Titus Fireline Ti 29 Evo..

Will I get away with the 100 reba in my garage?

How fast does it go?

Just been looking at the Pacenti’s here, unfortunately no 26-ers, great reviews.

Will it or won’t it blow up with a 140mm fork? I was thinking of a 110mm/140mm Fox 34 Talas, like.

Who’s preordered then … ?

I’m still torn between one of these and a Yelli.

I had a Yelli but was in too large a size….

I need some more info from the masses on STW really…

People talk about ‘feel’ on a Steel frame for example… however, i’ve not ridden one to know what they’re on about… How does TI ‘feel’ in comparison to Alu and steel frames ? Can normal riders/mortals actually notice it ?

If i buy this, the Giant will be destined for a few months of wasteland, before eventually getting carbon rigids on the front and being run fully rigid for winter training….

My biggest hurdle is… i really don’t have an issue with my Giant. However, that could just be lack of trying something else. E.g I used to think my SLX brakes were great… then i bought Formulas, found out that the Forumlas were much nicer (IMO)… But i didn’t have an issue with the SLX’s previously…. So i’m wondering if it’s potentially the same with the Giant… i won’t realise it’s only ‘OK’ until trying something ‘better’…

Bit of a rambling i know… lol

How does TI ‘feel’ in comparison to Alu and steel frames ?

it depends. It’s as much about frame design, tube choices etc as frame material (if not more so).

I think, from my experience, that the cliched views of different frame materials are probably correct but it does depend on the frame.

Easy for me as a serial frame swapper to say but if you’re happy with what you’ve got now why change?

I’d like to see some more pictures and probably a build first, and have some info on how they ride (flex/stiffness etc).

There’s no rush, they’re barely on the boat yet. If they sell out in the meantime Titus will make some more I’m sure.

Much as I really fancy a Ti HT this …

it depends. It’s as much about frame design, tube choices etc as frame material (if not more so).

… is spot on.

I’m still torn between one of these and a Yelli.

Are you seeing that as the niche the Fireline is targeting? (Fireline would probably win for me because it’s cheaper, British designed, oh and ti! The Yelli’s look nice tho …)

Easy for me as a serial frame swapper to say but if you’re happy with what you’ve got now why change?

I guess the answer is “to see if something else is better?” which was the reason i bought the Yelli. (in the wrong size)

in that case, and if you can afford to take a punt, then why not 🙂

Are you seeing that as the niche the Fireline is targeting? (Fireline would probably win for me because it’s cheaper, British designed, oh and ti! The Yelli’s look nice tho …)

That’s my perception…. but i may be completely wrong lol.

Agree on the comment about the frame shape/geo/etc being the important thing, hence why i’ve not liked quite a few bikes i’ve owned/ridden in this year, a Zesty, Bionicon and Orange 5 were the standout examples of bikes i’ve ridden and got off thinking ‘meh’…..

The Yelli is also 850 quid for an aluminium frame. The comments re tubes etc notwithstanding, once I rode a Soul I promised myself I’d never again buy an aluminium HT.

in that case, and if you can afford to take a punt, then why not

And bear in mind the risk isn’t the cost of the frame, it’s the difference between the new price and the price you’d sell it for a bit used (provided you can afford to have your cash tied up for a bit).

Would be nice to get a review and some pics….. Brant, any plans for a STW review soon ?

How fast does it go?

Depends how fast you pedal it 😉 😀

and some pics

And an idea of the graphics/ decals …

@weeksy also see Kona Raijin.

@ mattjg

no – the risk is the mother of all b*llockings from the wife………… usually only solved by bying her another bike

if the kids are fed and shoed, and the mortgage is covered for the month, you’re in the clear surely?

that works for me anyway

Clearly the solution is a “his and hers” Fireline Ti 29er EVO? 😆

Does any one want a 2 month old medium black yelli? Hope headset and seat clamp. £600?

Ska, email me….

Yes is the answer.

jonstanley – Member

charliemort » no – the risk is the mother of all b*llockings from the wife………… usually only solved by bying her another bike

Clearly the solution is a “his and hers” Fireline Ti 29er EVO?

‘her’ got a 32Gb iPad last week as a present…. so her is more than happy.

back on topic FFS, has there been / are there in place any plans for a review / mini-test ?

Ta……

back on topic FFS, has there been / are there in place any plans for a review / mini-test ?

that would be quite a challenge in the middle of the South China Sea … what tyres for a slippery container ship deck?

that would be quite a challenge in the middle of the South China Sea … what tyres for a slippery container ship deck?

haha, indeed,……

are there any plans in the near future then……?

@ the_lecht_rocks: wildrnes has one, drop him a mail.

weeksy – didn’t you have an xl before and therefore a medium is prob too far the other way?!

And all the comments re frame feel depending on how its built are spot on imo. My yelli doesn’t feel harsh at all but the fancy pants Ti Kingdom 29er i had high hopes for felt like a i was riding a steel girder. Really took some of the shine off the Ti lust for me although appreciate its a sample of 1.

Edit – Yelli prices in this country are daft, all because of canfield’s shipping stipulation if i’m right. Hence why i bought mine second hand from mtbr.

@ the_lecht_rocks: wildrnes has one, drop him a mail.

wildrnes has a proto with a few bits not the same at all.

Gotama – Member
weeksy – didn’t you have an xl before and therefore a medium is prob too far the other way?!

My XTC29 is a Medium and is spot on sizing for me… although running a 90mm stem. But i’d be transferring over everything including the stem short term

No, just no. A yelli with a 90mm stem is just wrong. Work out what the reach and eff toptube are for the giant, add the 90mm stem length to that figure and then buy the yelli with the same measurements when taking into account a 50/60mm stem. A medium in one is vastly different to a medium in the other and if you want to use a yelli for what it was designed for you certainly don’t want to be sticking a 90mm stem on there. A new stem is what, 20 quid for a budget one, certainly not worth letting it dictate the size of a frame given the relative costs.

Ok, your Giant only shows eff tt which for the 2013 is 594mm in medium. Stick a 90mm on there and you have a total of 684mm. The Yelli Large eff tt is 622mm and Med is 603.25mm. A large Yelli with a 60mm stem will therefore be pretty much the same as your Giant when seated. If you measure the reach then you can compare them when riding stood up as well. There are obviously other factors at work here but its a reasonable starting point.

Also depends on what bars you will be running.
If you go for wider bars then the TT can be shorter and vice versa.

Interesting…

Ska, would be the same bars on either the Giant or the Yelli/Titus, so it’s all relative in that context.

I guess the question is then… if i went for the Fireline, should i run a shorter stem and a large frame, or a medium frame with 90 stem…. Maybe we need Brant to answer that but feel free to throw in your thoughts lads.

Gotama is spot on IMO, run the frame that feels how you want with a stem in the 50-70mm range. If you’re running a 90mm stem with wide bars (say 700mm or more), I’d say go for a longer frame unless you really want the short BMX style ‘chuckability’ (on a 29er, I wouldn’t want that). If you’re not running wide bars, shorten the stem and widen the bars to have comparably the same overall fit.

Maybe we need Brant to answer that but feel free to throw in your thoughts lads

I don’t see how Brant can do that in terms of fit, you have to figure that out yourself. Each of us is different and personally I think height is the very roughest of guides anyway (it’s more about reach, once the seat is positioned correctly both vertically and fore-and-aft). He may have an opinion on what bar/stem combos work best tho.

mattjg – Member

He may have an opinion on what bar/stem combos work best tho

That was more my point yes. As to whether he’d recommend a larger bike smaller stem combo over a smaller bike longer stem combo.

e.g the Yellis are seemingly all running 50-60mm stems, seems to be the designated sizing…. whereas the Giant is standard at 90mm…. i assume there’s a logic behind these figures from the manufacturers 🙂

I’m running 710mm Funn bars with a 15mm rise.

Anyway ….

Where them pics …

🙂

Brant will undoubtedly comment but from the geometry it looks like its been developed for a similar purpose to the Yelli, Singular Buzzard etc. In my opinion it would be best suited to a stem of 50-70mm. Google Chromag and Jinya and have a look at those videos. Obviously he is an amazing rider but ultimately that is the type of riding i believe these bikes are designed for. If that’s what you aspire to and doing something similar at your own level then one of these frames is for you.

The other way of looking at it is what don’t you like about the giant? If nothing then instead of looking at these more aggro hardtails why not treat yourself to a Niner Sir 9, Cotic Solaris….which are probably closer in geometry to your Giant but nicer* frames. For certain trails my swift feels much more fun to ride than my yelli, just depends on what i’m doing. Buy a bike that is wrong for your riding and irrespective of how much man gush there is on here about it, you still won’t enjoy riding it as much as you’d hoped. I think the Chicken Cycles blokey said that if you go to him for a custom frame he will go for a ride with you to make sure he makes a bike that is right for you rather than what you think you need.

* obviously subjective before anyone jumps on my back 😀

The other way of looking at it is what don’t you like about the giant

It’s 18 months old and not ‘shiny’