Hey Mitch, thanks for the thorough review! Based on my personal experience, both selling Kona Sutra bikes at my bike shop and having owned two over the years, I would like to add the fact these come with rather fragile derailleur hangers, so would be wise to consider buying an upgrade hanger just in case. I went for the Wheels Manufacturing 322 Kona, which not only fits better than the ET2 (standard hanger on Sutra/LTD/ULTD models) but also helps keeping the chain in place longer due to a way more durable aluminum alloy. Also, for people looking to own one, some of you would much better benefit from the regular Sutra. Should you need less weight on it, you can always swap parts and end up with pretty much an LTD without hydraulic brakes. In my personal opinion, TRP Spyres are some of the best brakes out there and you can keep them running WITHOUT visiting a bike mechanic to bleed them, as they are dual-piston mechanical brakes.
I have the same bike, love it. I added a Brooks saddle with matching bar wrap and Schalbe G One 38mm tires. The 50mm Ventures are great but the truth is that I just ride more road than anything else, unfortunately. I now have less rolling resistance and a noticeable gain in average pace. I also ride the occasional single track and gravel rides to. Its a great all around bike and would recommend it to anyone.
Awesome review - super helpful as I'm currently torn between the Sutra LTD and a Marin Gestalt X11. That 2021 paint job on the Kona looks absolutely amazing though. Any thoughts on how the feel of the ride would be between the steel Kona vs the aluminum+carbon fork Marin?
Good question... the Sutra will be heavier and likely more compliant. The Marin will be lighter and give more feedback through the frame. I would try to ride both. The new colors looks great though!
For sizing... I am 6'1 1/2" tall. I have an inseam is 194cm without shoes. what size of frame do you think? I normally get a 58cm bike but was told Kona bikes are larger. I was told to look at a 56cm but not sure. Looking for guidance.
Yoo thx!! The only concern I have is the weight...I dont get why this one is around 13kg....I mean why sooo heavy....similar bikes like the Marin Nicasio 2 (still heavy) is like 11 KG...Do you know why?!
Hi, very nice review! I'm very interested in this bike can someone suggest the good size for me? I am 177 cm tall with 84-85 cm inseam.. Thank you in advance
@@MitchOnTwoWheels thanks, I’m asking because that’s pretty much my cruising speed on my road bike and I am very interested in upgrading to a Kuna sutra but I’m worried that with the wide tires it’s going to slow me down..
Long term?? 2,500 km is still a newbie. LOL. 3rd set of pads already?? Are they made of cheeze?? WTH. Something is nuts, hydro IMO. The rotor looks strangely rough. My custom with Rohloff14 is 120 lbs on tour, 70s when doing 90 to128 mile day rides. LOL. The front hub is a SA XL-FDD dyno DRUM brake. It has 28,000 miles with 8,100 on 2 tours. Brake is still not done yet, one bearing had 4 balls get crushed up and get sucked into the magnet. LOL. The rear now has my homemade mount with a cable TRP Spyre, with perfect SA levers set to long pull. It has 5,500 miles with one side getting thin, I tried rotating them last year. The pads are also resin, they stop the disc INSTANTLY any time I want. Maybe that's why they don't wear out. I use the front drum for slowing down. It's so good it broke the fork 3 times in Asia. Lucky they still have welder guys just about anywhere. For the first 13,500 miles the R14 had a 90% useless caliper. LOL. And of course, mud has ZERO effect on either hub. Actually, only the first tour had any mud really. My 36 mm x 700c SMP tires have gone up to 10,000 miles.
I will never understand how less drivetrain range is considered an "upgrade" on a bike sold as a bikepacking/off-road touring rig. Load the bike up and the lack of lower range gearing is a serious drawback. Ask anyone who does loaded touring and they'll tell you the same. 1x drivetrains have no place on bikes like this.
I did several loaded tours on my LTD and have to disagree. For offroad touring I love the 1x. The range of modern cassettes is huge.With the Rival you could go up to a 46 tooth and down to a 9 tooth sprocket. With SRAM Eagle you could get even more range. In addition the chain sits really secure with the clutched derailleur. On smooth roads I agree and also like doubles more. It comes down to personal preference after all.
1x has poor chainline and it is less efficient when cross-chained, which you end up doing at either end of the cassette. The only thing it has going for it is simplicity. IMO
Testrode it, but bought the Rove ST and put 700C wheelset and 43mm Gravelkings on it. Sutra was too sluggish for me. The rove has shorter Chainstay and Head Tube Angle 71.5 which makes the Rove a little more agile and more fun on short rides. Loaded including myself (97Kg) weights 128Kg and no problems with flex/stiffness. But I only do Bikepacking Trips, no panniers and globe exploration. Plus the rove has mechanical brakes for easy maintenance. PS: Please NO! internal cable routing for any adventure bikes! The Roves and the Sutras are top notch designed products for what they SHOULD do and work best for. After a lot of research they are so good for the price.
Awesome build on your Rove. I was torn between the two myself but decided on the 700c wheels on the Sutra and additional tire clearance as factors. These are category leading bikes and I’m glad you’re enjoying yours :)
@@MitchOnTwoWheels Thanks. Another plus for the sutra is the fork mounts which now has the new rove too. I just drilled to holes in my blackburn cages and fine. I found my dreambike a bit because of your first sutra video. Decsided to test it and found the next standing rove st. Cheers from Berlin.
Hello i drive also the kona rove ltd 2018 and i love it except the derailleur hanger, it broke allready 5 times without damage. Do you have also experience about that?
@@petrabaeder5062 That is a known problem. I have read about it on this review: bikepacking.com/bikes/kona-sutra-ltd-review/. Scroll down to CONS. I think its the same DH on the Sutra as on the Rove. I bought one when I got my bike for safety but I not needed It by now. But 5 times sounds really bad....Maybe to much tension, I would ask a mechanic..
offering a bike review should include your height, weight and inseam. people watching this for information will have to ASK this stuff. Kona sells these bikes with brooks saddles. not sure how he ended up with a swap it at purchase saddle here. most serious touring people use a 3 ring set up in the front. a touring bike is best reviewed by a person doing BIKE TOURS. longer life for chains and gears. but hey. maybe it's flat where the reviewer lives. 2900 kilometers is not a long term review in my eyes, but I ride 250 MILES per week just commenting. maybe this reviewer has a lot of bikes and didn't have much time to ride it. seems to want an expensive non touring frame.
Hey Mitch, thanks for the thorough review!
Based on my personal experience, both selling Kona Sutra bikes at my bike shop and having owned two over the years, I would like to add the fact these come with rather fragile derailleur hangers, so would be wise to consider buying an upgrade hanger just in case. I went for the Wheels Manufacturing 322 Kona, which not only fits better than the ET2 (standard hanger on Sutra/LTD/ULTD models) but also helps keeping the chain in place longer due to a way more durable aluminum alloy.
Also, for people looking to own one, some of you would much better benefit from the regular Sutra. Should you need less weight on it, you can always swap parts and end up with pretty much an LTD without hydraulic brakes. In my personal opinion, TRP Spyres are some of the best brakes out there and you can keep them running WITHOUT visiting a bike mechanic to bleed them, as they are dual-piston mechanical brakes.
Excellent feedback and great ideas! Thanks for watching :)
Very helpful and high quality video overall! Thank you!
No problem.
I have the same bike, love it. I added a Brooks saddle with matching bar wrap and Schalbe G One 38mm tires. The 50mm Ventures are great but the truth is that I just ride more road than anything else, unfortunately. I now have less rolling resistance and a noticeable gain in average pace. I also ride the occasional single track and gravel rides to. Its a great all around bike and would recommend it to anyone.
That’s awesome. A brooks saddle would really complete the package. 38mm tires are perfect for it as well.
sick bike!
Awesome review - super helpful as I'm currently torn between the Sutra LTD and a Marin Gestalt X11. That 2021 paint job on the Kona looks absolutely amazing though. Any thoughts on how the feel of the ride would be between the steel Kona vs the aluminum+carbon fork Marin?
Good question... the Sutra will be heavier and likely more compliant. The Marin will be lighter and give more feedback through the frame. I would try to ride both. The new colors looks great though!
Lovely bike and nice review. I'v got kona rove st 19. We are in one family thanks.
Thanks.
Rove ST 19 my Love
Beautiful bike.
Excellent review.. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Mitch, thanks for the review! What frame size do you run and how much does the bike weigh?
This is a 58cm frame. I never actually weighed it...
@@MitchOnTwoWheels is it possible to weighed it ? thanks a lot
For sizing... I am 6'1 1/2" tall. I have an inseam is 194cm without shoes. what size of frame do you think? I normally get a 58cm bike but was told Kona bikes are larger. I was told to look at a 56cm but not sure. Looking for guidance.
I would try and ride both if you can.... But I’m leaning to the 58cm.
External cable routing would be better for on trail repairs
Hey Mitch. Great overview. Does the LTD use a threaded BB?
I own this Sutra. Yes.
@@CraigEngstrom1 sold!
Too funny :)
Is it enough range for light touring , not super loaded, but carrying stuff , uphill??
Definitely.
Great ! thanks. How much your sutra LTD weigh ?
Around 29-30
Great review. You scored on the green paint. The new one is gold.......eww.
Haha!
I love the gold
58 plus that spacer stack. How tall are you, man? One giant?
6-3
Great bike for heavy rider !
Definitely because of the thicker tubing.
Yoo thx!! The only concern I have is the weight...I dont get why this one is around 13kg....I mean why sooo heavy....similar bikes like the Marin Nicasio 2 (still heavy) is like 11 KG...Do you know why?!
Thicker tubes on the frame, made to add baggage and weight for touring, while maintaining the riding characteristics. It's made heavy for this reason.
Hi, very nice review! I'm very interested in this bike can someone suggest the good size for me? I am 177 cm tall with 84-85 cm inseam.. Thank you in advance
I would size one... I’m guessing either 54 or 56.
I am 5-4” what size should I get??
I would try to try one out prior to buying for your size.
Can you cruse at 18-20 mph on flat roads???
Yes of course.
@@MitchOnTwoWheels thanks, I’m asking because that’s pretty much my cruising speed on my road bike and I am very interested in upgrading to a Kuna sutra but I’m worried that with the wide tires it’s going to slow me down..
I would literally be going from 25C to 50c tires
Adventure bike
Long term?? 2,500 km is still a newbie. LOL. 3rd set of pads already?? Are they made of cheeze?? WTH. Something is nuts, hydro IMO. The rotor looks strangely rough.
My custom with Rohloff14 is 120 lbs on tour, 70s when doing 90 to128 mile day rides. LOL.
The front hub is a SA XL-FDD dyno DRUM brake. It has 28,000 miles with 8,100 on 2 tours. Brake is still not done yet, one bearing had 4 balls get crushed up and get sucked into the magnet. LOL. The rear now has my homemade mount with a cable TRP Spyre, with perfect SA levers set to long pull. It has 5,500 miles with one side getting thin, I tried rotating them last year. The pads are also resin, they stop the disc INSTANTLY any time I want. Maybe that's why they don't wear out.
I use the front drum for slowing down. It's so good it broke the fork 3 times in Asia. Lucky they still have welder guys just about anywhere. For the first 13,500 miles the R14 had a 90% useless caliper. LOL.
And of course, mud has ZERO effect on either hub. Actually, only the first tour had any mud really.
My 36 mm x 700c SMP tires have gone up to 10,000 miles.
Can you compare this v stigmata?
Two very different bikes to be honest with different riding experiences. What kind of riding do you do?
@@MitchOnTwoWheels 50 road 50 gravel
Go Stiggy :)
I will never understand how less drivetrain range is considered an "upgrade" on a bike sold as a bikepacking/off-road touring rig. Load the bike up and the lack of lower range gearing is a serious drawback. Ask anyone who does loaded touring and they'll tell you the same. 1x drivetrains have no place on bikes like this.
Interesting feedback. I agree... perhaps a smaller chainring up front for weighted rides?
@@MitchOnTwoWheels But, then you give up top end. I think 1x is fine for gravity oriented disciplines. But, not for road or gravel or adventure bikes.
I did several loaded tours on my LTD and have to disagree. For offroad touring I love the 1x. The range of modern cassettes is huge.With the Rival you could go up to a 46 tooth and down to a 9 tooth sprocket. With SRAM Eagle you could get even more range. In addition the chain sits really secure with the clutched derailleur.
On smooth roads I agree and also like doubles more.
It comes down to personal preference after all.
And less to go wrong
1x has poor chainline and it is less efficient when cross-chained, which you end up doing at either end of the cassette. The only thing it has going for it is simplicity. IMO
Testrode it, but bought the Rove ST and put 700C wheelset and 43mm Gravelkings on it. Sutra was too sluggish for me. The rove has shorter Chainstay and Head Tube Angle 71.5 which makes the Rove a little more agile and more fun on short rides. Loaded including myself (97Kg) weights 128Kg and no problems with flex/stiffness. But I only do Bikepacking Trips, no panniers and globe exploration. Plus the rove has mechanical brakes for easy maintenance. PS: Please NO! internal cable routing for any adventure bikes! The Roves and the Sutras are top notch designed products for what they SHOULD do and work best for. After a lot of research they are so good for the price.
Awesome build on your Rove. I was torn between the two myself but decided on the 700c wheels on the Sutra and additional tire clearance as factors. These are category leading bikes and I’m glad you’re enjoying yours :)
@@MitchOnTwoWheels Thanks. Another plus for the sutra is the fork mounts which now has the new rove too. I just drilled to holes in my blackburn cages and fine. I found my dreambike a bit because of your first sutra video. Decsided to test it and found the next standing rove st. Cheers from Berlin.
Hello i drive also the kona rove ltd 2018 and i love it except the derailleur hanger, it broke allready 5 times without damage. Do you have also experience about that?
@@petrabaeder5062 That is a known problem. I have read about it on this review: bikepacking.com/bikes/kona-sutra-ltd-review/. Scroll down to CONS. I think its the same DH on the Sutra as on the Rove. I bought one when I got my bike for safety but I not needed It by now. But 5 times sounds really bad....Maybe to much tension, I would ask a mechanic..
@@petrabaeder5062 Ah yeah, its the same part. This one, right? konaparts.com/product/hanger-dropouts-hanger-et2/
Burly!
Very Burly.
offering a bike review should include your height, weight and inseam. people watching this for information will have to ASK this stuff. Kona sells these bikes with brooks saddles. not sure how he ended up with a swap it at purchase saddle here. most serious touring people use a 3 ring set up in the front. a touring bike is best reviewed by a person doing BIKE TOURS.
longer life for chains and gears. but hey. maybe it's flat where the reviewer lives. 2900 kilometers is not a long term review in my eyes, but I ride 250 MILES per week just commenting. maybe this reviewer has a lot of bikes and didn't have much time to ride it. seems to want an expensive non touring frame.
Keep putting in those Miles. Thanks for your feedback Greg.
Just breathe Greg. Take a breath mate. It's ok..🧘🏽♂️