“the Sutra is the kind of bike you can point toward the horizon and just go. It doesn’t require a whole lot of input from the rider but instead has a calm and collected feel over pavement and well-maintained gravel.“
It’s not often that we get a chance to send a review bike out for a real long-term test when Lucas at BikePacking. expressed interest in giving our legendary Sutra cycle touring bike a thorough testing we leapt at the opportunity. Now we already know the folks at BikePacking.com love the burly Sutra LTD, but the Sutra is a pure cycle touring rig, the 2022 model had a few updates that we thought BikePacking.com would like. Upgrades like the ability to run 180mm rotors, a new narrower 68mm BB for better knee comfort, and integrated brake lever/shifters. There were some pretty serious geo changes too, a .5-degree steeper seat angle, a .5-degree slacker head angle, and a slightly increased stack height. Well, the test went live today and you can check it out HERE. Just try not to get as emotional as Lucas did!
“I’m rarely one to give a second thought to marketing jargon, but Kona’s scant description of the Sutra on their website references “the feeling of steel across pavement that reminds you why you love turning the cranks on long rides,” which I found unexpectedly resonant while reflecting on my time with the Sutra. Removing the expectation that it would do everything and paring back the physical aspect of pushing my bike up steep tracks afforded me a fresh perspective and helped me tune into the head-clearing nature of spinning the pedals that made it one of my main passions in the first place.
My current cycling interests don’t neatly align with what the Sutra offers, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is starting their journey into the world of two-wheeled travel and doesn’t anticipate that foray taking them onto rugged off-road terrain.”
You can check out the full Sutra review Here.
