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Video: Six of the best titanium bikes from Kinesis, Alchemy, Reilly, J.Laverack, Van Nicholas and Snowdon

Got a soft spot for titanium? We have, and here are six of the best titanium bikes we've tested recently

Despite being a sport and industry that is seemingly obsessed with carbon fibre and the latest state-of-the-art materials, it's nice to see that titanium still enjoys huge popularity. There was a time when it was an uber expensive exotic material but it's become a lot more abundant in recent years, with more brands using the material, and prices coming down a bit compared to the arm and a leg it used to cost in the 90s. It's still expensive mind, it's famously a hard material to work with can can't be mass-produced in the same way that carbon fibre can.

With all that said, we've produced the above video to bring to your attention, and viewing pleasure, six titanium road bikes we've tested recently here at road.cc. Have a watch and let us know which bike tickles your fancy, and if there are any titanium bikes you'd like to see us review in the future, do let us know in the comments section below. Enjoy!

- Terrific titanium: 14 of the loveliest titanium road bikes we've ridden

Our pick of six of the best titanium road bikes and frames


Weight Market price Read more
Kinesis Tripster ATR V2
2,100g (frame & fork)
£3,000
Read our review
Reilly Gradient
9,320g
£2,799
Read our review
J.Laverack R J.Ack III
7,500g
£5,975
Read our review
Van Nicholas Chinook
7,900g
£3,900
Read our review
Alchemy Eros
7,220g £3,999 (frameset)
Read our review
Snowdon Paradox
 1,350g (frame)
£1,975 (frame)
Read our review

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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11 comments

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CXR94Di2 | 5 years ago
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Those retail prices are silly, My tripster ATR V2 didn't cost anything like the quoted price. I built the whole bike for nearly £3k

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JWL | 5 years ago
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You should compare with Ribble, Planet-X and Dolan - all less than half the cost of most of these. I have a P-X Spitfire Dura-Ace and absolutely love it. 

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BehindTheBikesheds replied to JWL | 5 years ago
0 likes

JWL wrote:

You should compare with Ribble, Planet-X and Dolan - all less than half the cost of most of these. I have a P-X Spitfire Dura-Ace and absolutely love it. 

the PX Spitfire is okay if you only want to use a 25mm tyre, it sas they are limited to that in the spec, even my now 22 year old Raleigh Ti has a wider tyre clearance than that.

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fukawitribe replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
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BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

JWL wrote:

You should compare with Ribble, Planet-X and Dolan - all less than half the cost of most of these. I have a P-X Spitfire Dura-Ace and absolutely love it. 

the PX Spitfire is okay if you only want to use a 25mm tyre, it sas they are limited to that in the spec, even my now 22 year old Raleigh Ti has a wider tyre clearance than that.

Then a comparison with the PX Tempest or Hurricane, reasonably similar prices, and clearances up to 50mm tyres.

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Pantster | 5 years ago
0 likes

Awesome. Looking to order one at Bespoked, same groupset

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WashoutWheeler | 6 years ago
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Loving my Titanium Dolan.

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HLaB | 6 years ago
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I've not watched the video (as I' in the office) but I love my older Kinesis GF Ti, the only thing it lacks  is internal routing but as it'll probably last forevever and I've not got the cash it'll be a whie before its changed.

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curdins | 6 years ago
5 likes

My Tommasini Mach is the best bike I've ever had, and I've had a few: Geoffrey Butler 531SL built by Cliff Shrubb, Pinarello Treviso Columbus SL, Bianchi Columbus SLX like Argentin's, Look KG176 carbon a la Jalabert, and Colnago C40. Rides like a dream, hand-built to my spec and custom painted - including my Deda Newton bars - at no extra charge. Even put me up in a hotel for a night on my visit to the factory at Grossetto. In the end, a beautifully enjoyable purchasing 'experience' (for those for whom that is important), but ultimately the prettiest and best-riding bike I've owned by quite a way.

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eddyhall | 6 years ago
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I am totally in love with my Wittson Illuminati. Small production but amazing bike and SUCH a nice family to work with. I got this frame as a replacement for a Kinesis GF_Ti Disc which was stolen this summer and the difference is night and day. I could not recommend this frame strongly enough.

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Pantster replied to eddyhall | 6 years ago
0 likes

eddyhall wrote:

I am totally in love with my Wittson Illuminati. Small production but amazing bike and SUCH a nice family to work with. I got this frame as a replacement for a Kinesis GF_Ti Disc which was stolen this summer and the difference is night and day. I could not recommend this frame strongly enough.

 

what configuration do you have? I'm really liking the look of the illuminati to upgrade my long held Ti bike to. I'm hoping to take a look at Bespoked

Avatar
eddyhall replied to Pantster | 6 years ago
1 like

Pantster wrote:

eddyhall wrote:

I am totally in love with my Wittson Illuminati. Small production but amazing bike and SUCH a nice family to work with. I got this frame as a replacement for a Kinesis GF_Ti Disc which was stolen this summer and the difference is night and day. I could not recommend this frame strongly enough.

 

what configuration do you have? I'm really liking the look of the illuminati to upgrade my long held Ti bike to. I'm hoping to take a look at Bespoked

Ultegra Di2 and hydraulic disc brakes with handbuilt wheels based on H Plus Son Hydra & Hope hubs. Finishing kit is alloy Fizik, tyres are 28mm Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons with full length SKS chromoplastic mudguards.

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