Introducing the lightest, fastest, most efficient full suspension bike ever made! The 2003 Racer-X provides 3.65" of fully active rear suspension travel, precision tuned for killer climbing performance with zero pedal bob. Our ultra rigid "Hollow Box" lower swing arm, X-link rockers, and mega-sized four cartridge bearing main pivot set a new standard for frame stiffness, tracking and sprinting abilities.
Strengths: Handling in the twisties, descending, climbing, workmanship, its GORGEOUS!
Weaknesses: NONE!
Bottom Line:
The handling of this bike is truly AMAZING. Words cannot fully explain it...you have to ride it to understand! The speed of direction changes still blows me away. Tight left-right-lefts that had me slamming on the brakes I'm now taking at twice the speed because I no longer have to manuever the bike through it. You just THINK it, and she goes. It simply flies through tight singletrack faster than I thought possible. Where before I was coasting I'm now two gears further down the casette and hammering the pedals. Stability in turns is also incredible, even under braking, as in emergency braking because you've gone into a bend to fast again because you just cant seem to get used to how much speed this bike carries.
I find it handles best if I keep my weight in the saddle as much as possible, or my butt just a couple inches above it if it gets very bumpy and/or technical.
This bike inspires huge levels of confidence and WILL make anyone who throws a leg over it a better rider!
Oh yeah, it does climb like a mountain goat as well!
Similar Products Used: AMP Research B-4 for a long 7 years, GT Zaskar & RTS. Tested Intense Tracer and Santa Cruz Superlight,
Bike Setup: Manitou Black Elite 80/100,Fox Float R, Chris King ISO Disc/DT Revolution/Mavic XC717/Stan's, Race Face Deus X-Type, Avid Juicy 7, Sram X.9 triggers & X.0 rear der, Thomson Elite stem/seatpost, King headset, Easton EC70, Flite saddle, Shimano PD-M959 pedals, Hutchinson Pythons
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Submitted by
ed peterson
a Weekend Warrior
from phoenix
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2004
Strengths: super fast on downhills. climbs great. light ti frame.
Weaknesses: stickers are weak, took them off first week, but who cares about that, its all bout the ride. have had a problem with the rear derailer rubing on the cog, prob. not a titus thing though.
Bottom Line:
i am a fat basturd. 6'7 and 260 lbs. broke crackinfails left and right,new titus has stood up to some hard abuse. not that i do it on purpose, just big and aggressive. no problems as of yet,and its been a year. the cheesey stickers kind of suck, but who cares about the silly stuff. had a custom ti frame made, took about as long as they say on their website. super fast looks nice, and a super beefy swing to boot. when i break this one it will be because i was being stupid, not because of lame workmanship. ps cracknfail sucks. its worth the money, to have one made custom.
Similar Products Used: 2 cannondale jekells, broke both in one month,
Bike Setup: xtr drive train, xt hyd. brakes,x-ogrid seat post and handle bars, chris kink head set and iso disc hubs. thompson stem, mavic tubeless bla bla bla, its about the ride.
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Submitted by
Daniel
a Cross Country Rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2004
Strengths: The frame is actually a 2002 but its not like there is a big difference unless you opt for the 100mm set-up. I normally run my Litespeed but since i built the the big "X" it hasn't seen much of the outdoors. If you don't have the cash for one BEG, BORROW, and STEAL if you have to but find a way. Only one word can describe it "GOAT"! Its a freaking goat with shock absorbers.
Weaknesses: Yeah right!
Bottom Line:
If you don't have one buy one. If you have one don't make fun of others, its not nice. Note: If you have a 80mm set-up opt for the 80/100mm fork. I spoke with Titus and they said its ok to run on the 100mm setting(check out their website). It takes hits alot better on 100mm and you get almost 1/2 inch more clearance on the BB. The headtube angle only changes point something and it helps with the downhill. If you're in a sprint race just pop it back down to 80mm.
Strengths: light, stiff, sexy, eye-catching. this bike feels quick and nimble under my body and climbs like a mountain goat on steroids. on the dh's this thing feels very confident and pretty smooth too.
Weaknesses: when in smallest cog in the rear, the der. rubs against the frame, but my der. has a little piece of rubber on it where it rubs so it doesn't affect anything. some of the pivot bolts came a little loose, but some locktite will solve that problem. i also don't like the fact that they use cheesy stikers on the frame.
Bottom Line:
having a sponsorship is a great thing. for the screamin' deal i got this for, its more than i could ever ask for in a bike. it does everthing my old bike couldn't do, and everything it could do, it does better! after riding it for a week, i can already know that this is an awesome bicycle. for those of you who have the big bucks, this bike is worth every dollar. at 23.5 lbs, my titus racer-x flies up hills and screams down them. I LOVE THIS BIKE (so far) i will post other reviews as i get more and more intamate with this bike. 5's all around this time around
Bike Setup: Med. Al. frame, anodised blue, full xtr (disc), thomson seatpost and stem, ritchey wcs handlebar, twin ti. egg beaters, mavic 717 rims on xtr hubs. this thing is 23.5 lbs
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Submitted by
jonathan backer
a Weekend Warrior
from eugene,oregon
Date Reviewed: February 29, 2004
Strengths: looks great, handles well, stiff,plush when needs to be.
Weaknesses: none at this time
Bottom Line:
love this bike even on the road, especially with the locked out shocks. the bike does bob when peddling standing up if not locked out. climbs well, handles awsome. totally loving the experience. great all around bike.
Weaknesses: R. Derailleur rubs chainstay in smallest cog
Bottom Line:
Excellent responsive bike. Much stiffer and less plush than my '02 Specialized FSR S-works, but still plenty comfy. Geometry is fantastic and the 100mm fork doesn't seem to make the bike less agile (especially if you set the sag a little lower). I hate bob, and this bike has none-even out of the saddle climbing or sprinting, you can look down and see the rear susp. working, but you do not feel any loss of power. Excellent value and solid performer
This is my second Titus Racer X. I ordered a custom with an extra long top tube. This bike is very stable at high speeds and provides a perfect combination of a stiff, firm ride and a smooth ride. It climbs great and is terrific on both tight single track and fireroads. I have never had to do any maint. on the suspension. I have used and x-fly 80/and now a Fox 80X for racing and I use a Fox 100RLC for everday training. The 100 RLC makes this a great trail bike. Service from Titus is very good...but plan to wait about 8 vs. 5 weeks for a custom. On my new bike I switched from an XTR to a Shram XO rear. derail. and it works much better...with this suspension design.
Weaknesses: NONE!!! (Price maybe, but you definitely get what you pay for!!!!)
Bottom Line:
It came down to this bike and a new Fuel 100 for me. In the end this was priced far less and I chose every single component on it. The ride characteristics of this bike are unparalleled, it is simply an amazing ride. If you are in the market for a FS race bike, this is definitely the way to. And remember, you truly do get what you pay for in this case.
Bike Setup: 04 Racer X, Full XTR, Fox 80 RLT, Hugi 240/Mavic 317, King HS, Thompson Stem/Post, Flite SLR.
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Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Burbank, Ca
Date Reviewed: November 30, 2003
Strengths: Works great, looks great, is great.
Weaknesses: n/a
Bottom Line:
I cannot believe I waited so long or even doubted that this frame was the right choice for me. I love to climb and this bike does that wonderfully. It has made singletrack even more enjoyable,if that was possible. It just handles perfectly once you get used to the way a bike should feel. I am a big guy and this bike does not flex. What bob does exist is easily negated by a good spin or gear choice. Fit and finish is excellent at this price point. At least as important as the ride is the outstanding customer support from Titus. Same day respones to e-mail and the person who picks up the phone rides a racer x. What more can you ask? After six months I am very satisfied with my purchase. If you want a great handling bike that can actually climb up the trails you want to ride back down, this is the bike for you. (No, I don't work for, or rep, Titus.)
Submitted by
Leo Smerglia
a Racer
from Maple Heights
Date Reviewed: November 20, 2003
Strengths: Rear Swingarm very stiff, no flex, and the racer x climbs as good a hardtail. Handles great in tight singletrack, it descends fast for a bike with only 3.65 inches of travel. Only full suspension bike I have not destroyed in one year.
Weaknesses: the rider is 200 pounds, that not the bike fault
Bottom Line:
Best XC Race full suspension bike on the market, Solid and durable frame.
Similar Products Used: jamis dakar expert, jamis diablo, DBR v-6, Giant Nrs, Giant Warp, Trek Fuel, Specialized Epic, Santa Cruz Superlight, Santa Cruz Blur, and Cannondale Jekl
Bike Setup: Aluminum Frame, Hayes Disc, Rock Shox Duke SL with remote lockout, all shimano XT Parts, mavic 317 with xt disc hubs, carbon bars, and thomson seatpost.
This is the first FS bike I have ridden in about 5 years(last one was a Voodoo which I hated)My first ride started out on a double track and I was not too impressed, the bike felt a little heavy compared to my Litespeed HT/SS. Pressed on to the singletrack and oh what a differnt feel! This bike really shines when it gets twisty! I was considerably faster in all the stuff I normally ride. The bike feels like you sit in it and not on top of it. Its like a HT on steroids! The more I stayed seated the faster I went. The climbs were better and I was cleaning sections with ease that ordinally take allot of effort. I rode 3 differnt local parks with fast rollers to very technical single track and the bike felt right in every situation. This has been rated as a XC bike, but for my riding I would say its an all around bike from XC to trail riding. The only weakness came from the Avid Mech. disc brakes. They seemed to rub allot. I really prefer the Avid V's and feel they are just fine in normal applications that we ride here in AZ. Other than that its a sweet ride. Thanks to the guys over at South Mountain Cycles in Phoenix and Titus for hooking me up with this demo.
Strengths: build quality,handling,frame stiffness, suspension just works.
Bottom Line:
this bikes has great acceleration, feels great when sprinting, and the suspension cushions the trail just enough. It is by no means "plush", but it definitely helps out in the technical stuff and does not get in the way on the smoother singletrack. Other than some crank and seatissues, not Titus's fault, I have had no problems with this bike, it has held up to my clydesdale thrashing all year.
Similar Products Used: yeti as-r,specialized rockhopper
Bike Setup: xlarge anno black frame,fox float r rear,fox f80 rlt front,xt drivetrain with sram shifters, hope mini 185/165, velocity aeroheat rims, chris king hub,chris king headset,thomson stem and seatpost, maxim riser bar,forget what seat I have at the moment.
Strengths: This is my second review now that I've done 6 more races including 24 Hours of Adrenaline. This bike still shreds through the twisty single track and has, on many occasions, gotten me out of some serious trouble because of its handling. I'm almost scared to test its limits and I've even put slicker / faster tires on it to get a little more "play" which has sped me up even more.
Weaknesses: There really are none but I still think the deraileur clearence of the rear chainstay is something that could be addressed though I'm 1 moonlight project away from buying XO and dumping XTR which will probably solve this. I also wish that I had gotten an Anodized version because the paint seems to get a "dull" look from sweat and sun despite waxing and using bike-lust. Maybe they need one more coat of clearcoat.
Bottom Line:
I hate to admit that it took me a while to get used to this bike...it responds in a way that can surprise you. I've found myself going into technical sections too fast and just prior to smacking a tree, I simply throw the bar in the direction I needed to go and the bike responds instantly...on my old bike, I would have smacked the tree with a shoulder or worse. I do notice a slight gain in speed by locking out the rear on climbs but when the suspension is on it's barely noticeable. Most of the time, I'm not certain that the rear is locked out until a bumpy downhill ...then I unlock it and the ride is smooth. I really would like to put a Fox F80X on it because it would make it much stiffer and a stable-platform would be great when standing up. While getting used to the bike, I had a hard time controling the front end while doing technical climbs...it would seem sketchy. I shortened my 130mm stem to 110mm and after a few more rides, I found it climbed much smoother than my old bike...once again it was technique issue rather than a bike issue. Actually, if you buy or test-ride one, do not be freaked out if it seems a little squirrely at first...this is really the bike responding to shakey inputs that your old bike used to ignore. It only takes a couple weeks before you become a fast and smooth demon on this bike.
Regarding the price...This frame is in the space as an Ellesworth Truth but for $500 less.
Similar Products Used: My brother-in-law's YZ450, my old Stumpjumper FSR XC
Bike Setup: XTR rear der and shifters, Thomson seatpost and stem, King HS and hubs, Maxm isogrid flat bar (sweet), Selle SLR Gellflow (sweet), Mavic 517 Rims, Maxxis Wormdrives or Kenda Climax Lites depending on the conditions.
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Submitted by
Jeffro
a Cross Country Rider
from Novi, MI
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2003
Strengths: 1) Build Quality - assembly, welds are very high quality 2) laterally stiff - well designed geometry 3) suspension performance from 4-bar linkage 4) Balanced handling - not too quick, definately not slow 5) Titus customer service 6) Interchangable shocks (new rear shock technology works wonderfully)
Weaknesses: 1) It took a little while to arrive after my order was placed but it was well worth the wait.
Bottom Line:
I wouldn't change a thing. Except for the Duke Race fork which I'll change over to Fox. I gave Rock Shox a try because Fox couldn't deliver products at the time.
The Manitou 4-way swinger made a noticable difference and was worth the $. It needed some setup time but I like having the extra capability of tuning for my style and terrain. After this setup, the 4-way eliminated the minor amount of bobbing from the fox shock I had on before. If you still encounter noticable bob with the 4-way, you probably haven't properly setup your shock.
Many of the components were purchased from South Mountain Cycles, Phoenix, AZ. They also assembled the bike. I would recommend purchasing from them.
Similar Products Used: Specialized FSRs, Cannondale Hardtails
Bike Setup: Sram X0, '03 XTR crankset, Manitou Swinger 4-way, avid mechanical disc, Rock Shock Duke Race 100, Schwalbe King Jim, other stuff...
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Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from Jefferson City, MO
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2003
Strengths: Very efficient FSR sus. design, great edge cycle geometry lets you run a 100mm fork. This thing climbs and decends better than any other FS bike that I have ridden! The perfect FR (Fun Riding) bike. The craftsmenship is also top notch.
Weaknesses: Too little rear tire clearance, but this is an xc bike.
Bottom Line:
If you want an efficient FS bike with a little more versitality, go see the guys at Over The Edge Sports in Fruita, CO. They redesigned the front end to accept a longer travel fork than the stock racer-x, and give the rider a more up-right riding position.
This bike is an incredible machine. For anyone who is looking for a fun and efficient FS bike, and you want it custom, this is the bike for you.
