Surly Straggler review: Still the ‘mountain biker’s road bike’?

When Surly first launched the Straggler 10 years ago, the brand dubbed it a “mountain biker’s road bike.” With updates to the geometry, component spec, and frame details, the Straggler is still a quirky option that stands out in a sea of carbon gravel race bikes. But is it a road bike? I had to find out for myself.

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Surly Straggler key specs

• 4130 steel frame
• 8 sizes available, 46cm to 64cm
• Fits tires up to 700x50c
• Weight: 12.57kg (27.7lb) as tested, 61cm frame
• Price: $2,499 complete (GRX build, tested) or $899 for frameset
• Buy from Surly dealers

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What’s new

The updated Surly Straggler frame features a sloped top tube that improves standover clearance, along with a lowered seat tube to accommodate longer dropper posts. Surly also moved to flat-mount disc brakes this time around.

The geometry gets a refresh with a lower bottom bracket and higher stack height for a more relaxed and upright fit compared to most of the gravel bikes I’ve tested. Surly also slackened the head tube angle to 70° (down from 72°), which, paired with wide handlebars, gives the bike a steady, confident feel when steering through loose or chunky gravel.

The dropouts on the Straggler have been updated as well. Surly ditched the old sliding system in favor of open thru-axle dropouts front and rear. They utilize a three-piece axle design that adds a touch of complexity but offers versatility, while the 12x142mm rear spacing aligns with modern standards. Some riders will miss the simplicity of sliding dropouts, but most will appreciate the move to thru axles.

Frame features

The Straggler is built from 4130 chromoly steel, which provides a smooth and predictable ride. The frame now has internal routing for a dropper post—my test bike came with a TranzX post installed—and is ready for a 40mm suspension fork if you want to soften up the front end.

Mounts are provided for fenders, racks, and a couple of bottle cages, underscoring the bike’s versatility for touring and bikepacking. Tire clearance tops out at 700x50c, and my test build rolled on 700x45c tires.

Components and build

The complete GRX build I tested retails for $2,499 (frameset is $899) and tips the scales at 12.57kg / 27.7lb for a size 61cm. The Shimano GRX drivetrain is reliable, and the move to flat-mounted hydraulic brakes is a big step up from the mechanical brakes Surly specced previously. While the 2x drivetrain and semi-slick tires scream long-distance touring, the dropper post is a big plus in the off-road column.

The TranzX dropper remote is a little awkward to position, but once dialed in, it makes descending rough gravel and singletrack far more comfortable. That said, the wide handlebars may feel a bit ungainly to riders accustomed to narrower gravel cockpits.

Down and dirty ride impressions

As a mountain biker first and foremost, I have to start with singletrack, even though clearly that isn’t the Straggler’s raison d’être. On buff and flowy trails, the Straggler is a hoot thanks to the dropper post and the wider-than-standard drop bars. There’s plenty of flat-bar real estate to spread out for improved control, so you can get off the hoods and out of the drops and just ride it like a mountain bike.

Reviewer profile height: 190cm (6’3″) weight: 75kg (165lb) testing zone: Southeast, USA

But there’s a limit to that capability, at least for this rider. On technical trails, I could have used twice as much drop out of the post, which comes stock with 90mm of travel. Fortunately, there’s plenty of room for a longer post, at least on the 61cm frame I tested. But good luck finding a 27.2mm post with more than 125mm of travel.

With such confident singletrack handling, I rolled onto more technical trails than I should have given the rigid fork up front. That’s not to say I had to stop in my tracks; on the contrary, the slack-ish head angle and 44mm offset fork, not to mention the 45c tires, handle just fine. You just have to cut your speed in half.

Where the Straggler really shines is on gravel. The bike accelerates quickly and holds a line well through shifting surfaces. The upright fit makes it comfortable for long days in the saddle, and the steel frame smooths the chatter without feeling sluggish.

Looking at the Teravail Washburn tires, I was a little skeptical about how they would perform in various forms of gravel. After all, gravel road surfaces can range from big, chunky granite chunks to loose, fine sand, depending on where you ride. With medium-small side knobs and a mostly smooth center tread, the Washburn isn’t as knobby as the gravel tires I’ve liked in the past.

And yet, the Straggler, along with the Washburn tires, performed confidently everywhere I rode it. From smooth and dusty levee roads to farm roads strewn with smooth river stones, the Straggler rides fast and in control. The one surface where I found the Washburns struggle is along sandy stretches, which isn’t a surprise given the lack of deep tread.

Getting back to Surly’s description of the Straggler as a mountain biker’s road bike, there’s definitely something to the claim. For starters, this particular Straggler build comes with a 2×12 drivetrain, which, to be honest, is the first two-by I’ve ridden for any extended period of time since 2009. And yet, when riding on the road, it’s perfect.

To be clear, I’m a mountain biker, and I rarely, if ever, go out for a purely paved road ride. But even the most gravelly gravel rides involve stitching things together using sections of pavement, and it’s great having a mechanical advantage to get those sections over with as quickly as possible. Personally, I won’t be going back to two-by anytime soon — it makes shifting too dang complicated IMO — but I absolutely appreciate the option.

As a road bike, the Straggler is heavy, the bars are too wide, and the tires are too fat (and too knobby, for that matter). To me, the Straggler is the mountain biker’s hybrid bike, a term I use with the utmost respect.

You see, over the years I’ve counseled many non-bike friends on their first bike purchase, and almost to a tee, every one of them wants a bike that they can ride on the road, and also on trails every now and then. “I’m thinking about a hybrid,” they tell me.

What they really want is a gravel bike like the Straggler. With a wide gearing range, it rides like a road bike on the road, transitions easily to gravel thanks to the 45c tires, and rolls green-circle singletrack with a flat-bar, dropper-assisted stance.

For those who already own a capable mountain bike (or three!), the Surly Straggler can fill the chasm in your quiver that exists between road bike and hardtail mountain bike. For those who more regularly ride road and/or gravel, separate, dedicated bikes will require fewer compromises.

Pros and cons of Surly Straggler

Pros

• Modern gravel bike geo and plenty of frame mounts
• Smart build for tackling everything from road riding to singletrack surfing

Cons

• Jack of all trades, master of none
• Would prefer traditional thru-axle dropouts rather than open ones

Bottom line

The Surly Straggler remains true to its original ethos as a mountain biker’s road bike. It’s not the lightest gravel bike out there, and it’s not built for racing, but it excels at adventure, touring, and exploring rough terrain. The new frame details — internal dropper post routing, thru axles, and modern geometry — update the platform without losing its quirky, steel-bike charm.

Available in eight sizes (46cm to 64cm) and two colorways (Subtropic Algae green and Shaggy Carpet brown), the Straggler is still an outsider’s choice — but for riders who value versatility, capability, and comfort, that’s exactly the point.