The 20 Leading Titanium Bike Brands
You’ve heard about titanium’s ride quality and durability and want to find out more before taking the plunge.
Why is it so expensive?
Is all titanium the same, or are there differences?
Titanium is abundant, but difficult to transform into usable material. Quality varies depending on how it’s milled and welded, directly affecting its life and ride. Where do you start?
There is much to learn about this magic metal and the companies that make them. We’ve put together a breakdown of the 20 leading titanium bike brands for you.
Seven Cycles
- Type of Bikes : Mountain, Gravel, Cyclo-cross, Utility, Road, Tandems
- Custom Bikes : Yes
- Popular Models : Evergreen XX, Redsky SL
- Price Range : $5,800 to $9,000
Seven Cycles was established by dedicated employees that worked for another Boston titanium frame manufacturer that was sold and relocated out of state. Forced with the challenge of what to do next, they founded the brand in 1997 and never looked back.
Seven continued to refine their titanium expertise and forged many of today’s industry standards. They know all titanium isn’t the same and have devoted themselves to building bikes that satisfy their customers with minimal wait, an impressive feat considering the quality and skill that goes into every one.
Reilly Cycle Works
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Gradient, Reilly 325
Price Range : $4,500 to $7,200
UK brand Reilly started out as Nerve, but when builder Mark Reilly’s name was added to the frames, Reilly Cycle Works came to life. Reilly and long-time friend and former F1 engineer Neil FitzGerald work together to pair high-quality carbon forks, seatposts and other components with their beautiful titanium frames.
Seven uses 6AL-4V grade (6% aluminum and 4% vanadium) ELI (Extra Low Interstitial gas purity) titanium tubes for the main triangle and bottom bracket which permits Mark to butt and shape the tubes to stricter tolerances.
With over 15000 frames to his name, his knowledge of titanium means ride quality and stiffness is customizable to customer requests.
Baum Cycles
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Orbis, Corretto
Price Range : $10,100 $13,350
Building steel and aluminum bikes since 1990, Australian-based Baum Cycles introduced their first titanium prototype in 2002 and have been making some of the world’s best ti bicycles ever since. They offer personalized fitting and geometry, and tube selection in line with client requirements.
Associated with Australian cyclists Cadel Evans and Phil Anderson, Darren Baum’s success grew his workshop from its humble beginnings into a full-fledged facility that includes in-house paint, and an innovative fitting studio.
Business is booming yet Baum’s principles remain the same, fit, handling, design, and ride.
Independent Fabrication
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel, Cyclocross, Mountain
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Crown Jewel, Gravel Royale
Price Range : $4,000 $4,900
Independent Fabrication’s story began when another iconic Boston bike manufacturer closed shop in 1994 after 12 years of making bikes under the name Fat City Cycles. A few employees weren’t ready to give up and hung out their shingle as Independent Fabrication.
IF’s growing popularity and the need for space compelled them to leave Sommerville for Newmarket, New Hampshire. Here, Independent has everything in-house to convey its creative expression and technical prowess fabricating precision titanium bicycles.
Enigma Bikes
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel, Mountain
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Escape, Etape
Price Range : $3,100 (frame) to $7,000 (complete bike)
The UK is rich in quality frame builders and Enigma Bikes is part of that collective. They opened in 2006 when founder Jim Walker, a member of the bicycle industry as a distributor, sold his business to nourish his love for aesthetically appealing bicycles. He produced his first titanium frame in 2009.
In their Sussex facilities, Enigma manufactures handmade titanium performance frames through the use of stiffer 6AL-4V tubing. To complement their craftsmanship, they offer complete bikes, custom ti builds under the Signature name, bike fitting services, wheel building, and frame repair.
Festka
Type of Bikes : Road
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Model : Doppler
Price Range : $6,900 to $7,990
The Czech company Festka combines titanium tubing with high-tech carbon engineering to create the Doppler, a jewel among bike frames. Every Doppler is built to order, is highly personalizable, and not just a pretty frame.
The Doppler exists in two design options, the Core and Spirit. Titanium top, down tubes, and seat stays give the bikes class and comfort, while filament wound carbon serves for a tapered head tube, bottom bracket, seat tube, and chainstays for its weight to function ratio.
Firefly Bicycles
Type of Bikes : Road, All-Road, Cyclocross, Mountain, Utility, E-bikes
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Road, All-Road (no model names)
Price Range : $5,200 (custom frame) to $10,000 for a complete bike
Another custom titanium frame builder from Boston, Firefly Bicycles pays meticulous attention to rider requests, welcoming future owners’ input for a custom fit, ride and frame design. They document each build with photos to provide customers with a visual record of the entire process.
Firefly wants their bikes to be a positive change for the rider and planet. They have developed a carbon-neutral building process with the help of a company called Cooler. Each build’s carbon is calculated, and Firefly is charged based on this figure. Money paid goes into finding sustainable ways for businesses to operate.
Kinesis UK
Type of Bikes : Road, Adventure
Custom Bikes : No
Popular Models : GTD V2, ATR V3
Price Range : $3,200 (frame kit)
Kinesis UK creates bikes, wheels and components for the country’s typically cool and damp riding conditions. Their bikes are well-made, affordable, and designed for year-round dependability and enjoyment through their in-house know-how and pool of talented team members.
The company also makes alloy bikes, but the GTD (Go The Distance) ti frame is an arrow in the company’s quiver. It’s a versatile, ultra-endurance bike with wide tire clearance for use on the road, gravel, or as a commuter.
Legend by Bertoletti
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Trenta, ELT
Price Range : Prices disclosed via contact only
Marco Bertoletti started his career as a frame builder’s apprentice in 1971 and ended as the department head and production manager. In 1989, he opened his own company, which added Legend by Bertoletti in 2009, designing and producing premium Italian frames for performance athletes around the globe.
All products are made in-house to guarantee superior quality control and for its added flexibility during production. Marco wants to please his customers, down to the smallest detail. Everything is customizable, from the geometry, material, finish, and cable routing down to fenders, racks, and even the seatpost clamp. Factory visits are welcome.
Litespeed
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel, Mountain, City
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Ultimate Disc, Watia
Price Range : $2,395 (frame kit) to $7,500 (complete bike)
There are a few industry brands that evoke immediate recognition and respect, and Litespeed is one. Their name is equated with state-of-the-art titanium bikes and a devotion to quality since 1986. They cut no corners during their hand-made production process and source only US cold-forged titanium tubing.
Riders of Lightspeed’s titanium bicycles rave about the quality of the ride and remarkable craftsmanship. They use no aluminum sleeves or inserts, and even NASA called on their prized skills to help develop the Mars Curiosity Rover’s landing system, not too shabby.
Lynskey Titanium Bikes
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel, Mountain
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : GR Race Gravel, R500 Disc
Price Range : $1,750 to $3,050 (frame kits)
As youths, founders and brothers David, Tim, and Chris Lynskey worked in the family business specializing in custom metal fabrication for some of the largest industrial names in the business such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Coca-Cola. They spent summers hands-on in the family plant learning the ins and outs of working with metal.
David, once an avid racer, found his bike too heavy, so he used scrap titanium tubes from the family business to build a new one. The results of his efforts caught the eye of local riders, who asked where they could get one. To refine his craft, David worked for Litespeed to build frames in 1986 before launching Lynskey Titanium Bikes soon after.
Merlin Cycles
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel, Mountain, Adventure, Cyclocross
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Extralight XLR, Sandstone Gravel
Price Range : $2,800 to $3,200 (frame kits)
Merlin is yet another emblematic brand with an international presence from Boston. Launched at the onset of the titanium craze, they were one of the first to bring a full production ti frame to market. For them, nothing matches the sophisticated style and ride of titanium.
Their bikes are elegant, built to perform thanks to cold-milled and specially formed tubes that result in a 45% increase in strength. Stiffness added to the bottom bracket delivers a smooth and comfortable ride. Merlin Cycles sells frame kits and complete bikes.
Moots
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel, Cyclocross, Mountain
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Vamoots Disc RSL, Routt RSL
Price Range : $6,000 (frame kit) to $12,000 (complete bike)
Moots is in the mountain paradise of Steamboat Springs, Colorado at 2,000 m / 6,700 feet of altitude. They have some of the best roads and trail riding outside their backdoor. Snow or shine, this testing ground enables them to confirm the performance of their products.
Their doors are open to factory tours, but contact them in advance. Moots makes the modern road bike more versatile by using forks with larger tire clearances and rear stays designed to bring out the best in their models. In-house finishes include etching, engraving, and even complex anodizing to make your Moots an eye-catcher.
Mosaic Cycles
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel, Cyclocross, Mountain, City
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : RT1, GT-1
Price Range : Prices disclosed via contact only
Mosaic Cycles is also in the magnificent state of Colorado, in Boulder. Titanium is their frame material of preference. They combine oversized butted tubing with refined designs to emphasize desired characteristics.
If waiting isn’t your thing, they guaranteed a delivery time of 6 weeks or fewer. Choose from a series of stock bikes, or create the ride of your dreams. Mosaic’s experienced team is proud of their consistent top-notch finishes, attention to detail, and the pleasure of accompanying the client through the entire process.
No22 Bicycles
Bikes : Road, Gravel, Cyclocross, Mountain, Track
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Reactor, Drifter X
Price Range : $5,299 (frame kit) to $10,900 (complete bike)
Johnstown, NY is home to No. 22 Bicycles. All frames are made in-house and their production team has over 50 years of combined titanium building experience, something they believe shines through with every build. The company strives to balance performance and ride pleasure.
Their builds are for riders looking for stiffness and low weight combined with a quality titanium feel combined. Only the highest grade tubing qualifies for their bikes, and the brand is proud to be made in the USA. No. 22 may be young, but they’re making waves and continue to impress.
Passoni
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel, Track
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : XXTi, Cicloprato Disc
Price Range : $7,700 to $9,500
Have you heard of Passoni? If not, one look at their frames speaks to the lengths this Italian brand goes into producing premium titanium bikes. Few prices are visible on their webpage, but what I saw made me flinch. Even their T-shirts are $95. Their Milan location and 30 years of experience reflect their prices.
The brand’s name describes their passion for building the best titanium bikes possible, and sales around the world attest to their philosophy. Each frame is polished over 30 hours, and oversized down and head tubes reduce torsional forces giving their bikes a lively ride.
Ribble Cycles
Type of Bikes : Road, E-bike, Hybrid, Gravel, Mountain, Cyclocross, TT & Tri
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Endurance Ti Disc, CGR Ti
Price Range : $3,100 $ to $5,900
Ribble Cycles is a UK builder forging new roads into the level of customization possible through their on-line BikeBuilder tool. Options are fewer for titanium bikes, but you have complete control over many aspects of your new bike, down to the color of the handlebar plugs and stem top cap.
If full-on custom isn’t your route, choose one of their popular builds created to match a variety of rider requirements and budgets. Ribble’s buy direct method makes ti affordable without compromising on personalized service, quality and performance. Visit one of their showrooms where you can speak to an expert in-store.
Sage Titanium Bicycles
Type of Bikes : All-road, Gravel, Cyclocross, Mountain
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Skyline, Barlow
Price Range : 3,660 (frame kit) to 11,733 (complete bike)
Call David Rosen nostalgic, but he founded Sage in 2012 after burning out on the carbon craze. He longed for the days when bicycles were a thing of beauty and reflected the craftsmanship of its maker. He took matters into his own hands, building bikes with a soul, ones you could be proud of and want to keep.
Sage bikes are 100% made in Beaverton, Oregon. Buying US cold-milled titanium provides them with unparalleled quality control during the production process. Today’s Sage bikes embrace titanium tradition while integrating state-of-the-art technology and fabrication.
Stelbel
Type of Bikes : Road
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Model : Ti9
Price Range : $4,995 (frame kit)
Stelbel is an Italian brand with a rich history dating back to the 1970s. The business closed only to reopen in 2013 thanks to a collaboration between Cicli Corsa and Stelio Bellati to offer their quality bicycles to a new generation of cyclists.
Stelbel’s Ti9 bicycles, made from double-butted grade 9 titanium, are beautifully crafted TIG-welded pieces of art. Italian craftsmanship, premium materials and skill are required to bring these bicycles to fruition. The Ti9 is available in disc and rim brakes.
Stinner Frameworks
Type of Bikes : Road, Gravel, Mountain
Custom Bikes : Yes
Popular Models : Gibraltar, Refugio
Price Range : $3,699 to $4,099 (frame kits)
Stinner Frameworks is in magnificent Santa Barbara, California. They live to ride the coastal region’s open road, climbing and descending the twisting epic road that gives their titanium road bike its name, Gibraltar.
The bike’s geometry is designed to be responsive, accelerate up steep grades, fly across the flats and barrel down corkscrew descents. Each Gibraltar is custom made and available with disc or rim brakes. Every Stinner tells a story of its rider.
