Updated with new handlebars (to more closely match position on my Checkpoint), new set of Hunt alloy 4 season wheels set up with tubeless 28c pinarellos. Still loving this bike, 19 years after having it built by Ti Cycles.
Since my main ride was destroyed when I was hit by a truck a while back (and waiting on the replacement) I have been riding my custom Seven Odonata. Over 20 years old and still a phenomenal ride.
It has seen some upgrades over the years, and been back to Seven at one point to have the steerer replaced (1" to 1"1/8). Titanium is such an incredible material.
I just did a fit for a rider who snagged a used model like that with an older 9s D-A triple group. Amazing condition and such a pretty bike in build quality and details. The price he paid was stoooopid cheap too. Guy was in the right place at the right time.
I actually thought about getting rid of this bike a while back, but this bike was literally the therapy that got me through my divorce, and I wore out a good few saddles during those therapy sessions!
I am sentimental as it was the one constant through a number of years of significant change in my life!
Didn’t know steerer replacement was a thing! That’s really interesting and also makes me wonder if I could snatch up a nice frame for cheap bc the steerer is too small.
That Seven is drop dead sexy……but a mandatory 5 point deduction for posting a pic of your bike in the small chainring.
Having priced various updates to my titanium frame, I’d say get an estimate for repairs or retrofits from a reputable Ti shop first so you know all-in cost… Makes sense if you’ve got sentimental attachment to a frame. From a rational economic perspective, might not.
Recent build project. Objectives were a multi-use bike, endurance and touring, plus gravel. Titanium on a budget.
- Titanium frame, seat tube and carbon fork from Waltly
- Second hand (unused) Rival full groupset
- Ex demo 650b LUN wheels (1400g) +47mm tyres with 11-50 cassette
- Direct chinese 35/45 700c wheels (1300g) + 28mm tyres with 11-42 cassette
- 165mm power meter cranks from Xcadey
- Flared Ritchey Beacon WCS bars
Swap the wheels to go from monster gravel to comfy endurance bike. Working great so far. With road wheels I can ride with weekend roadie groups, with gravel wheels I can stretch to mtb trails. Switching the wheels gives the bike two very different personalities.
Oh, this is super rad. Could you post more pics of the cockpit setup?
Mine are just wide flared bars with 3.5mm thick bartape. Beacon WCS bars, so very flared and shallow drop.
I have a dropper post that I haven’t fit yet, will be very tight getting the internal cable via the BB (should’ve gone T47 in hindsight).
I’m also contemplating a suspension stem, but unsure on this… spending has to stop somewhere.
I am very interested in a deeper discussion. Your Stallion is very close in geometry to my Fezzari Empire (except for a much higher stack). I’ve taken the Empire off-road several times, including several places where I was very under-biked, and it did very well. I think I’d be happy with a gravel bike with similar geometry but clearance up to 50mm. As I’ve posted numerous times before, I keep coming back to the Seigla but it is more slack and some have concerns about the shallower bottom bracket drop. Would definitely enjoy a discussion with you and @Bones and others.
I am totally up for a deeper dive around geometry, @rkoswald. Do you want to pick up on your prior topic (below) or start a new one on par with the MTB one I started a while ago?
@mcneese.chad let’s add to Road vs Gravel Bike Geometry. Seems like a good fit because it sounds like we prefer more road geometry on dirt.
For @Bones , I’m interested in learning more about your preference for trail. I understand what it is (eg how it is calculated), but less so about what that means for bike handling.
Check out the J.Guillem range at Pedal revolution
my J.Guillem Major… 1st pic is most recent with the 28mm vittoria corsa’s & the 2nd pic is running 32mm gravel kings for when I’m feeling more all-road.
Check out the j.guillem bikes, all works of art
Where did you get the couplings installed? I too am looking to have a Ti Travel bike and yours ticks all the boxes, just now looking for where I can aquire one. In reading a past post of yours I believe you had built in UK…?
I came across the couplings after some research. At the time (2020) they would only supply to a frame builder which makes sense. I guess if you already have a frame then you’ll need to find a frame builder with Ti welding know-how. I bought my bike from Enigma and from the outset I specified the couplings which they were familiar with. It added about £1k to the cost of the bike - supply of couplings plus the fabrication.
It is a brilliant solution, I never notice it is a coupled frame. Super stiff. Brakes down easily and depending on your frame size you may not have to dismantle forks.
Sram axs (wireless) saves some assembly hassle. I went for the TRP HY/RD mechanical hydraulic brakes which are pretty good.
Hope this helps.
Those chainstays into the rear dropout…just
Yeah, that 3D printed dropout setup is something to drool over.