It's spring and a lot of you may be in thoughts about buying a new (or perhaps your first) touring bike. In this short video I go through the features of my (and general features of a) touring bike. What to look for when choosing your next bike, which additional pieces of equipment you might need, etc. Please feel free to ask any questions that you might have in the comment section.
Finally got my Kona Sutra 2018 today! A perfect fit for me and it rides really well. What an awesome and sexy bike indeed! Just waiting for my Ortieb bags and I can't wait to do some fun rides with my Sutra😆😊😊😜
I am not a novice cycle tourer and am very happy with my touring bike but I found your video very informative and would be very helpful to some one starting out. You present very well. Also your advice is not judgemental in the slightest which is very refreshing. Maybe you want to consider doing a basic how to sit on a bicycle properly how to get an approximate correct frame size, seat height etc? Your Kona touring bike looks very nice. Love the colour. Watch out for the ladyboys in Thailand.
Hi Alex! Always appreciate constructive criticism and ideas for new videos. I'm no expert in any way on bike fitting. For me it has always been a procedure of testing and adjusting back and forth, until my body feels ok with my seat position. I've been cycling with people who have criticized my position and told me to use a more aerodynamic position. But I only listen to myself and if my knees and back feel fine in a specific position I usually go with that. Regarding size charts and determining the correct frame size, my best tip would be to compare with the bike you're using a the moment before ordering. For me it was easy, since the dimensions of my Kona Sutra almost exactly matched my old hybrid bike. I like the color too. I'm thinking about ordering some handlebar tape that would match the saddle, to give it a more retro look. I've been to Thailand plenty of times, so I know which places to avoid. We usually stay out of the really touristy places and head for more unknown places that the mass tourism haven't reached yet.
Thanks for the information, very helpful to understand the slight differences between road and touring. I just transitioned from road and am waiting for my 2021 Kona Sutra. Looking forward to enjoying it.
I'm sure you'll be very pleased with your new bike. It's going to feel like driving a tank compared to your road bike. In a positive way. Not that it's heavy, but it's extremely stable.
Good advice. The further you go the more you need a proper touring bike. You can find on UA-cam a guy who just put a rack on an old aluminium road bike. At the end of the tour it had broken off the frame fixing points on both sides. I've had bad experience with aluminium myself. I put a side stand on my touring bike and it fell to bits after 6 months. The rack that came with my steel bike was made of aluminium, but it had a bad weld at the top and broke away at the end of the tour. UPDATE: My aluminium mudguard snapped in the middle! I've fixed it with steel strips bolted inside and I am testing it before my trip to Spain. I'm more down on aluminium. It breaks with vibration and it is harder to weld than steel.
I used my old aluminum hybrid for my first couple of bike tours. But after spending a week in Spain, and figuring out that this was something I was going to invest a lot of time on in the future I felt I needed to invest in a more suitable bike. I think it's great to try out bike touring on whatever bike you have/can lend from a friend. But as you get more into it it worth investing money in a stable dedicated touring bike.
A very practical video. Your bars seem to be rotated a bit too far down, but it could just be the camera angle or the way you like it. Steel is a very comfortable ride, and when it flexes, it returns the energy.
Yeah, my handlebars are way off in that video. I shot another video around the same time which involved rotating my handlebar, so I just forgot to put it back in the correct position. It's all in the details! :-)
Very useful guide - I just got back from a cycle tour in Portugal with my Surly disc trucker. You and Darren post some inspirational vlogs - look forward to any detail on Thailand as I've only ever toured in Europe. Cheers!
Thanks! I fell that I have to clarify something here. The Thailand trip is not a bike touring trip. It's mainly a family vacation. However we have rented a house on the mainland during the majority of our stay there. And during that time I hope to get away for a couple of days of bike touring. In that case I'm renting a bike there. So it's going to be a basic setup, and probably staying at cheap hotels rather than wild camping.
Hi Michael thanks for all that great info ...just recently bought my first touring bike a Kona Sutra so pleased with it found another one for my wife , bought both of them used, going in to add a spacer for bars great idea anyway looking forward to fallow your journeys ...oh and its true what they say about the b17 saddle, takes awhile to break in but super comfortable once you do! Thanks again 🎥👍
Hi Paul! It's so nice to hear back from people who follow your advice. I'm sure you and your wife will have many great adventures on your bikes. Just hope everything goeas back to normal soon so that we can get out there and ride for days! Take care, Mikael!
Thanks for your adding English text in the video cos I'm not an English native so a poor English listner. I could understand the detail of pros and cons for Kona Sutra. Posting from Japan.
Thanks for the review. Good & thorough job, I have a 2019 Kona Sutra that is in the shop being assembled now. I'm really looking forward to having the opportunity to ride it. I'm planning a US coast to coast trip & I'm thinking about pulling a Bob Yak Trailer because I don't like weight on the bike itself. We'll see. I will definitely get an Ortlieb handlebar bag & I already have a trunk rack. You know, things for convenience like wallet, wet wipes, camera 📷 and other miscellaneous things you don't want to dig around for. I'm also thinking about a trip to Scandinavia. I really enjoyed your video of Sanje Island. I definitely want to do that. Thanks for all your great videos. Please keep posting and be safe. 👍☮️🌞🦠😷🚴
@@BikeTouringMike Hi thanks.I currently have a converted mountain bike with road tyres on I'm using, This happens to have flat handlebars, but i find it uncomfortable if I'm cycling more than 12 miles and also can end up giving me nerve pain on longer routes. I'm considering drop bars on my touring bike when I get it (as this is what i used when i toured in my youth), but Im not sure. I'd appreciate our views (or a video), in particular the ease of bar end shifters.
Hi, I currently use a converted mountain bike with straight bars with ergon GP5 ends and and 26" 1.95 road compatible tyres. The bike was my sons and the frame is at least a size too big for me really. I manage but its not the most comfortable ride. In my youth I toured widely on a converted steel racing bike and i have fond memories of that. So the big two questions for me are 1. drops or flat bars and 700c wheels or 26". At 60, i suspect most of my tours are likely to be in europe or similar. interested in your views on this having seen you make a similar change in bikes.
Yeah, feels like the snow can melt away fast enough. But we've had +10C for two days in a row now, so finally something is starting to happen. My goal now is to go for an overnighter in May, then maybe a 5-6 day trip in the beginning of June.
I enjoy your videos Mike. I just replaced a triple chainset like yours - parts are getting hard to source now, the only option seemsto be total replacement with an Alivio chainset.
Thank you! Yeah, spare parts are really getting hard to get hold of. Same thing with new bikes. I was almost thinking about doing a video urging people to do their repairs now while parts can still be found. But I haven't gotten to it yet.
Hey Mike, nice bike, hope you didn't get in trouble bringing it in the house. It is very clean though. I love a Brooks saddle, once they soften up and mould to your bum they are so comfy, and something that is still made in England. Tack Ed
Thanks Ed! The missus was away for the weekend. ;-) Plus I cleaned the bike after my last autumn ride. I usually do that when storing my bikes over winter. Hope they will last me longer If I do that.
Kul att du hittat hit. Förhoppningsvis ska väl den här snön ge sig snart så att man kan ta sig ut och börja dokumentera lite turer. Roligare att filma ut i naturen än inne i vardagsrummet. ;-)
@@BikeTouringMike As far as I know I just managed to grab the last Size 56 available in the UK, so was extra lucky. Was already lucky I managed to get the budget for the bike too lol
Ideally, I would love a Koga Worldtraveller that has a pinion gearbox with a Gates carbon belt and Alee Denham handlebars -- $6000 USD. Your Sutra is a 10 speed with a 36 tooth granny gear. The crank is a 3x with how many teeth per crank? Does the bike have 20 gear inches?
He på dig Mikael. I'm running a Salsa Fargo. Just got it and am wondering if you or any of your viewers know of cheaper racks front and back that might fit the 2019 Fargo. Thanks. Good video.
The Salsa Fargo looks like it has a lot of eyelets on the fork, so I guess most racks will work on that bike. I use a Xtreme LR-1 Lowrider myself, which is a good budget option. Haven't tried any rear racks except the one that camera with my bike, so I'm not sure I can hela you in that departement. Xtreme does however have a rear rack called Xtreme Grand Tour Vi Pannier Rack. That could be a budget option.
Great video. I remember you said you were happy you got the larger frame option when you were the height between two sizes. I bought a Long Haul Trucker 58cm, the top tube is level so I can only straddle the frame with 1cm spare - I also wonder whether the smaller size would have been better. Great advice on the tyre size
For me it turned out for the better with the larger frame size. The 58 cm Kona Sutra pretty much matched my hybrid in dimensions, so it was an easy choice. How tall are you?
@@BikeTouringMike thanks mikael , 6ft 1 1/2, I've shrunk 3/4 inch over time. I've had bike for 3 years. It's safe ie if I suddenly have to stand over top tube but perhaps may have a bit less control than a 56cm.
My major concern with having a too small/big bike was that I would encounter neck or lower back pains. Those are the worst. But luckily that hasn't been an issue. I do however have an old MTB that I currently mostly use as my winter bike that leaves me with lower back pains as soon as I use it for rides longer than 10 km. The frame of that bike is probably to small for me.
@@BikeTouringMike useful advice, it feels comfortable to stay in the seat eg up to 55 miles as longest daily distance I do. If anything it feels a bit like a high ride. Maybe its the best size after all 👍
It's called a CTC Plastic bag. www.wiggle.com/ctc/?sr=ctc Watch out for a video on how to use the bag and how to prepare your bike upon travel. That video will probably drop next Thursday.
Does the rear fender do a good job to protect your bags from mud and water spray? I guess if your bike is fully loaded, the bags on the rear rack would act as a fender, but then the bags would get dirty. Your thoughts on this?
It certainly does. My typical setup is two rear panniers, two front panniers + a handlebar bag. I have never toured with a bag on top of the panniers in the rear, and I always ride with fenders, so I wouldn't know about that. But I guess a bag on the rack would do the job of a fender, even if it meant the bag getting really dirty. Another benefit of the fenders is that it prevents water and dirt from getting to the chain. The fender directs the water away from the chain down towards the ground. I like this a lot because it means less time spent on maintenance of the chain on tour.
I really like the bike and I’m currently considering the Kona Sutra 2019, but the only thing I'm afraid of is the Bar end shifters! I read a lot of pros & cons reviews regarding the BES and can't make a decision! Will use the bike in the city to, flat commuting, some hills, between cars, buses and motorbikes..do you think it's a good choice? Or maybe an STI bike for quick shifting when in traffic will be a better choice...(but I like the Sutra :\)?? Finally, what's your bike size and how tall are you? A response will be much appreciated..
I like the bar end shifters, but then again I don't really ride that much in the city. But if it's a flat ride you're probably fine. I have another subscriber that bought the Sutra and uses it in and around NYC. I'm 6'2 (188 cm) and have the XL model.
I bought the same bike in 2019. Didn't you have any brake problems ? When I turn sharply, my foot touches front tire. Do you have same problem ? I thought this bike is little bit sensitive as a touring bike ? What you think ? Thanks
swish jam just got my 2018 Kona Sutra today, very similar to Mikael's bike and yeah it is a tru axle bike and I like it for steel frame and steel fork as it gives it greater stability and safety. I wouldn't want quick release on my steel fork as quick relese levers tend to bend over time, just my experience with quick release especially for front wheels... I feel much safer in riding tru axle front wheel than the quick release's one. IMHO.
Hi Mike! Haha, all the snow gone... No, not nearly close. Yesterday we had 74 cm of snow depth. But we have had 11C and sunny weahter today, and at those temperatures the snow melts fast. I'm leaving for Thailand in 7 days, and when I get back I hoping that all the snow is gone. And that the roads and bike paths are clean from all the sand and gravel.
@@BikeTouringMike Have a good time in Thailand. Frosty mornings here but some nice sunshine during the day, lovely cycling weather! Our clocks go forward this Saturday, British Summertime begins, although that's no guarantee that we'll actually have a summer!
Great video Mikael. I've been subscribed since your first one. I would love to plan a week or two touring trip in Europe this year or next year and was wondering how you choose the routes you do?
Thanks for being such a loyal subscriber! I've been getting a lot os questions about this, so i figured I would do a video about it. I haven't shot it yet, so it might take a coule of weeks but it should be posted within the next month. What I usually do after I've settled my mind on a destination I do a lot of research. Street view on Google Maps, Crazyguyonabike, Eurovelo web page, Mapy.cz. Once I have found my route I go to Ridewithgps.com to plot my route. After I'm done plotting I export the route to a gpx-file (for my Garmin) and a kml-file (for my smartphone). When I'm finally out on my tour I usually deviate from the route now and them, but it's nice to have a sort of general route to fall back on.
I guess you could if you only put panniers/bags on the rear wheel. I wouldn't put any weight on the handlebars/front wheel. It becomes unstable really fast. My wife had one of those step through frame bikes and I've used it a couple of times for grocery shopping. And putting the grocery bags onto the handlebar makes it super unstable.
Plenty of info there Mikael , I have a cannonade CAADX which I am gonna try on a few camping trips . I didn't want to buy a new bike when this one is quite new . I have rear panniers and a front handlebar bag but unable to fit front panniers as no fittings on the front forks. Hoping to try a few shorts trips locally just to test the water . Those brooks saddles are the biz mind , do they need broke in first ? atb Dave.
Good to here from you again Dave. I think that's the way to go, use what have first, then maybe buy a dedicated touring bike later. I used my hybrid bike for several years of touring before I bought my Kona Sutra last year. There are solutions if you want to fit panniers to you front rack. Ortlieb sells this adapter for Tubus racks for instance: ortliebusa.com/product/lm-1-fork-adapter/ You can find more information in this thread on a bike forum: www.bikeforums.net/touring/1085501-front-rack-options-no-eyelets.html Hope you can get some information there. But I think you'll manage pretty fine with just 2 bags if you're going on shorter trips. I went on a three day trip last summer with only 2 panniers and I had plenty of room. In fact whenever I go on my next international trip, my goal is to be able to fit everything inside 2 panniers. Yeah, the Brooks saddles need a bit of breaking in time before they get really comfortable. I had mine for 3 weeks before I went to Prague, and cycled 5 days a week on it. It was totally comfortable by the time I went on the trip. But during the first couple of days it was really hard, and I kept feeling like I was going to fall off it. It was a bit slippery. But once I applied the Proofide and adjusted the saddle a bit everything got a lot better.
Do you think Kona sutra is capable of carrying weight as much as surly LHT does ?and how good is sutra for off road packing such as Baja divide, south America and Pamir highway ....thanks in advance Mike......
I think it's in the same range as the LHT carrying wise. As it comes to those two destinations you mentioned I can't give you an exakt answer, since I've never toured there. But the Pamir Highways are on top of my bucket list. We did some off-road touring during our week in the Czech Republic, and the bike performed fine there.
@@BikeTouringMike thank you so much my for the quick reply I'm planning to get one sutra as well confused between LHT n sutra....let's stay connected....n may all your dreams come true real soon....all the best for your channel you've a bright UA-cam future since the quality of content is topnotch looking forward for more......thanks again...
Thank you, that is very nice to read. My choice of bike came down to the Sutra, the LHT and the Trek 520. What made me choose the Sutra was the disc brakes, Schwalbe Marathon tires, that it came with fenders and rear rack, plus the Brooks B17 saddle. I was going to fork out money for those last three things anyway. Plus I'm a pretty big guy, so I had read some reviews that the Sutra served tall people in a good way. Just my 50 cents.
Hello Gheorghe! Apologize for the late answer, but I didn't have access to my bike until tonight. To be honest with I had never heard of toe overlap before your post. Probably because I've never experienced it. But I tested it out now, and at the closest point between my foot and the fender there is a clearance of about 1-1,5 cm. I don't know if this is due to the fact that I have the XL model or not. But like I said, it has never been an issue for me with any of my bikes. Hope I understood your question correctly. Have a nice evening!
Hej! (hoppas att jag antog rätt att du kan svenska.) Schysst kanal! Jag funderar på att köpa Kona Sutra 2019 som min första touringcykel! Tycker du att det spelar stor roll i valet mekaniska eller hydrualiska skivbromsar? Hur breda däck tycker du är lagom att ha om man cyklar långt? Tycker du att det fungerar bra med bockstyre eller kommer det vara väldigt ansträngande för mig som nybörjare? //Klara
Hej! Kul att du hittat min kanal! Jag skulle rekommendera Kona Sutra eller Trek 520 som ett bra val som en första touringcykel. Även Surly Disc Trucker kan vara värt att titta på. Jag skulle inte lägga så stor vikt vid typ av bromsar. Jag har hydrauliska på min MTB och mekaniska på min touringcykel. Klart att hydrauliska bromsar "nyper" lite bättre än mekaniska, men jag upplever att fördelen med enkelheten att serva de mekaniska bromsarna uppväger det. Kan vara bra om man cyklar i ett mindre utvecklat land, där de inte har tillgång till alla moderna delar som vi har i Sverige. Vid däckval skulle jag sikta på åtminstone 35-37 mm, då klarar man av att cyklar lite grusväg om det skulle behövas. Sedan har det givetvis med hur mycket packning du väljer att lasta på pakethållaren bak. Fördelar man vikten över cykeln genom att ha väskor fram kan man säkert klara sig på tunnare däck bak. Fördelen med ett bockstyre eller butterflystyre jämfört med ett vanligt rakt styre är att du kan varierar händernas position, och på så sätt skona både handleder (från domningar) och nacke. Sitter man och cyklar länge med ett rakt styre blir det lätt att man hamnar i samma ställning över en längre tid, och det sliter på handleder och nacke. Det kan kännas lite ovant i början med bockstyre, men ge den ett par tre gånger så ska det kännas helt normalt. Fördelen med Kona Sutrans bockstyre är att det är så pass brett att det nästan känns som ett "vanligt" styre i bredd, och på så sätt känns väldigt stabilt. Jag skulle tro att jag har händerna på den raka delen av bockstyret större delen av tiden, men det är väldigt skön att kunna växla ibland också. Oj, det här blev långt. :-) Men tveka inte att höra av dig om du har några andra funderingar!
Ett till tips. Det finns tabeller på Konas hemsida över olika mått. Se till att kolla dessa innan du beställer cykeln. Det kan vara bra att jämföra och mäta med din nuvarande cykel om du känner att du sitter bra på den. Det är inte roligt att köpa en för liten/stor cykel. Hoppas att du blir nöjd med din nya cykel!
@@BikeTouringMike ja jag kollade både min längd och innerbenslängden och hoppas nu att den storlek jag beställde ska passa. Annars kan man nog skicka tillbaka. :)
The rear rack is the rack that came with the bike. I've tried to research the name of the brand, but haven't been able to find an answer. The front rack I use is called Xtreme LR-1 Lowrider. www.rosebikes.com/xtreme-lr-1-lowrider-114145
Hello Mike, I’m considering a 2021 Kona Sutra. Can you tell me your height and inseam, I’m a smidge under 6’2” with long arms, an inseam of 34” and my weight is 200lbs. Im thinking the 58cm would be the right size for me but unsure.
Hello Hugo! My inseam is 94 cm which would be 37,5" . I have got very long legs, short upper body. The Sutra is quite large for it's size, but if you have long arms as you say you probably won't have any issues. For me the 58cm is just fine. I don't get any lower back or neck problems riding it, but sometimes it can feel like I'm stretching my arms a fair bit to reach the brake levers.
Hi there Peter! The rack on the bike is the stock rack that came with the bike. So I'm sorry, I have done some research on which brand it might be, but haven't come up with anything. If you're looking for a good rear rack most people seem to recommend the Tubus Logo Evo Rear Rack. Haven't used it myself but it's getting really nice reviews and works well with Ortlieb panniers.
I think I prefer Schwalbe tires. I have Continental on my road bike. There's nothing wrong woth them, but I still haven't had a puncture on one of my Schwalbe Marathons. So I guess I would have to go with them if I had to make a choice.
Well I was sort of hoping your site would have comparison bikes for touring not just one model . I toured on a diamond frame bike for many years untill various body parts started complaining ! Sore butt? Sore Hands? Sore neck? How could this be as all those years before I had no problems? Bike fit yup, no change . It took a while but I looked to the dark side and picked up a recumbent. So far I have own 9 of them as they all have different attributes that may or may not be what you want. I bought my Bacchetta Giro A 20 after someone stole my previous recumbent. When I got my new recumbent I changed the crank arms 170 mm to 153 mm bikesmithdesign.com/ and I changed the sexy sporty Euromesh seat for a sites.google.com/site/recycledrecumbents/home .com seat frame and then made my own fabric cover to fit with all the pockets I wanted. This bent ( slang term for recumbent, but faster to type ) is comfortable and I have no problem seeing other drivers or being seen by other drivers and riding in the city is never a problem. Lots of diamond frame riders out there that have been told that recumbents are too low and that is just a myth. All bikes with two or more wheels are just as easily hit by an inattentive driver as any car would get hit by another . It happens , I hope it does not happen to us. At the end of any ride I have tired leg muscles but I no longer have any pains anywhere. I only use gloves in the colder times of the year as I have no need of cushioning like you would ,riding a diamond frame bike. Your back is cradled and yes you do feel some bumps but you are also sitting in a chair so you are absorbing those bumps with your seat and back combined. I used to ride diamond frame bikes for about 37 years and I did stand up to rest the aching butt, and I did ride without hands on the bars as my hands and arms would get numb if I just kept them on the bars, and I also switched hand position on my drop bars every 15 minutes or so to prevent those shock pains from high pressure tires. Now I ride high pressure tires on my bent without gloves and have two positions on the bars to choose from, but holding one position on a tour for 3 hours did not bother the hands at all. If you decide to try a recumbent do some research and buy used because you will find out what you like or do not like about that particular bent and it will not cost much for your learning, and as you will discover it will not be your last bent. Recumbents come in a far larger assortment than normal bikes and each has it's purpose. Where I live we have two hills at 22% grades and yes it took me a while to try them but I went up in 3rd gear and voila ,twas not as hard as I thought it would be . Loaded touring on a recumbent is so much nicer as when you arrive at your campsite you are still sitting in a comfortable chair and except for tired leg muscles, no pain makes the night so much better. These come in aluminium , carbon, steel,and cromoly. Rans www.ransbikes.com/ Bacchetta www.bacchettabikes.com/ www.hpvelotechnik.com/produkte/sm/gte/index_e.html sites.google.com/site/recycledrecumbents/home a cheaper alternative cruzbike.com/ Enjoy your touring
It's spring and a lot of you may be in thoughts about buying a new (or perhaps your first) touring bike. In this short video I go through the features of my (and general features of a) touring bike. What to look for when choosing your next bike, which additional pieces of equipment you might need, etc. Please feel free to ask any questions that you might have in the comment section.
Finally got my Kona Sutra 2018 today! A perfect fit for me and it rides really well. What an awesome and sexy bike indeed! Just waiting for my Ortieb bags and I can't wait to do some fun rides with my Sutra😆😊😊😜
Hey, that's great Joshua! Hope you'll be able to go out for a long ride real soon.
I am not a novice cycle tourer and am very happy with my touring bike but I found your video very informative and would be very helpful to some one starting out. You present very well. Also your advice is not judgemental in the slightest which is very refreshing. Maybe you want to consider doing a basic how to sit on a bicycle properly how to get an approximate correct frame size, seat height etc? Your Kona touring bike looks very nice. Love the colour. Watch out for the ladyboys in Thailand.
Hi Alex! Always appreciate constructive criticism and ideas for new videos. I'm no expert in any way on bike fitting. For me it has always been a procedure of testing and adjusting back and forth, until my body feels ok with my seat position. I've been cycling with people who have criticized my position and told me to use a more aerodynamic position. But I only listen to myself and if my knees and back feel fine in a specific position I usually go with that.
Regarding size charts and determining the correct frame size, my best tip would be to compare with the bike you're using a the moment before ordering. For me it was easy, since the dimensions of my Kona Sutra almost exactly matched my old hybrid bike.
I like the color too. I'm thinking about ordering some handlebar tape that would match the saddle, to give it a more retro look.
I've been to Thailand plenty of times, so I know which places to avoid. We usually stay out of the really touristy places and head for more unknown places that the mass tourism haven't reached yet.
Thanks for the information, very helpful to understand the slight differences between road and touring. I just transitioned from road and am waiting for my 2021 Kona Sutra. Looking forward to enjoying it.
I'm sure you'll be very pleased with your new bike. It's going to feel like driving a tank compared to your road bike. In a positive way. Not that it's heavy, but it's extremely stable.
Good advice. The further you go the more you need a proper touring bike. You can find on UA-cam a guy who just put a rack on an old aluminium road bike. At the end of the tour it had broken off the frame fixing points on both sides. I've had bad experience with aluminium myself. I put a side stand on my touring bike and it fell to bits after 6 months. The rack that came with my steel bike was made of aluminium, but it had a bad weld at the top and broke away at the end of the tour.
UPDATE: My aluminium mudguard snapped in the middle! I've fixed it with steel strips bolted inside and I am testing it before my trip to Spain. I'm more down on aluminium. It breaks with vibration and it is harder to weld than steel.
I used my old aluminum hybrid for my first couple of bike tours. But after spending a week in Spain, and figuring out that this was something I was going to invest a lot of time on in the future I felt I needed to invest in a more suitable bike. I think it's great to try out bike touring on whatever bike you have/can lend from a friend. But as you get more into it it worth investing money in a stable dedicated touring bike.
A very practical video. Your bars seem to be rotated a bit too far down, but it could just be the camera angle or the way you like it. Steel is a very comfortable ride, and when it flexes, it returns the energy.
Yeah, my handlebars are way off in that video. I shot another video around the same time which involved rotating my handlebar, so I just forgot to put it back in the correct position. It's all in the details! :-)
Thank you for the very informative video. I’m currently considering the Kona Sutra 2019!!
Glad you liked it. Let me know if you have any questions.
Very useful guide - I just got back from a cycle tour in Portugal with my Surly disc trucker. You and Darren post some inspirational vlogs - look forward to any detail on Thailand as I've only ever toured in Europe. Cheers!
Thanks! I fell that I have to clarify something here. The Thailand trip is not a bike touring trip. It's mainly a family vacation. However we have rented a house on the mainland during the majority of our stay there. And during that time I hope to get away for a couple of days of bike touring. In that case I'm renting a bike there. So it's going to be a basic setup, and probably staying at cheap hotels rather than wild camping.
@@BikeTouringMike Have a great holiday Mikael
Thanks! Really looking forward to it. Plus all the snow should be gone when I get back, so it's a win win.
Hi Michael thanks for all that great info ...just recently bought my first touring bike a Kona Sutra so pleased with it found another one for my wife , bought both of them used, going in to add a spacer for bars great idea anyway looking forward to fallow your journeys ...oh and its true what they say about the b17 saddle, takes awhile to break in but super comfortable once you do! Thanks again 🎥👍
Hi Paul! It's so nice to hear back from people who follow your advice. I'm sure you and your wife will have many great adventures on your bikes. Just hope everything goeas back to normal soon so that we can get out there and ride for days! Take care, Mikael!
I was lucky enough to find the 2018 kona sutra. So hard to find and such a great bike to have!
Thanks for your adding English text in the video cos I'm not an English native so a poor English listner. I could understand the detail of pros and cons for Kona Sutra. Posting from Japan.
Thanks for the review. Good & thorough job, I have a 2019 Kona Sutra that is in the shop being assembled now. I'm really looking forward to having the opportunity to ride it. I'm planning a US coast to coast trip & I'm thinking about pulling a Bob Yak Trailer because I don't like weight on the bike itself. We'll see. I will definitely get an Ortlieb handlebar bag & I already have a trunk rack. You know, things for convenience like wallet, wet wipes, camera 📷 and other miscellaneous things you don't want to dig around for. I'm also thinking about a trip to Scandinavia. I really enjoyed your video of Sanje Island. I definitely want to do that. Thanks for all your great videos. Please keep posting and be safe. 👍☮️🌞🦠😷🚴
Looking to buy a touring bike soon, so really useful
Glad you got some useful info out of the video Ian. If you have any questions I will gladly answer them.
@@BikeTouringMike Hi thanks.I currently have a converted mountain bike with road tyres on I'm using, This happens to have flat handlebars, but i find it uncomfortable if I'm cycling more than 12 miles and also can end up giving me nerve pain on longer routes. I'm considering drop bars on my touring bike when I get it (as this is what i used when i toured in my youth), but Im not sure. I'd appreciate our views (or a video), in particular the ease of bar end shifters.
Hi, I currently use a converted mountain bike with straight bars with ergon GP5 ends and and 26" 1.95 road compatible tyres. The bike was my sons and the frame is at least a size too big for me really. I manage but its not the most comfortable ride. In my youth I toured widely on a converted steel racing bike and i have fond memories of that. So the big two questions for me are 1. drops or flat bars and 700c wheels or 26". At 60, i suspect most of my tours are likely to be in europe or similar. interested in your views on this having seen you make a similar change in bikes.
Waiting for summer to see more Mikael 's ADVENTURES VIDEOS !!!!
Yeah, feels like the snow can melt away fast enough. But we've had +10C for two days in a row now, so finally something is starting to happen. My goal now is to go for an overnighter in May, then maybe a 5-6 day trip in the beginning of June.
I enjoy your videos Mike. I just replaced a triple chainset like yours - parts are getting hard to source now, the only option seemsto be total replacement with an Alivio chainset.
Thank you! Yeah, spare parts are really getting hard to get hold of. Same thing with new bikes. I was almost thinking about doing a video urging people to do their repairs now while parts can still be found. But I haven't gotten to it yet.
Hey Mike, nice bike, hope you didn't get in trouble bringing it in the house. It is very clean though. I love a Brooks saddle, once they soften up and mould to your bum they are so comfy, and something that is still made in England.
Tack Ed
Thanks Ed! The missus was away for the weekend. ;-) Plus I cleaned the bike after my last autumn ride. I usually do that when storing my bikes over winter. Hope they will last me longer If I do that.
Thanks Mikael....out on my first tour for the season...in Florida west coast area...hope all is well, thanks for the video.
That's terrific Jerry. Hope you'll have a great tour!
Kul att se din review! Följde dig när du var ute med Darren! Nu följer jag dig också!
Kul att du hittat hit. Förhoppningsvis ska väl den här snön ge sig snart så att man kan ta sig ut och börja dokumentera lite turer. Roligare att filma ut i naturen än inne i vardagsrummet. ;-)
Oh cool, I got a 2021 Sutra recently. Nice
Congratulations! You are one of the few lucky ones. They are almost out of stock everywhere. I'm sure you'll be really happy with it.
@@BikeTouringMike As far as I know I just managed to grab the last Size 56 available in the UK, so was extra lucky.
Was already lucky I managed to get the budget for the bike too lol
Hello!
Beside me Kona Rove Al.
I want Sutra too.
Thanks you for review.
You're welcome! Glad you liked it.
Ideally, I would love a Koga Worldtraveller that has a pinion gearbox with a Gates carbon belt and Alee Denham handlebars -- $6000 USD. Your Sutra is a 10 speed with a 36 tooth granny gear. The crank is a 3x with how many teeth per crank? Does the bike have 20 gear inches?
Hi Mike can you provide a summary on how to prepare the bike for the airport before flying thanks Alan
Great video.. thanks!
He på dig Mikael. I'm running a Salsa Fargo. Just got it and am wondering if you or any of your viewers know of cheaper racks front and back that might fit the 2019 Fargo. Thanks. Good video.
The Salsa Fargo looks like it has a lot of eyelets on the fork, so I guess most racks will work on that bike. I use a Xtreme LR-1 Lowrider myself, which is a good budget option. Haven't tried any rear racks except the one that camera with my bike, so I'm not sure I can hela you in that departement. Xtreme does however have a rear rack called Xtreme Grand Tour Vi Pannier Rack. That could be a budget option.
Great video. I remember you said you were happy you got the larger frame option when you were the height between two sizes. I bought a Long Haul Trucker 58cm, the top tube is level so I can only straddle the frame with 1cm spare - I also wonder whether the smaller size would have been better. Great advice on the tyre size
For me it turned out for the better with the larger frame size. The 58 cm Kona Sutra pretty much matched my hybrid in dimensions, so it was an easy choice. How tall are you?
@@BikeTouringMike thanks mikael , 6ft 1 1/2, I've shrunk 3/4 inch over time. I've had bike for 3 years. It's safe ie if I suddenly have to stand over top tube but perhaps may have a bit less control than a 56cm.
My major concern with having a too small/big bike was that I would encounter neck or lower back pains. Those are the worst. But luckily that hasn't been an issue. I do however have an old MTB that I currently mostly use as my winter bike that leaves me with lower back pains as soon as I use it for rides longer than 10 km. The frame of that bike is probably to small for me.
@@BikeTouringMike useful advice, it feels comfortable to stay in the seat eg up to 55 miles as longest daily distance I do. If anything it feels a bit like a high ride. Maybe its the best size after all 👍
Great video Michael! Good information.
On another note what is the bag you use for airline travel?
Thanks and keep posting!
It's called a CTC Plastic bag. www.wiggle.com/ctc/?sr=ctc Watch out for a video on how to use the bag and how to prepare your bike upon travel. That video will probably drop next Thursday.
Thanks! Looking forward to it.
Does the rear fender do a good job to protect your bags from mud and water spray? I guess if your bike is fully loaded, the bags on the rear rack would act as a fender, but then the bags would get dirty. Your thoughts on this?
It certainly does. My typical setup is two rear panniers, two front panniers + a handlebar bag. I have never toured with a bag on top of the panniers in the rear, and I always ride with fenders, so I wouldn't know about that. But I guess a bag on the rack would do the job of a fender, even if it meant the bag getting really dirty. Another benefit of the fenders is that it prevents water and dirt from getting to the chain. The fender directs the water away from the chain down towards the ground. I like this a lot because it means less time spent on maintenance of the chain on tour.
My bike is always clean like yours
I really like the bike and I’m currently considering the Kona Sutra 2019, but the only thing I'm afraid of is the Bar end shifters! I read a lot of pros & cons reviews regarding the BES and can't make a decision! Will use the bike in the city to, flat commuting, some hills, between cars, buses and motorbikes..do you think it's a good choice? Or maybe an STI bike for quick shifting when in traffic will be a better choice...(but I like the Sutra :\)?? Finally, what's your bike size and how tall are you?
A response will be much appreciated..
I like the bar end shifters, but then again I don't really ride that much in the city. But if it's a flat ride you're probably fine. I have another subscriber that bought the Sutra and uses it in and around NYC. I'm 6'2 (188 cm) and have the XL model.
@@BikeTouringMike Thank you Mikael.. have a good cycling 👍
I bought the same bike in 2019.
Didn't you have any brake problems ?
When I turn sharply, my foot touches front tire. Do you have same problem ?
I thought this bike is little bit sensitive as a touring bike ?
What you think ?
Thanks
Sexy bike 😁😁 Awesome man! Can't wait for my bike to be delivered next week. KONA SUTRA 2018 the last bike on Cambria bikes online 😂😂😂
Thanks Joshua! Waiting is half the fun ;-)
2018 model is perfect....2019 has through axle which is a con.....
@@9009vishnu how so? I thought tru axle is a good upgrade for touring bikes, no?
Actually my Sutra 2018 has a thru axle as well.
swish jam just got my 2018 Kona Sutra today, very similar to Mikael's bike and yeah it is a tru axle bike and I like it for steel frame and steel fork as it gives it greater stability and safety. I wouldn't want quick release on my steel fork as quick relese levers tend to bend over time, just my experience with quick release especially for front wheels... I feel much safer in riding tru axle front wheel than the quick release's one. IMHO.
Hi Mikael, nice bike and lots of good information. (Is your snow all gone yet??)
Hi Mike! Haha, all the snow gone... No, not nearly close. Yesterday we had 74 cm of snow depth. But we have had 11C and sunny weahter today, and at those temperatures the snow melts fast. I'm leaving for Thailand in 7 days, and when I get back I hoping that all the snow is gone. And that the roads and bike paths are clean from all the sand and gravel.
@@BikeTouringMike Have a good time in Thailand. Frosty mornings here but some nice sunshine during the day, lovely cycling weather! Our clocks go forward this Saturday, British Summertime begins, although that's no guarantee that we'll actually have a summer!
Great video Mikael. I've been subscribed since your first one. I would love to plan a week or two touring trip in Europe this year or next year and was wondering how you choose the routes you do?
Thanks for being such a loyal subscriber! I've been getting a lot os questions about this, so i figured I would do a video about it. I haven't shot it yet, so it might take a coule of weeks but it should be posted within the next month.
What I usually do after I've settled my mind on a destination I do a lot of research. Street view on Google Maps, Crazyguyonabike, Eurovelo web page, Mapy.cz. Once I have found my route I go to Ridewithgps.com to plot my route. After I'm done plotting I export the route to a gpx-file (for my Garmin) and a kml-file (for my smartphone).
When I'm finally out on my tour I usually deviate from the route now and them, but it's nice to have a sort of general route to fall back on.
Great video. How long would you say takes the Brooke saddle to adjust to your bun?
Thanks! I think it took around 3 weeks of commuting to work, 5 days a week. After then you almost forget you're sittning on a saddle.
can you use a bike with a step through frame for touring ?
I guess you could if you only put panniers/bags on the rear wheel. I wouldn't put any weight on the handlebars/front wheel. It becomes unstable really fast. My wife had one of those step through frame bikes and I've used it a couple of times for grocery shopping. And putting the grocery bags onto the handlebar makes it super unstable.
Plenty of info there Mikael , I have a cannonade CAADX which I am gonna try on a few camping trips . I didn't want to buy a new bike when this one is quite new . I have rear panniers and a front handlebar bag but unable to fit front panniers as no fittings on the front forks. Hoping to try a few shorts trips locally just to test the water .
Those brooks saddles are the biz mind , do they need broke in first ? atb Dave.
Good to here from you again Dave. I think that's the way to go, use what have first, then maybe buy a dedicated touring bike later. I used my hybrid bike for several years of touring before I bought my Kona Sutra last year.
There are solutions if you want to fit panniers to you front rack. Ortlieb sells this adapter for Tubus racks for instance: ortliebusa.com/product/lm-1-fork-adapter/
You can find more information in this thread on a bike forum:
www.bikeforums.net/touring/1085501-front-rack-options-no-eyelets.html
Hope you can get some information there. But I think you'll manage pretty fine with just 2 bags if you're going on shorter trips. I went on a three day trip last summer with only 2 panniers and I had plenty of room. In fact whenever I go on my next international trip, my goal is to be able to fit everything inside 2 panniers.
Yeah, the Brooks saddles need a bit of breaking in time before they get really comfortable. I had mine for 3 weeks before I went to Prague, and cycled 5 days a week on it. It was totally comfortable by the time I went on the trip. But during the first couple of days it was really hard, and I kept feeling like I was going to fall off it. It was a bit slippery. But once I applied the Proofide and adjusted the saddle a bit everything got a lot better.
@@BikeTouringMike Thanks for that I will check those links out .. Dave
Do you think Kona sutra is capable of carrying weight as much as surly LHT does ?and how good is sutra for off road packing such as Baja divide, south America and Pamir highway ....thanks in advance Mike......
I think it's in the same range as the LHT carrying wise. As it comes to those two destinations you mentioned I can't give you an exakt answer, since I've never toured there. But the Pamir Highways are on top of my bucket list. We did some off-road touring during our week in the Czech Republic, and the bike performed fine there.
@@BikeTouringMike thank you so much my for the quick reply I'm planning to get one sutra as well confused between LHT n sutra....let's stay connected....n may all your dreams come true real soon....all the best for your channel you've a bright UA-cam future since the quality of content is topnotch looking forward for more......thanks again...
Thank you, that is very nice to read. My choice of bike came down to the Sutra, the LHT and the Trek 520. What made me choose the Sutra was the disc brakes, Schwalbe Marathon tires, that it came with fenders and rear rack, plus the Brooks B17 saddle. I was going to fork out money for those last three things anyway. Plus I'm a pretty big guy, so I had read some reviews that the Sutra served tall people in a good way. Just my 50 cents.
@@BikeTouringMike good to know how you justify your purchase... cheers 🔆⚡🔥
Do you ever travel with tarps?
Hi. You don t have toe overlap because of the fenders? I do have on my Surly lht with fenders on
Hello Gheorghe! Apologize for the late answer, but I didn't have access to my bike until tonight. To be honest with I had never heard of toe overlap before your post. Probably because I've never experienced it. But I tested it out now, and at the closest point between my foot and the fender there is a clearance of about 1-1,5 cm. I don't know if this is due to the fact that I have the XL model or not. But like I said, it has never been an issue for me with any of my bikes. Hope I understood your question correctly. Have a nice evening!
Hej! (hoppas att jag antog rätt att du kan svenska.) Schysst kanal! Jag funderar på att köpa Kona Sutra 2019 som min första touringcykel! Tycker du att det spelar stor roll i valet mekaniska eller hydrualiska skivbromsar? Hur breda däck tycker du är lagom att ha om man cyklar långt? Tycker du att det fungerar bra med bockstyre eller kommer det vara väldigt ansträngande för mig som nybörjare?
//Klara
Hej! Kul att du hittat min kanal!
Jag skulle rekommendera Kona Sutra eller Trek 520 som ett bra val som en första touringcykel. Även Surly Disc Trucker kan vara värt att titta på.
Jag skulle inte lägga så stor vikt vid typ av bromsar. Jag har hydrauliska på min MTB och mekaniska på min touringcykel. Klart att hydrauliska bromsar "nyper" lite bättre än mekaniska, men jag upplever att fördelen med enkelheten att serva de mekaniska bromsarna uppväger det. Kan vara bra om man cyklar i ett mindre utvecklat land, där de inte har tillgång till alla moderna delar som vi har i Sverige.
Vid däckval skulle jag sikta på åtminstone 35-37 mm, då klarar man av att cyklar lite grusväg om det skulle behövas. Sedan har det givetvis med hur mycket packning du väljer att lasta på pakethållaren bak. Fördelar man vikten över cykeln genom att ha väskor fram kan man säkert klara sig på tunnare däck bak.
Fördelen med ett bockstyre eller butterflystyre jämfört med ett vanligt rakt styre är att du kan varierar händernas position, och på så sätt skona både handleder (från domningar) och nacke. Sitter man och cyklar länge med ett rakt styre blir det lätt att man hamnar i samma ställning över en längre tid, och det sliter på handleder och nacke. Det kan kännas lite ovant i början med bockstyre, men ge den ett par tre gånger så ska det kännas helt normalt. Fördelen med Kona Sutrans bockstyre är att det är så pass brett att det nästan känns som ett "vanligt" styre i bredd, och på så sätt känns väldigt stabilt. Jag skulle tro att jag har händerna på den raka delen av bockstyret större delen av tiden, men det är väldigt skön att kunna växla ibland också.
Oj, det här blev långt. :-) Men tveka inte att höra av dig om du har några andra funderingar!
@@BikeTouringMike Tack så mycket för ett bra och utförligt svar! Det hjälper mig väldigt mycket! Det blir Kona Sutra 2019.
Ett till tips. Det finns tabeller på Konas hemsida över olika mått. Se till att kolla dessa innan du beställer cykeln. Det kan vara bra att jämföra och mäta med din nuvarande cykel om du känner att du sitter bra på den. Det är inte roligt att köpa en för liten/stor cykel. Hoppas att du blir nöjd med din nya cykel!
@@BikeTouringMike ja jag kollade både min längd och innerbenslängden och hoppas nu att den storlek jag beställde ska passa. Annars kan man nog skicka tillbaka. :)
What year is your bike and how many teeth is on the biggest rear cog?
Awesome Thanks for sharing. What is the name and brand of the rear rack. Also the front rack Thanks and have a great day 📸👍👍👍👍📸🙏
The rear rack is the rack that came with the bike. I've tried to research the name of the brand, but haven't been able to find an answer. The front rack I use is called Xtreme LR-1 Lowrider. www.rosebikes.com/xtreme-lr-1-lowrider-114145
Hello Mike, I’m considering a 2021 Kona Sutra. Can you tell me your height and inseam, I’m a smidge under 6’2” with long arms, an inseam of 34” and my weight is 200lbs. Im thinking the 58cm would be the right size for me but unsure.
Hello Hugo! My inseam is 94 cm which would be 37,5" . I have got very long legs, short upper body. The Sutra is quite large for it's size, but if you have long arms as you say you probably won't have any issues. For me the 58cm is just fine. I don't get any lower back or neck problems riding it, but sometimes it can feel like I'm stretching my arms a fair bit to reach the brake levers.
Gidday Mike, would you mind sharing the bike rack brand? Cheers Peter
Hi there Peter! The rack on the bike is the stock rack that came with the bike. So I'm sorry, I have done some research on which brand it might be, but haven't come up with anything. If you're looking for a good rear rack most people seem to recommend the Tubus Logo Evo Rear Rack. Haven't used it myself but it's getting really nice reviews and works well with Ortlieb panniers.
Good stuff. Thanks! Also, nice shirt. Is that a cycling shirt?
Thanks John! No, unfortunately not. It's just a regular cotton shirt.
What tires you like better the Continental or the Schwalbe tires?
I think I prefer Schwalbe tires. I have Continental on my road bike. There's nothing wrong woth them, but I still haven't had a puncture on one of my Schwalbe Marathons. So I guess I would have to go with them if I had to make a choice.
@@BikeTouringMike with me the way I ride these tires will last me forever.
Trevlig kanal! 👍
Tackar!
I really want this version but all I see on the site is now the teal version.
Too bad. Yeah, I really like the color choice on the 2018 model better. Kind of retro looking.
I approve this vid👍🏻
Thanks for the support Harald!
Are you from Scandinavia? :) I'm just curious, your accent sounds somewhat Scandinavian to me.
Spot on. I'm from Sweden.
Hi Mikael how are you today my friend?
Fine thanks. A bit tired after a long work week. But other than that everything's great.
Do you take a drogue ???
I'm not sure what you mean, but if you mean a trailer then no. I very rarely tour with a trailer, I mostly use panniers instead.
Well I was sort of hoping your site would have comparison bikes for touring not just one model .
I toured on a diamond frame bike for many years untill various body parts started complaining ! Sore butt? Sore Hands? Sore neck? How could this be as all those years before I had no problems? Bike fit yup, no change . It took a while but I looked to the dark side and picked up a recumbent. So far I have own 9 of them as they all have different attributes that may or may not be what you want.
I bought my Bacchetta Giro A 20 after someone stole my previous recumbent. When I got my new recumbent I changed the crank arms 170 mm to 153 mm bikesmithdesign.com/ and I changed the sexy sporty Euromesh seat for a sites.google.com/site/recycledrecumbents/home .com seat frame and then made my own fabric cover to fit with all the pockets I wanted. This bent ( slang term for recumbent, but faster to type ) is comfortable and I have no problem seeing other drivers or being seen by other drivers and riding in the city is never a problem. Lots of diamond frame riders out there that have been told that recumbents are too low and that is just a myth. All bikes with two or more wheels are just as easily hit by an inattentive driver as any car would get hit by another .
It happens , I hope it does not happen to us.
At the end of any ride I have tired leg muscles but I no longer have any pains anywhere. I only use gloves in the colder times of the year as I have no need of cushioning like you would ,riding a diamond frame bike. Your back is cradled and yes you do feel some bumps but you are also sitting in a chair so you are absorbing those bumps with your seat and back combined. I used to ride diamond frame bikes for about 37 years and I did stand up to rest the aching butt, and I did ride without hands on the bars as my hands and arms would get numb if I just kept them on the bars, and I also switched hand position on my drop bars every 15 minutes or so to prevent those shock pains from high pressure tires.
Now I ride high pressure tires on my bent without gloves and have two positions on the bars to choose from, but holding one position on a tour for 3 hours did not bother the hands at all. If you decide to try a recumbent do some research and buy used because you will find out what you like or do not like about that particular bent and it will not cost much for your learning, and as you will discover it will not be your last bent. Recumbents come in a far larger assortment than normal bikes and each has it's purpose. Where I live we have two hills at 22% grades and yes it took me a while to try them but I went up in 3rd gear and voila ,twas not as hard as I thought it would be . Loaded touring on a recumbent is so much nicer as when you arrive at your campsite you are still sitting in a comfortable chair and except for tired leg muscles, no pain makes the night so much better.
These come in aluminium , carbon, steel,and cromoly.
Rans www.ransbikes.com/
Bacchetta www.bacchettabikes.com/
www.hpvelotechnik.com/produkte/sm/gte/index_e.html
sites.google.com/site/recycledrecumbents/home a cheaper alternative
cruzbike.com/
Enjoy your touring
Good
i like the video
Thank you! Glad you subscribed to the channel.
touring bicycle price
🎬🚴♂️😍👍
Spasibo!
Raise that handlebar way up high.
Kama sutra ? 😂😂😂 or how is that bike called ?
No, Kona. Kama is a whole different thing. 😉😀
Ah good to know Michael 😜