Bike of the Week: A Lime Green Titanium Steed

The beauty of bicycles is their simplicity. While modern performance bikes can be a complex thing, they don't always have to be. Here at AC we'll always be passionate for the builds that keep things to the essentials of what makes a stellar, thrilling ride.

This week, we celebrate just that. A timeless titanium classic, built up with rim brakes, external cabling, and mechanical shifting. This Mosaic RT-2 was hand built in Boulder to ride the rolling hills and winding climbs of Northern California.

An Investment in Titanium

Before this, our client had been riding her previous bike for twenty years. How many things in your life have you owned that long? She felt was time to invest in something new, that was truly her own, and an off the peg bike simply would not do. Knowing that quality and longevity were of high importance, and that she was looking for something with a beautiful smooth ride, the search was narrowed down to titanium. After a fitting and rider consultation, it became clear that a Mosaic RT-2 would perfectly fit the bill. A no-nonsense performance bicycle, with premium American made craftsmanship, finished off in this beautiful bright lime green.

 Zipp Service Course Control

Steering is handled by a Zipp Service Course bar and stem mounted up at the front end. The compact bend has proven to be an incredibly comfortable shape, especially when wrapped with Fizik tacky tape. 42c bars and 90mm stem led to the perfect fit. At the back side, we continued to employ titanium's road smoothing characteristics with a Mosaic seat post. Topping it off is a Throne RS saddle with, you guessed it, titanium rails. 

A Traditional Mechanical System

For the drive train, our rider didn't necessarily need anything too fancy, just high quality and reliable. After her last bike gave her twenty solid years on Shimano, she saw no reason to change, so for this one she decided on Ultegra. No matter what tier, Shimano mechanical shifting is always buttery smooth, especially with the external cable routing on this RT-2. She rides on the hilly terrain of the California coast, to climbing gears were a must. An 11-34t cassette paired up with 50/34 rings and 170mm arms make spinning up any crest a breeze. While disc brakes have become the norm, there's still no comparison to a Shimano rim caliper, especially with a metal brake track. 

The Sweet and Shallow C24

Shimano C24s have to to be one of the most underrated wheels out there and we don't build with them nearly enough! Their low profile keeps them manageable in the Bay-Area winds while also giving a classic box section look. They're stiff and responsive like a carbon wheel with the braking performance of an alloy wheel and of course the Dura-Ace hubs spin like nothing else. They're finished off with a set of Vittoria Cora 25c tires to keep the ride as smooth as can be.

Prue bliss in a streamlined package, ready to deliver endless enjoyment for years on end. This build proves you don't need to go over the top to have a custom ride that truly sparks joy. A spectacular handbuilt frame with proven Shimano components is a recipe that always leads to success. We're thrilled to report back that our rider has been treasuring her time on this lovely new ride. 

Despite cycling design and technology rapidly advancing, we've been getting more and more inquires for clean and classic bikes like these. If a premium quality simplified ride has been calling your name, you know who to call. We're here and happy to help!