Hi!
So I recently ordered Surly Troll frameset to build a touring bike and now it's time for parts. I want to go for drop bars, particularly Salsa Cowchipper but maybe something else, instead of flat bars. I know that Troll frame is built for flat bars, has long top tube, etc. I'm 178 cm, the frame is medium size.
Will this work? What should I consider to buy to make it work? Angled or short stem? Additional headset spacers? The steerer tube isn't cut yet, so I have options I guess.

Yes, probably a pretty short stem. Flat bar frames are usually like two inches longer for a given size.

Are you doing disk brakes or cantis or V brakes? That makes a difference to what levers and shifters you choose.

Still not decided, but probably will go for disc brakes, Avid BB7, Tektro rl520 levers should work with them. For shifters - maybe Microshift bar ends

I have Surly 1x1 with drop bars...I left the steerer tube uncut and used a lot of spacers to keep the bars higher up, I am also using a 70mm long stem with 30 degree raise. It works well and is very comfortable and the handling is good.
Start with your drop bars high and then go for a few rides and see what it feels like and make adjustments if necessary.

It will work. If you hve an existing drop-bar bike of which you like the fit, measure and add together the 'horizontal' top tube length and the stem length, then subtract the published horizontal top tube length of the Troll from that number and the result will give you a ballpark figure for stem length. If the Troll top tube is longer than the existing bike top tube + stem, then it is possible you will have a hard time getting the troll frame to work.

Example: your favourite bike has a 56cm top tube and a 10 cm (100mm) stem - total length 66cm. Aand a med. troll has an effective TT of 59.5 cm. 66cm-59.5cm= 6.5 cm, so a 6.5cm stem in this scenario would get you close.

This is what I did when I converted my straight-bar mountain bike to drop bars last fall. I measured my two other drop bar bikes which were within a half-inch of each other and chose bars and a stem that put my hands right where I like 'em.

The most important thing to remember when putting drop bars on a mountain bike frame is to make sure that you install those bars much higher than on a road bike or a cross bike and the only way to accomplish that is to use a fork with uncut steerer tube and maybe a shorter stem. or a high rise stem.. MTB frames have a different geometry and the only way to make it work is to get those bars higher up...I speak from experience, I have two different mountain bikes set up with drop bars.

Thanks guys!
Good idea to calculate based on my favourite bike! However I can't find frame specs for the bike I had (2011 Merida Cyclo Cross 3D). It was 55cm size, based on Merida's current CX lineup, the top tube of my previous bike should be around 56-56.5cm, provided they didn't change geometry much. Don't know about stem length though and don't have bike to measure it. So probably will try shortest available stem and will play with spacers to see how it works

Specs for your bike are on page 127: https://issuu.com/meridabicyclesltd/docs/2011_merida_catalogue_web

You can further narrow down stem choices using this stem comparison tool: Stem Comparison Tool | yojimg.net

Go HERE, and enter in all of the relevant geo data. You can configure your Troll right to the millimeter by playing with shims and stem length and rise. The only thing this calculator can’t factor is the reach from the bars themselves. Some bars have much longer reach than others.


-Kedosto

Thanks! So top tube is 547cm, not 560. Also found a photo of my bike (forum doesn't allow me to post photos) stem is relatively long, 90/100mm I guess?