymore, which is a good thing. I'd rather tour with a stiff fork. When it comes to flat vs drop bars and the geometry, when I was searching for a touring bike about two years ago I wanted to find one that was close geometry-wise to my hybrid, since I fell really comfortable on it. The Kona Sutra was practically identical except that it had drop bars instead of flats. To compensate for me having to reach a little bit further (when I'm in the drops) I've raised the handlebar half an inch or so with the help of a spacer. And now I switch between the bikes every day or so and it doesn't really matter which bike I'm riding. I feel comfortable riding both of them.
I’m interested in this bike , but I prefer STI shifter. Do you think it would be possible to switch bar-end shifters to STI?
It's definitely possible. But it will take a bit of effort. You have to replace the levers, reroute the housing, rewrap the bars, install bar pugs.
Any new comments about your bike after releasing this video? I'm planning to buy the 2019 model of Kona Sutra.
Great choice, Marko. You won't be sorry. Nothing new really. Only two things I forgot to mention. First is that both 2018 & 2019 model have a thru axle instead of a quick release. And second thing is that the tires can be used as tubeless tires if that's your cup of tea.
@@BikeTouringMike Thanks for the info. I ended up buying the new model. Can't wait my first tour with it.
Thats's great! I'll think you'll be really pleased with your choice of bike.
Does the 500ML water bottle get dirty in that lower water bottle cage?
If you're cycling on gravel or if it's raining it's bound to get a little bit dirty. I mainly use that bottle as a buffer. When I'm out of water in the other bottles if pour over the water from the third bottle to one of them. So I never actually drink from that one. It can also be used to store tools in.
Hi thanks for the info review! do you think the 2019 model sutra will be just as good?
From what I've read about the 2019 model, they are almost identical specs wise. The only difference is the paint job.
thanks for the response @@BikeTouringMike , just one more question is the bike very comfortable/ fast for touring long distances on tarmac? I know it does quite well on gravel
@@paulaustin1763 I basically done all my touring on tarmac. During my trip in Swedish Lapland 100% of the trip was on tarmac and in the Czech Republic 95% of the trip was on tarmac. During my tour in Swedish Lapland I had a light setup with only the two rear panniers. I managed to maintain a daily average of 22-24 km/h. However I did have a slight tailwind during the ride. So I would say the bike is pretty fast.
Regarding comfortabilty I have no complaints. If you give yourself a couple of weeks to ride in the saddle and make some adjustments to seat and handlebar positions you should be fine.
hello wich size is your Sutra on the video ? thank u
Hello Mikael;
I am enjoying the video about your trip with Darren, Line and Kevin.
Is the Kona frame stable fully loaded? Did you use the lowest gear (26) often while climbing? Have you had any flat with the Schwalbes? I am 173 cm. I thought of getting a 54cm Kona. Thank you
Do you prefer Kona over the bike you took to Barcelona?
It's extremely stable fully loaded. I only used the lowest gear a couple of times during my week in the Czech Republic. Maybe it's partially a mental thing; I want to have one more lower gear to use, so I usually went with the second lowest gear.
I think we climbed hills with 13% grade at the most. The second day was a lot of hills between 10-12%.
No, I haven't had any flats with the Schwalbes yet.
My old hybrid bike that I had on my previous trip is a nice bike but it was getting pretty old, and therfore a bit unstable fully loaded. Also it's frame is made of aluminum. Plus the brakes and shifters were a bit run down. The biggest benefits of the Kona compared to my old hybrid is that it's more stable, and that it has disc brakes. Otherwise they have pretty much the same geometry.
is the 14KG weight with the front & back racks and fenders that it comes with?
Yeah, that's everything, including the fenders, front and back racks, pedals. I think the official weight is 13kg (28,7 lbs) (inc. back rack & fenders, no pedals).
Very nice rig. Would really like to bike through Europe. Riding through history as it were. US is cool, just not many castles and to much desert.
If you want to see lots of castles aim for the Czech Republic. Did a tour there 2 years ago and I think we rode past 10 castles on average per day. Plus it's really cheap and have great beer!
@@BikeTouringMikethanks for the reply. You sold me, Czech republic sounds amazing.
Being tall, do you hit your knees on the bar end shifters sometimes?
No, thankfully that has never been a problem. Like I said (complained :-) ) in the video, the handlebars of the Sutra a really wide. I guess it's to be able to accustom the handlebar bag, but it also means the sifter are way out from your knees.
@@BikeTouringMike that is interesting.... I changed the shifters to STI because several times I hit my knees with end-bar shifters when standing on pedals.... I also changed to a wider handlebar with larger flare.... mine is 2016 also XL ... 1.9m tall.... geat great bike!
Love my sutra as well.
That's great. Have you taken it out on any tours yet?
Mikael Hedberg yes a couple in North America. Enjoy your travel.
I ride the KONA Dew delux 24 speed 2018, good bike.
Hi. What size frame and your height?
The frame size is 58 cm and I am 188 cm or 6"2.
This was one of my candidate for my affordable touring bike but sadly my lbs stop selling Kona, bought Marin four corners instead and very happy with $600 I spent lol
That's the most thing, that you're pleased with the bike.
Nice bike, i have a Surly Troll its a very slow on the straight tar roads but still a great bike. Ill likely get the Mondials next tire purchase
I was actually deciding between a Surly (Long Haul Trucker) and the Sutra when puchasing my first touring bike. The Brooks saddle, the fact that it came with fenders and a rear rack plus the lower price point was what made me choose the Sutra.
@@BikeTouringMike Agree with this comment. My decision making was the same. Better value for the Kona compared to the Surley.
Hello, I been following your trips with Darren and your trip on your own in Lapland. Thanks for showing us your adventures interesting and informative. I must commend you on your English you speak without a Swedish accent and your English is very good, much better than the typical Swede speaking in swinglish. Did you live in a English speaking country for a while.
Thank you, that's very kind of you! No, unfortunately I have never lived abroad. Just grew up watching a lot of American television & movies.
Nice Bike Mike!!
Thanks! I've owned the bike for almost a year and a half now and I can't really think of anything to camplain about. I'm super happy with the bike!
🎬🚵♂️👍 in top !
Hi Mike..
Good vid👍🏻💪🏼💪🏼
Thanks! Hope to do an updated version with better audio in the coming month.
I own the 2017 model and i must say that the brooks saddle is killing me
That's too bad. How long have you had it for? Is the saddle worn in? I think it took around 500 km before mine started getting comfortable.
@@BikeTouringMike Yeah i have ridden at least 15000km with it and it's only getting worse haha! I've been looking at the ism saddle's because according to marketing u will be able to ride more lower without out pain. Only problem is that they look horrendous.
Haven't heard of that saddle before, but I Googled it now. It definitely looks different. But whatever get's you around works I guess.
@@woblar1 I understand how you are feeling as I have struggled to break them in as well. Have you tried tilting it back !
@@2wheelsrbest327 yeah i have tried almost everything. Latest modification was to move it more towards the handlebars now it feels a bit better and that my sit bones are better supported. Although I've only ridden around 100km with the new setup so il have to see how the comfort holds up in the long run.
Hello...nice info for lowering the downtube bottle mount...
How much clearance for wide tire on Kona Sutra?
Can I mount 29x2.1 XC tire with 30mm inner width rim?
Do you mean the clearance against the fenders? I can't really answer your question right now, since I'm traveling right now but I'll get back to you in a couple of days when I get back home.
Yes thank you.
Have a nice vacation there..
Unfortunately I don't think you're going to be able to fit that tire. If you're using the fenders that came with the bike you can use a 700x40c tire. 700x45c would be pushing it.
I do see the limited utility of the under-the-down-tube bottle cage mounts, but not for a bottle. I'd be hard-pressed to touch a water bottle with dirty debris from the ground, never mind to drink from it.
I mainly use that bottle as a buffer. When I'm out of water in the other bottles if pour over the water from the third bottle to one of them. So I never actually drink from that one. It can also be used to store tools in.
@@BikeTouringMike A smart idea. I used mine to secure a folding lock on a bike, but it became so dirty I felt I needed to wash hands every time I touched it. A tool bottle is, indeed, a good idea.
By the way, while I am no proponent of larger saddles, I must admit the Sutra was among by favourite touring bikes for a long time. It has a lot of competition now (since the emergence of the adventure / gravel segment), but even so it's still among the better dedicated metal touring bikes.
On sizing: I think, you are spot-on. Manufacturers almost always recommend a size (sometimes two sizes!) larger frame than the ideal size for a given rider height. For instance, My 55.5cm Norco Search XR C2 with stock 100mm stem, while recommended as the size for me, is really better suited for someone with a 3-4cm greater reach. To counter the issue, I had to replace the stem with a much shorter one, precluding me from using a suspension stem, for instance: the shortest Redshift or Kinekt suspension stems are 90mm long. A bummer.
good review
Thank you. Hopefully I'll be able to do an updated review soon, as soon as the snow disappears. I have some new reflections, plus I had some audio issues when filming this one.
How much is it ?
I think the retail price is $1499.
I absolutely hate bar end shifters. I had a touring bike with those and my knees constantly hit them when I was going up a hill. In general they are annoying (in my opinion). I'd never use them again.
Are you sure you sure the frame wasn't to small for you? I have never had that problem myself. There are other touring bikes in the same price range with STI shifters instead of bar-end shifters. I think the Salsa Marrakech, Surly Disc Trucker and Trek 520 all have STI shifters.
@@BikeTouringMike No. The frame was actually too big in the end and caused me extreme lower back pain so I ended up having to sell it. The bike was the Fuji touring bike. I hated it. It was too heavy as well. I rode faster on a Giant folding bike than I did on that touring bike. I now ride on a Triban RC 500 from Decathlon. It's 4 kilos lighter, less money and better specs and I actually have joy again while riding it. People say the weight of a bike doesn't matter but when you're a 52 kilo small human riding 2 hours a day (not now since I'm working from home) it does matter haha. It sooooooo matters.
Some one makes a bracket that lets you lower that water bottle.
Hi Mike, Really enjoying your videos. I had the same problem fitting a larger water bottle to my bottom bottle cage - very frustrating. However, I managed to solve this with a Bikebuddy bottle cage. This allows you to mount a bottle cage lower down, providing the necessary clearance. Their website is www.bikebuddy.co.uk/. Hope this helps. Nikki Biddle
Thank you for the insightful tip! I'm going to check it out.
nobody ever talks about the gearing
this bike will last you a lifetime
I hope so!
There's a lot of..."ehhh".
Yeah, this was one of the first videos I made. I'm planning on doing a new review of the bike pretty soon without the "ehhhs" and "ummms" but with my thoughts about the bike after two years of using it.