Kona Sutra Ltd. Review

Background

The Sutra Ltd. has been around for a few years. It's based on Kona's touring bike and has an evolution with current models having through axles, 1x, hydraulic brakes and a lot of tire or fender clearance. At the moment you can get 2018 and 2019 models.

In our household a gravel grinder is an everywhere bike. That's gravel pathways, commuting, gravel roads and rail trails. Some 1970s touring bikes, MTBs, fatties, and more recently a Fargo (Salsa) have done the job. The Fargo has been so popular that we searched for another modern bike.

Shopping started with Vayas because they are pleasant to ride, in local stock, and seemed to complement having a Fargo. Shopping showed just now many great bikes are out there. Breezer, Bianchi, Salsas, Treks, Canondales and Giants were all in local stock.

Fit

I have a size 54 Sutra Ltd. and am 5'10". It seems as right as our size M Fargo. Depending on brand and model, lots of test rides had size 54 - 56 and medium right for me. It's a relatively short stem bike which is something I like.

Finish/Build

It's a fine production bike. Welds are fine but this is not a Gunnar or more premium build bike. The paint seems thicker than our "greenzo" vintage Kona Honzo. Tire clearance is a strong point. With 700x50 tires there's still room. All the parts are quite ready to go at this price point but I do not care for the SL8 saddle. That's just personal preference.

No fenders yet. That will happen. A friend who's had this bike for a year repeatedly pointed out how nice it is to have fenders and lots of tire choices. The frame has lots of mount points but does not have the tripple style our Fargo has.

The stock bars are fine and I'm probably too influenced by the Fargo's chipper bars.

Wheels & Tires

The OEM hubs seem find and the rim width is good. The MSO 50 tires roll very well for their size. They keep you on that center ridge if it's pavement. They have width and grip for off road. Tubeless setup was easy. Criticism would not be fair. I do enough commuting and have big tires on the Fargo so I do have 40-45 mm tires on my mind.

I do have the MSO 50s setup tubeless. I can't tell that closer to 35 psi slows down pavement riding but it is really clear washed out gravel and broken pavement are not slowing me down. Less than 40 psi seems important for traction and comfort.

Drivetrain & Brakes

I'm more pleased with the Rival 1x and hydro brakes as each day passes. I like the simplicity and weight savings. The levers are comfy. My road/tour disc experience has been BB7 as best cable brakes, then came TRP, and now you can have MTB level performance with drop bars. I did not start out thinking hydraulic brakes were a prerequisite. Now I get why a friend with this bike said get hydros.

The all steel SRAM cassette is a plus for my intended use. I have other SRAM and Shimano 11 speeds with AL cogs. The steel wears better.

Ride & Handling

This is a stiffer and sporty feeling bike compared to a Rove ST, Vayas, and our Fargo. Not uncomfortable stiff. The geometry is a standout. I'm mostly a MTB rider who's always after a thrill. The 71/73 overgrown old MTB geometry feels good compared to road and CX type bikes. That really adds to the ride it anywhere nature. Keep in mind that my preferred MTBs are 66.5 - 68 degree bikes.

The Rove ST seemed right on paper but I can't explain why I did not like it as much as others. Why a friend and acquaintance with this bike kept saying check it out became apparent after some time on the bike.

The 70 mm stem and stock bars are fine for road and distance but really do a lot to make the bike feel good off road.

The stock 1x gearing should be fine for how I will use the bike. The honeymoon isn't over here but I've done enough on and off road riding to see I have plenty enough to climb and carry and plenty of high gear for larger tires.

Conclusion

This bike needs to be on your short list if you want a lot of capability and an all modern drivetrain. This is a tremendous do it all bike. It's got tour/carry capability in a fun handling package. With 2019s out I say consider grabbing a 2018 if only because I think the hunter green will look less dated over time. Of course it rides a gravel road but it also does freight duty and fun duty better than many.

I believe 2019s are back to 45 mm tires. My inner commuter would like less than those surprisingly fine rolling MSO 50s but I've watched other commuter and metro area riders have to pick the right line on the road or at an intersection when I just ride the bike.

If some bikes in this category are racy and some toward being a freighter, the Sutra Ltd. is more towards bring it on and heavy duty but sporty do it all. It's not a mountain bike but sure is an all road bike with features and characteristics important to this MTB rider.

LewisQC wrote:Nice review! I wonder how it would compare to a Norco search XR Steel. Looking at geo number, Sutra has more stack so probably more upright position than the Norco... I'm looking for a commuter\\rando\\fool-weather steel bike with large tire capacity.  I like the Norco in natural steel color... But for 250can$ more you get rival drivetrain with hydro brake with the Kona

And let's not forget that the Kona can clear a 29er MTB tyre (and i've seen someone running 27.5x2.6 tyres in it). That's pretty unique, to me that's the main selling point of the bike. 

HollyBoni wrote:

The Sutra is a pretty different beast IMO. As you said the Sutra is slacker, a bit longer, uses a shorter stem, the position is more upright. The chainstays are much longer on the Kona too. It also uses a steel fork instead of a carbon one so there is a weight difference. 
The Kona would feel more at home offroad on rougher terrain, and it's probably a bit more calm and stable overall. Some people like that (me) some people would say that the Kona feels slower.

Also, the Kona uses a 73mm threaded MTB bottom bracket. Depending on how you want to set up the bike that's a very very important factor. 

And let's not forget that the Kona can clear a 29er MTB tyre (and i've seen someone running 27.5x2.6 tyres in it). That's pretty unique, to me that's the main selling point of the bike.