Titanium Gravel Bike - Sklar SuperSomething for Dan
Titanium - does it even need an introduction? While Sklar has been fabricating with this space-age metal for over a decade it seems like it is really having a moment right now. Maybe it's a response to carbon bikes? A curiosity with metal bikes but a hesitation to go with steel due to bad PR? The allure of an unpainted frame and the promise of a "forever bike"? Whatever it is, these Titanium SuperSomething frames sure build up nice, and this one for Dan in Vermont is no exception.
The SuperSomething is a gravel bike. It has clearance for ~52mm tires and a geometry that fits like a road bike but handles a little more confidently off pavement. Capability is a function of geometry, but it also comes from materials. For our steel frames we painstakingly designed the tube set to flex in just the right way, and that same consideration was taken into account with the Titanium frames. When a frame flexes it keeps your tires hugging the ground instead of skipping over the rough patches. Frames that are too stiff skip and chatter, and when your tires are touching air instead of dirt you don't have any traction. That added traction from a flexible frame (and wheels) creates as much confidence as clever geometry ever could, but when paired together with good geo you get something really special. And well, that's what we have here with the SuperSomething.
Titanium takes flex to a whole other level. While I think the broader audience is drawn to Titanium often for its weight, I would argue that lightness is one of its least compelling attributes. The difference in weight between the Steel and Titanium SuperSomething frames is equivalent to a half-full water bottle - about a pound. The main thing you get with Ti is ride quality. Titanium has about half the modulus of elasticity of chromoly steel, meaning it is substantially more flexible while also having nearly double the tensile and yield strength. What this means is we can build a Titanium frame that is both more flexible and stronger than steel.
That said, we don't want to go too flexy. Honestly, designing a Titanium frame that threads the needle between responsive stiffness and comfortable flex is quite tricky, but I think we've done it here thanks to some thoughtful tubing selection. These bikes are buttery smooth, wicked strong, and sure to last a lifetime.
We ship each Titanium frame with our Sklarbon Carbon Fiber gravel forks (in the color of your choice). Dan chose the Rival/GX Mullet build kit for his build with a nice wide gear range for those steep Vermont hills.
At this time we have 4 Ti frames left and it is going to be a while until there are any more so hop on it now if you are interested!