Disc Trucker to Kona Sutra TA
 

I have been riding a disc trucker for about 4 or 5 years and enjoy it. Problem is i saw a woman with a 2018 Kona Sutra the other day and it was love at first sight. The bike folks.Happily married.Turns out she is going to put it up for sale next week. It is my size! I am going to test ride it soon. Have any of you owned both these bikes at one time or another.I really just want some bike aquisiton support please.

I had a Disc Trucker and I sold that to a friend and now have a Co-Motion Cascadia. Nothing against Kona or Surly but I cannot imagine that the Sutra is going to be much of an upgrade and more of a side step. Neither bikes are bad but neither bikes are really all that exceptionally better than one another. Some component differences that are good on one and not as good on the other.

I am never opposed to someone buying another bike (well almost never) but for me I would say now that you have ridden a good solid bike and know what you like and dislike it might be time to do a bigger upgrade. I am not saying it has to be Co-Motion though they were super easy to deal with and make a super quality frame. Plus they have my British racing green which is super important for a touring bike.
The parts I chose reflect my feelings at the time (and some current feelings added since).and works well for me and a stock bike wouldn't have gotten me there. Granted now I would change a few more things and might consider a Americano but I still really love the bike and how it rides and the joy I get being around it.

I will say that building a bike from frame up is more expensive but well worth it in the end. If you ever want help doing that I can get you a build sheet together and we can figure out what might work best for you and all of that. I love doing it and trust me it will be awesome. My Disc Trucker had lots of replacement parts and if I had kept it longer it would have gone down to probably just a frame at some point with all new parts.

I understand what you are saying.More of a sidestep than an upgrade so why bother.

But, if it's a great bargain, nothing wrong with putting it in the stable and admiring it. :foo:

You haven't ridden it yet but you liked the look of it only, so if it rides well enough, just sell the other bike.
what's the point of having essentially two same bikes?
you didn't really need us to tell you that did you?

on a positive note, I have always found the sutra to be a really nice looking bike, nice paint job, and liking the aesthetic aspect of a bike is fine, some of my bikes make me happy looking at them, and luckily riding them too.
how it rides compared to your lht who knows, and you may be blinded by the shiny new object factor... but in the end, I'm sure you can sell your surly and pay most of buying the sutra.

oh, pics of both side by side or it didn't happen

I knew they were in the same bracket. I just wanted the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other to present themselves through the experience of you folks.

If you're bicycle commuting, go ahead and get a spare bike. Go get the bike and a tire's flat? Grab the other bike, pump the tires up, and go. Something breaks and it'll take a week or two to get the part? Ride the spare bike. Just remember to fix whatever needs it, or you'll soon have two bikes that won't work. Been there, done that. :/

Doesn't work that way when you're touring and 700 miles from home. Been there, done that too. :(

DT -> KS = step down. Only reason to get the KS is if the sloping top tube and slightly lower standover height is beneficial for your particular bike fit needs.

If I were looking for a second bike to my Disc Trucker, it wouldn't be a second tourer - it would be something lighter as unloaded riding doesn't require as stiff and heavy a frame, wheels and tires. If you drive only a pickup truck, you probably wouldn't/shouldn't buy another truck.

Save the money for touring costs.

Seriously though upgrade. Do buy another bike but maybe possibly not this one. As seeker333 said maybe look at something different or if you want a touring bike get something even better. Take what you have learned from this bike and get what you think is going to work better for you and your needs and not what Surly dictated to you in their choices.

I guess as someone who just plain likes my Troll and is perfectly happy with how it rides, if the Sutra rides well for him and he likes how it looks, what the heck, sell the disc trucker and use the Sutra.
I didnt look into all the details of components of both bikes, but arent they similar or the same? Don't really see why it would be a downgrade.

and in the end, just ride whatever one you like more and get out there and stay fit and see the world on your bike, whatever bike--of course, if there are obvious things you'd like to be diff or "better", then identify them and figure out how to make changes.
I guess if a basic thing like frame size shape not working for you, and other stock bikes not working, then I can see going custom, but most of us can ride stock bikes with stem changes etc and be happy enough.