Bike choices steel

I have been looking for a steel bike for a gravel bike and a little touring !! I have my eye on kona sutra ltd 2017 and have been looking at the Raleigh tamland 2 2017 ! A custom build might be outta price range I was looking at a Gunnar frame or soma wolverine but might end up too costly! Any suggestions ? Input?

+1 for kona sutra ltd. it is a hot looking bike. Do you have a local dealer for it?

Consider Fairdale Weekender Drop, I like the all Chrome finish version  

If you want steel, and a great performing bike, the Ritchie Swiss Cross is the ticket: https://ritcheylogic.com/swiss-cross-disc-bike

I bought the Canti version last year and love it. One of the best handling and comfortable bikes I've ever owned (and I've owned a lot of bikes in my 74 orbits around the sun).

I too am in the market for a steel gravel bike. A shop is ordering the Tamland 2 and the Jamis Renegade Exploit for me to try. Another one you might consider is the Specialized Sequoia if you don't mind taking a chance on a new model. I was considering a Gunnar as well. Right now I'm leaning toward the Renegade: Reynolds 631 steel, Shimano hydraulic brakes, WTB rims and a Ritchey cockpit all promise to add up to a great bike right out of the box at a decent price.
Good luck. There are a lot of really good choices out there.

Just occurred to me the Sutra LTD and Tamland 2 bikes you mentioned have quite different geometries. If you are going to do loaded touring, bike packing, unmaintained dirt/gravel roads, even a little trail riding then the the LTD is the way to go. If you plan on light touring, and riding on maintained dirt/gravel and  some paved roads, then the Tamland or the Renegade I mentioned would be a little lighter and more maneuverable.

If you can spend the extra coin, these appear to be amazing bikes, and I think they're quite beautiful. http://www.thevanillaworkshop.com/sv-cyclocross-disc/ Seems like they offer great customer service, and the reviews are all positive. Or even their sister company Vanilla Bikes, they also make more touring style bikes. 

It was on my list of contenders, before deciding to go titanium and pulled the trigger on a Moots. 

Niner RLT Steel has a lot of touring extras in the design.

Specialized AWOL and Specialized Sequoia.

Thanks everybody I actually looked at all of those suggestions of bikes !! And the winner is the kona ltd first steel bike got on order !!

Great Choice

http://www.konaworld.com/sutra_ltd.cfm



 

I have a Sonder Camino in Ti which I really like. Price is competitive with steel. \n

Salsa Fargo/Vaya

Rodeo-Labs Flanimal $1,300 - $1,400 for frameset only. Max tire size 48mm, both 700c and 650b

I have a Trek 520 Disc for touring and riding everywhere
else except fairly rough terrain.

 

and just ordered a 2017 Fairdale Weekender Drop for riding
the C & O Canal towpath and some other fairly rough terrain.

 
After my Fairdale Weekender Drop was assembled, I added the following:

Brooks C17 Cambium Saddle
Shimano PD-A530 Pedals
Bontrager BackRack Deluxe L
Two Bontrager RL Water Bottle Cages
Dimension 90 mm, 35 dgree Stem

Here's another one of my Favorite bikes the 2015 and 2016 Novara Randonee

 

and now the new REI Co-op Cycles ADV 1.1 Bike - 2017   ...   $1,199

 

Great thread. I commute on a Lemond Poprad and am shopping for a modern version of that. I'm looking for thru axle, disc brakes-ideally flat mount, rack mounts, and 40mm tire clearance. Ideally shimano 105 level components. I've been debating getting a custom Ti frame from China, but that seems excessive for a bike I'll commute on.

caguy wrote:Great thread. I commute on a Lemond Poprad and am shopping for a modern version of that. I'm looking for thru axle, disc brakes-ideally flat mount, rack mounts, and 40mm tire clearance. Ideally shimano 105 level components. I've been debating getting a custom Ti frame from China, but that seems excessive for a bike I'll commute on.

I wanted to buy one of those Poprads off of craigs list, but it was so expensive!

mr_slow wrote:
It was on my list of contenders, before deciding to go titanium and pulled the trigger on a Moots. 

What made you decide to go Ti?

chas wrote:

What made you decide to go Ti?

\n \nI've owned everything but titanium, and it seemed like the best material for a commuter/gravel bike. I really enjoyed the ride of the Routt, when I borrowed it, seemed to absorb so much of the road and gravel chatter. Also, I really wanted a lifetime bike, I know steel is likely a lifetime material, but it will rust if untreated, again an easy thing, but I don't want to worry about spraying it with frame saver every five years. We'll see, long build time on these things, expecting mine to show up next week. \n \nCheers!