Kona Sutra

The Sutra is the pick for riders who want a touring bike that still feels lively. Its gravel-influenced steel frame and 40 mm Schwalbe Marathon Mondial tires make it happy on rough back roads as well as pavement, and the 30/46 crankset with an 11-38 cassette gives a bottom gear low enough for steady loaded climbing. It arrives with fenders and a Tubus Tara front low-rider rack, so only a rear rack is missing for a four-pannier setup. TRP's HDC711C brakes are cable-operated hydraulic calipers, which stop better than plain cable discs yet still use an ordinary cable you can replace on the road. At around $1,599, it is one of the better-value drop-bar tourers on sale.