Canadian firm No 22 Bicycle Company make road bike frames using aerospace-grade titanium (22 being titanium’s number in the periodic table), and the Great Divide is their latest frameset, available for £1,940/US$2,499.
It takes its name from the geological feature running north-south through the Rockies – appropriately, the titanium frame is designed in Canada but handbuilt in the US.
Double- and triple-butted tubing is used, as are ovalised, oversized head and down tubes. The frame is available in five sizes, from 52cm to 60cm, and runs a press-fit 30 bottom bracket and Thomson seatpost clamp. The 52cm frame employs a 3T Rigida Stealth carbon fork, whereas the remaining sizes use an ENVE 2.0 carbon model.
A 52cm frame weighs a claimed 1,400g, with the fork weighing 350g. The total weight for a 52cm model is said to be 1,920g, which includes fork, seat clamp and Chris King InSet 8 headset.
Neat detailing on the seatstay brace
The 56cm model features 73-degree head and seat tube angles and 415mm chainstays, while the smallest frame has 72-degree head and 73.5-degree seat tube angles. The largest frame has 73.5-degree head and 72.5-degree seat tube angles.
Custom complete builds featuring Shimano, Camagnolo or SRAM parts are available in the US, with expected arrival on the UK market later this year. No 22 are confident enough to give a lifetime guarantee on frame defects, and BikeRadar can’t wait to find out how the finished thing rides.
For more information see www.lead-out.co.uk and www.22bicycles.com.
Company history and philosophy
The No 22 Bicycle Company are all about enjoying riding – and working with – titanium. They pride themselves on their swaging and welding, as well as their selection of high-grade titanium and frame geometry choices.
They focus on exploiting titanium’s strength-to-weight ratio relative to aluminium and steel, along with its ride characteristics – it offers natural flex to soak up bumps and buzz.
A Shimano complete build of the No 22 Great Divide
“We build bicycles for the enthusiast who rides for riding’s sake and appreciates perfectly tuned ride quality as much as stiffness and low weight,” said co-founders Mike Smith and Bryce Gracey.
“We paired this material with geometries complementary to its characteristics, resulting in handbuilt, clean-lined and contemporary interpretations of classic configurations.”