Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Flat-bar Ghost Grappler!
Wondering what it would take to convert the new Surly Ghost Grappler to flat bars? Or curious how a flat-bar Ghost Grappler would handle? We were, so we gave it a shot. Find photos, a parts list, and a video on it here.
Last month, Surly Launched the Ghost Grappler, their first dedicated drop-bar trail bike. Because of its trail-centric geometry, it seemed like a good candidate to test with a flat bar. In fact, it’s longer than almost any other drop-bar bike out there, which makes it the perfect candidate. And Neil does exactly that in our latest video, walking through what you need to make the conversion happen and sharing his thoughts on how the Surly Ghost Grappler rides with a flat bar.
What you need
It’s almost as if Surly had this conversion in mind because changing a drop-bar bike to flat bars can’t get much easier, or less expensive. In most drop-to-flat conversions, you have to replace the entire drivetrain and braking system, but with the microSHIFT Advent X system you only need a new shifter and brake levers—mechanical BB7 Road calipers can be operated with short-pull levers. Here’s what you need:
microSHIFT Advent X Trail Trigger Shifter
The microSHIFT Advent X Trail Trigger Pro Right Shifter is compatible with microSHIFT Advent X 10-speed drivetrains only, but fortunately, it works with the same derailleur used with the drop-bar system. That means it’s an easy swap. And it’s not too hard on the wallet, either. Find the manufacturer’s details here or grab one at your local bike shop for about $30. If you can’t get it at your LBS, we found it for $33 at REI.
SHIMANO SORA BL-R3000 BRAKE LEVER SET
The Shimano Sora BL-R3000 Brake Lever Set is designed to work with short-pull mechanical brakes and is about as simple as they come. We couldn’t get these at our LBS, but they were available at scattered online retailers, such as JensonUSA for $33.
Surly Ghost Grappler Giveaway
In case you missed our Dispatch yesterday, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve teamed up with Surly to give away a complete Ghost Grappler to one randomly selected member of our Bikepacking Collective. Click on the giveaway post in the related content grid below for complete details about our latest Collective Reward giveaway (and around a dozen others, too).
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