Gear Reviews
March 9, 2026

Surly Grappler Review

Jared Kukura

Executive BIkefisher

I built up a Surly Grappler frame in 2022 when the model was still called the ‘Ghost Grappler.’ I used the Grappler for off-road exploration, bikefishing, bikepacking, and dadpacking across four years.

Surly says that the Grappler is designed “around a stable and comfortable drop-bar hand position.” I made the bike my own by building it up as a flat bar bike, though.

The result was the heaviest and slowest bike I have ever owned. Nonetheless, the Surly Grappler is my favorite bike that I own and will be my forever bike.

Frame Specs and Geometry

Frame Material: 100% Surly Chromoly Steel frame, Natch tubing, double-butted main triangle, TIG welded, E.D. coated
Fork Material: 100% Surly Chromoly Steel fork, Natch tubing, double-butted tapered fork blades, TIG welded, E.D. coated
Fork: 420mm axle to crown, 50mm offset
Cable routing: Fully external for shift and brake hoses, internal routing for dropper post
Bottom bracket: 73mm BSA
Rear axle: “Gnot-Boost” 145mm, 12 x 142mm or 12 x 148mm (Surly axle included), 10 x 135mm with Surly 10/12 Adapter Washers (not included)
Max chainring size: 1x (mtn): 36T / 2x (mtn): 36/26T / 1x (Boost): 38T / 2x (Boost): 39/32T
Max tire size: 27.5×3.0, 29×2.2
Weight: Not listed, heavy

Initial Thought Process

I was excited from the moment I saw the first teasers of the Grappler. I had a vision of a flat bar build in my head, even though Surly marketed the bike with drop bars.

The launch of the Grappler came at the perfect time for me. My time as a crit racer was over. I had unmanageable back pain that forced me to sell my mountain and gravel bikes. I was in a state of cycling homelessness.

I wanted a dirt tourer, but I didn’t have much use for one. That changed once we had our first kid, though. I thought having a kid was the perfect excuse to build a big, slow bike that could carry loads of stuff.

The Surly Grappler appeared to be the perfect platform for what I had in mind. It had a long top tube for a child bike seat, a large front triangle for a frame bag, and many rack mounts on the frame and fork.

Build Specs

Frame: Surly Grappler, size L
Fork: Surly Dinner Fork
Stem: 70mm
Handlebars: Hudski Longhorn 790mm width, 50mm rise, 27 deg backsweep
Grips: PNW Loam
Rigid seat post: Dimension
Wheels: Shimano Deore, Microspline
Tires: Specialized Ground Control 27.5×2.6 (F & R)
Brakes: Shimano Deore, 2-piston
Rotors: Shimano Centerlock, 180mm
Shifter: Shimano Deore, 12-speed
Rear derailleur: Shimano Deore, 12-speed
Cassette: Shimano Deore, 10-51t
Crankset: Shimano Deore, 170mm, 30t
Pedals: OneUp Composites

Ride Impressions

I rode the bike unladen through hundreds of miles of singletrack here in Bend, Oregon. I think this bike is comfortable up to the intermediate trails, and stops being fun once there are large drops or more rocks than dirt. The rigid fork and tall stack are really fun to ride on flowy trails with minimal obstacles.

I bit off more than I could chew with this bike one time, though. I went over the bars trying to descend a steep chute of volcanic rock. I blame this on my choice not to run a dropper. I broke a pedal and scratched some components, but the frame and fork survived unscathed.

While I think the bike can handle a fair amount of singletrack, I think the Grappler rides best on dirt roads. The heavy steel frameset and large 27.5×2.6-inch tires make for a heavy and slow ride. But those attributes also make for a comfortable cruise on rutted forest roads.

I typically always run a front rack and a basket on the bike now. The steering doesn’t feel odd with the front load. It just cruises.

There is a slice of goat trail that leads down from my neighborhood to the river, which is an absolute blast to ride with the bike’s wide, swept-back handlebars. It can be tough pedaling home after fishing, but it’s made easier by the wide gear range on the bike.

You won’t get any KOMs climbing on this heavy bike. But it’s stable enough to get you to the top with the appropriate gearing.

Bikefishing

The Grappler has everything you could want in a bikefishing bike. It can take big tires to get you off the beaten track to remote fishing spots. It has an extraordinarily large front triangle for a frame bag. And there are multiple mounting options for racks and cargo cages.

I choose my Grappler over my Ritchey Ultra for bikefishing quests when I’m planning on spending most of my time on the water. The Grappler has room for everything I could need while gone for the day.

I pack my net and fishing bag in a basket on the front rack. I put a tenkara and a fly rod in the frame bag. I also strap my larger 5-weight fly rod to the side of my top tube if I’m inclined to bring it.

The front triangle on the large-sized Grappler frame is enough to carry all my bikefishing gear if I didn’t use a front rack and basket, too. I can easily fit my net, bag, and two small rods in the frame bag with room for bike tools and snacks. It’s seriously impressive.

Bikepacking

My bikepacking setup on the Grappler takes storage capacity to another level compared to my bikefishing setup. Two noticeable differences between the setups are the lack of a basket and swept-back handlebars for bikepacking.

I prefer to have the top of my front rack open to strap sandals and neoprene booties, and to attach panniers. I use the same stem, handlebar, and inner bar end setup that I utilize with my Ritchey Ultra when I’m planning long days on forest rods for better cruising comfort.

I pack snacks and essentials in two handmade stem bags. I put sleeping gear in a dry bag attached to a handlebar harness. Extra clothes go in a seat bag behind my saddle. Fishing rods, snacks, and bike tools go in the frame bag. The panniers get filled with a mixture of camping and fishing gear.

It’s a very heavy front-loaded system. The Grappler handles the weight well, though. I plan most of my bikepacking routes on forest roads, but I’m comfortable riding twisty singletrack with the setup.

Dadpacking

My first kid was one of the main catalysts for my Surly Grappler build. I now have two little boys, and the bike has proven itself a competent dad bike.

I ran a Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini on the steerer tube in front of me. I think a front child carrier is the best option for parents and kids. Riding bikes with your kid sitting where they can see everything and talk to you is wonderful.

The Grappler made a front seat easy because of the long top tube and the enormous amount of steerer tube Surly offers with its forks. I packed diapers, spare clothes, toys, and snacks in panniers or a basket on the front rack.

I modified my dadpacking setup after the second kid. I towed a Burley Encore X trailer for the older kid and used the Thule seat for the baby. I moved the bigger items to the trailer, but kept all the essentials in the front basket for easy access.

Once my youngest son outgrew the front seat, he went in the trailer with my older son. Two kids in a trailer are a lot of weight to pull on a bike. But the Grappler handles it like a champ.

Using a kid trailer with a Surly gnot-boost bike requires a new rear axle, though. I purchased a compatible axle from Robert Axle Project.

Aesthetics

The Surly Grappler is an odd-looking bike. But I love its unique look. The tall headtube and the accentuated curve between the seat and chain stays are beautiful, to me, at least.

While I prefer the feel of riding with a rack on the front of the bike compared to the rear, the real reason I run a front rack is so I don’t cover up that bend at the rear axle. I love staring at that curve. It’s so nice.

The green color of the original frameset is also fantastic. The earthy tone pairs well with coyote tan fabric bags and sand-colored grips. My grips are due for replacement, but I’m holding out for as long as possible because PNW stopped making them in the sand color.

I personally think silver accents would work better with the frame color than the black components I currently have on the bike. I would do a silver seatpost, stem, headset, spacers, and handlebars for the build if I were to go back in time.

Someone once told me the color of the frame was a trespasser green because it easily camouflaged in the forest. That comment inspired me to nickname the bike the trespasser’s accomplice.

Issues

My only complaint with the Surly Grappler is its lack of clearance for large 29-inch tires. I think it was a miscalculation to limit the stock fork to a 29×2.2-inch tire.

I tested the bike with a 29×2.2 setup over multiple weeks of bikefishing and bikepacking. The larger diameter wheels made me sit much higher off the ground when I was in the saddle. This felt like riding a horse compared to the 27×2.6 setup I typically use.

I had to slide the rear wheel back in the dropouts with the 29er configuration and had the wheel slide forward out of position on one bikepacking trip when I put power into the pedals. Surly sells adaptors to prevent the rear wheel from sliding forward, but they do not include them with the frameset.

I ultimately switched back to a 27.5×2.6 setup because I preferred the cruisy feel that I felt I lost with the narrower 29-inch tires. I think wider 29-inch tire clearance is more appealing to most people.

I heard some complaints about the rear rack mounts being difficult to mount because of the bend at the rear axle and the additional bottle mount. I added a 10mm nut as a washer to space out the bottom rack leg from the frame. I haven’t had any issues with this simple solution.

Final Thoughts

The Surly Grappler is a perfect dadventure bike. It’s my favorite bike that I own, despite it lacking high-performance characteristics. It’s utilitarian, and it looks good, too (to me, at least).

I built my Grappler differently from the stock drop bar configuration. I think the characteristics that I like about the bike transfer between a flat bar and a drop bar setup, though.

If you want a capable off-road bike that will take you and your stuff wherever you want to go and do it with a smile on your face, the Grappler is the bike for you. My only recommendation to someone considering the bike would be to buy a frameset and build it up how you want it. That’s the Surly way, after all.