New Surly Moonlander ‘floats’ over terrain with 6.2in tyres and Pinion gearbox

Surly unveils first Pinion-drivetrain bike, designed for rocky shorelines, sand, snow and lunar exploration

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Published: Tuesday, 03 September 2024 at 13:00 PM

Surly has updated its Moonlander expedition bike with a Pinion gearbox, wider tyres and increased ground clearance.

The bike is designed to ‘float’ over a variety of terrain thanks to its 24×6.2in tyres. These have been developed to be the widest possible platform without creating a new hub and standard or exceeding acceptable Q-factor tolerances.

Surly says the Moonlander is designed for rocky shorelines, sand, snow and “landscape not yet ridden”.

Pricing is set at £4,699.99 for a complete build, with the Moonlander Frameset, featuring a Pinion gearbox, available in some territories.

Shoot for the moon

The Moonlander certainly has a lunar-exploring aesthetic. – Surly

The Moonlander’s frame is made from Surly’s Chromoly Steel and features a small front triangle to lower standover height and make it easier to mount when riding tough terrain.

Surly Moonlander on sand dunes
The bike has been designed to navigate all types of terrain, from rock crawling to sand surfing. – Surly

Surly says it has given the bike a longer rear triangle to increase stability, and balance the weight between the front and rear axles for better riding characteristics.

The bottom bracket height has been increased to allow for better ground clearance, enabling you to clear more obstacles and hit your crank arms less in rocky terrain.

Surly Moonlander with Pinion C1.9 XR on sand dunes
Centring the weight low in the bottom bracket area should improve handling characteristics. – Surly

Buried in the bottom bracket area is a Pinion C1.9 XR 9-speed Gearbox, which uses a sealed set of gears similar to those found in automobiles. 

Gearboxes are popular with expedition riders for many reasons, with durability, ease of maintenance and longevity often cited as benefits over traditional derailleur designs.

Surly Moonlander being ridden on sand dunes
Fat tyres are designed to be run at low pressures and conform to the ground below. – Surly

This is the first time Surly has integrated a Pinion system into one of its frames, with the brand saying the drivetrain protects the gears when travelling through inhospitable terrain.

Gearboxes also enable you to use a belt drive, although Surly has specced the Moonlander with a chain.

Wider than ever

Surly Moonlander 24x6.2in wheel on sand dunes
These are some of the widest bike tyres on the market. – Surly

Surly has developed the new Moolander alongside the Molenda tyre and Clown Royal rim.

The bike has the same Q-factor as the brand’s Ice Cream Truck.

The Moonlander will also fit 26×5.1in, 27.5×4.8in and 29x3in tyres for those looking to ride trails a little more paved.

Surly Moonlander cage mounts on sand dunes
The front triangle will take a single water bottle on the SM, two on the MD and three on the LG / XL. – Surly

As with most modern adventure bikes, the Moonlander features a host of pack mounts all over the frame, with studs featuring on nearly every tube.

Rack and fender mounts, as well as accessory mounts on both fork blades, should provide plenty of carrying capacity.

Surly offers the Moonlander in four sizes: SM, MD, LG and XL, each featuring a head tube angle of 68.5 degrees – two degrees slacker than the previous model.

All sizes share the same effective seat tube angle of 73 degrees, while the reach measurement for a size-large bike is 443.9mm.

Surly Moonlander spec and price details

Surly Moonlander

Surly Moonlander pack shot
Only one spec level will be available for the Moonlander. – Surly

Surly Moonlander Frameset