I'm looking for a new bike under £1500. I'll use it everyday for getting around (I've got a short commute, but may get a new job that would require taking the bike on trains) and weekend rides with the family. We're hoping to start doing some family bike packing trips over the summer and school breaks (and so will be laden with gear for the kids as well as myself), and hopefully some longer tours once the kids get a little older. I would like to get a bike now that will be my forever bike, and will handle the everyday and gravel road use.

I'm leaning towards the Kona Sutra SE. It looks fantastic and everyone that has one seems to love it and indicate that it's a great all-around bike for the kinds of things I'm looking to do. Downsides: I'm a little skeptical about the bar end shifters, and it might be a bit heavy for hauling in and out of my bike storage and taking onto trains, carrying up and down stairs, etc. I've read lots of people say they were skeptical of the shifters at first but got used to them quickly and actually like them now. I've seen someone in another post comment that the shifters could be changed out for about £100, but the guy at the LBS said it would require changing out the derailleur as well and would be several hundred ££. He generally suggested that the bar end shifters were terrible and that I should go with the Genesis; they sell both, but Genesis seems to be the "house brand" of this particular shop.

The 2nd on my list is the Genesis Tour de Fer 10. Overall it sounds really similar to the Kona Sutra SE in terms of versatility. Main plus over the Kona is the brake shifters. I'm sure I'd love it and I shouldn't care that much about looks, but I really like the look of the Kona over the Genesis.

3rd on my list is the Cube Nuroad Pro FE. I know this is in a different category than the other two, and I've become less excited about it compared to how I felt earlier in the week. Main advantage is that it's lighter and would probably be great for the everyday biking/taking on trains. I also like that it has a dynamo hub and lighting, as I would like to not have to worry about forgetting to charge my lights. Main downsides are that it's aluminium and less likely to be my forever bike, and would be less good on longer tours, and maybe even bike packing trips if I've got to carry stuff for the kids. I also am not a big fan of the rear rack without a platform (how am I supposed to carry a case of beer home??), and it sounds like changing out the rack for another one is impossible/not easy.

Any opinions on these three bikes? Anyone with the Kona Sutra SE that was skeptical about the bar end shifters that came to like them, or ended up hating them? Or changing them out?

I'm looking for a new bike under £1500. I'll use it everyday for getting around (I've got a short commute, but may get a new job that would require taking the bike on trains) and weekend rides with the family. We're hoping to start doing some family bike packing trips over the summer and school breaks (and so will be laden with gear for the kids as well as myself), and hopefully some longer tours once the kids get a little older. I would like to get a bike now that will be my forever bike, and will handle the everyday and gravel road use.

I'm leaning towards the Kona Sutra SE. It looks fantastic and everyone that has one seems to love it and indicate that it's a great all-around bike for the kinds of things I'm looking to do. Downsides: I'm a little skeptical about the bar end shifters, and it might be a bit heavy for hauling in and out of my bike storage and taking onto trains, carrying up and down stairs, etc. I've read lots of people say they were skeptical of the shifters at first but got used to them quickly and actually like them now. I've seen someone in another post comment that the shifters could be changed out for about £100, but the guy at the LBS said it would require changing out the derailleur as well and would be several hundred ££. He generally suggested that the bar end shifters were terrible and that I should go with the Genesis; they sell both, but Genesis seems to be the "house brand" of this particular shop.

The 2nd on my list is the Genesis Tour de Fer 10. Overall it sounds really similar to the Kona Sutra SE in terms of versatility. Main plus over the Kona is the brake shifters. I'm sure I'd love it and I shouldn't care that much about looks, but I really like the look of the Kona over the Genesis.

3rd on my list is the Cube Nuroad Pro FE. I know this is in a different category than the other two, and I've become less excited about it compared to how I felt earlier in the week. Main advantage is that it's lighter and would probably be great for the everyday biking/taking on trains. I also like that it has a dynamo hub and lighting, as I would like to not have to worry about forgetting to charge my lights. Main downsides are that it's aluminium and less likely to be my forever bike, and would be less good on longer tours, and maybe even bike packing trips if I've got to carry stuff for the kids. I also am not a big fan of the rear rack without a platform (how am I supposed to carry a case of beer home??), and it sounds like changing out the rack for another one is impossible/not easy.

Any opinions on these three bikes? Anyone with the Kona Sutra SE that was skeptical about the bar end shifters that came to like them, or ended up hating them? Or changing them out?

I'm looking for a new bike under £1500. I'll use it everyday for getting around (I've got a short commute, but may get a new job that would require taking the bike on trains) and weekend rides with the family. We're hoping to start doing some family bike packing trips over the summer and school breaks (and so will be laden with gear for the kids as well as myself), and hopefully some longer tours once the kids get a little older. I would like to get a bike now that will be my forever bike, and will handle the everyday and gravel road use.

I'm leaning towards the Kona Sutra SE. It looks fantastic and everyone that has one seems to love it and indicate that it's a great all-around bike for the kinds of things I'm looking to do. Downsides: I'm a little skeptical about the bar end shifters, and it might be a bit heavy for hauling in and out of my bike storage and taking onto trains, carrying up and down stairs, etc. I've read lots of people say they were skeptical of the shifters at first but got used to them quickly and actually like them now. I've seen someone in another post comment that the shifters could be changed out for about £100, but the guy at the LBS said it would require changing out the derailleur as well and would be several hundred ££. He generally suggested that the bar end shifters were terrible and that I should go with the Genesis; they sell both, but Genesis seems to be the "house brand" of this particular shop.

The 2nd on my list is the Genesis Tour de Fer 10. Overall it sounds really similar to the Kona Sutra SE in terms of versatility. Main plus over the Kona is the brake shifters. I'm sure I'd love it and I shouldn't care that much about looks, but I really like the look of the Kona over the Genesis.

3rd on my list is the Cube Nuroad Pro FE. I know this is in a different category than the other two, and I've become less excited about it compared to how I felt earlier in the week. Main advantage is that it's lighter and would probably be great for the everyday biking/taking on trains. I also like that it has a dynamo hub and lighting, as I would like to not have to worry about forgetting to charge my lights. Main downsides are that it's aluminium and less likely to be my forever bike, and would be less good on longer tours, and maybe even bike packing trips if I've got to carry stuff for the kids. I also am not a big fan of the rear rack without a platform (how am I supposed to carry a case of beer home??), and it sounds like changing out the rack for another one is impossible/not easy.

Any opinions on these three bikes? Anyone with the Kona Sutra SE that was skeptical about the bar end shifters that came to like them, or ended up hating them? Or changing them out?