Surly Bridge Club Frameset
The Surly Bridge Club frameset is a best-in-class value proposition for adventure bikepacking, offering a burly 4130 CroMoly chassis, generous mounting points and a relaxed, stable geometry that shines under load. Compared with the more touring-specific Kona and the off-road oriented Salsa, the Bridge Club stands out for its combination of durability, aftermarket support and a lower price point—making it the pragmatic choice for heavy-duty, long-haul setups.
Cargo-hauler grin
Loads of mounts
Cargo-hauler grin
Loads of mounts
Review Summary
"Long-term owners praise its bombproof steel construction, comfortable ride, and abundance of mounts for heavy bikepacking; most note it's on the heavy side but accept that tradeoff for durability and utility."
Tank-like durability
Chromoly steel frame built for durability and a comfortable ride on long mixed-surface journeys.
Tank-like durability
Chromoly steel frame built for durability and a comfortable ride on long mixed-surface journeys.
Enhanced Physical Well-Being
Recreational Enjoyment
Eco-Friendly Living
The Surly Bridge Club frameset is a best-in-class value proposition for adventure bikepacking, offering a burly 4130 CroMoly chassis, generous mounting points and a relaxed, stable geometry that shines under load. Compared with the more touring-specific Kona and the off-road oriented Salsa, the Bridge Club stands out for its combination of durability, aftermarket support and a lower price point—making it the pragmatic choice for heavy-duty, long-haul setups.
Cargo-hauler grin
Loads of mounts
Tank-like durability
Chromoly steel frame built for durability and a comfortable ride on long mixed-surface journeys.
Generous tire clearance (29er and 650b compatible) for wide gravel or light-plus tires.
Cargo-hauler grin
Loads of mounts
Tank-like durability
Chromoly steel frame built for durability and a comfortable ride on long mixed-surface journeys.
Generous tire clearance (29er and 650b compatible) for wide gravel or light-plus tires.
$1,400-1,900 CAD
Kona Sutra LTD Frameset
The Kona Sutra LTD frameset earns its market-leader status through refined touring geometry, premium finishing and a focus on long-distance comfort and load-carrying refinement. It typically costs more than Surly’s value-minded option but delivers a more polished ride and upgraded features for extended bikepacking expeditions, sitting between the heavy-duty Surly and the more off-road Salsa in terms of purpose and price.
Long-haul comfort
Gravel grins
Long-haul comfort
Gravel grins
Review Summary
"Riders appreciate the Sutra LTD's comfortable touring geometry and sturdy build for fully loaded trips, with many liking its rack and fender compatibility; some users note the frame is heavier and the geometry feels a bit dated compared with modern gravel-specific frames."
Classic steel soul
Traditional steel touring geometry that prioritizes stability and load‑carrying comfort on long trips.
Classic steel soul
Traditional steel touring geometry that prioritizes stability and load‑carrying comfort on long trips.
Enhanced Physical Well-Being
Recreational Enjoyment
Skill Development & Mastery
The Kona Sutra LTD frameset earns its market-leader status through refined touring geometry, premium finishing and a focus on long-distance comfort and load-carrying refinement. It typically costs more than Surly’s value-minded option but delivers a more polished ride and upgraded features for extended bikepacking expeditions, sitting between the heavy-duty Surly and the more off-road Salsa in terms of purpose and price.
Long-haul comfort
Gravel grins
Classic steel soul
Traditional steel touring geometry that prioritizes stability and load‑carrying comfort on long trips.
Plenty of rack, fender and multiple bottle mounts for expedition setups and bikepacking configurations.
Long-haul comfort
Gravel grins
Classic steel soul
Traditional steel touring geometry that prioritizes stability and load‑carrying comfort on long trips.
Plenty of rack, fender and multiple bottle mounts for expedition setups and bikepacking configurations.
$1,000-1,500 CAD
Salsa Fargo Steel Frameset
The Salsa Fargo steel frameset is the go-to for aggressive off-road bikepacking, blending nimble handling, high tire clearance and a wealth of cage and rack mounts for mixed-terrain routes. Compared to the touring-leaning Kona and the utility-focused Surly, the Fargo trades some load-carrying bias for more trail-capable geometry and tire clearance—making it technically advantageous for riders prioritizing singletrack and rough gravel.
Trail-hungry grin
Endless cargo options
Trail-hungry grin
Endless cargo options
Review Summary
"Users love the Fargo's playful yet stable handling, huge tire clearance, and adaptability across mixed surfaces for bikepacking; a minority mention the weight and price as downsides but overall praise its versatility."
Slack-and-stable
Aggressive adventure geometry tuned for technical off‑road bikepacking and long days in rough terrain.
Slack-and-stable
Aggressive adventure geometry tuned for technical off‑road bikepacking and long days in rough terrain.
Recreational Enjoyment
Enhanced Physical Well-Being
Skill Development & Mastery
The Salsa Fargo steel frameset is the go-to for aggressive off-road bikepacking, blending nimble handling, high tire clearance and a wealth of cage and rack mounts for mixed-terrain routes. Compared to the touring-leaning Kona and the utility-focused Surly, the Fargo trades some load-carrying bias for more trail-capable geometry and tire clearance—making it technically advantageous for riders prioritizing singletrack and rough gravel.
Trail-hungry grin
Endless cargo options
Slack-and-stable
Aggressive adventure geometry tuned for technical off‑road bikepacking and long days in rough terrain.
High tire clearance for 29×2.6 or 27.5+ setups and abundant frame and fork mounting points.
Trail-hungry grin
Endless cargo options
Slack-and-stable
Aggressive adventure geometry tuned for technical off‑road bikepacking and long days in rough terrain.
High tire clearance for 29×2.6 or 27.5+ setups and abundant frame and fork mounting points.
$1,500-2,000 CAD
Crust Bikes Evasion Frameset
The Crust Evasion frameset is a boutique, bikepacking-first steel frame that emphasizes lightweight tubing choices, distinctive finishes and highly configurable mounting options for adventurous riders who want individuality. While often pricier or produced in smaller batches than the mass-market Surly or Salsa, Crust’s technical advantage lies in its custom-minded details and modern geometry tailored to fast, loaded riding on rough backroads.
Bag-friendly beast
Hand-painted flair
Bag-friendly beast
Hand-painted flair
Review Summary
"Devotees praise the Evasion for its distinctive aesthetic, snappy handling, and plentiful braze‑ons for gear, making it a cult favorite for bikepackers; others report occasional finish inconsistencies and that the more aggressive geometry isn't ideal for everyone."
Rugged road romance
Thin‑wall steel tubing for a compliant, flickable ride that still stands up to loaded expeditions.
Rugged road romance
Thin‑wall steel tubing for a compliant, flickable ride that still stands up to loaded expeditions.
Recreational Enjoyment
Eco-Friendly Living
Skill Development & Mastery
The Crust Evasion frameset is a boutique, bikepacking-first steel frame that emphasizes lightweight tubing choices, distinctive finishes and highly configurable mounting options for adventurous riders who want individuality. While often pricier or produced in smaller batches than the mass-market Surly or Salsa, Crust’s technical advantage lies in its custom-minded details and modern geometry tailored to fast, loaded riding on rough backroads.
Bag-friendly beast
Hand-painted flair
Rugged road romance
Thin‑wall steel tubing for a compliant, flickable ride that still stands up to loaded expeditions.
Multiple mounts for racks, bottles and framebags to tailor setups for short or long bikepacking trips.
Bag-friendly beast
Hand-painted flair
Rugged road romance
Thin‑wall steel tubing for a compliant, flickable ride that still stands up to loaded expeditions.
Multiple mounts for racks, bottles and framebags to tailor setups for short or long bikepacking trips.
$1,200-1,600 CAD
Norco Search XR Steel Frameset
The Norco Search XR steel frameset brings Norco’s mountain-bike heritage into the bikepacking arena with a responsive, performance-oriented steel platform that balances nimble handling and practicality for long rides. Compared with the heavier touring-first Surly and the more boutique Crust, the Search XR offers a middle ground of technical trail capability and dealer support—appealing to riders who want a livelier steel frame backed by a strong Canadian distribution network.
Race-ready steel
Gravel-bashing grin
Race-ready steel
Gravel-bashing grin
Review Summary
"Owners report a lively, comfortable steel ride with modern gravel geometry, excellent tire and gear clearance, and strong trail capability; a few reviews note it is heavier than carbon alternatives and that dealer support can vary by region."
Fast-and-forgiving
Chromoly steel frameset engineered for versatile all‑terrain adventure and bikepacking use.
Fast-and-forgiving
Chromoly steel frameset engineered for versatile all‑terrain adventure and bikepacking use.
Enhanced Physical Well-Being
Recreational Enjoyment
Skill Development & Mastery
The Norco Search XR steel frameset brings Norco’s mountain-bike heritage into the bikepacking arena with a responsive, performance-oriented steel platform that balances nimble handling and practicality for long rides. Compared with the heavier touring-first Surly and the more boutique Crust, the Search XR offers a middle ground of technical trail capability and dealer support—appealing to riders who want a livelier steel frame backed by a strong Canadian distribution network.
Race-ready steel
Gravel-bashing grin
Fast-and-forgiving
Chromoly steel frameset engineered for versatile all‑terrain adventure and bikepacking use.
Modern mounting points for racks and accessories plus clearance for plus‑size gravel tires.
Race-ready steel
Gravel-bashing grin
Fast-and-forgiving
Chromoly steel frameset engineered for versatile all‑terrain adventure and bikepacking use.
Modern mounting points for racks and accessories plus clearance for plus‑size gravel tires.
$1,300-1,800 CAD