Today’s ride on the Nanolight was pretty nice. I went out to Hillsboro and back. Planet X is really going to have a hard time getting this bike back from me because it is awesome! It is the type of bike that would actually make me shave my legs and go full roadie. Light, and fast with quick shifting. When you drop the hammer all the power goes to the rear wheel. I am really starting to dig the SRAM DoubleTap shifting. At first it felt odd, like I posted before, but now it is getting more intuitive. I don’t know if I’d make the full switch on my bikes, but it is definitely doable.  The bike is setup UK style with the brakes reversed. Rear braking on the left. I was going to switch them back, but I hate to say it, I am getting use to it. Although passing hand signals while braking on the front wheel is sketchy. BUT I could see how this may help in CX racing as I usually dis-mount and re-mount on the left side. Meaning I would be braking the rear while hoping off the bike. Speaking of CX races, would it make sense as a Cat C racer (slow guy, almost beginner) to get a carbon framed race bike? I can see how after 40 minutes of huffing around a lighter bike would be amazing. But I digress… Back to the bike. As I mentioned I like it, and am having a blast testing it. Jeremy
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Today’s ride on the Nanolight was pretty nice. I went out to Hillsboro and back. Planet X is really going to have a hard time getting this bike back from me because it is awesome!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2hrZ4Ll2j3A/T1L-YtkCRtI/AAAAAAAAFmg/Uru9HrnnulY/s563/100_3779.JPG

It is the type of bike that would actually make me shave my legs and go full roadie. Light, and fast with quick shifting. When you drop the hammer all the power goes to the rear wheel. I am really starting to dig the SRAM DoubleTap shifting. At first it felt odd, like I posted before, but now it is getting more intuitive. I don’t know if I’d make the full switch on my bikes, but it is definitely doable. 

The bike is setup UK style with the brakes reversed. Rear braking on the left. I was going to switch them back, but I hate to say it, I am getting use to it. Although passing hand signals while braking on the front wheel is sketchy. BUT I could see how this may help in CX racing as I usually dis-mount and re-mount on the left side. Meaning I would be braking the rear while hoping off the bike.

Speaking of CX races, would it make sense as a Cat C racer (slow guy, almost beginner) to get a carbon framed race bike? I can see how after 40 minutes of huffing around a lighter bike would be amazing. But I digress…

Back to the bike. As I mentioned I like it, and am having a blast testing it.

Jeremy

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pVVJ0e1p6Wg/T1L-ZkMqBhI/AAAAAAAAFmo/6e3F7IHOzOc/s422/100_3781.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IuROBSEr4wU/T1L-aYDfdEI/AAAAAAAAFmw/Mn8yO_7fRLA/s422/100_3782.JPG

First ride on the Titus FTM carbon WOW. I miss being on squishy bikes. This bike is too much fun. I have been on a hard tail 29er for about 2 years now.  There is something to be said about preloading before an obstacle and popping up over it instead of bashing straight through it. I know that has nothing to do with this bike, but it has to be said. It is almost like being a monk locked in a monastery for years and then visiting Portland on vacation.  You’d be hard pressed to walk back in to the monastery.  The Actual Ride It was rainy and muddy up around Saltzman and Firelane 5 this morning. It is to be expected for the end of February. It just means slow down a bit going around corners, and your wife will have a conniption if you bring those dang muddy clothes in the house. I figured I would ride down F5 and back up Saltzman, a short ride but being the closest trail to me it would have to do before the workday began. Firelane 5 is all down hill and Saltzman is all up, unless you take them in reverse.  F5 is mostly double track/unimproved road until the bottom section which is twisty singletrack. Saltzman is a road, err unpaved stretch of scenery. I’ve ridden all my bikes on it so it proves to be a good short tester. The FTM, being a trail, bike eats this stuff up for breakfast. Having ample suspension both front and rear brings smiles all around. I found myself going a little faster and pushing a little harder through the techy stuff. I didn’t think about the suspension as I was making my way down hill. Which as you know from my previous posts this is a good thing. The FSR type suspension has been around for a while and as I posted before, feels comfy to me. I know what the bike is going to do and it does it. The new thing to me is the Rockshox Monarch doing the business on the rear end instead of Fox. You have a couple settings (Rebound, Air pressure, and Floodgate) which make it dead simple to setup. A funny thing happened and I left the Floodgate closed this whole ride. I guess I didn’t need it.  I mentioned on twitter last night that I love the thru-axle. Having one on the front should be mandatory for longer travel forks. some may say it is a “nice to have” but once you actually ride with one on your everyday trails it really make them more fun. When you put the wheel somewhere it actually goes there with no complaints. My only complaint is now I will need a new fork, front wheel, and rack. ;) The bottom line I am not one to tell you to buy this bike or that bike. I think you are big boys and girls and can make that decision on your own. If you are in the market for a carbon trail bike I definitely would put this one on your list to check out.  Titus sells the frames online ($1199) or full builds (X9/Rockshox)($3299) at their location in Portland. Contact me if you are in the area and want to see it I may or may not let you ride it :) Final note: The Crank Bros wheels are niiiiiiice! Before getting her dirty Taken at speed The road out.
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First ride on the Titus FTM carbon

WOW. I miss being on squishy bikes. This bike is too much fun. I have been on a hard tail 29er for about 2 years now.  There is something to be said about preloading before an obstacle and popping up over it instead of bashing straight through it. I know that has nothing to do with this bike, but it has to be said. It is almost like being a monk locked in a monastery for years and then visiting Portland on vacation.  You’d be hard pressed to walk back in to the monastery. 

The Actual Ride

It was rainy and muddy up around Saltzman and Firelane 5 this morning. It is to be expected for the end of February. It just means slow down a bit going around corners, and your wife will have a conniption if you bring those dang muddy clothes in the house. I figured I would ride down F5 and back up Saltzman, a short ride but being the closest trail to me it would have to do before the workday began.

Firelane 5 is all down hill and Saltzman is all up, unless you take them in reverse.  F5 is mostly double track/unimproved road until the bottom section which is twisty singletrack. Saltzman is a road, err unpaved stretch of scenery. I’ve ridden all my bikes on it so it proves to be a good short tester.

The FTM, being a trail, bike eats this stuff up for breakfast. Having ample suspension both front and rear brings smiles all around. I found myself going a little faster and pushing a little harder through the techy stuff. I didn’t think about the suspension as I was making my way down hill. Which as you know from my previous posts this is a good thing.

The FSR type suspension has been around for a while and as I posted before, feels comfy to me. I know what the bike is going to do and it does it. The new thing to me is the Rockshox Monarch doing the business on the rear end instead of Fox. You have a couple settings (Rebound, Air pressure, and Floodgate) which make it dead simple to setup. A funny thing happened and I left the Floodgate closed this whole ride. I guess I didn’t need it. 

I mentioned on twitter last night that I love the thru-axle. Having one on the front should be mandatory for longer travel forks. some may say it is a “nice to have” but once you actually ride with one on your everyday trails it really make them more fun. When you put the wheel somewhere it actually goes there with no complaints. My only complaint is now I will need a new fork, front wheel, and rack. ;)

The bottom line

I am not one to tell you to buy this bike or that bike. I think you are big boys and girls and can make that decision on your own. If you are in the market for a carbon trail bike I definitely would put this one on your list to check out. 

Titus sells the frames online ($1199) or full builds (X9/Rockshox)($3299) at their location in Portland. Contact me if you are in the area and want to see it I may or may not let you ride it :)

Final note: The Crank Bros wheels are niiiiiiice!

titus carbon ftm

Before getting her dirty

titus carbon ftm

Taken at speed

Saltzman Portland Oregon

The road out.


Morning coffee. Trying Whole Foods’ new Three Bean Coffee this time. It was on sale $5 for 14oz can only available in whole bean, but they let me use their grinder to make it more usable. As usual the whole foods brands are good with no real complaints. It doesn’t remind me of sitting in a cafe in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica but it will get me going in the morning.
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Morning coffee. Trying Whole Foods’ new Three Bean Coffee this time. It was on sale $5 for 14oz can only available in whole bean, but they let me use their grinder to make it more usable.

As usual the whole foods brands are good with no real complaints. It doesn’t remind me of sitting in a cafe in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica but it will get me going in the morning.