Titanium Gravel/Winter Bike - Any top tips?

andyboy2021
andyboy2021 Posts: 7
in Road buying advice
Hi

New to Bike Radar but seems like the place for good buy-buying advice! I'm currently researching my next purchase 🤔

My current make-do winter bike (an old Planet X road bike I have had for about 10 years) is on it's last legs and the wheels and running gear are all knackered. It's not really well suited to winter riding anyway with rim brakes and limited mud guard options. So, I need a replacement!

Thinking about a winter road bike that will also serve as a summer gravel bike! Disc brakes, mudguards for winter, big tyres for offroad. Always fancied a titanium bike (although open to other options - Twmpa GR 1.0 looks amazing but too expensive!). I like the look of Ribble CGR Ti with 1-by GRX.

Budget £3k. Any top tips?

Andy

Current bikes...
Canyon Endurace CF 7.0
Planet X Pro Carbon
Cannondale Synapse Tiagra (for sale if anyone interested)
Fuji Nevada
Bike-in-a-bag folding
Unicycle!

Comments

  • joe_totale-2
    joe_totale-2 Posts: 1,333
    I've got a Fairlight Secan on order which would tick your boxes if you were happy to have steel instead of Titanium, the only issue though is that they're not available for ages.

    Otherwise if you're happy with another Planet X bike then the Tempest is a very good looking bike, I was close to getting one before choosing the Secan instead.

    The only issue is that the only builds right now are 1x and from experience I personally much prefer using 2x on the road. They have done GRX 2x builds of them in the past but given that Shimano stuff seems to be in short supply right now maybe that's why they aren't offering it as an option at this time.
  • mpatts
    mpatts Posts: 1,010
    I have this:

    A 2020 Trek Crockett, with 3 wheelsets - 650b's for singltracky type stuff, 700c's with 33mm CX tyres, and 32mm slick for road.



    I love it. Can also whip the guards off and do a CX race!
    Insert bike here:
  • andyboy2021
    andyboy2021 Posts: 7
    mpatts said:

    I have this:

    A 2020 Trek Crockett, with 3 wheelsets - 650b's for singltracky type stuff, 700c's with 33mm CX tyres, and 32mm slick for road.



    I love it. Can also whip the guards off and do a CX race!



    That's a good looking bike! Welds are amazing - looks like carbon. Haven't really looked at CX bikes yet so a useful direction to check out. Prefer Shimano to Sram (I have had both in the past) but will have a look - thanks. Multiple wheelsets is the way I'm heading too :wink:
  • andyboy2021
    andyboy2021 Posts: 7
    joe_totale-2 said:

    I've got a Fairlight Secan on order which would tick your boxes if you were happy to have steel instead of Titanium, the only issue though is that they're not available for ages.

    Otherwise if you're happy with another Planet X bike then the Tempest is a very good looking bike, I was close to getting one before choosing the Secan instead.

    The only issue is that the only builds right now are 1x and from experience I personally much prefer using 2x on the road. They have done GRX 2x builds of them in the past but given that Shimano stuff seems to be in short supply right now maybe that's why they aren't offering it as an option at this time.


    Thanks Joe - Have looked at a few steel bikes but think I prefer the look of titanium. Fairlight are quoting July 2021 delivery if you order now! Bet you're loving the wait! :-) I have also been musing over the whole 1-by / 2-by issue. I mainly ride in the Chilterns so although I would like to try 1-by, I think I might need 2-by for hilly winter rides. Cheers.
  • davep1
    davep1 Posts: 837
    Reilly and Enigma make great ti bikes, friends have them and swear by them. Mason too, although you probably wouldn't get one from £3K.
    I've always wanted a Kinesis, they make a couple of frames that should do what you want.
  • andyboy2021
    andyboy2021 Posts: 7
    davep1 said:

    Reilly and Enigma make great ti bikes, friends have them and swear by them. Mason too, although you probably wouldn't get one from £3K.
    I've always wanted a Kinesis, they make a couple of frames that should do what you want.

    Thanks for that Dave. With Bike2Work I might be able to stretch to one of those. Will have a look.
  • flasher
    flasher Posts: 1,734
    I can recommend a Burls custom Ti, Justin can spec up pretty much any option you want and cheaper than a lot of off the shelf frames.

    http://www.burls.co.uk/
  • andyboy2021
    andyboy2021 Posts: 7
    flasher said:

    I can recommend a Burls custom Ti, Justin can spec up pretty much any option you want and cheaper than a lot of off the shelf frames.

    http://www.burls.co.uk/

    Thanks Flasher!
    The idea of my own custom-made titanium bike is very appealing - I'll have a look.
  • bondurant
    bondurant Posts: 858
    Burls is the direction I'd go also
  • andyboy2021
    andyboy2021 Posts: 7
    bondurant said:

    Burls is the direction I'd go also

    Do you guys have shares ;-) Kidding - they look like amazing bikes and really well priced. Think you have given me a whole new direction to go in :-)
  • arlowood
    arlowood Posts: 2,561
    edited January 2021
    If the size is right then you could do worse than check out this offering in the classifieds

    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/13114378/fs-enigma-elite-hss-disc-56cm-mint-black-fluro-orange-3-000-ono#latest


  • davep1
    davep1 Posts: 837
    edited January 2021
    arlowood said:

    If the size is right then you could do worse than check out this offering in the classifieds

    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/13114378/fs-enigma-elite-hss-disc-56cm-mint-black-fluro-orange-3-000-ono#latest


    but...but...it's painted?!?! (Just spotted it's steel)
  • mpatts
    mpatts Posts: 1,010
    andyboy2021 said:

    mpatts said:

    I have this:

    A 2020 Trek Crockett, with 3 wheelsets - 650b's for singltracky type stuff, 700c's with 33mm CX tyres, and 32mm slick for road.



    I love it. Can also whip the guards off and do a CX race!



    That's a good looking bike! Welds are amazing - looks like carbon. Haven't really looked at CX bikes yet so a useful direction to check out. Prefer Shimano to Sram (I have had both in the past) but will have a look - thanks. Multiple wheelsets is the way I'm heading too :wink:
    Yeah the welds are amazing. I'm normally a steel fan, but its a really lovely lively comfy thing.
    Insert bike here:
  • andyboy2021
    andyboy2021 Posts: 7
    davep1 said:

    arlowood said:

    If the size is right then you could do worse than check out this offering in the classifieds

    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/13114378/fs-enigma-elite-hss-disc-56cm-mint-black-fluro-orange-3-000-ono#latest


    but...but...it's painted?!?! (Just spotted it's steel)

    Had a look - nice looking bike but a lot to pay for second hand. I don't need DA on a winter bike - will just get wrecked. Thanks anyway.

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