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New Titan Switch Gravel bike?


Damocles

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I know Nick (the BikeHub content guy) is busy riding one. Did the Swartberg Cheese Fondue on it. So I am guessing there is an official review due soon.

 

I got these https://www.ebay.com/itm/JUIN-TECH-R1-Hydraulic-Road-CX-Disc-Brake-set-160mm-w-Rotor-Front-Rear-Gray/132831219947?hash=item1eed5b90eb:g:TgIAAOSwy2Ncf1f4

 

They are a WAY better option than the cable calipers.

 

Braking is modulated, the pull is super easy and adjustable and the are low maintenance. They also set up 55000 times easier and don't need constant fiddling.

 

I would seriouslt recommend these to anyone running cable calipers and isn't ready to shell out for a whole hydro goupset.

 

I initially though 'how much better can they be?' but am/was absolutely blown away.

 

(I have no vested interested in Juin Tech. Just sharing some awesome, reasonably priced products)

i rode this bike, works perfectly. would totally look at this setup if you wanted to run disc brakes on your road groupset.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Keeping a very close eye on this thread. Saw this bike as well on my FB feed and am supremely interested. Would like to purchase in time for RTTS 2020 (if this type of bike will suit that type of event), as well as the Tour D'urban "CX" event. 

 

Looking at trying my hand at something different other than the same old road races.

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Congrats, sortine one out for myself as well. Been super impressed with their entire range. Especially keen on the prototype full suss models they're working on. Team Valley Electrical have been racing on the pre-production prototypes with great success.

I do have a business interest with Cytec who do Titan and Merida, but I wouldn't associate with the bikes if I didn't believe in what they're doing. Plus I know the designer who was originally with Pyga/cSixx. Knows his tomatos from his tomatoes.

For me currently though I'm set on a black Switch with a wheel and groupset upgrade! Daddy need new bike day  :drool: 
 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Got it! 

 

Initial impressions so far (after 33km coffee ride through the 'burbs)

 - Very crisp gear changes

 - Brakes are a bit spongy, but modulates well.

 - Not the best saddle
 - 40c tyres soaks up bumps well.

 - Haven't done TL conversion, yet.

 

post-63970-0-34403900-1561704281_thumb.jpg 

 

 

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Good lord that looks good!

 

 

 

 

 

Got it!

 

Initial impressions so far (after 33km coffee ride through the 'burbs)

- Very crisp gear changes

- Brakes are a bit spongy, but modulates well.

- Not the best saddle

- 40c tyres soaks up bumps well.

- Haven't done TL conversion, yet.

 

20190627_173825.jpg

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Thank you! I'm a total sucker for a good looking bike. It's almost pathetic how an inanimate object such as a bicycle can evoke such emotion from the purchaser! We are a strange bunch, us cyclists. 

 

Good lord that looks good!




 

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Am also considering an elite with a second wheelset.  

 

Went to a local bikeshop the other day where they have the switch to have a look and then the owner / manager showed me a trek on "special" and he said I should rather buy the trek.    When I asked him why the trek and not the titan he's response was.   "It is a trek and the other one is only a titan"   The trek was R7K more with Tiagra groupset but hydraulic brakes  :eek:

The switch was on the floor between many other bikes and the front wheel was not even properly on the bike while the trek was on a pedestal.

 

I thought about this afterwards and he did not do the Titan justice at all - treating it like something not worth considering and not even having the bike assembled correctly.   

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Am also considering an elite with a second wheelset.  

 

Went to a local bikeshop the other day where they have the switch to have a look and then the owner / manager showed me a trek on "special" and he said I should rather buy the trek.    When I asked him why the trek and not the titan he's response was.   "It is a trek and the other one is only a titan"   The trek was R7K more with Tiagra groupset but hydraulic brakes  :eek:

The switch was on the floor between many other bikes and the front wheel was not even properly on the bike while the trek was on a pedestal.

 

I thought about this afterwards and he did not do the Titan justice at all - treating it like something not worth considering and not even having the bike assembled correctly.   

 

wonder which would give him the best profit .....

 

 

Few years back I would have, well I did, bought the Trek .... considering the Titan just a bit better than a Makro bike .....

 

 

Two things have happened since:

 

1) I paid the school fees and now KNOW that Trek is "just another bike", and also has crap components at their entry level price bracket .....  :eek:   :wacko:

 

2) Super impressed with Maritz's TITAN !  Seeing the abuse these bikes take at the Spur races has impressed me !!

 

 

 

Titan has stepped up their game big time  :thumbup:   :clap:

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So took the bike on a bit more of a gravel experience this weekend with mates in the Souf (JHB).

 

Took the gravel roads from Rand Water to Blockhouse North, and I was suitably impressed. The grief I gave the saddle in a previous review has been substantiated, a bit. On the tar, it performs below par. However, on the gravel it transforms into something else completely, I have never experienced something like that. 

 

Having pumped the 40c tyres up right all the way to 6 bar, I was in for quite a surprise. Rolls very well, but as soon as we hit the gravel, it rolled even better. Single track and open gravel roads proved no problem for the bike. The rear absorbs the track much better than the front, so my hands suffered somewhat. Perhaps this can be solved by some more kushy bar tape or lower tyre pressure. 

 

On the open stretches, putting the power right down the bike responds well, and topping the speed out takes some doing. The heavier wheels are obviously less responsive than carbon hoops, but this in an upgrade in due course. Getting to some inevitable washboard riffles in the road lead to an astonishing revelation - it fells like a soft tail! 

 

One thing I would advise against is sand - the tyres are too thin for a sandy track, and will wash out quite easily. I cannot comment on whether playing with the pressure will improve handling in that situation, but experience on a MTB with wide tyres prove the hypothesis.

 

One thing left to test on this bike is its climbing capability. 

 

 

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Great feedback! Thank you

 

 

So took the bike on a bit more of a gravel experience this weekend with mates in the Souf (JHB).

 

Took the gravel roads from Rand Water to Blockhouse North, and I was suitably impressed. The grief I gave the saddle in a previous review has been substantiated, a bit. On the tar, it performs below par. However, on the gravel it transforms into something else completely, I have never experienced something like that. 

 

Having pumped the 40c tyres up right all the way to 6 bar, I was in for quite a surprise. Rolls very well, but as soon as we hit the gravel, it rolled even better. Single track and open gravel roads proved no problem for the bike. The rear absorbs the track much better than the front, so my hands suffered somewhat. Perhaps this can be solved by some more kushy bar tape or lower tyre pressure. 

 

On the open stretches, putting the power right down the bike responds well, and topping the speed out takes some doing. The heavier wheels are obviously less responsive than carbon hoops, but this in an upgrade in due course. Getting to some inevitable washboard riffles in the road lead to an astonishing revelation - it fells like a soft tail! 

 

One thing I would advise against is sand - the tyres are too thin for a sandy track, and will wash out quite easily. I cannot comment on whether playing with the pressure will improve handling in that situation, but experience on a MTB with wide tyres prove the hypothesis.

 

One thing left to test on this bike is its climbing capability. 

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