When Surly rolled out the Straggler in 2014, it blurred the traces between classes. On paper, it seemed like a detailed cousin to the cyclocross-ready Cross Examine, nevertheless it additionally included appears to be like and options from the Midnight Particular and the Preamble.
In hindsight, the Straggler could have been forward of its time, foreshadowing the now-booming All-Street class.
At its core, the Straggler is a metal all-road/gravel bike constructed for versatility. A real n-1 steed, the Straggler was designed to deal with all the pieces from mild bikepacking to weekday commutes, and just about something in between. It’s able to disappear into the woods for per week, nevertheless it additionally appears to be like prefer it may need a mixtape and a flask within the body bag.
The newest replace streamlines the Straggler lineup with fewer body sizes and construct choices, more likely to sharpen the excellence between fashions and simplify Surly’s broader vary. The redesign additionally tackles a long-standing problem: enhancing match and stability for smaller riders.
Development & foremost options:
(Picture credit score: Riley Missel)
For the previous decade, the Straggler has held its place as a timeless, steel-framed, dirtbag dream machine.
Earlier variations used a totally horizontal high tube, which pressured riders with shorter inseams to measurement down for sufficient standover clearance. The newest redesign simplifies the scale and construct lineup, introducing a barely sloped high tube that improves standover peak for smaller riders like myself.
The lowered seat tube additionally permits room for longer dropper posts. Surly adjusted the geometry additional by rising the underside bracket drop for a decrease centre of gravity and a extra steady journey, and by elevating the stack so the rider sits in a extra upright, snug place.
The dimensions vary has been pared to eight choices, and wheel sizes are actually matched to border measurement. Sizes 46–52 include 650b wheels and 45 mm tires, whereas sizes 54–64 run 700c wheels with 47 mm tires. The smallest sizes are gone, with sizes 36 and 42 now discontinued. At 5’2”, I used to be particularly curious how the brand new construct would really feel on 650b wheels, since some bikes that measurement depart me feeling cramped or oddly low. The Straggler’s geometry nailed it: the body felt steady, balanced, and proportionate to the wheels, with out making it awkward to face over or put a foot down.
Specs:
(Picture credit score: Riley Missel)
- Body and fork materials: 4130 metal
- Tires: Teravail Washburn 650b x 47 (sizes 46-52), Teravail Washburn 700c x 45 (sizes 54-64)
- Clearance: As much as 50mm with out fenders (47mm with)
- Chainring: 46/30 (additionally accessible as a 1x)
- Shifting: Shimano GRX 610
- Brakes: Shimano GRX (160mm)
- Cassette: 11-36
- Mount capabilities: Braze-ons for entrance and rear fenders and racks, and three bottle cages
- Value: $2,499 / £2,149.99
The Experience:
(Picture credit score: Riley Missel)
I’ve ridden the Straggler round city in addition to on a week-long bike journey from Colorado into Utah.
It was geared nicely for lengthy days with 5,000 toes of gravel climbing and simply as prepared for bombing down paved descents. After hours within the saddle, the Straggler saved the journey clean sufficient that my legs and decrease again by no means cried for mercy, which is an enormous win on any multi-day journey.
With flared bars, broad tyres and a dropper publish, it felt planted and assured on steep, unfastened descents and corners. On rockier, chunkier sections, although, I began to really feel its limits. With no suspension, a lot of the Straggler’s smoothness and vibration-damping comes from the metal body, your selection of tyres and from your personal knees and elbows, which the bike offers you loads of room to make use of.
The Straggler understands why we journey gravel bikes within the first place. Positive, we might keep on with a street bike for pavement, a ’cross bike for dust and a hardtail for singletrack, however selecting a gravel bike as an alternative is about embracing a sure spirit. An all-road bike feels extra adventurous, extra come-what-may. You can set out on the Straggler with a tidy street loop in thoughts, solely to seek out its playfulness nudging you off-course mid-ride.
I by no means felt like I used to be dragging it round. The Straggler desires to climb, and it desires to wander. Its clean journey and nimble dealing with felt proper at house on gravel roads, whereas its geometry and broad bars invited detours onto trails to see how far it may very well be pushed. And possibly pace is relative, and even an phantasm created by consolation, stability, and circulate, however opposite to its title, the Straggler felt fairly quick.
Worth & Conclusion:
(Picture credit score: Riley Missel)
On the finish of the day, the Straggler has at all times been the bike that an entire spectrum of cyclists use for all types of adventures and errands–it’s versatile, it’s reliable, and it’s actually enjoyable. This new model is all of that, with only a bit extra inclusivity for riders beneath 5’3” who wish to push the bounds of a fully-rigid bike (and never have it really feel like overkill to journey to a espresso date both).
I’ve ridden some top-flight gravel bikes that had been so mild and jittery they made me really feel like I used to be simply performing some very costly under-biking on washboard roads. These fashions made me assume I didn’t like using gravel bikes. However the journey high quality, versatility, and match of this scrappy little wild card satisfied me I do. I actually, actually do.