With no shortage of value, the question is do these alloy Cyphers retain the pedigree of their carbon siblings?
Last year Titan Racing ushered pedigree cross-country race bikes into their lineup. The 100mm Cypher RS and 120mm Cypher sold like hotcakes and racked up some pretty decent results on the race tracks too. Now, that technology has been melded into more affordable alloy versions which are pretty formidable on the trail.
CYPHER RS ELITE
The Cypher RS Elite is an all-alloy 100mm cross-country race bike that features the same geometry and suspension layout as it’s carbon sibling we tested last year.
The Titan Racing Cypher RS Elite model retails for R39 999. Our test bike weighed 13.1kg with sealant and no pedals.
BUILD KIT & KEY FEATURES
The RS elite runs on a very capable X-Fusion O2 shock which has rebound adjust and a bar mounted remote lockout system.
This shifter, rear derailleur and crankset is Shimano’s XT. | *Click to enlarge
In addition to the proprietary to factory X6 aluminum, Titan Racing employ a different welding process which gives this bike a very clean and ‘carbon like’ finish.
The entire build kit resembles that of a bike which should be priced a whole lot higher.
Inside the top chain stay pivots is a flip-chip which adjusts the BB height and head angle.
The size XL has an 80mm stem but the S, M and L sizes are specced with a 60mm stem.
The fork is a short offset RockShox SID Select with remote lockout. | *Click to enlarge
The hydroformed tubing gives the bike a svelte and smooth finish.
The key numbers are a 68.5° head angle, a 74.5° seat tube angle, and a 460mm reach for the size large with the flip-chip in the low setting. Essentially these numbers mean the front wheel is not tucked in underneath you which can make you feel like you are going over the bars, the hips are more above the BB than behind it so you can put the power down more efficiently and the bike can be set up with a shorter stem which improves handling everywhere.
CYPHER COMP
The Cypher Comp is an all-alloy 120mm cross-country race bike with a slightly more relaxed geometryfor marathon racing and back-country missions.
The Cyper Comp can run two water bottles inside the main-frame and this test bike weighed in at 13.7kg.
BUILD KIT & KEY FEATURES
The Cypher Comp features a 120mm Manitou Markhor air fork which features rebound adjust and a bar mounted remote lockout. The tyres are 2.35 Vittoria Barzo.
The rear shock is an X-Fusion O2 with adjustable rebound and a remote lockout and I set it up with 25% sag.
The drivetrain is the Shimano SLX range, in a 12 speed. | *Click to enlarge
The Cypher (120mm) and Cypher RS (100mm) are actually the same frame but use different length shock strokes to alter the rear travel. The smooth weld process and high quality finish is impressive.
Our test bike arrived with SRAM TL brakes and a 180mm front / 160mm rear rotor. | *Click to enlarge
The Cypher Comp has an X-Fusion 125mm dropper with internal cable routing.| *Click to enlarge
Even with the wider 2.35″ tyres there is ample clearance around the stays.
The 780mm bars and 60mm stem complete the aggressive built kit.
The 100mm RS is very efficient under power. I think if I owned an RS I would probably remove the suspension lockouts.
Pointing the 100mm RS into turns there is a very direct and accurate feel to it. I think it’s a combination of many things that delivers this confident feel in the corners; short stem, a relaxed head angle, the BB drop number and the RockShox SID air fork all play their part.
The Cypher (120mm) felt incredibly stable during testing on the trails. So much so I could not resist dropping into the big jump line for a run or two.
It’s pretty remarkable just how versatile this cross-country bike is. It easily managed some of the gnarlier trails and bigger hits I put it through.
The Cypher has XC speed with a trail bike like demeanour. It is a very fast, capable, usable all-rounder worth considering.
See you on the trails!
| IMAGES & VIDEO: Gary Perkin || LOCATION: Tokai MTB, Cape Town |
