Ben’s Bike: a killer Titus 29er
May 25th, 2006 by Tim GrahlPictured below is Ben Witt’s ( owner of Milltown Cycles, one of the super-cool companies that sponsor this site ) newest bike. It’s pretty high-end and one of the hottest 29ers I’ve ever seen.
It’s a Titus FCR (Full Custom Racer,) Exogrid 29. It uses interchangable dropouts for SS or geared, and the frame is built with all the geared cable braze ons. Frame weight for a true 19″ is about 3.5 lbs. The bike is spec’d with Industry Nine wheels, Bontrager XXX light carbon components, Surly chainring, King steel rear cog, a Wipperman chain, Pace fork, King headset, XTR skewers, and Avid BB7 disc brakes. Weight as pictured is 21 lbs even.
– Ben Witt
Check out the pictures… it’s just bike porn. Your wife can’t get mad!
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Wow! Where can I trade a kidney in for one? This has got to be one of the spendiest bikes I’ve seen in a while.
That bike is bloody insane.
And you know, with that component pick, it’s bound to actually ride the way it looks. You can easily spend that kind of money on much lesser part.
2 Front XR’s, just the way I like it!
Whoa! That’s hot. I’ve got one question though? Why the negative rise stem and riser bar? You could get the same fit and probably cut some weight using another stem and our ProMoto Carbon flat bar.
Just joking around about the bar/stem. No denying it, that thing is a beauty. Can’t wait to see it with the gear drop out and set up!
Thanks for supporting the 29er community with your buying power.
Cloxxki, The bike rides just how it looks, it’s a rocket. This is my dream bike. Throw it into corners, and it just rails through everything. A faster rider than I could do a lot on this bike. I just enjoy the hell out of it!
SC, The stem appears to be negitive in the pictures, that’s partly due to the angle of the parking lot behind the shop, my appologies. In person, it is a negitive stem, though it is basically straight out. I love that stem, and with a 12deg +/- rise, it doesn’t leave much option. The bars are rotated backward for the sweep. I have yet to try the ProMoto bar, it’s been out of state as of late, though just got an itemwatch email the other day. I’ll throw one of those on the next order
Thanks for all the comments. I’ll be making the rounds to some of the MNSCF, WORS, and Penn races at Buck on it, (when I can get away from the shop!)
I’ve never been a Titus convert before this bike. I’m not a fan of fully bikes so the Titus 29′ers had never appealed to me. Now this one… it’s so incredibly sexy in virtually every way. I love the drop-outs. Are the a Titus design or someone elses?
The dropouts are a Titus design. They are really awesome. The fit is so presise that i had to tap them out with a soft punch and hammer, they just fit so snuggly. I love it, and to me it makes sense. Horizontal dropouts are so simple, I don’t mind minor brake adjustments or the need to run a very small chain tentioner to avoid EBB weight and complexity. Simple is good, and with this dropout design you can run geared or SS equally as well. I also like the fact that if you mess up a dropout, you just buy a new one, rather than having one welded back in.