We may be over halfway through Cyclocross season, but that doesn’t mean it’s too soon to begin thinking about your ride for 2015. Especially if you’re considering a dream build which may take some time to put together. Perhaps you’re considering something titanium, something like the new Broken Arrow from No.22 Bicycles.
At this point, we have come to expect gorgeous, functional bikes from the Canadian company building their titanium fleet in the U.S., and the Broken Arrow is no different. Using many of the same craftsmen that made Serotta and Saratoga Frameworks possible, bicycles out of No.22 boast impressive welds, immaculate finishing, but are still built to get dirty.
As the perfect cyclocross frame material in their opinion, the Broken Arrow uses cold worked stress relieved 3Al-2.5V titanium tubing to provide an extremely durable frame that will hold up to the abuse of cross. Durability is key, but so is ride quality, so to ensure the perfect ride for any rider each frame uses titanium tubing that is double or triple butted by use of a CNC lathe. The ability to control the butting process results in varied wall thickness for different size frames resulting in a size specific titanium tubing.
Considering complete CX1 builds start at just $5,499, the Broken Arrow might be the perfect high end addition to your quiver…
Aimed towards the racing end of the skinny but knobby tire bikes, Broken Arrow is built with plenty of mud clearance for typical cyclocross tires and shoulder friendly cable routing on the top tube facing the rider. As shown, the bike has no routing to accommodate a front derailleur as it’s running CX1, but according to Mike Smith from No. 22, front derailleur compatibility is available as a no-cost option if you still want to run a double.
Sold complete with an Enve 2.0 Carbon Cross Disc fork with a tapered steerer that matches the frame’s 44mm head tube, other frame details include a threaded BB shell, and quick release front and rear (135mm) axles. Complete bikes start at $5,499 with a SRAM Force CX1 drivetrain and Turn Zayante cranks with a Praxis bottom bracket which should withstand repeated power washings. Elsewhere you’ll find smart component choices for a high end build including Thomson KFC carbon bars, and Elite stem and post, a Chris King headset, and a Fabric Scoop Ti saddle. That base price includes a set of Reynolds Stratus Pro Disc clincher wheels. If you’d rather run carbon you can upgrade to the Reynolds Assault SLG Disc Tubulars for $850, or the Clinchers for $895. Even though that build is a smoking deal at that price, if you prefer to build your own frames start at $2,699.
Available in seven sizes from 48 cm to 60cm, the U.S. handmade frames carry a 10 year warranty against manufacturing defects.
