Aluminium hardtails still make up a large portion of mountain bike sales in South Africa and the world throughout. The majority of these bikes are pretty standard, but there’s a few brands that have really honed in on this market and created bikes that stand out above the rest. With Titan Racing’s new Drone Hardtail, they’ve managed to do just that and pack many features into this racey little hardtail whilst still maintaining a price point.

Updated Geometry

Bikes these days need to be rougher and tougher to handle the trails we tend to ride. The new Drone is somewhat slacker and further stretched than its’ predecessor making for a more balanced ride. It starts with all-new geometry. A slackened head angle to 69 degrees, increased reach and a transition to shorter stems and wider bars throughout the size curve. This results in the Drone offering more predictable steering and a centred rider position for better control. The Drone is a racing hardtail that benefits from the modern era of geometry where bikes feature both ample climbing and descending capabilities.

The Frame

The new Drone frame looks completely different to its’ counterpart with its’ low sloping top tube offering riders a considerably low stand over height. The seat gusset was manufactured with the same design standards as Titan Racings’ full suspension Cypher, and the headtube resembles the same lines found on the rest of Titan Racing’s range of bikes. It’s obvious when looking at this bike that it fits into the rest of the family of bikes they have on offer and upon closer inspection the same attention to detail is evident. A few of the standout frame features on the all-new Drone include 12 speed – 1x specific gearing throughout the range, internal cable routing, boost axle spacing, and thru-axles front and rear. The frame is made from X6 ultra lightweight aluminium and it has been finished off with smooth welds. From a distance you can be forgiven for thinking it’s a carbon bike with the high gloss smooth finish they’ve achieved. Stealth dropper cable routing finishes off the frame feature list nicely and an increase in tyre clearance lets you take full advantage of wider-volume tyres, up to 2.35 inch on more challenging trails.

The Build Kit

Available in four men’s options and one ladies variant, there’s a full house of nicely spec’d bikes to choose from at different price points. Starting with the Expert, a SRAM SX 1 x12 bike with a Manitou fork, the Comp, with the new Shimano SLX 1 x12 drivetrain, and then the Elite and the Pro, feature RockShox Sid forks with the new Shimano XT 1 x12 and the SRAM GX 1 x12 drivetrains respectively. The whole range features an in-house TRC cockpit with wider handlebars, shorter stems, lock-on grips and a Fizik saddle. The wheels are Sun Ringle Helix rims mated to Vittoria Barzo 2.25 Tubeless Ready tyres. With build kits like these it truly ticks all the boxes for a real race-ready hardtail.

Drone Pro | RRP 24 999.00 | More info on this model

Drone Elite | RRP 22 999.00 | More info on this model

Drone Comp | RRP 19 999.00 | More info on this model

Drone Expert | RRP 15 999.00 | More info on this model

Drone Calypso Expert | RRP 15 999.00 | More info on this model

Geometry

Back to Basics

The all-new Drone hardtail is the equivalent to a hot hatch pocket rocket. It offers riders all the frills of an up to date race bike in a condensed package that will get you round the track or down the next section of flowy single track with a grin. A hardtail should be simple and fun, and Titan Racing have delivered just that. It’s a hard wearing hassle free bike that can get you through many a race and even an Epic with little to no upgrades.

Titan Racing is a brand focused on the consumer and they set out to offer customers more than just another bike. They strive to offer next level products at fair value money where they aim to improve their customers riding experience. Their designers look to create frames with forward thinking geometry, functional designs and stylish looks. They pair this with clever part choices to allow the best in category bikes for their customers. They call this the SMART Choice.