Test: The Ghost Fire Road Rage 6.9 LC is the gravel and bikepacking offshoot of the Violent Road Rage Crosser from the same company. Of course, the thick tires catch the eye right at the beginning, but they do not detract from the very sporty orientation of the monster crosser. Thanks to numerous mounting options, the carbon bike should also be on the short list of bikepacking fans.
Ghost Fire Road Rage 6.9 LC: The lowdown
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size(s): 29"
Axle dimensions (v/h): 12 × 100/142 × 12
Mudguard Eyelets: Ja
Luggage carrier eyelets (v/h): Yes / Yes
bottle holder: down tube up, down tube down, seat tube, fork
Other: Eyelets on the top tube
Wheel weight v/h (with tires, cassette and brake discs): 1.580g / 2.090g
Weight complete bike without pedals (size M): 9,89kg
Price: € 2.599
All information about Shimano's new gravel group GRX
Product news: Shimano GRX: All information about the new gravel group
Product news / Gravel: Gravel bikes have long since outgrown their former niche and with their increasing popularity, the need for components specially tailored to the universal racers is also increasing. Shimano's answer to this is GRX - a complete series of special Gravel components that break new ground in several respects. We have all the information about the new Shimano […]
Ghost Fire Road Rage 6.9 LC: Red hot off-road
"Road Rage" sounds pretty aggro, but luckily you'll rarely ride this bike in traffic. Because the description on the Ghost website already indicates where this bike is headed: off-road, where it can make perfect use of its solid twenty-niner wheels with two-inch tires. These days, tires like this look pretty flimsy on an MTB, but on a racing machine they look extremely voluminous; moreover, the WTB Ranger with its coarse profile is a thoroughbred mountain bike tire. Fortunately, tires and rims are tubeless-ready - with minimal pressure and a good amount of sealing milk, this combination can withstand the roughest terrain.
Geometry Ghost Fire Road Rage
| XS | S | M | L | XL | |
| seat tube (in mm) | 445 | 465 | 482,5 | 505 | 530 |
| Top tube horizontal (in mm) | 505 | 525 | 545 | 568 | 590 |
| head tube (in mm) | 120 | 135 | 150 | 165 | 180 |
| chainstay (in mm) | 430 | 432,5 | 432,5 | 432,5 | 432,5 |
| Wheelbase (in mm) | 1012 | 1027 | 1037 | 1050 | 1062 |
| Steering angle (in °) | 70 | 70,5 | 71 | 71,5 | 72 |
| Seat angle (in °) | 74,5 | 74 | 73,5 | 73 | 72,5 |
| Reach (mm) | 359 | 371 | 381 | 393 | 404 |
| Stacks (in mm) | 527 | 544 | 554 | 573 | 589 |
| frame | Road Rage LC |
| suspension fork | Ghost LC Rigid |
| Wheels | Sram S900 / WTB XC i25 |
| Tubes | WTB Ranger Dual 2.0 |
| derailleur | Shame on Apex |
| Gear levers | Shame on Apex |
| Crank | Truvative Descendant |
| Front derailleur | Without |
| Brake | Shame on Apex |
| Seat post | groundfiftyone |
| Saddle | WTB Silverado Race |
| Stem | groundfiftyone |
| Links | Ground Fifty One Race WB |
These are perfect prerequisites for a cultivated gravel adventure, and the completion of the orange car also plays a role. 1X11 - here Sram Apex plus Rival rear derailleur - is very popular for cross and MTB, and the Fire Road Rage's gear ratio is right in between: With a 36 chain ring and 10-42 teeth at the rear, the gravel bike is powerfully stocky, and also downhill you can join for a long time.
The Gravel frame differs only in nuances from the cross-country bike called – here it comes – “Violent Road Rage”. The test bike has additional threaded inserts, such as on and under the top tube and on the fork, but that's about it. And this is where the concept reaches its limits: With a clear extension and strong elevation, you sit extremely sporty on the beautiful, smooth-surfaced carbon wheel. The extremely high bottom bracket makes things a bit more difficult - together with the high building tires you have to stretch your toes a lot to get on the ground. Relaxed strolls are not really the Ghost Fire Road Rage's thing - but off-road it burns like fire. Only the almost ten kilos (without pedals) make you sit up and take notice: Here you pay the bill for rather stable wheels and wide tires.
Ghost Fire Road Rage 6.9 LC: Let's Gravel
With the Ghost Fire Road Rage 6.9 LC, we tested one of the most versatile gravel bikes. The main reason for the wide range of applications are the thick MTB tires, which have a lot to offer in terms of comfort and provide great grip on any surface. In addition, the tires are in no way inferior to the other gravel tires in our test field when it comes to rolling resistance. There is no noticeable difference on gravel - quite the opposite: due to the wide contact surface, it rolls very comfortably and the WTB tires also have solid rolling properties on asphalt.
In addition to the tires, the curved rear end of the fiery frame, which can take a beating, also provides additional comfort. Nevertheless, the Ghost Gravel Racer does not lose its liveliness and, despite its impressive weight, accelerates surprisingly well thanks to stable wheels and wide tyres. In addition, there is a very pleasant running smoothness, which pays off especially on longer distances.
The geometry of the Ghost Fire Road Rage 6.9 LC also plays into the cards of versatility, since the position is very stretched and sporty by nature, but can be almost completely mitigated by the slightly sloped top tube and additional spacers. However, it is perfectly suited for sporty gravel use or racing cyclists who also want to ride off-road from time to time.
The other equipment certainly also plays a role here, because with the 1×11 Sram Apex and Rival rear derailleur, which has 36 teeth at the front and 10-42 teeth at the rear, you are and should be well prepared for both fast and crisp sections can easily overcome almost any obstacle. How versatile the Ghost Fire Road Rage 6.9 LC really is can also be seen from the large number of eyelets and attachment options for various bags, holders and luggage racks, which make multi-day use child's play.
