My ChiTi frame arrived yesterday and managed to get it built up and maiden voyage today.

It’s designed to be 63 degrees around a 140 fork, 27.5+ wheels. Inspired by the Mojo Geometron.

I decided to build it up with silly geometry and work back towards someting more sensible, just because.

At the mo it is the full 160mm travel on the fork, a -2 slackset. The static headangle is a daft 57 degrees.
Oddly enough, it rides just like a bike. A very fast, fun bike 🙂 I think I might just leave it like this.

Contrary to popular belief with slack bikes, climbing is fantastic. The long reach and steep ST mean none of that annoying perching the bum on the nose of the saddle to keep the front down. It’s planted.
Downhill…well it is just a beast – so much fun especially on the steep stuff.

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Is it broken? Looks ridiculous imo, and not good for the forks either.

That looks batshit crazy! Like it though

climbing is fantastic

Lol. Apart from when you come to a sharp corner.

What’s the build quality like? How long do you think it’ll last? Did you have to pay tax/duty and whatnot?

Loving the bar ends.

Did the downtube and top tube not get a MASSIVE pair of gussets? I’d be riding with a gum shield…

I want a go. Just because I’m slack curious….

Yeah, I would be a bit worried about the forces going though the headtube at that angle.

That is proper bonkers.

Looks crazy. There’s slack and there’s that!

Lol. Apart from when you come to a sharp corner.

Comments like this always come from people that have never ridden a proper slack bike.
Looks like a right laugh to me. 😀

Hmmm agree about gussets. Even my litespeed hmmer had a gusset and that developed a hairline cack.

Id be a little concerned about folding the frame..
One way of finding out….

Is that a leopard print seat? 😆

Looks like the headtube has already shearered from the downtube… almost prophetic…

Why the long stem?

Is it broken? Looks ridiculous imo

Cool, you stick with your Norba rig Ned. 😆

Agreed on the HT forces though, it does concern me a bit. The DT and HT are very beefy, but still…
I may carbon wrap it, just to be on the safe side.

And yes, the seat is indeed a denim and leopard fur wonder 🙂

That does look like a lot of fun 8)

Lol. Credit to the chinese builder for making what is actually a crap design. I’m getting a chinese ti built frame at some point. Designed properly though.

Credit to the chinese builder for making what is actually a crap design.

Crap how? Genuinely interested.

have you given it a name?
widowmaker?
emperor’s new clothes?

you should definitely enter a few races on that, you’re bound to improve your results by a place or two just by getting the front of your bike across the line before the guy next to you…although you will have started from further back on the grid, hmmmm swings and roundabouts….

63 unsagged is what, 65?
Not that bonkers and won’t be unusual in a couple of years if things continue.

As built though, that is pretty extreme! Glad it’s fun.

Crap how? Genuinely interested.

When it snaps you’ll find out. Plus it looks gopping. Ugly seat, long stem, bar ends. That head angle and the big tyres don’t tie in with the skinny tubing.

The only thing that’s nice about it is the material used which is a shame as I like to see titanium put to good use.

🙄

Plus it looks gopping. Ugly seat, long stem, bar ends. That head angle and the big tyres don’t tie in with the skinny tubing.

LOL it looks even uglier with me sat on top of it you bellend 😆

If I wanted pretty I’d have bought a Ti bride not a Ti bike.

When it snaps you’ll find out. Plus it looks gopping. Ugly seat, long stem, bar ends. That head angle and the big tyres don’t tie in with the skinny tubing.

Have to agree, sorry OP but that’s a shocker.

Looks a hoot – <doffs pioneering cap>

Lulz

Wow.
A very interesting bike. I’m not sure it’s for me, but hats off to you for trying something different. Hope it’s worth it

bedmaker – Member

Plus it looks gopping. Ugly seat, long stem, bar ends. That head angle and the big tyres don’t tie in with the skinny tubing.

LOL it looks even uglier with me sat on top of it you bellend

If I wanted pretty I’d have bought a Ti bride not a Ti bike.

That’s one of the best forum replies for ages (still think you need to consider that gumshield).

🙂

I like it OP although the bar ends suck! links to the frame?

Ace. Not for me, but still ace! Have fun OP!

Interesting build. Proves my theory that a decent rider can ride anything.

Bedmaker rides the ring off his bikes, so how it looks is unimportant – it won’t be a garage queen or leaning against a trail centre cafe.

The important question – is it going to be a SS in time for the SSEC though?

You’ve had the initiative and commitment to spend money on something different to see if it works. If it works for you that is brilliant and anyway, you are the only one who needs to ride it!

On the strength side,I probably would have gone for another couple of reinforcing tubes – one between the seat tube and top tube, another bracing the head tube, top tube and down tube.

I must admit I’m a bit confused regarding some of your component choices – e.g. bar ends and stem, I can’t imagine how tall you are to make them both work as intended on something this long!

Anyway, enjoy it.

That looks bonkers in a fun way. Well done for trying it though.

Which chi-ti supplier did you go to and what was the experience like please?

the bar ends suck!

Bar-ends for climbing. When climbing (especially long, hard, steep climbs) it helps control, weight-shifting and leverage a lot with wrists rotated so thumbs are pointed up rather than in. Why do so many cyclists hate bar-ends so much? Is it purely a fashion thing?

Congrats on the new bike OP, hope it doesn’t explode!

Looks fun my 456 summer season looks equally rediculous when in 160mode. I am eternally grateful for the travel adjust through.

Down hill is a hoot though

First impression is WTAF!! the second is ‘maybe I like it a bit’ then I feel a bit dirty but then again that never stopped me before, then I think ‘no it’s just stupid’ and then I look at it again and think it looks like it could be fun…
I’m torn,,, so enjoy!

it reminds me of the 3 breasted hooker from total recall…

not pretty, but i wouldn’t mind having a go as probably quite good fun…

Hmmm agree about gussets. Even my litespeed hmmer had a gusset and that developed a hairline cack.

I wonder if it cracked despite having a gusset or because of it?
It’s not as simple as adding extra tubes and gussets all over the place with Ti. People who know a lot more about these things maintain that more heat around a Ti headtube can lead to more risk of cracking. Gussets may just move stresses to an even more vulnerable part of the tube.
That said, a 160 29er fork at sub 60 deg is asking for trouble. I just really wanted to try it out to see what it was like. The wheels were never more than 18″ off the ground so not exactly going mental.

The fork is now a more sensible 135mm and the slackset out. Irritatingly though I ordered the wrong lower cup so will need to wait a few days for the right one.

Why bar ends? Why not would be my question. They add both performance and comfort benefits in one fell swoop.
Again, it’s a tool not a work of art. Function trumps form.

It’s a 60mm stem, hardly a monster. IT does seem to look longer in the pics though.

I got the frame from Waltly. The quality is superb. I’ve had Litespeed and Lynsky/On one in the past. This is every bit as good.
I half expected it to be a bit rough around the edges but it is excellent.
I’ll put up some weld pics if anyone is interested.
Amy was great to deal with. The whole process was painless. All in price was £880 including customs.