Do you love titanium? Do you love gravel? Great, so do we! And if you're anything like us, you're sure to find this week's featured build an absolute gem. An anodized blue No22 Drifter X. Crafted in New York state and ready for the Coastal hills of California and beyond. Follow along as we get into the makings of this titanium all-terrain stunner.
The Titanium Sensation
Lean and mean, the Drifter X is No22's fiercest off-road weapon. It looses some of the adventure-friendly versatility of the standard Drifter in lieu of higher performance and speed. Tight handling, a stiffer rear end, and an ISP make it read throw down as hard as you can put it down. The bare titanium is accompanied by lovely blue graphics in No22's signature anodized finish.
Italian Touch Points
The American made frame is complimented by an Italian cockpit. Up front is a full Deda system. A Zero100 stem, Gravel 100 bar, and perforated Deda tape. Simple and elegant styling, one of our favorite flared bar shapes, and what's becoming our go to wrap. While the frame has its seat mast built it, it's topped with a Most carbon railed saddle.
Wireless 1x Wonder
It's really hard to not favor a Sram Mullet drivetrain on an off-road machine. The range of the 10-52t can't be beat and the AXS operation is smooth and reliable no matter how rugged the path gets. For this build the rear XX1 derailleur has been outfitted with a Ceramicspeed OSPW kit, making sure watts are as efficiently transferred and accounted for by the Quarq power meter. 160mm rotors supply the ample braking power.
Enve Meets I9
This particular build features no ordinary wheelset. Both beauty and performance were prioritized in the custom laced hoops. Speed is a clear theme for this dirt machine, so a set of Enve 4.5 ARs were the rims of choice. Industry 9 Torch hubs in polished silver, coupled with silver Sapim spokes round out the build with style, low weight, and incredible rear wheel engagement.
Of course a bare rim can't navigate trails alone. Providing cushion and traction are a pair of René Herse Hurricane Ridge tires. 700x42c provides plenty of volume to smooth out rough tracks, cling to loose climbs, and hold grip in hard cornering. The also roll impressively fast on the pavement too.
All in the Details
Finishing things off are all of our favorite fixings. An EE headset top cap and bar plugs help keep the weight down while bringing the style up. Every bike can benefit from a nice set of titanium bottle cages, but for a ti bike, they're an absolute must. We may be biased, but we especially like these Silcas with custom AC engravings.
We're certainly thrilled with out this high-speed graveler turned out. A perfect blend of rugged capability with streamlined performance packed into a tidy and simply stunning titanium package. It's unclear what the gravel race calendar is going to look like this year but as things open up, this bike is ready to take it on.
As always, feel free to reach out if you're feeling the calling for a project like this of your own. To learn more about No22, head to the collection page here. And for even more photos of this phenomenal rig, check out the gallery here.
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