Cyclist
Best titanium bikes: Ti road and gravel bikes reviewed
The best titanium bikes offer something a little different from the standard range of carbon fibre and aluminium bikes, and even steel. Titanium is in many ways the ideal metal for cycle frames; it’s lighter than steel and more resistant to dings than either aluminium or steel. Plus, it doesn’t rust, so although there’s no reason not to paint a titanium frameset, it’s more typically left bare and either brushed or anodised, which allows titanium bikes to stand out from the crowd.
Titanium is more tricky to weld than other metals, so the best titanium bike frames exhibit the framebuilder’s welding skills at their best. Welding fishtails are usually exceptionally neat, if they’re visible at all; Passoni, for example, spends around 40 per cent of its titanium framebuilding time finishing its welds to the point where they disappear.
Read below for our pick of the best titanium bikes which we’ve reviewed here at Cyclist. We’ve separated them into road bikes and gravel bikes. The latter take full advantage of titanium’s other key property: the ride-smoothing ability of a well-designed titanium frameset.
Best titanium bikes: our picks
Titanium road bikes
- Dolan ADX Titanium Disc: RRP £2,520 – Buy now from Dolan (from £2,350)
- Enigma Echelon: RRP £4,199 – Buy now from Enigma (frameset from £2,850)
- J.Laverack R J.Ack Disc: RRP £7.945 – Buy now from J.Laverack (frameset from £3,650)
- Landrace Tupelo: RRP £6,999 – Buy now from Cyclefit (frameset from £2,795)
- Moots Vamoots CRD: RRP £16,700 – Buy now from Moots (from $13,209)
- Passoni Titanio Disco: RRP £14,250 – Buy now from Passoni (frameset from €6,350)
- Reilly Fusion: RRP £8,299 – Buy now from Reilly Cycleworks (from £7,149)
Titanium gravel bikes
- Moots Routt RSL: RRP £11,500 – Buy now from Moots (from $11,132)
- Passoni Cicloprato: RRP €11,800 – Buy now from Passoni (frameset from €6,230)
- Ribble CGR Ti: RRP £3.359 – Buy now from Ribble (from £2,999)
- Stanton Switchpath Ti: RRP £2.429 (frameset) – Buy now from Stanton (frameset from £1,750)
Why you can trust Cyclist’s advice
Here at Cyclist, we’ve reviewed a huge range of bikes, from the super-expensive down to the entry level, so our reviewers know what makes a good bike, whether it’s made from titanium, carbon, steel or aluminium. We’ve covered a fair few titanium bikes in Cyclist magazine and online.
That means that we can give you an unbiased view of the performance of the best titanium bikes; we’re not looking at titanium through rose-coloured glasses, but selecting the best titanium bikes based on our real riding experience and our understanding of the full spectrum of available road and gravel bikes.
Best titanium road bikes
Dolan ADX Titanium Disc
£2,520 | View offer
- Comfortable ride that’s damped but not woolly
- Good value and can choose your own spec
Dolan’s titanium offering is well priced and allows you to select a configuration to meet your needs. The geometry is quite relaxed and there’s a carbon fork and seatpost, along with disc brakes (with thru-axles now replacing the quick releases present when reviewed). We up-specced to Ultegra, Mavic tubeless wheels and an upgraded cockpit, but even still the build was good value.
We tested the Dolan Titanium ADX by riding it from Land’s End to John O’Groats over nine days – a stiff enough challenge to find the wrinkles in any bike. The combination of reasonably low weight and a ride that was dampened without being woolly made the trip a pleasure, while the 35mm tyre clearance, or 32mm with mudguards, and full set of mounts adds plenty of versatility.
- Read our full Dolan ADX Titanium Disc review
- Buy now from Dolan (from £2,350)
Enigma Echelon
£4,199 | View offer
- British-built frame, with extensive customisation options
- Can choose rim or disc brakes and BSA or T47 bottom bracket
The Enigma Echelon is another bike that’s had a frame revamp since we reviewed it, to now include the option of disc brakes and thru-axle wheels, while the cables are now routed internally and there are mudguard and rack mounts. The Echelon is part of Enigma’s Signature series, with frames which are hand built in Sussex, so there’s a lot of flexibility in the frame and build options. If you wish you can still specify rim braking and can also choose between the stock BSA bottom bracket or a T47 upgrade.
The modern disc brake incarnation has clearance for 35mm tyres, or 32mm with mudguards, or for 28mm in rim brake guise. We rated the rim brake bike’s racy geometry and smooth, comfortable ride, backed up by responsiveness, stiffness and a sub-8kg weight. The satin bead-blasted finish with mirror polished logos is subtle but impressive.
- Read our full Enigma Echelon review
- Buy now from Enigma (frameset from £2,850)
J.Laverack R J.Ack Disc
£7,945 | View offer
- Classy looks with quality details
- Responsive, smooth ride
Based in Rutland, J.Laverack’s frames are designed in the UK and built in Asia, with the R J.Ack Disc its flagship race bike and available with a range of custom options. Our build was decked out with Shimano Dura-Ace, a Pro cockpit and Brooks saddle, along with Aera deep section wheels from J.Laverack’s sister brand, built on Chris King hubs.
We loved the bike’s sweet ride, stability and ability to smooth out rough surfaces. With our build weighing 8.3kg, climbs aren’t an issue and the bike rails corners too. In sum, we found that the R J.Ack Disc happily marries taut, agile, responsive handling with a smooth, assured spring.
- Read our full J.Laverack R J.Ack Disc review
- Buy now from J.Laverack (frameset from £3,650)
Landrace Tupelo
£6,999 | View offer
- Relaxed geometry in a frameset built for longevity
- Low bottom bracket leads to confident descending
With a more relaxed geometry than some titanium bikes, the Tupelo is more an all-road bike than an out-and-out gravel bike – that’s in the works at designer Cycle Fit, who offer a bike fit as part of the buying process and also a range of customisation options. The brand is focused on longevity over super-low weight and the 35mm tyre clearance, mudguard mounts and third bottle cage mount under the down tube provide the option to go long or take on some off-road action.
Our test route for the Tupelo consisted of two weeks riding in Gran Canaria. Although at 8.7kg it’s not light, the bike feels nimble and responsive, with plenty of comfort for extended outings. The low bottom bracket that’s a feature of the geometry makes for planted descending.
- Read our full Landrace Tupelo review
- Buy now from Cyclefit (frameset from £2,795)
Moots Vamoots CRD
£16,700 | View offer
- Low weight for a titanium bike
- Superb handling and descending
The CRD is the top road bike from Colorado-based Moots, with a pricetag to match. It boasts internal cable routing, with a Chris King AeroSet 3 headset routing the cables into the headset, a T47 bottom bracket and increased 35mm tyre clearance. The top spec build tested came out at just under 8kg.
Although the low weight makes for easier climbing, it’s the bike’s descending that shone for us, with the wide tyres contributing to a feeling of gliding, balance and confidence. Moots says that it never compromises on materials and production and it shows.
- Read our full Moots Vamoots CRD review
- Buy now from Moots (from $13,209)
Passoni Titanio Disco
£14,250 | View offer
- Quality custom frame with seamless welds
- Stiff and precise without being uncomfortable
Another pricy titanium offering, we described Passoni’s top shelf Titanio Disco as stiff, beautiful, racy. Passoni only makes 400 frames a year, so it’s exclusive too and is made to measure. Our review bike in size 56 came up at 7.7kg, impressive for a titanium bike, even with fancy hardware bolted to it.
It has Passoni’s seamless welds with large-diameter tubing providing that stiffness, as well as internal cable routing and 30mm tyre clearance. Rolling on 28mm rubber, it’s not an uncomfortable ride though; rather we found it refined yet edgy. Although we didn’t enjoy the Deda bars, or the awkward looks of the headset, the custom build means that you can choose something else should you wish. And, for us, the ride quality more than compensated for any spec deficiencies.
- Read our full Passoni Titanio Disco review
- Buy now from Passoni (frameset from €6,350)
Reilly Fusion
£8,299 | View offer
- Aero profile tubing and smooth tube junctions
- Comfortable, fast, smooth ride
The Reilly Fusion blends titanium with aero, with kamm-tail profile hydroformed tubing and investment casting providing a smooth finish and competitive frame weight. Front end integration and internal cable routing add to the clean aesthetics.
The 8.7kg weight may not rival carbon, but the Fusion carries it well and bowls along on the flat, while providing a smooth, fast ride. There’s added zing from the titanium frame’s narrower tube profiles too.
- Read our full Reilly Fusion review
- Buy now from Reilly Cycleworks (from £7,149)
Best titanium gravel bikes
Moots Routt RSL
£11,500 | View offer
- Classy, classic frame is beautifully built
- Plenty of room for 45mm tyres, plus mud
Moots’ redesign of the Routt RSL offers 45mm tyre clearance, although we squeezed in a 50mm at the rear, which gave huge off-road grip and a smooth ride. A switch-out to a 43mm did liven up the ride though and a 28mm road tyre made for fast progress on tarmac.
We reckon it’s one of the few gravel bikes with the geometry and ride quality to mix on-road and off-road competence, while the titanium frameset should provide the longevity in build and timeless looks to ensure that you’ll not tire of riding it.
- Read our full Moots Routt RSL review
- Buy now from Moots (from $11,132)
Passoni Cicloprato
€11,800 | View offer
- High quality titanium frameset
- Off-road handling isn’t quite as precise as competitors
We loved the Cicloprato’s looks and welds, although unlike the Titanio Disco, above, they’re not smoothed. Its geometry is between all-out road and gravel, with short stays and a slackish head tube, and there’s 40mm tyre clearance and a full set of mounting points. Kitted out with Campagnolo Ekar and Shamal wheels, the spec tested matched the frameset too.
Although the Cicloprato is stiff and responsive enough on the road, we didn’t quite feel that its off-road manners and handling were as precise as competitors. That made it feel not quite robust or nippy enough for UK off-road riding.
- Read our full Passoni Cicloprato review
- Buy now from Passoni (frameset from €6,230)
Ribble CGR Ti
£3,359 | View offer
- Quality, high grade titanium frame
- Versatile on/off-road capability
The Ribble CGR Ti is a bike that aims to cover a lot of bases. Alongside the more all-road spec, as shown above, we’ve also reviewed the bike in a higher spec, although we still reckon that the selection of a lower geared 1x groupset and beefier tyres would up its off-road potential. The CGR Ti’s triple-butted titanium frame offers 47mm 700c tyre clearance or 2.1 inch in 650b. There are mudguard and pannier mounts, adding to its versatility.
The geometry sits you quite forward over the cranks, which can lead to a little firmness in the ride, although even with the fitted 40mm tyres, there’s enough compliance to mitigate this. But fit wider tyres and head off-road and there’s the stability to keep control even on rocky descents and loose gravel. It’s a versatile package.
- Read our full Ribble CGR Ti review
- Buy now from Ribble (from £2,999)
Stanton Switchpath Ti
£2.429 (frameset) | View offer
- MTB-like slack geometry and stable handling
- Wide range of configuration options
The Swtichpath Ti is sold as a frameset only. It has a slack geometry that’s close to that of a hardtail MTB, in which Stanton specialises, making for stability and proficient handling over more technical singletrack. At the same time, it’s not too compromised on tarmac and the butted tubing helps to absorb road and trail buzz.
Stanton gives you space for 47mm 700c tyres or 50mm 650b, so you can add plenty of grip and you can also choose to fit either a 1x, 2x or single-speed groupset. That versatility makes the Switchpath a good option for bikepacking or just for MTB-adjacent gravel escapades.
- Read our full Stanton Switchpath Ti review
- Buy now from Stanton (frameset from £1,750)
Read our guides to the best road bikes and best gravel bikes for more top picks.
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