With a raft of bikepacking-focused and rather mental bikes coming from the brand over the past few years, it’s been a hot minute since we’ve seen a proper mountain bike from Surly, until now. The Sorceress is its latest hardtail, and in classic Surly fashion, it’s simple, adaptable, and definitely rad. I’ve spent some time on the bike ahead of launch, and here are my initial thoughts.
The Sorceress is designed to be a bit of a do-it-all ripper, but with some very real MTB DNA. Of course, it’s a simple bit of kit, but nestled within its Natch steel tubed frame is the DUH dropout (pronounced D-U-H… duh…). This comes with the bike as standard, and it’s a multi-functional dropout, allowing for the user to run either a UDH-equipped drivetrain or go mega simple with a single-speed setup that’s able to sort wheel alignment, too.
Elsewhere, Surly has gone proper progressive, and the Sorceress is absolutely modern. There’s a 140mm suspension fork, room for two bottles in the front triangle (frame size dependent), and external cable routing throughout (hoorah!).
The brand also claims that this bike has the “best in class” dropper length and standover height. Wisely, there are no bosses on the seat tube, so lengthy droppers can be run at full insertion, and the brand says that a standover on a large frame measures 796mm.
Speaking of the geometry, all of the numbers are pretty spot on for a modern trail hardtail. There’s a 65-degree head tube angle, a 76-degree seat tube angle, and a mighty short 429mm chainstay. The large frame that I rode is then sorted with a 484.1mm reach. Nice.
Wrapping up the tech specs, the Sorceress runs a pair of 29-inch wheels, unless you go for an XS frame, which is equipped with 650b hoops.
Surly Sorceress SRAM EA90 – Componentry
Three Sorceress builds are being brought into the UK, and they differ from what you’ll see over in the States. The frame itself is available for £999, a Deore-equipped build is £2,650, and the SRAM Eagle 90 build I’ve been riding will set you back £3,150.
For that money, you get SRAM’s Eagle 90 T-Type drivetrain, of course, paired with SRAM’s DB6 brakes and a set of 180mm rotors.
Manitou delivers the suspension with its Mattoc Expert fork, which is certainly nothing to sniff at. Wheels are then brought by Halo with a pair of Skeltas. They’re wrapped with Teravail’s Clifty tyres in 2.5-inch widths, soft rubber, and beefier casings.
The UK builds are definitely a little off-piste, compared to the Fox and RockShox-equipped bikes we see nearly everywhere else, and that continues to the finishing kit, which is graced with bits and pieces from Gusset. Oh, and there’s a 190mm ExaForm dropper post.
This all results in a build that’s a bit different, but none of it is anything to turn your nose up at. I’ve been impressed with the tyre choice, and the componentry makes for a bike that may not be particularly blingy (aesthetics aside), but one that works.
Surly Sorceress SRAM EA90 – Ride impressions
It’s unfortunately rare that I have the opportunity to spend some time with a hardtail, but nearly every time I do, I rediscover the thrill of the raw trail feel they offer, and the very same goes for the Sorceress, especially as it’s so well proportioned and damped.
The Sorceress’s shape is spot on for its intentions. It’s a comfortable place to be for a hard tail. That comes with thanks to the steep seat tube angle, which plonks weight at an excellent position over the bottom bracket, while making its lengthy reach feel much more approachable, and easy going.
On the flats, it’s efficient and simply enjoyable. It’s no slouch on the climbs either, as you would expect of a bike without rear suspension. That said, as the chainstay is so short, the front end can feel a little light when tackling steeper and longer ascents. This phenomenon is easily medicated, though, by dipping your shoulders closer to the bar to put more weight into the lovely-looking Gusset handlebar.
Versatility is the name of the Sorceress’s game. It’s loaded with mounting points and can be shape-shifted to run singlespeed, so it’s primed for larking about on the trail and lengthier weekends in the hills. But on the descents is where the real magic happens.
It’s delightfully low slung. The conscious choice made by Surly to make the standover as low as possible opens up tonnes of room over the bike to move around. Combine that with a reasonably low bottom bracket (313.5, says Surly) and that tucked-in chainstay length, and it’s a hoot to throw around corners.
There’s just so little underneath you to get in the way, so leaning the bike however you like is a breeze. Then, flicking the bike around just doesn’t come easier, as the rear wheel is basically under your arse, throwing in just enough surprises to keep the ride exhilarating.
Add the head angle to the mix, and the Sorceress is one manoeuverable number. The bike’s front end balances responsiveness with stability, making quick changes of direction easy to come by, while remaining reasonably well supported when the going gets tough.
In fact, the Sorceress is a bike that thrives on the edge of control. That line is very easy to find, too, especially when charging through faster and choppier terrain. Where the long front centre encourages faster speeds and rustles up all of the confidence you’ll ever need, the rear end can skip and bounce about, which has made me feel like I’m riding as loose as I ever have, but without an ounce of nervousness. Yeah, there may have been the odd brown moment, but the bike’s shaped well enough for me, and my trousers to come out unscathed.
With that very wisely picked geometry comes enough of the right type of compliance. This is a steel frame after all, and it does an excellent job of damping harsher vibrations, boosting the bike’s air of confidence. Though looking at the tubes, there’s not much that suggests that Surly has shaped them to promote more compliance; rather, the brand uses the characteristics of those Natch tubes to achieve such.
That said, the sizey 2.5” tyres do an awful lot to absorb the sting from the trail. I’ve been impressed with them, too, as they conjure up a great level of traction while feeling rather supple. Though if this were my bike, I would throw a more aggressive tyre on the front of the bike, as the Clifty up front can feel a little out of its depth when tackling steeper sections of trail.
The same goes for the front brake rotor. For general riding, 180mm is plenty, but when the riding gets more aggressive, I’ve found that it doesn’t quite have the bite I’m usually after. The SRAM DB6 brake isn’t the most powerful either, so every little helps here.
Surly Sorceress SRAM EA90: our early verdict
With its Elderberry Tonic colour, steel tubes and heavy-metal logos, the Surly Sorceress is a trail hardtail that rides as good as it looks. With it, Surly has paired a confidence-inspiring geometry with a reasonably well-damped frame that results in a hardtail that can be ridden almost like a full suspension bike. Add in those mounts, and the UDH adaptability, and it’s primed to please a wide range of riders, whether you’re looking for an aggressive trail companion or a capable bikepacking rig.
1 thought on “Surly returns to the aggro hardtail market: Surly Sorceress first ride review”
There used to be a time Surly where everywhere, I had 4 at one point! While I still have a single Surly I cant see myself buying another. Pricing is far beyond what it should be for such a simple frame. They are not priced at a premium in the U.S. and didnt used to be here in the UK, but for some reason the UK pricing is US+import+handling. May as well import one myself and save the mark up.