Two words that get almost any bike fanatic excited are ‘custom’ and ‘titanium’. If you’re lucky enough to have the budget to get one built, nothing feels as special and personal as a frame crafted just for you. Having one built from titanium adds durability, desirable ride qualities, and an undeniable lust factor!
France’s Curve Engineering is now offering the B142, a full-suspension titanium MTB frame that will be built-to-order and customized to the buyer’s preferences. The company has previously focused on hardtails, but owner and engineer Olivier Ollagnier decided to build something that can handle rougher terrain more comfortably.
Curve Engineering B142 – Suspension:
Ollagnier’s home trails aren’t super rough, so the B142 was designed as a mid-travel all-mountain bike. It aims to be a capable pedaller but with enough versatility to enjoy rocky, rooty descents. Once the design is finished, Curve Engineering’s frames are welded by an Asian frame builder who has been working with the company for over 10 years (among other bicycle brands).
Ollagnier describes the B142’s suspension platform as a single-pivot design, and as the photos show there is no actual pivot at the rear dropout. Relying on titanium’s ability to flex, the rear triangle acts as a flex pivot. The suspension linkage was designed to work well for anything from downcountry to all-mountain style riding. The main priorities in the B142’s design were reliability, ease of maintenance, and customizable geometry.
The B142’s suggested rear travel is 135mm, but that can be increased to 143mm with a 210x55mm shock replacing the stock 210x50mm. Recommended fork travel is 140mm or 150mm.
Frame Details:
Curve Engineering can produce frame sizes from XS to XL, and customers can choose their preferred angles and measurements. Even the rear end can be customized: The original B142 rolls on 29” wheels, but a 27.5” rear wheel could be an option. Ollagnier says the frame’s chainstay length could be adjusted too. Curve Engineering’s website does list a recommended 66° head angle, 75° seat mast, and 437mm chainstay length for the B142.
The one limit to customization is anything significant enough to require a redesign of the suspension linkage. Ollagnier has decided on the B142’s kinematics and changing that would essentially mean creating an entirely new bike.
The B142’s chainstay yoke is machined from a solid chunk of titanium. It allows tire clearance for 2.35” treads and chainring clearance up to 32t. The frame’s linkage pivots use double-row bearings, and a 24mm main pivot rotates on tough and inexpensive bottom bracket bearings.
A straight 56mm head tube allows for angle adjust headsets or headset cable routing. The frame accepts 31.6mm seat posts, uses a BSA bottom bracket, and features a SRAM UDH derailleur hanger. The downtube offers internal routing ports for cables/hoses so headset routing is an option, and not mandatory. The B142 pictured has one bottle cage mount on the down tube.
The B142’s etched headbadge is inspired by the Metabief ski resort in France, a popular and well-established area for mountain biking. The badge features Mont d’Or with the French Alps in the background.
Olivier says a complete B142 build weighed in at 14.24 kg/31.4 lbs. The frame alone weighs 3.85 kg/8.48 lbs, but that’s the first one ever built. Curve Engineering says with some refinement they can likely shave about 100g from that number.
Pricing and Availability:
Pricing for a custom B142 frame starts at $3990 USD, and a deposit of 1/3rd the total is required between the design and building stages to proceed. Customers should expect about a four-month lead time from finalizing the design to having a finished frame ready for shipping. The B142 will be sold as a frame only, but for an extra $250 you can add a Tri Air SR Suntour rear shock.
Curve Engineering mostly sells frames within France and Europe, but frames can be sent overseas too. If a customer is willing to cover the costs, a frame could be shipped worldwide. Check out Curve Engineering’s website for further details.
