Over the past decade, No. 22 out of upstate New York has been creating some of the most drool-worthy handmade titanium bikes in the United States. Given the "Best of Show" award the brand took home from the Philly Bike Expo back in October and a recent Road Bike Action magazine cover, we figured it was time to take a look at No. 22's extensive bike line-up.
To get a couple of things out of the way: all of the No. 22 bikes can be configured with custom geometry, various water bottle mounts (some even equipped with No. 22's titanium fenders) and most impressively, a new finish program that introduces a raft of anodized and Cerakote finish options to accompany the brand's signature brushed and blasted titanium treatments. So as you can see, the tricky part is not deciding which No. 22 model to choose, but how it should look!
The No. 22 Reactor
Chad called this the stiffest titanium race bike he's ever owned - surely high enough praise to raise the heart rate of all the racer boys and girls reading this. The Reactor is No. 22's take on the perfect race bike. Light, stiff and beautiful, the Reactor uses in-house CNC butted titanium tubes with No. 22's own size-specific carbon fork and rider-specific carbon integrated seat mast (ISM). This one is built for those who live for the crits, the stage races and discovering at what speed your local speed trap starts blinking "SLOW DOWN" at you in big red letters.
The Reactor is rim brake only and has clearance for 700x30mm tires.
The No. 22 Aurora
No. 22 calls this a 'nine-tenths' race bike. In other words, the Aurora is the perfect titanium road bike for the lion's share of our customers. More comfortable than the Reactor while maintaining butted titanium tubing, a size-specific No. 22 carbon fork and a carbon ISM, the Aurora gains flat mount disc brake mounts, gorgeous 3D-printed titanium dropouts, and the option of having a fully integrated front end that includes a custom 3D-printed titanium stem.
The Aurora is disc brake only and has clearance for 700x32 tires.
The No. 22 Great Divide
If you're looking for a sporty titanium road bike from No. 22 but prefer a traditional 27.2 seatpost, the Great Divide is your ticket to ride. Praised for its efficiency and comfort, the Great Divide makes an excellent riding partner for long days in the saddle that feature an occasional sprint, extended climbs and a bit of imperfect pavement thrown in for good measure (sounds like most rides, right?). The bike pairs in-house CNC butted titanium tubes with a size-specific carbon fork for a tuned ride.
The Great Divide is rim brake only and has clearance for 700x30 tires.
The No. 22 Great Divide Disc
This one is pretty self-explanatory. If you think the Great Divide sounds perfect but prefer to roll with disc brakes, larger tire clearance and a fully integrated front end with a 3D-printed titanium stem, this version of the Great Divide is for you. Tire clearance jumps to 700x34 and puts the Great Divide Disc into the somewhat esoteric "all road" category so you can find even worse pavement or even some smooth gravel roads to seek and destroy.
Create your Great Divide - Disc →
The No. 22 Drifter X
The Drifter X is No. 22's Reactor for gravel roads. Fast, precise and able to clear massive 700x45 tires, this bike is ready to turn a gravel ride into a gravel race and a gravel race into a friggin' party. In-house CNC butted titanium tubes, flat mount disc brakes and an integrated titanium seat mast make this one of the best-looking, best-riding gravel bikes in the world. Titanium or not.
The No. 22 Drifter
For the gravel rider seeking a stable yet reactive bike, look no further down the trail than the No. 22 Drifter - a rideable work of gravel bike art that had recent NAHBS attendees in a cowbell fever.
With clearance for 700x45 tires (or 650x50mm tires if that's more your thing), flat mount disc brakes and a 27.2 seatpost, the Drifter is easy to live with and fun to ride most anywhere. And if all that isn't enough, you can even configure it with the fully integrated front end. Deluxe.
The No. 22 Little Wing
As well as being the title of Jimi Hendrix's most soulful song, Little Wing is also a (soulful) single speed/fixie for the discerning minimalist.
The Little Wing is a perfect blend of immediate power transfer, tuned handling and heartachingly good looks. Featuring a 44mm head tube, titanium integrated seat mast, a Columbus Pista Leggera fork and available in No. 22's full line-up of finishes, the Little Wing is the pinnacle of titanium single speed bikes.
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