|   Titus Racer X Ti or Aluminium ??? | xc-rider
Apr 13, 2003 8:43 PM | | Hello,
I want to have some advice about Titus racer x frame.I'll sell my litespeed unicoi soon to buy a titus racer x, but I hesitate between Ti or Alu.Basically I love titanium because it doesn't need to be painted...but I saw that the titus alu can be bought polished...hum...interesting...
Please help me in my choice (I'm nearly decided for titan but if you think alu is really better I can change my oppinion).
And if you use this frame, are you happy with it ? is rear suspension good ? reliability ? ...
Thanks for your help |
| re: Titus Racer X Ti or Aluminium ??? | KMan
Apr 14, 2003 7:28 AM | | Only rease to get Ti over Aluminum is if you need custom geometry, if not go with aluminum......unless your a Ti freak of course :)
My opinion on the Racer X....I personially think it is in the "group" of one of the top made frames. (I'm on my second one and my next bike will probably be another Racer X.
KMan |
| re: Titus Racer X Ti or Aluminium ??? | Durango rider
Apr 14, 2003 8:56 AM | | I have a polished 2001 RacerX and a Moots YBB.
The RX takes a bit more work to keep shiny. I actually have to put some elbow grease into it every once in a while. The Moots cleans up with Lemon Pledge so easily I feel like I'm cheating.
For the RX, I see no advantage to getting Ti, unless you want a custom. (Just like the other guy said.)
I will say, however, that I've been riding both bikes, back to back, with the same set of wheels/tires, and I honestly can't say which bike I'm faster on. On a local loop (Meadow Loop + Staceys at Horse Gulch) the bikes are within a few seconds of each other. I climb faster on the Moots and descend faster on the RX. So if you're a racer (I've been racing expert for several years) and are looking for a bike that will transform your results, the RX probably won't do it.
On the other hand, for Just Riding Around, the RX is a lot more fun than the Moots. I expect the RX will also be a lot more fun than the Unicoi. Also, on slow, really technical stuff, the RX is way, way easier to ride than the Moots. |
| re: Titus Racer X Ti or Aluminium ??? | COdirt
Apr 14, 2003 12:00 PM | | I agree with the others. The only reason to go TI on the racer X is for custom wants and needs.
The Al version is lighter and cheaper. And once you decide to plop down the cash, you can get the stock aluminum frame in less time!
Opinion wise, I think it is one of the finest choices for a dual-sus. I demo'ed a number of bikes (not parking lot, but full-day demos) and never found a bike that road like the Titus.
I run a 100 mm fork since I ride in CO and Moab. This slows the front down just a bit which improves stability on technical downhill. I choose the FOX float 100 to match the Racer X. |
| Yes but if I love titanium frames... ;-) | xc-rider
Apr 14, 2003 1:10 PM | | Thanks for your help,
You confirm to me what I supposed, the racer x is really a good frame, I used to ride in xc races, my hardtail and after my softail were perfect, but now I want to ride on long distances and in this situation I'll be better on a full.And a lot of people who tried like you the racer x say that it's one of the best fully for cross country !!!
Now for the tubes, I really enjoy titan, I know that the effective performance will be the same as aluminium, and the price higher, but what I like on titanium is that if you crash the frame is often "more beautiful" after the crash...
On aluminium, is the anodisation with good quality ??? better than power coated frames ?
Do you really know the weight difference between ti an aluminium ?
Actually I don't really need a custom geometry because size Small is great for me...humm...difficult to choose between :
-better price and weight for aluminium
-my love for titanium ;-) |
| Get the aluminum in anodized grey... | bray
Apr 15, 2003 2:58 PM | | it is extremely hard to scratch, looks like ti and is easy to clean and keep clean. The ti Racer X weighs a bit more than the aluminum since more material is used to keep the flex down. You do get a lifetime warranty with it vs. 2 years for aluminum, though. |
| Get the aluminum in anodized grey... | xc-rider
Apr 15, 2003 9:14 PM | | Hi,
I phoned to Titus yesterday and have to phone again today (wednesday) to have a chat with "the boss" who wasn't here on monday or tuesday.
I spoke with Titus about the warranty, good point for Ti ;-)
i suppose if I choose an aluminium I will take it blue or polished, I just hope that polished is not too complicate to clean well ?
And what about your review about the bike, do you have a good feeling when you climb ? and on the other hand when you "go down" ?
thanks a lot for your help.
xc rider |
| Questions on handling, etc... | Bray
Apr 16, 2003 10:16 AM | | Regarding the polished frame, I have "heard" that it is prone to waterspots, etc. My polished swingarm isn't a real pain to clean, but it would no doubt take some elbox grease to get it nice and shiny again. Some people are less lazy than I am, so this extra attention to detail may not be a big deal. It is a very attractive look IMHO. I had a Loco Moto in the anodized blue that was recalled and I upgraded to the RX. The anodized blue is an awesome color... very rich, durable and was easy to maintain.
On handling, I live in the mountains in Colorado and do a lot of long climbs followed by tight singletrack descents, in addition to high desert rocky, bumpy, singletrack and high speed gravel roads. The bike works perfectly in all of these conditions. Several of my riding companions have RXs too, and love them as well. My current small RX is actually a replacement for a medium that I rode last year, but realized it was too big for me. I liked the bike but felt that I was not getting the legendary RX handling and feel out of it. It was an expensive lesson, but I was right.
I put about 2,000 miles on the medium, and despite the sizing issues, was extremely impressed with both its climbing and descending ability. The medium climbed well but the front end tended to wander on steep climbs. This has been resolved by the smaller frame. I have about 200 miles on the small in high desert singletrack and absolutely love it. It remains firmly planted on steep climbs and I have noticed no wandering of the front wheel. It accelerates really well, has amazing traction and is easy to coaxe up obstacles. Overall, an excellent climber... the best I have ever ridden.
On descents, the smaller frame is much more nimble than the medium and I would say that I feel like the bike is an extension of my body. I don't even notice it is there, just point and shoot. It really carves through singletrack and floats underneath me when hammering seated through rocky and bumpy sections. I have not done a 40 mph+ fireroad descent on the small yet, but would guess that it would be less stable than the medium was due to the slightly shorter wheelbase and top tube. I had hit 50 mph on a local fireroad on the medium and it was very confidence inspiring -- not sure if that was a good thing though!
Regardless of the color choice, the RX is a fantastic bike. The only limitation in my mind is the bike's reliance on 80mm forks. I see a dwindling availability of stiff, plush and affordable 80mm forks that work really well on this bike. I think that despite its racing pedigree, the RX works amazing as a light trail bike and everyday workhorse and is used by most as such. But, I guess that is where the HH100x fits in. Good luck! |
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