A big-wheel, fat tire No22 Drifter X dressed in polish and black evening wear.
This is about as clean as this well-dressed beast will ever be, so take a long look at all that glistens while you can. This bike was made for the mountain — pavement need not apply. Bad poetry aside, it’s built to stay on the rough stuff all day long: wide wheels, wider tires, a bomber group, an even bombier (sure, why not) frame, and a comfortably planted riding position all add up to a machine that’ll go wherever, and however long, your legs can take you. For this client in particular, it’s perfect, as he spends most of his time off the road and on the rough stuff.
Longevity is the keyword with titanium, and No22 builds some of the most stunning examples of that trait. Which is why this is as clean as you’ll ever see this bike. It’s heading for dirt roads and trails all over the globe.
Titanium frame, titanium seatpost, titanium collar, titanium stem, titanium bottle cages, titanium bolts, shoot even the top cap and headset spacers are titanium. And let’s not forget the badge plate on the fork leg, also in, you guessed it, titanium.
We needed to get the fit dialed on this smaller bike, so custom was the only way to go. On the post-build test ride, we were struck by how quickly it carried speed on the tarmac and how natural the handling felt. Everything came together exactly as you’d expect when working with a builder like No. 22.
Even though this bike is built to take on the roughest of the rough stuff, there is still room for a lot of cool details that do stand out. The finish is impeccable and as I said earlier, very tough. This was a massively fun project that leaves us looking forward to more.
And if you caught this one on our Instagram feed, you already know it caused a bit of a stir. Turns out people like titanium… a lot.
Feeling the pull toward a titanium rig of your own? Reach out and let’s start your dream build.
- Chad
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