Andy is a good mate of ours down in Australia and today, we feature his Kona Sutra gravel bike, built with all the bells and whistles…
The magic carpet for groading. My first ‘gravel’ bike was my Concorde PDM road bike -a testament that any bike can be a gravel bike. It sure wasn’t as silky smooth over the rough stuff as this Super Kona Sutra.
I found this on the used (and abused) pages of the internet, and instantly knew it had potential – my mate @cro_with_the_flo and @updave had a pair that they conquered the Alpine passes of Europe on – loaded to the gills with gear, and climbing at a crawl.
It easily fits 29 x 2.25 rubber – with wiggle room for fenders if need be. The gumwalls tie in nicely with the leather bar tape and gum hoods. The frame bag makes for a neat way to store the battery for the light along with wet wipes, snacks, towhee and machete (optional extra).
If you carry a battery bank in the frame bag it’s an easy way to keep your phone charged on the fly either in the bag or on the Quad Lock mount.
After a solid degreasing of components, freshly wax for slickness of drivetrain, new (internal routing of) cables and hoods, and some kit pinched from another bike, it’s ready for adventure – from picking up a case or three of wine for the wife, or bikepacking the Victorian High Country (link to your ride in Oz).
Ride safe!
We’d like to thank all of you who have submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared over here. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!
