A Rock Steady Roadmate: 1,000 Miles on my Bossi Summit Ti

All the tastiness of Ti at an affordable price.

Titanium bikes occupy a unique place in cycling. They were once the weapon of choice for world-tour pros, but it's been decades since a Titanium (Ti) bike was last seen in the pro peloton. But even as aero-profiled, uber-light and stiff carbon bikes dominate cycling's top echelon, there is a steady following for titanium bikes. Unlike their nearest cousins in aluminum, well-made Ti Frames still fetch prices on par with top-of-the-line carbon bikes. So what gives Ti its staying power in cycling?  

The first production Titanium frame used in the pro peleton (1973)

Materials science gives us the first clue. Today's refined Ti alloys are more flexible than aluminum, stronger than steel pound for pound, nearly immune to rust, and practically indestructible compared to carbon. But as impressive as these engineering qualities are, Ti has an even deeper source of appeal. Maybe it’s Ti's metallic lustre, conjuring fighter planes from the golden age of flight; maybe it's Ti’s use in cold-war era spy planes and attack submarines, or the fact that Mars rovers now roam the red planet on Ti wheels. Whatever the reason, Ti bikes have an endearing quality that other bikes tend not to. Lighter, stiffer, and more aero options can certainly be had, but there is just something about Ti.  

The unpainted titanium skin on the SR-71 Blackbird.

Like any cyclist, I have a clinical case of N+1 syndrome. In 2023, I found myself on a break from competitive riding and once again in search of a do-it-all Ti bike. Having owned a Litespeed and a Lynskey in the past, my list of wants came together rather quickly: I wanted a disc brake bike that was comfortable on long road and gravel epics, but still be capable of trading punches in a fast group ride when required. Lacking the budget for a bespoke frameset, my hope was to find a production Ti frameset that had a bespoke feel. Not an easy find, it turns out. Though plenty of manufacturers make off-the-shelf Ti frames, they are not created equal. Titanium requires specialized expertise and tooling to manufacture, which can make mass-produced offerings dubious. I experienced this firsthand during COVID after ordering a value-priced Ti frameset from the UK, and waiting a year for it to arrive, only to find an ovalized headset cup due to poor quality control.  

After lots of late-night scrolling and chatting with Ti bike makers all over the US and Europe, I landed on Bossi Cycles, based in Sydney, Australia. What attracted me was Bossi's clean aesthetic and its approach to quality control. While Bossi's raw frames are manufactured overseas to keep prices lower, each production frame is inspected to Bossi's tolerances in-house, and final machining is performed under Bossi's supervision in Australia. I immediately honed in on Bossi’s Summit Ti model, which had the spec I was looking for: relaxed stack and reach numbers (388/608 in size 58); internal cable routing; a threaded T47 bottom bracket; dropped seat stays; and a very respectable 40c of tire clearance.

The Bossi Summit Ti Frameset (2024 model)

The Summit ticked all the boxes. I pulled the trigger on a size 58 frameset, which came to $3,400 including shipping. Delivery took about a month. My new bike bliss was quickly interrupted when the box arrived partially open with the components loose inside... hastily repackaged after a customs inspection. Luckily, the frameset was undamaged (you have to love Ti!). Out-of-the-box impressions of the frame and components were very good. The rows of tightly beaded welds on the frame were flawless, and machining on the headset, BB, and dropouts was first-rate. The engraved headtube logo and Bossi’s laser-etched downtube logo were crisp, offering a refined but subdued look on par with bespoke frames costing much more. The sleek and subdued fork included a full carbon steerer. We were off to a good start!

The Build

Building up the Summit was hassle-free thanks to the frame's custom-machined routing guides and the oversized T47 BB shell, which provides a clean path for brake and cable routing. Installing and wiring Shimano’s new semi-wireless Ultegra Di-2 groupset was straightforward, and the drivetrain was quickly dialed in using Shimano’s E-tube app. Bossi's all-carbon fork fit snugly into the bottom headset cup, leaving a minimal gap for a nice finished look. I rounded out the build with a set of wider Roval's Terra CL wheels, Coefficient AR handlebars (one of the most ergonomic bars on the market) and my tried and true Specialized Romin saddle. 

My first test ride felt great, but revealed slippage in the seatpost at typical clamping pressure. I reached out to Bossi and was on a Zoom call with Bossi's founder (James) within 24 hours. We quickly determined that the seatpost clamp was under-tightened to Bossi's spec. James's customer focus was amazing, and he kindly offered to ship a titanium post clampable at higher torque, free of charge! Given this incredible customer service, I opted to go all-in on Bossi's Ti finishing kit, including Bossi’s beautiful machined titanium stem, a matching Ti headset cap, and even Ti spacers. The finished bike came out beautifully, tipping the scales at just over 19lbs in size 58 with cages and pedals... not bad considering the heavy-ish Ultegra groupset.

Road Manners

      

After more than 1000 miles and 50,000 feet of climbing on the Summit Ti, its defining qualities are its sure-footedness and composure on any road or gravel I can find inNorther California. The subtly arched and dropped seat stays do a fine job of taking the sting out of imperfections like seams and wrinkles in pavement without letting the rear triangle feel vague. The endurance-oriented geometry makes the bike predictable but plenty responsive. Carbon bikes may have an edge with vibration damping, but Ti's inherent flexibility also does a great job of deadening micro-impacts from undulating chip-sealed pavement, pea gravel, and other imperfections. I found it a welcome departure from a stiff carbon race frame, and the lack of frame-chatter-induced fatigue makes it such an easy choice for nearly any occasion. On 30mm Conti GP 5000 tires at reasonable pressures, the Summit feels supple while being nicely planted. Leaning the bike into technical corners, it hooks up progressively and tracks incredibly well, even over uneven surfaces.

The Summit's beefy BB junction makes for a stout bottom end.

The signature quality of titanium bikes for me is their liveliness underfoot, and the Summit Ti strikes a nice balance between comfort and rigidity. Giving it full gas to make a selection or standing up and attacking over a punchy roller, the Summit manages to feel snappy under my 100kg frame at full gas, which is no easy task. Is it as instantaneous as a stiffness-to-weight oriented bike? No, but the pedal foundation feels plenty solid for any practical need in a fast group ride. Credit this to the Summit's beefy BB shell, and the subtle shaping of the seat tube and chainstays at the BB junction.

Living with the Summit Ti Day to Day

Living with the Summit Ti has proved to be just as easy as the Ti bikes I've owned in the past. I'll admit to some skepticism on the Bossi's finish at the outset, as I've opted for raw or bead-blasted Ti bikes in the past for a more subdued look. But after spending time with it, I find the finely brushed finish to be a nice lustre without being mirror-polish bright, and it has held up surprisingly well. It's attracted a few scratches and fingerprints, which tend to stand out but are easily removed. Best of all, the Ti has proved impervious to chips or dents after a year's worth of racking with other bikes, repeated forays into gravel, and even a brief encounter with pavement after a minor mishap. The finish definitely makes the bike stand out, and hardly a ride goes by where other riders or even passing drivers don't have a compliment or question about the bike. If nothing else, it's a great conversation starter!

Lasting Impression

I can find very few faults with the Bossi Summit Ti. It balances stiffness and compliance as only a Ti bike can, and it's been a mainstay in my stable since arrival. What few quibbles I have about it are self-derived; mainly that I didn't wait a season for the fully integrated headset, which is now standard. Was the Summit worth the investment? Absolutely. The quality of the frame is easily on par with bespoke frames, and Bossi has stood behind their product. Could this be the forever bike? Quite possibly; the bar is high, but the Summit Ti certainly has the makings of a mainstay of my stable. What I can say for sure is that it makes me smile when I see it, it makes riding more enjoyable, which means I'm more likely to ride. That alone is worth the investment. 

See you in the saddle!