Kona have just announced their bike line-up for the 2013 season. While I don’t usually post on product launches, Kona have supported my adventures for half a decade, and last week they reminded me why I’m glad to be working with them (aside from getting to ride their bikes for free).
I wrote a detailed review of the 2012 Sutra touring bike after riding it from Vancouver to San Francisco in the spring. In the review, I pointed out a couple of big improvements I’d like to see made to this very capable long-term expedition tourer. Several other owners echoed these sentiments in the comments, and I sent the feedback to Kona’s designers in BC, Canada.
So here it is – the 2013 Sutra, rebuilt as we requested. The big one, wider-ranged gearing – check. Rubber fender-extenders front and rear, also as requested – check. More robust grip tape, certainly needed in retrospect – check.
Same superb frameset and wheelset – check. Same confidence-inspiring ride quality and luggage-hauling capabilities – check. If only more companies would take pride in listening to their customers instead of telling them what they want.
There are now 4 Konas floating around in my posession – the Sutra dedicated tourer, the Explosif expedition bike, another Explosif rebuilt as a city singlespeed, and a steel Honky Tonk for dashing around the countryside on. I’ll remain a happy patron as long as Kona keep building bikes for riders rather than posers. Chapeau…
Leave a Reply to ThaiRay Cancel reply