Titanium MTB Build Project
Discussion
I've just finished my MTB build and I thought I'd post a few pictures. I had already built up my road bike with the help of a couple of friends a year or so ago, but that was mainly me just watching and taking notes. I decided I could tackle one myself 
The intention is that this will be used for trails, light forest single track work, maybe some trail centre weekends and a bit of pottering around with the family. I never like riding the CAAD9 road bike in a social 'rolling along' type environment, as it's so stiff and doesn't like rolling along at low speeds, plus I look like a bit of a nob with SPD shoes next to kids in trainers! Based on my own brief, I felt a hardtail was the way to go, and full suspension would just be overkill.
Planet X is local to me, and I almost purchased a Planet X (On-One) 456 Evo Carbon in a moment of weakness (https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOO456CEVOX9/on-one-456-evo-carbon-sram-x9-mountain-bike) but I had second thoughts about the kink in the top tube and the quality of the components. Plus I wanted to stick with a 26" wheel instead of foraying into the world of 650b and 29ers. I decided that instead of trying to find my ideal bike off the shelf, I'd just build it.
I've had a hankering for a brushed titanium frame for a while now, I think it just looks amazing with no paint, and there's no arguing that it'll last me a lifetime, so I decided that my build was going to be titanium based rather than alloy or carbon. I was scouring eBay for a couple of months before Christmas and lost out on a couple at the last minute, but I got lucky and did a deal on this:
It's a 2009 Titus Fireline Titanium frame, in an amusing coincidence 'Titus' are now part of the On-One brand owned by Planet X. It's an American built frame, coming from Tempe, Arizona. The welds are a work of art, and the frame comes in at only 1490g. There were a few battle scars in a couple of places on the frame, and a bit of chain rash on the chainstay, but structurally it was sound.
I've just moved back to the UK from the USA, and my daughter was born in the US and is therefore a US citizen, so I wanted to try and blend the best of British and USA in this build. As the frame is American, I decided to use Hope components, fine British engineering and manufacturing on the other side of the Pennines. I've got some Hope stuff on my road bike and I know the quality of their work, so it was a no brainer. I may have spent rather a lot of money with the boys from Barnoldswick
I got the frame home and knew straight away that I wanted to lose the decals, so I got the wife's hairdryer out and began to de-sticker. Afterwards, the frame passed final quality inspection and was deemed fit for Daddy to ride:
The colour scheme I chose took inspiration from the Orange Clockwork 25th Anniversary Edition, a bike I fell in love with at first sight:
I was set on titanium, black and purple.... Budget - there wasn't one really... good job as that spiralled rather quickly.
Fast forward a couple of months, skipping the bits about me getting confused with headsets, ordering the wrong headset, ordering and installing the wrong bottom bracket, buying new tools, hiding internet deliveries from the wife, it was finally built up and I could stand back and admire my work:
The complete spec:
Let me know what you think!
The intention is that this will be used for trails, light forest single track work, maybe some trail centre weekends and a bit of pottering around with the family. I never like riding the CAAD9 road bike in a social 'rolling along' type environment, as it's so stiff and doesn't like rolling along at low speeds, plus I look like a bit of a nob with SPD shoes next to kids in trainers! Based on my own brief, I felt a hardtail was the way to go, and full suspension would just be overkill.
Planet X is local to me, and I almost purchased a Planet X (On-One) 456 Evo Carbon in a moment of weakness (https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOO456CEVOX9/on-one-456-evo-carbon-sram-x9-mountain-bike) but I had second thoughts about the kink in the top tube and the quality of the components. Plus I wanted to stick with a 26" wheel instead of foraying into the world of 650b and 29ers. I decided that instead of trying to find my ideal bike off the shelf, I'd just build it.
I've had a hankering for a brushed titanium frame for a while now, I think it just looks amazing with no paint, and there's no arguing that it'll last me a lifetime, so I decided that my build was going to be titanium based rather than alloy or carbon. I was scouring eBay for a couple of months before Christmas and lost out on a couple at the last minute, but I got lucky and did a deal on this:
It's a 2009 Titus Fireline Titanium frame, in an amusing coincidence 'Titus' are now part of the On-One brand owned by Planet X. It's an American built frame, coming from Tempe, Arizona. The welds are a work of art, and the frame comes in at only 1490g. There were a few battle scars in a couple of places on the frame, and a bit of chain rash on the chainstay, but structurally it was sound.
I've just moved back to the UK from the USA, and my daughter was born in the US and is therefore a US citizen, so I wanted to try and blend the best of British and USA in this build. As the frame is American, I decided to use Hope components, fine British engineering and manufacturing on the other side of the Pennines. I've got some Hope stuff on my road bike and I know the quality of their work, so it was a no brainer. I may have spent rather a lot of money with the boys from Barnoldswick
I got the frame home and knew straight away that I wanted to lose the decals, so I got the wife's hairdryer out and began to de-sticker. Afterwards, the frame passed final quality inspection and was deemed fit for Daddy to ride:
The colour scheme I chose took inspiration from the Orange Clockwork 25th Anniversary Edition, a bike I fell in love with at first sight:
I was set on titanium, black and purple.... Budget - there wasn't one really... good job as that spiralled rather quickly.
Fast forward a couple of months, skipping the bits about me getting confused with headsets, ordering the wrong headset, ordering and installing the wrong bottom bracket, buying new tools, hiding internet deliveries from the wife, it was finally built up and I could stand back and admire my work:
The complete spec:
| Item | Spec |
|---|---|
| Frame | Titus Fireline Titanium 19" |
| Headset | Hope Headset (Purple) |
| Stem | Hope XC/FR Stem (Black 50mm 0 degree) |
| Bars | Easton EA70 Riser Bar |
| Grips | Uberbike Lock on Grips |
| Front Brake | Hope Tech 3 X2 Purple Disc Brake With Braided Hose |
| Front Brake Disc | Hope Floating (Saw) Rotor 203mm |
| Front Brake Disc Mount | Hope Post-Post F203 Mount C |
| Rear Brake | Hope Tech 3 X2 Purple Disc Brake With Braided Hose |
| Rear Brake Disc | Hope Floating (Saw) Rotor 183mm |
| Rear Brake Disc Mount | Hope Post-IS R183 Mount B |
| Fork | Rockshox Recon Gold RL Solo Air Forks |
| Rear QR Skewer | Hope Steel Rod MTB Quick Release Skewer (Black) |
| Front Wheel | Hope Pro 2 Evo Disc & Mavic EN521 |
| Rear Wheel | Hope Pro 2 Evo Disc Custom & Mavic EN521 |
| Tyres | Maxxis Ardent MTB Tyre |
| Tubes | Continental MTB Tubes |
| Rear Shifter | Shimano XTR M980 Right Hand 10 Speed Rapidfire Pod |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano M986 XTR 10-Speed Shadow Plus Rear Derailleur |
| Crankset | Hope Crankset with Single Spider (170mm) |
| Chainring | Hope Technology Retainer Ring (36 tooth) Black |
| Cassette | Shimano XT M771 10 Speed |
| Chain | Shimano XTR M981 SIL-TEC 10 Speed Chain |
| Bottom Bracket | Hope Stainless Steel Bottom Bracket (Purple) 30mm |
| Pedals | Crank Brothers Eggbeater 2 MTB Pedals |
| Cables & Sheaths | Jagwire Mountain Pro Shift MTB / Mountain Bike Gear Cable |
| Seatpost | Easton EA70 Seat Post |
| Saddle | Charge Spoon Saddle with Cromo Rails |
| Seat Clamp | Hope Purple QR Seat Post Clamp 34.9mm |
Let me know what you think!
Afraid not a fan of the old fashioned 90's look with anodising everywhere although I was guilty of Ringle blue anodised stuff all over my bikes back in the day. Needs the hack saw taking to the steerer tube as well, it's got bit of a shopping bike position at present, old frames are made for longer stems as well, it doesn't look to have the top tube length to support a short stem. Is a nice spec though should be a good ride once bar positions sorted
Here's my current titanium MtB
Here's my current titanium MtB
Edited by Herman Toothrot on Tuesday 14th April 21:33
Herman Toothrot said:
it's got bit of a shopping bike position at present, old frames are made for longer stems as well, it doesn't look to have the top tube length to support a short stem. Is a nice spec though should be a good ride once bar positions sorted
You're right about the stem length, I noticed it during the first ride, the 50mm stem just isn't long enough. My hands wanted to naturally be a bit further away from where they are now. I'll be swapping the stem for a longer one as soon as I can. Edited by Herman Toothrot on Tuesday 14th April 21:33
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