Guide · Why titanium
Why we build in titanium
Why titanium
Three things you notice, and one you ask for
The ride
Titanium has a feel of its own. In our experience it takes the buzz out of the trail better than any other frame material we have ridden: the endless small vibrations that wear you down on a day-long ride. You arrive less tired, and you want to keep going.
The toughness
A frame has a rough life, especially when it is dragged over rock fields and across remote mountain ranges. Titanium takes more abuse than other frames we have seen, and the scuffs and scratches are easily brushed out. It does not rust and needs no paint to chip.
The years
After five years of real riding, a titanium frame is almost as good as the day it rolled into your life. No paint to wear through, nothing to rust, and a frame that keeps its character. Our frames carry a 5-year warranty.
And the one you ask for: a frame built around you. Our frames are bespoke. We build around your needs, not what the mass market wants.
In my own words
When you ride a titanium frame, it's more about what you don't notice. You feel fresher, less beaten up by the terrain.
On day 7 of the Great British Divide, in Derbyshire, early in the morning with the dew still on the ground, the rocks were slippery. I lost the front end on a descent and went over the bars. My fully loaded bike somersaulted through the air. I dusted myself off, picked up the bike, straightened the bars and carried on. Nothing more than a few marks on the frame, which buffed out when I got back.
The most unusual frame I've made so far was a tandem. Then there was the bike with the dog box on the back: we made the chainstays longer than usual to make it more stable.
Bespoke
Built around what you carry
Most frames are made for the average rider on the average ride. Yours is not average. Tell us what you do with your bike and we will draw the frame around it:
- Carry your dog in a box on the back of the bike? We can design mounts for it.
- Extra water or fuel for a trip across the desert? We can add the mounts and make room for the weight.
- A month away with every bag you own? Bag, rack, mudguard and extra bottle mounts are free options, in the places you want them.
- A bike that fits your height, your reach and your riding? You choose the numbers, and the designer shows what each change does.
We take all of that information and make your dream frame. We check that it works before anything is made, and anything unusual is priced on your confirmed quote.
Gravel and bikepacking
Made for hard, long, remote riding
A bike that does long, loaded rides in all weather asks a lot of its frame:
- Bags rub. A frame bag or strap moves against the tubes for hundreds of miles. Paint wears through; bare titanium has none to lose.
- Mud, rain and road salt. Steel needs looking after. Titanium and carbon do not rust.
- Knocks and falls. Titanium shrugs off the scuffs and dents of life on the trail, and what is left can be brushed out.
- Days in the saddle. The calm ride is what you feel at the end of the third long day, not the first hour.
- A long life. If you want one frame for ten years or more, titanium is the safe bet.
Our frames are made of 3Al/2.5V titanium, a widely used alloy for bicycle tubing, in a brushed finish. Ride feel also depends on the tyres you choose and a geometry that fits you, which is why the designer lets you set both.
Fair comparison
The other materials, and where they win
Steel
Good at: Cheap and well understood. Easy to repair almost anywhere, and it can ride very well when the tubing is chosen carefully.
The catch: Rusts if the paint is chipped or water gets inside, so it needs care. Usually heavier.
Carbon
Good at: Can be the lightest, and the shapes and stiffness can be tuned. Does not rust.
The catch: A hard knock can damage it where you cannot see, repairs are a specialist job, and a crash may mean replacing it.
Aluminium
Good at: Low cost and stiff. A sensible choice on a tight budget.
The catch: Often a firmer ride, and usually thought to have a shorter fatigue life.
These are general comparisons, not test results. Weights and ride feel vary with the tubing, the design and the build. Titanium costs more than steel or aluminium.
- On a tight budget: steel or aluminium will get you riding for much less.
- Racing, and every gram counts: a light carbon frame is usually the lighter choice.
- The simplest repair anywhere in the world: steel.
If you want one frame, drawn around you, that you can ride hard, leave in the rain, drag across a mountain and keep for years, titanium is the answer we believe in.
Ridden hard
Real bikes, real rides
Great British Divide2,200 km and 35,000 m of climbing, self-supported, from Canterbury to Applecross, on Michael's Travers RUSSTi EVO.Read the story
A frame for a dog boxA customer asked for a frame to carry his dog. We made the chainstays longer so it stays stable. His words: “It had the same zing as my old bike with more comfort and better handling.”Read the story
A titanium tandemThe most unusual frame we've made so far: a custom titanium 29+ tandem.Read the story
MighTi 32Our 32-inch mountain bike frame, built for bikepacking.Read the storyIn their own words
What riders say
“I felt like my body had worked hard but somehow I felt more refreshed than usual and not my joints knocked out my sockets!”
“Certainly there is some magic in those titanium tubes!”
“As for the ride quality it was way better than I was expecting. It had the same zing as my old bike with more comfort and better handling.”
“…best bike I've had, well done Mike, and I've had a lot of bikes but this is a keeper.”
“As expected, the frame is beautifully made. The neat yet chunky titanium welds, PDW sliding dropouts and engraved Travers head tube logo all mark the frame out as something a bit special.”
“I fell in love with the RussTi from the first ride – such a sweet ride – accurate and comfortable over long rides and capable of dealing with anything thrown its way.”
Questions
Titanium FAQ
Does titanium really ride differently?
In our experience, yes. Titanium takes the sting out of trail buzz, the constant small vibrations that wear you down over a long day, better than any other frame material we have ridden. It is calm and lively at the same time. Tyres, geometry and fit matter too, but the difference shows most at the end of a long ride.
How tough is a titanium frame?
Very. It does not rust and does not need paint, and it takes the knocks of a hard life better than other frames we have seen: dragging it over rocks, leaning it against walls, strapping bags to it for weeks. Scuffs and scratches can be brushed out. After five years of real use a titanium frame is almost as good as the day it arrived.
Can you design the frame around what I want to carry?
Yes, that is what bespoke means for us. Tell us what you carry and how you ride, for example a dog in a box on the back, extra water or fuel for a long dry stretch, or a bag setup for a month away, and we will design the mounts and the frame around it and check that it works before anything is made. Rack, mudguard, bag and extra bottle mounts are free options; anything unusual we will price on your confirmed quote.
Is titanium better than steel?
For the way we ride and build, we think so, but steel is a good material too. Steel is cheaper and can be repaired almost anywhere, but it needs looking after to stop it rusting and is usually heavier. Titanium does not rust, needs no paint and is usually lighter than steel, but it costs more.
Is a titanium frame lighter than carbon?
A lightweight carbon frame is usually lighter than a titanium one. Titanium is usually lighter than steel. If every gram matters for racing, carbon may suit you better; if you want a frame for hard, long, remote riding, titanium is hard to beat.
Can a titanium frame be repaired?
Yes, by someone who welds titanium, which is a specialist job. A titanium frame is also much less likely to need repair, because it does not rust and is very resistant to fatigue.
What does a titanium frame from you cost, and what is the warranty?
From £1,999, or £2,199 for mountain, 32-inch gravel and fat bike frames, with free UK delivery. Frames carry our 5-year warranty. The frames page lists every option and what it costs.