One bike to rule them all! What is the Kona Sutra LTD, a monster bike that mixes road, gravel, and MTB?

The Kona Sutra LTD: The Perfect Bike for Free Spirits Who Hate Being Tied Down.

What exactly is the SUTRA LTD? It's a spin-off model based on Kona's traditional touring bike, the SUTRA, but designed to be even more off-road capable.

Based on the experience of touring bikes that allow you to travel anywhere you want under your own power, this off-road touring bike can now handle any road condition.

It's a unique bike that isn't bound by bicycle categories, with each part designed with a free spirit, mixing road bike and MTB standards.

With the carrying capacity of a touring bike, the off-road capability of an MTB, and the exhilarating feel of a road bike, it'struly a jack-of-all-trades!

It's a spec that mountain enthusiasts and outdoor lovers will find irresistible!

We were assembling the Kona Sutra LTD for display in our store because we wanted you to see it in person, but it has already been sold.

The SUTRA LTD has been steadily gaining popularity, so if you'd like to learn more, please continue reading.

 

The SUTRA LTD in the photo is a 2022 model, but the specifications are almost identical to the 2024 model, except for the frame color and handlebars.

For more information on the 2024 model, please refer to our YouTube video.

 

The Sutra LTD has been a bestseller in Kona's lineup for many years. One of the reasons to pay attention to this model now is the improved availability of gravel bike components.

Gravel bike components have emerged in the middle ground between MTBs and road bikes, offering a wide range of parts that combine gear ratios and uses from both, providing a diverse selection of options.

This means you can now enjoy riding freely, tailored to your own preferences, without being constrained by specific uses or part specifications.

The Sutra LTD's mixed MTB and road standards are designed to accommodate such flexible customization.

In Japan, the Sutra LTD is sold as a complete bike, and its specifications are quite interesting.

The brake and shift levers are SRAM Rival. The hydraulic disc brakes provide excellent stopping power on both on-road and off-road terrain.

This type of brake lever has a slightly extended tip, making it easier to grip, which can also be used to change positions and rest during long rides.

The right shift lever operates the rear derailleur, and the left operates the dropper post.

The head tube is tapered, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. This makes it easier to replace the front fork.

Most disc brake compatible forks currently available are tapered, so this allows for the installation of almost any fork.

If you want a lighter, more agile ride, opt for a carbon fork. If you want a more stable and enjoyable off-road experience, go for a suspension fork.

Customization is completely up to you, depending on your intended use.

The original chromoly fork has numerous eyelets at various points, making it easy to attach bike packing gear, racks, fenders, and other accessories.

This fork is ideal for practical commuting or camping tours.

The fork length is 430mm, which is the average length for gravel suspension forks. This means that even if you install a suspension fork in the future, you're less likely to experience changes in ride feel or difficulty in handling.

The front and rear tires are 29x2.25 MTB tires. While 29-inch tires are common on MTBs, they are rarely found on bicycles designed with drop handlebars.

The characteristic of 29-inch tires is their large outer diameter and extremely high off-road capability.

Their off-road capability is so high that you can even ride trails, so gravel roads or minor bumps in the city won't be a problem.

"To maximize a bike's 'off-road capability,' it's best to use the largest possible tires," as Jeff from Jones Bikes once said.

A key characteristic of bicycles is their large tire size.

By maximizing tire size, you can overcome obstacles more easily regardless of road conditions and ride more stably.

 

The rims and tires are tubeless-ready, and the complete bike also includes tubeless valves.

By simply adding sealant, you can convert to a tubeless setup at a low cost. You can use it in your preferred configuration.

The Sutra LTD comes standard with a dropper post. This item has a surprisingly wide range of applications, from allowing you to easily put your feet on the ground when stopping at traffic lights in the city to changing your position more easily off-road.

The standard TranzX dropper post allows you to change the travel (amount of movement) without tools, making fine adjustments to your leg length easy.

All cables are externally routed. This is a welcome feature for those who like to do their own maintenance or customization.

If you plan to use your bike for a long time, high maintainability is truly important.

The front and rear brakes adopt the flat mount standard, which is popular for road and gravel bikes. This allows you to choose from a wide variety of manufacturers and models when customizing in the future.

Additionally, 180mm disc rotors, which are common on MTBs (road bikes often use 140mm or 160mm), are adopted. This provides strong braking power, so you can ride with confidence even on trails.

Also, the front and rear hubs use 100mm and 142mm thru-axle standards, which are adopted for road and gravel bikes.

Whether you want to use a lightweight wheelset or build a dynamo wheel, you can customize it freely to suit your needs.

Numerous eyelets are provided throughout the frame, making cargo loading a breeze. It's also great that it's designed for not only bottles but also frame bags and top tube bags.

It will be a great asset for bikepacking and long touring trips.

And there are eyelets installed at various points on the rear as well.

All kinds of accessories, such as racks and full fenders, can be attached.

The crank is a 73mm BSA type, primarily used in MTBs.

I believe MTB standards, which are wider than road bikes, are used to accommodate wider tires.

The current Kona Sutra LTD comes in this Matte Turismo Olive color.

It's a chic and subdued color that blends in with nature.

 

 

 

Kona Sutra LTD Complete Bike

Price: 305,800 JPY

Let's look at the geometry chart (dimensions) of the Sutra LTD.

The significantly slack 69.5° head angle provides stability off-road, much like an MTB.

The long bottom bracket drop, which affects a bicycle's stability, allows for a low center of gravity and stable riding, similar to a road bike.

 

It can traverse on/off-road freely, is great for touring, and can even handle trail rides.

You have many things you want to do with a bike, but for various reasons, you can only own one. Or you own many bikes, but you want to narrow it down to one that can do everything.

In that case, the Kona Sutra LTD is for you.

Let's go on the Shimanami Kaido, trail riding in the satoyama, or even a camping tour with just this one bike!