Just bought a Straggler frame and an Enve gravel fork, will build it with 1x11 Force, 303s, Zipp stem/bars/post and a Brooks C13 cambium saddle. Should be a fun ride 🙏
I've owned two Fargos. Second year in a cream color and then a 2016 with the carbon fork and man... that was the most comfortable bike i've ever ridden. Only changed because I thought I wanted to be more leaned over aka more "cyclist position." First bike was sold to a guy who put 650 by 3" tires on it and it looked so dope! I would use 700 by 2.0's for plenty of mud clearance for the 4 DK100's it completed.
I have one as well! I don’t ride it much. It has the older Claris which seems a bit clunky to me. I would love to make some upgrades (wheels and group set) and see how much that changes things.
the SRAM Apex that came on my Vaya was crap. 3 different mechanics couldn't figure out why shifting was terrible (I discovered a tiny crimp in the cable, but replacing only made shifting acceptable...maybe I should compare to Campy Record or XT of other bikes, but still barely mediocre), and braking was very sad. finally replaced calipers with TRP Spyre and solved crap braking. with a room of carbon bikes dating back 30 years, going back to steel was nearly a revelation. @@mo_sisu
There is a frame geometry difference between the Kona Sutra and Kona Sutra LTD. This will affect the ride and feel. The Kona Sutra is more at home on road and gravel whereas the Sutra LTD is more at home on single track. Not mentioned in the video is the Sutra SE, which is slightly lower specked depending on your perspective. It has bar-end shifters, mechanical disk brakes, three front chainrings with 9 speed cassette and shares the same geometry as the Sutra. The SE is my preferred choice and is what I bought, I want three chainrings and use them all. The bar end shifters are simple and easy to service, one is indexed with a friction option and one the other is straight friction. I love the ride on this bike and took it down some single track but justdoesn't feel right in that environment. It feels like a Cadillac on the road and definitely meant for longer rides.
Thank you! I knew the two mentioned were different but didn't get that in depth. The one is definitely more of a pavement touring type bike while the other one is more of a gravel/single track shredding machine.
I test rode both the Straggler and Four Corners back to back and was genuinely surprised how much nicer the Four Corners rode. Maybe too relaxed for some, but in comparison the Straggler felt heavy and harsh and is more expensive. In the end, I bought a Giant Contend which feels superior in every way to the Straggler. I think steel really only has any advantage when it’s a really good tube set, otherwise it seems heavy and harsh. Don’t fall for the hype, aluminum is cheaper, lighter, and with fat tires will feel just as plush.
Need a bike for local rides, in state camping and working up to the East Coast Greenway. Which one of these would be the best fit? Thoughts on a trailer? Thanks for the great videos and no pressure to respond. : )
@sea_hous If you're looking for a true work horse and you're not necessarily concerned about going fast, any of these would probably do the trick. Really depends on what you can get your hands on. I own a Kona Rove and I like it. All the bikes in this category are kinda similar.
Two points: Considering you are mentioning modern bikes, all such lists should have Surly Croscheck on it. The OG do it all steel bike that was not a world tourer. Have had marin for five years. Can ride for hours all tarmac and gravel and you will never really go fast but man is it comfy or what. Ditch the front crank, it weighs over 1 kg and has stupid gearing (no one will ride the Marin FC in the 50 chainring when it weighs over 13.5 kilos) and bob's your uncle. I went flat bars on them with hyd brakes, its my fav bike for a do it all bike.
Love riding steel bikes. Check out CO-Motion Cycles. Hand built in the great USA, Eugene OR. Currently have two tandems and a single. Awesome bikes Ride quality over a Surly is night a day.
I feel like for a loaded tour, a 3x may be welcomed for some. And I have mech brakes on my Kona. They work just fine. Don't feel nearly as nice as hydro, but functionally, they work fine.
Yes, yes, you do! They are heavy and slow! But they ride like a dream and are bulletproof. It will last you forever. When you're 65 and retire, you can do a slow XC tour on it. Haha
Kona Rove ST forever! Heavy and solid love since 2020. ❤️ It feels so amazing once it‘s rolling fast. Don‘t ask for climbing with it. 🫠 Love‘s bigger than mountains. 🥰 I am currently thinking about upgrading the fork to a Ritchey WCS Adventure Fork (Carbon). Should help to get more agility. Anyone out there who‘s already switched steel to carbon fork at a steel rig?
Nice and reasonable list of some of the most versatile bikes of all time. ❤️ Salsa’s Fargo and Kona‘s Sutra are simply amazing but so are all of your mentioned bikes.
@TOxRTxUR hell yes! I freakin love my Kona Rove. It is a bike I will have forever. I absolutely love the ride feel. It's just heavy, but when I'm riding that bike, speed is not top priority. I plan on doing a cross country tour on it one day.
I have a 2022 Kona Rove DL and I really like it. Rides nice and I can do just about anything with it.
@@Daniel-yf9iy yep! I'll have my 2013 Rove forever.
Just bought a Straggler frame and an Enve gravel fork, will build it with 1x11 Force, 303s, Zipp stem/bars/post and a Brooks C13 cambium saddle. Should be a fun ride 🙏
What!!! That is about as sweet of a build/frame combo you will find. That thing is going to ride like butter.
I've owned two Fargos. Second year in a cream color and then a 2016 with the carbon fork and man... that was the most comfortable bike i've ever ridden. Only changed because I thought I wanted to be more leaned over aka more "cyclist position." First bike was sold to a guy who put 650 by 3" tires on it and it looked so dope! I would use 700 by 2.0's for plenty of mud clearance for the 4 DK100's it completed.
The Fargo is such a sick ass looking bike! Thanks for the motivation to make this video. I learned a few things. Hopefully ppl enjoy it!
I had a steel Salsa Vaya before going gravel specific, loved it
Steel is real baby!
I have one as well! I don’t ride it much. It has the older Claris which seems a bit clunky to me. I would love to make some upgrades (wheels and group set) and see how much that changes things.
the SRAM Apex that came on my Vaya was crap. 3 different mechanics couldn't figure out why shifting was terrible (I discovered a tiny crimp in the cable, but replacing only made shifting acceptable...maybe I should compare to Campy Record or XT of other bikes, but still barely mediocre), and braking was very sad. finally replaced calipers with TRP Spyre and solved crap braking. with a room of carbon bikes dating back 30 years, going back to steel was nearly a revelation. @@mo_sisu
There is a frame geometry difference between the Kona Sutra and Kona Sutra LTD. This will affect the ride and feel. The Kona Sutra is more at home on road and gravel whereas the Sutra LTD is more at home on single track. Not mentioned in the video is the Sutra SE, which is slightly lower specked depending on your perspective. It has bar-end shifters, mechanical disk brakes, three front chainrings with 9 speed cassette and shares the same geometry as the Sutra. The SE is my preferred choice and is what I bought, I want three chainrings and use them all. The bar end shifters are simple and easy to service, one is indexed with a friction option and one the other is straight friction. I love the ride on this bike and took it down some single track but justdoesn't feel right in that environment. It feels like a Cadillac on the road and definitely meant for longer rides.
Thank you! I knew the two mentioned were different but didn't get that in depth. The one is definitely more of a pavement touring type bike while the other one is more of a gravel/single track shredding machine.
I got a Niner RLT 9 Steel Gravel bike and a Surly Krampus this year- and I absolutely love them both. 💯
Ride feel of steel is SOOO good!
Surly Bridge Club with Jones h-bars and a host of pirated components IMHO a perfect SHTF/end times bicycle
I just looked this bike up. Thing is gnarly! Definitely fits in this category.
RIP All City Bikes.
😔
RIP O.G. Kona
I test rode both the Straggler and Four Corners back to back and was genuinely surprised how much nicer the Four Corners rode. Maybe too relaxed for some, but in comparison the Straggler felt heavy and harsh and is more expensive. In the end, I bought a Giant Contend which feels superior in every way to the Straggler. I think steel really only has any advantage when it’s a really good tube set, otherwise it seems heavy and harsh. Don’t fall for the hype, aluminum is cheaper, lighter, and with fat tires will feel just as plush.
That's fair. I've got an aluminum Cannondale and it is super light and rides pretty nice.
Which contend do u have?
Ar4?
AR 3 with Sora.@@StrangerOnRUclips
+1 for the Ritchey Swiss cross for all around drop bar bike
I'll check it out! Thank you.
Just bought a Jamis Renegade S3 in the UK with a Reynolds 520 steel frame and a Shimano GRX groupset for £760 brand new!
Hell of a deal!
Need a bike for local rides, in state camping and working up to the East Coast Greenway. Which one of these would be the best fit?
Thoughts on a trailer?
Thanks for the great videos and no pressure to respond. : )
@sea_hous If you're looking for a true work horse and you're not necessarily concerned about going fast, any of these would probably do the trick. Really depends on what you can get your hands on. I own a Kona Rove and I like it. All the bikes in this category are kinda similar.
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
90's stumpjumper with 1x deore is all I need
Love it!!!
nice job
Nordest super Albard, LETS GO
LFG!!!!!
You are forgetting the new kids on the block, the steel Faran and Secan by Fairlight Cycles....
I'll check them out! Thank you!
Eu incluiria nessa lista a tumbleweed Stargazer, sem dúvidas uma concorrente de peso.
Fairlight Secan!
I got it added to my list for another video!
Hahahaha. From aspero to steel. Me too. Looking at the Ritchey Outback v2.
Ritchey is like the Godfather of steel. I still got the Aspero, but the Kona is my commuting rig. Thing rides real nice.
@@TysRides still have my aspero too…but really having a think for the Outback…just for those super gnarly outings
Fairlight Secan 2.5 and Faran and Mason Boken
Love my Straggler!
Iconic Bike.
Two points:
Considering you are mentioning modern bikes, all such lists should have Surly Croscheck on it. The OG do it all steel bike that was not a world tourer.
Have had marin for five years. Can ride for hours all tarmac and gravel and you will never really go fast but man is it comfy or what. Ditch the front crank, it weighs over 1 kg and has stupid gearing (no one will ride the Marin FC in the 50 chainring when it weighs over 13.5 kilos) and bob's your uncle. I went flat bars on them with hyd brakes, its my fav bike for a do it all bike.
The crosscheck is a classic! I should make a video about the five most iconic bikes in history or something and include it on the list.
Definition of "Gravel Bike":
Any bike ridden on gravel.
I have been riding on gravel bikes since 1954.
Currently a Rivendell Hunqapillar.
Yep. You can ride gravel on anything. I know a guy who absolutely shreds gravel at a fast pace on an old 26er mtb he got from a garage sale for $25.
Niner RLT 853 Reynolds?????????
Lots of good bikes not mentioned on this list. Maybe I'll make another list and talk about them.
State all-road 4130
Love riding steel bikes. Check out CO-Motion Cycles. Hand built in the great USA, Eugene OR. Currently have two tandems and a single. Awesome bikes Ride quality over a Surly is night a day.
Years ago, I mentioned them in a video. They are a company that has been around a minute, and they do it right!
3 x is dead, not sure what Marin or as you say (mu rin) are playing at. and as for mechanical discs! sorry but no thanks.
I feel like for a loaded tour, a 3x may be welcomed for some. And I have mech brakes on my Kona. They work just fine. Don't feel nearly as nice as hydro, but functionally, they work fine.
Nonsense
Rondo st1….
Sick bike!
@@TysRides yeah I like mine. 1x rival, dt swiss 650 b
No I don’t 😂
Yes, yes, you do! They are heavy and slow! But they ride like a dream and are bulletproof. It will last you forever. When you're 65 and retire, you can do a slow XC tour on it. Haha
Kona Rove ST forever! Heavy and solid love since 2020. ❤️
It feels so amazing once it‘s rolling fast. Don‘t ask for climbing with it. 🫠
Love‘s bigger than mountains. 🥰
I am currently thinking about upgrading the fork to a Ritchey WCS Adventure Fork (Carbon). Should help to get more agility.
Anyone out there who‘s already switched steel to carbon fork at a steel rig?
Nice and reasonable list of some of the most versatile bikes of all time. ❤️
Salsa’s Fargo and Kona‘s Sutra are simply amazing but so are all of your mentioned bikes.
@TOxRTxUR hell yes! I freakin love my Kona Rove. It is a bike I will have forever. I absolutely love the ride feel. It's just heavy, but when I'm riding that bike, speed is not top priority. I plan on doing a cross country tour on it one day.
You just ignited my want for a steel bike frame. 😆
They can do it all!