€99 Titanium Jockey Wheels From KA Engineering

Oh glorious titanium! How exotic and lust-worthy are thee??

Sure, carbon fibre may be the latest buzzword in the cycling world, but we definitely have a soft spot for titanium. Last issue we tested three titanium hardtails from Kona, J.Guillem and Stanton, and there was barely a moment where someone wasn’t drooling all over the top tubes. Honestly, that photoshoot was a mess. But titanium comes in many shapes and forms, including (but not exclusive to) chainrings and jockey wheels.

Ukrainian company KA Engineering has established its name by producing exotic titanium parts for mountain bikes, including some very trick jockey wheels and chainrings that we’re going to take a look at here. But why expensive titanium for those parts? Well, with a weight that’s comparable to alloy, and durability that’s closer to steel, it actually makes a lot of sense. If you can stomach the price. After all, it’s the reason why Shimano use titanium for the larger sprockets on its high-end XTR and Dura-Ace cassettes, because it keeps the weight down without sacrificing wear life.

Warning: Packet is not drool-proof.

3-star Titanium Jockey Wheels

RRP: €99.99
Custom milled out of TI-6AL-4V alloy
Compatible with SRAM 11-speed derailleurs such as XX-1 and X0-1
12 tooth w/3 star pattern
Claimed weight: see below

These 12-tooth jockey wheels are about the same weight as the regular SRAM jockey wheels that come on X0-1 and XX-1 derailleurs.

KA Engineering sent us through some pics, including this one of its titanium jockey wheels on the scales of doom. To be honest, the weight isn’t that impressive, as it’s actually about a gram or two heavier than a stock pair of SRAM X0-1 jockey wheels. However, the stock SRAM jockey wheels are made from plastic, not titanium. In theory, KA Engineering’s jockey wheels should offer greater longterm durability. Perhaps we should get some in to put to the test then?

Want more titanium on your mountain bike? A chainring could be your ticket to titanium indulgence.

Titanium Chainrings

RRP: €89-€199
Custom milled out of TI-6AL-4V alloy
Narrow-Wide ‘Shark Tooth’ profile
Compatible with 1×10, 1×11 and 1×12 drivetrains
Also available in an Oval profile, with 12% ovality
Satin finish

KA Engineering makes titanium and alloy chainrings in a variety of sizes, shapes and tooth counts. And they can make custom rings too.

The same reasoning carries through to the titanium chainrings that KA Engineering produces, with the Ukrainian company claiming improved wear life over the alloy equivalents. We’ve definitely noticed that alloy narrow-wide 1x chainrings have a relatively fast wear life, and especially in wet and gritty UK conditions. So we can see the appeal of a titanium chainring that claims to be more durable.

No word on claimed weights on the 1x titanium chainrings, but we’re hoping to get some in to put the claims to the test. Looking for a chainring that doesn’t exist? KA Engineering also offers a custom service, which you can read about on their website.

Wil Barrett