'89 Titan Exclusiv

[sherlylock]

The usual daily trawl of the various online marketplace adverts turned up a potentially interesting bike this week......a Titan.

Couple of things that piqued my interest was the Shimano 105 Champagne groupset, chrome forks and the funky fluted tubing.

Enquired about it, arranged a viewing and came away with it in the boot of my car last night. Spent an hour on it - pumped up the tyres, removed the saddle and double shimmed 23mm seatpost, re-wrapped the bars (using the existing cheapo tape), oiled the chain, found a set of hoods for the levers.......and rode it into work this morning.

It's a 24" frame so fits me nicely and it rides/rolls fantastically. Couple of rattles to identify and sort but other than that very nice......and very quick.

Can't find much about Titan, apart from they are/were a Swiss brand and mainly sold in continental Europe. Fairly well regarded and quality bikes as far as I can tell (the group set suggests that).

It weighs in at 12kg as shown - so no super lightweight, although it is a big frame. It takes a 27mm post but there are no real identifiers as to the tubing brand - maybe the "Gria - Hi tension" sticker refers to the tubing?.....and I've not seen the fluted tubing like this before.

EDIT: Just found a reference to Oria tubing. Looks like an Italian tubing manufacturer........

I'm guessing its from '89 as the frame number starts 8911 - Ties in with the groupset I think - assuming any of it is original of course.

Not sure where I'm going with this bike yet - but I thought I'd get a build thread up for reference in case there are any other Titan owners out there.......

 

[zerogravitas]

An interesting bike!

I spotted a very similar frame (clearly being used as a daily ride) as I got my lunch today. Excuse the terrible pictures I snapped in a hurry.. it was gone when I came out of the shop. The crimped tubing was very striking and what drew my eye. - of course Retrobike was one of the first search results as I tried to find out more about it!

 

[sherlylock]

An interesting bike!

I spotted a very similar frame (clearly being used as a daily ride) as I got my lunch today. Excuse the terrible pictures I snapped in a hurry.. it was gone when I came out of the shop. The crimped tubing was very striking and what drew my eye. - of course Retrobike was one of the first search results as I tried to find out more about it! View attachment 820362View attachment 820363View attachment 820365

Certainly cool bikes - and well specc'd - looks like that one has a cool nineties smoke effect paint on the lighter bits of the frame?

I sold mine last year as part of a cull of my collection and I quite regret it.

Don't see many about that's for sure...... thanks for sharing.

 

[zerogravitas]

Yeah it's that fine spatter/speckled effect. Striking despite the rust! If I'd seen the owner I might have made them an an offer

How did yours ride?

 

[SamNZ]

A bit of a thread dredge here, but I've just bought this (exact) frame and come across the thread while trying to research it. It's the exact same damage on the Oria decal, I'm sure it's the same. It's obviously been stripped for the groupset at some point, I'm wanting to build it as a single speed commuter for now.

I took a couple of pictures before I started giving it a polish this weekend. It did come with the fork, but one of the threads is damaged, I'm not sure it'll be useable.

 

[sherlylock]

A bit of a thread dredge here, but I've just bought this (exact) frame and come across the thread while trying to research it. It's the exact same damage on the Oria decal, I'm sure it's the same. It's obviously been stripped for the groupset at some point, I'm wanting to build it as a single speed commuter for now.

I took a couple of pictures before I started giving it a polish this weekend. It did come with the fork, but one of the threads is damaged, I'm not sure it'll be useable.

Ha! No way - def. the same frame (got a cycloshite sticker on the downtube?). Shame it's been stripped of it's groupset as it was in really good original condition - regrettable sale as it's certainly a rare frame.

Where are you based? (Just wondering how far it's travelled).

 

[SamNZ]

I'm in London. It's still got the cycloshite sticker haha, I lurk on that group too.

I definitely won't be building it up quite as nice as it was (it'll be a bit of a parts bin special), you really can't have anything too nice here. I really like the frame though, I might give it a proper resto in the future.

 

[sherlylock]

I'm in London. It's still got the cycloshite sticker haha, I lurk on that group too.

I definitely won't be building it up quite as nice as it was (it'll be a bit of a parts bin special), you really can't have anything too nice here. I really like the frame though, I might give it a proper resto in the future.

Just looked back on the sale info and it was a chap in London who bought it - came across to Southend on the train and picked it up. Shame it got broken up but there......I decided to sell it! Did it come with the original chromed fork - you mention thread damage - on the steerer?

 

[SamNZ]

Just looked back on the sale info and it was a chap in London who bought it - came across to Southend on the train and picked it up. Shame it got broken up but there......I decided to sell it! Did it come with the original chromed fork - you mention thread damage - on the steerer?

Hah, I know the feeling. I've sold a few lovely cars over the years and seen them absolutely ruined by the subsequent owners. Did you ever find out any more about Titan bikes? I really can't find much beyond a few for sale listings.

It did come with the original fork, it's missing a whole "ring" of thread quite high on the steerer, but otherwise seems fine. It's a bit odd.

I was really hoping to get into the build this weekend, but my crankset hasn't arrived to measure up for the bottom bracket etc.

 

[sherlylock]

Nope - couldn't find much about Titan other than what's in this thread. Quite rare in this country as I think only sold on the continent. I think I read that the frames are Italian made and the sticker on the chainstay suggests it was sold in Germany by a company called RadSport Ruster. Shame the threads are goosed as the chrome was in really good order IIRC. Been mullered when stripped for bits I guess (or I was riding a bike with a headset about to let go) Never found time to give it a complete stripdown and refurb which I regret. Nice to see it's getting another life though - would love to see images as you progress.

Here's how I had it set up (after sorting a couple of bodges).

Used the kids trailer with it a couple of times too.

And the pic from the for sale ad: