2020 Ghost Kato

The 2020 Ghost Kato is designed to be a fast and agile hardtail mountain bike. It has a lightweight frame and some quality components that make it a good value for money mountain bike. I am going to go in to all the details of the 2020 Ghost Kato, you may think this is the perfect bike for you, you may not. If not, don’t worry I will suggest some alternative mountain bikes for you.

Who is it for?

The 2020 Ghost Kato is aimed at rider that are fairly new to mountain biking but want a well priced entry level bike. There are a number of different options to choose from to suit your budget and needs. There is even a 26″ wheeled version, but I will come on to wheel sizes later.

Details

The Ghost Kato has always been a good looking and good value for money mountain bike. The different versions available are all trail bikes, so I have scrutinised the components Ghost have put on them, to see if they made some good choices.

The frame is made from a lightweight aluminium, which makes it very easy when climbing. The forks are from Suntour. These are not particularly high end, but is typical for a hard tail mountain bike in this price range. All versions of this bike have 100mm of travel on their forks. Normally, you would get a slightly different amount of travel with different wheel sizes, but with the Kato it is 100mm for all options. These days most bikes come with the 27.5″ and 29″ wheel options. But the 2020 Ghost Kato has gone old school and thrown in a couple of options for those that like 26″ wheels.

At this point it is probably worth pointing out which wheel size you may want to choose.

  • 26″ – These are becoming more rare, as the industry standard has moved on to 27.5″ and 29ers. 26″ wheels make it really easy to change direction, but they don’t roll over bumps as well as larger wheels, meaning they are a bit slower in a straight line. Personally, I would avoid 26″ wheels now, as it is harder to find good tyres for them.
  • 27.5″ – This is the perfect wheel size for me. It offers a good compromise between agility and rolling resistance. It is perfect for me, due to my riding style and my build.
  • 29″ – 29ers roll over bumps much more easily and offer more comfort. They are also quicker in a straight line, but give your bike a less nimble feeling. 29ers are usually ridden by taller riders.

A great bonus of this bike is that it comes with a lot of Shimano components. These are good quality parts that durable and will should last a long time and work well.

 

Ride Characteristics

The light weight of the Ghost Kato means that it will have a nimble feeling and be easy to pedal. This is thanks to great power transfer through the pedals, making it efficient when riding on trails or on the road. However, as the Ghost Kato is an entry level mountain bike, you need to be realistic about what you expect from it. When the terrain gets more technical, it doesn’t make life particularly easy. However, it performs better than you would think on descents.

The handling is very user friendly and gives you confidence when riding. But, its high riding position and geometry doesn’t make it a particularly exciting ride. If you want a ride that is more exciting, you may want to look in to the Vitus Nucleus.

2020 Ghost Kato Models

Ghost Kato 1.6

Ghost Kato 1.6 mountain bike

Specifications

  • Frame: Kato AL Alloy
  • Forks: SR Suntour SF15 XCM HLO DS 100mm
  • Chainset: Shimano FC-TY301 42-34-24T
  • Cassette: Sunrace CSM400 12-32T
  • Shifters: Shimano SL-M3150
  • Front Derailleur: Shimano Tourney FD-TY700-TS6
  • Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tourney TX RD-TX800 8-S
  • Front Hub: Shimano HB-TX505 QR
  • Rear Hub: Shimano FH-TX505 QR
  • Front Rim: Rodi Excalibur XC 559x19mm 32H
  • Rear Rim: Rodi Excalibur XC 559x19mm 32H
  • Front Tyre: Mitas Ocelot 26 x 2.10
  • Rear Tyre: Mitas Ocelot 26 x 2.10
  • Brakes: Shimano BR-MT200 2/2 Piston 160mm Disc
  • Handlebars: XLC 700mm Rise 15mm Dia. 31.8mm
  • Stem: XLC MTB Dia. 31.8mm
  • Saddle: DDK 2373A
  • Seatpost: GHOST SP-DC1 31.6mm
  • Weight: 15.1kg

Ghost Kato 2.9

Specifications

  • Frame: KATO AL
  • Forks: SR Suntour SF19 XCT30 100mm
  • Chainset: Shimano FC-TY301 42-34-24
  • Cassette: Sunrace CSM400 12-32
  • Shifters: Shimano SL-M315
  • Front Derailleur: Shimano Tourney FD-TY700-TS6
  • Rear Derailleur: Shimano Acera RD-M360 8-S
  • Front Hub: Shimano HB-TX505 QR
  • Rear Hub: Shimano FH-TX505 QR
  • Rims: Rodi Excalibur XC 622x19mm 32H
  • Tyres: Mitas Ocelot 29 x 2.10
  • Brakes: Shimano BR-MT200 2/2 Piston 160mm Disc
  • Handlebars: XLC 720mm Rise 15mm Dia. 31.8mm
  • Stem: XLC MTB Dia. 31.8mm
  • Saddle: DDK 2373A
  • Seatpost: GHOST SP-DC1 31.6mm
  • Weight: 14.9kg

Ghost Kato 2.7

Specifications

  • Frame: KATO AL
  • Forks: SR Suntour SF19 XCT30 100mm
  • Chainset: Shimano FC-TY301 42-34-24
  • Cassette: Shimano CS-HG-200-8 12-32
  • Shifters: Shimano SL-M310
  • Front Derailleur: Shimano Tourney FD-TY700-TS6
  • Rear Derailleur: Shimano Acera RD-M360 8-S
  • Front Hub: Shimano HB-TX505 QR
  • Rear Hub: Shimano FH-TX505 QR
  • Rims: Rodi Excalibur XC 584x19mm 32H
  • Tyres: Mitas Ocelot 27.5 x 2.10
  • Brakes: Shimano BR-MT200 2/2 Piston 160mm Disc
  • Handlebars: Ghost Low Rizer light 720mm Rise 10mm Dia. 31.8mm
  • Stem: Ghost MTB Dia. 31.8mm
  • Saddle: Selle Italia X-Base
  • Seatpost: Ghost Light DC 1 31.6mm
  • Weight: 13.9kg

Ghost Kato 4.7

Specifications

  • Frame: KATO AL
  • Forks: SR Suntour XCM RL 100mm
  • Chainset: Shimano FC-MT300 44-32-22
  • Cassette: Shimano CS-HG-200-9 11-36
  • Shifters: Shimano Acera SL-M3000
  • Front Derailleur: Shimano Acera FD-T3000
  • Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore RD-M592 9-S
  • Front Hub: Shimano HB-RM35 QR
  • Rear Hub: Shimano FH-RM35 QR
  • Rims: Rodi Excalibur XC 584x19mm 32H
  • Tyres: Schwalbe Rapid Rob 27.5 x 2.10
  • Brakes: Shimano BR-MT400 2/2 Piston 180mm Disc
  • Handlebars: XLC 720mm Rise 15mm Dia. 31.8mm
  • Stem: XLC MTB Dia. 31.8mm
  • Saddle: DDK 2373A
  • Seatpost: GHOST SP-DC1 31.6mm
  • Weight: 14.5kg

Ghost Kato 5.9

Specifications

  • Frame: KATO AL
  • Forks: SR Suntour SF14 XCR Air RLR DS 100mm
  • Chainset: Shimano FC-MT500 36-26
  • Cassette: Shimano CS-HG500-10 11-42
  • Shifters: Shimano Deore SL-M6000
  • Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore FD-M6025-L
  • Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore RD-M6000 Shadow Plus 10-S
  • Front Hub: Shimano HB-RM35 QR
  • Rear Hub: Shimano FH-RM35 QR
  • Rims: Rodi Excalibur XC 622x19mm 32H
  • Tyres: Schwalbe Rapid Rob 29 x 2.10
  • Brakes: Shimano BR-MT200 2/2 Piston 180mm Disc
  • Handlebars: XLC 720mm Rise 15mm Dia. 31.8mm
  • Stem: XLC MTB Dia. 31.8mm
  • Saddle: DDK 2373A
  • Seatpost: Ghost SP-DC1 31.6mm
  • Weight: 14.3kg

Ghost Kato S3.9 (Electric Mountain Bike)

Specifications

  • Frame: HYBRIDE KATO FS AL
  • Forks: SR Suntour XCR 34 LOR AIR 120 mm
  • Rear Shock: XFusion O2 Pro RL Air 130 mm
  • Stem: GHOST MTB Dia. 35 mm
  • Handlebars: GHOST Low Rizer MTB 760 mm Rise 15 mm Dia. 35 mm
  • Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore RD-M6000 Shadow Plus 10-S
  • Shifters: Shimano Deore SL-M6000
  • Crankset: Shimano FC-E8000 34T
  • Cassette: Shimano CS-HG500-10 11-42
  • Brakes: Magura MT Thirty2 4/2 Piston 203 mm Disc
  • Seatpost: GHOST Light DC 1 31.6 mm
  • Saddle: Selle Italia X-Base
  • Display: Shimano SC-E8000
  • Motor: Shimano DU-E8000
  • Derailleur Hanger: FRHG0058
  • Battery: Shimano BT-E8010 504 Wh
  • Tyres: Schwalbe Nobby Nic Performance Addix 29×2.25
  • Front Hub: Formula EHL-148S 12×148 mm
  • Rear Hub: Formula DC-511 15×110 mm
  • Rims: Rodi Tryp 622×25 mm 32H

The Ghost Kato S3.9 is a bit different from the other bikes in the range. One difference, is that it is a full suspension bike, but the the main difference is that it has an electric motor to help you get to the top of the trail. It is a fairly well priced electric mountain bike and will provide lots of fun when trail riding and commuting.

Are you going to buy a Ghost Kato?

The Ghost Kato is definitely worth a look for an entry level bike. However, before you click join the “buy” button, I really would check out the Vitus Nucleus or for something a little more aggressive, look at the Vitus Sentier.

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