Building the Custom Titanium Hardtail of my Dreams

Back in July when I officially became sponsorless, I started thinking about exactly the bike I wanted for the first time in years. I knew I wanted a titanium hardtail, but nobody made the exact geometry I really preferred. The reach was always too long, or the size small had some bend in the seat tube that would prevent my dropper post from being inserted the whole way. That’s when I realized that “zero-compromise” would mean having a custom frame built. So I started my conversation with Sage, who makes built to order titanium frames out of Oregon. Not only did I get the exact geometry that I wanted, but also a custom paint job. I was against painting the titanium at all from the start, but they won me over with a custom Cerakote scheme that covers only the rear of the bike. I also picked out all the parts for this bike. Some companies I had contacts at, and I was able to get a discount or even a free part. But back when I started my orders, many companies were fresh out of stock, and so I nee