The new Surly Sorceress is a hardcore hardtail MTB with a steel frame, aggressive geometry and a varied assortment of build options to suit your personality and riding style.
Surly has a history of creating wild dropouts and its latest DUH dropout, introduced on the Sorceress, is a piece of engineering genius.
It combines compatibility with multiple derailleur hanger standards, while also acting as a singlespeed chain tensioner.
DUH dropout system
Combining Boost (148x12mm) wheels with either a UDH, traditional hanger or sliding singlespeed dropouts with built-in tensioners is very clever indeed.
Like many of the best problem-solving ideas, Surly’s patent-pending DUH dropout is delightfully simple.
The 12mm dropout contains pucks that surround the axle. The pucks can be interchanged between either a traditional derailleur hanger, UDH-compatible spacers or singlespeed pucks, which also act as chain tensioners.
In the singlespeed guise, two bolts (one at the front of the non-driveside dropout and one at the back of the driveside dropout) are used to centre the wheels and set chain tension as the wheel is tightened.
Hardcore hardtail
All Sorceress bikes use 29in wheels front and rear, except the XS size, which uses 27.5in front and rear.
The frame is set up with geometry designed for a 140mm suspension fork (the fork travel on offer for all three build options).
The bike has a long front-centre measurement for each size, which Surly says will promote confidence at speed.
Surly says the Sorceress has a “best in class dropper-post length and standover”, with a full-length seat tube and low top tube enabling long dropper posts to fit into the frame and accommodate maximum space even for shorter riders.
The frame has mounts for two bottle cages on MD, L and XL sizes, and one cage on the smaller XS and SM options.
All frames are TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welded from 100% Chromoly steel, from Surly’s Natch tubing with a double-butted main triangle and trumpet flared tubes.
The finished frames are ED (Electrophoretic Deposition) coated.
Surly Sorceress geometry and sizing
Four sizes are available: XS, SM, MD, L and XL, with a relatively short reach of 415mm (XS), 437mm (small), 465mm (medium), 484mm (large) and 507mm (XL).
Geometry looks progressive, with a head angle of 65 degrees (64 degrees on the XS) and a seat tube angle of 76 degrees. The bottom bracket has a drop of 65mm below the axle centreline (55mm on the XS).
Surly has deliberately engineered short chainstays for “snappy handling”, and chainstay measurement is a compact 429mm on the 29in bikes and 410mm on the 27.5in-wheel XS.
Three Sorceress build options
There are three builds on offer, as well as a frame-only option.
The most expensive is the Elderberry Tonic build, which uses 12-speed SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission, a RockShox Psylo Gold RC and SRAM DB6 four-piston brakes.
The cheapest geared build is the Hot Honey Bling, featuring a Shimano Deore groupset, SR Suntour Zeron36 fork and Shimano MT420 four-piston brakes.
There is a singlespeed build, called the Swamp Water Taffy, with an SR Suntour Zeron36, SRAM NX cranks and Tektro brakes.
There is also a frame-only option, which includes all the dropout variations.
UK and European options
The singlespeed build and Swamp Water Taffy (grey) colourway are not available in the UK.
The frame-only option is available in Elderberry Tonic and Hot Honey Bling colourways.
Exact UK specs are to be confirmed, but they will include Halo wheels, Gusset components and a Manitou Mattoc fork.
Pricing and availability
- Elderberry Tonic (Eagle 90): £3,150 / $3,199
- Hot Honey Bling (Deore): £2,650 / $2,499
- Swamp Water Taffy (singlespeed): £NA / $2,199
- Frame only: £1,050 / $TBC
