Description:Super-Solid-Single-Pivot-Performance. The Loco's revolutionary low-pivot point on a stout Super-Solid-Single-Pivot-Performance. The Loco's revolutionary low-pivot point on a stout motocross-inspired swingarm glides on huge 1.25" angular sealed cartridge bearings to provide performance that rivals most 4-bar linkage designs on the market. Set the shock in one of four positions to alter the travel between 4" and 4.75", while simultaneously adjusting the spring rate. The shorter the travel, the stiffer the spring rate. The longer the travel, the more plush the ride. The new for '03 front triangle is both stiffer and stronger than ever before.
Submitted by
Dave Einfeldt
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City Date Reviewed: August 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Anything In Moab or the Wasatch Crest
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1300.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Really stiff ride. tracks really well on downhill. very responsive. strong and simple
Weaknesses:
not a downhill racer.
Similar Products Used:
Klein Mantra/Adept/Palomino. Ellsworth Joker
Bike Setup:
XTR wheels, XO triggers and deraileurs. 2006 Fox float 140 front and float rear.
Bottom Line:
Got a steal on ebay from some old fart that overbought his skill and then retired to florida right after he bought it. 3 years old and totally unused. took my fork and wheels from my adept and put them on this bike. I've never descended so fast. a hint from an actual mechanical engineer for those guys out there breaking frames. Get nicer shocks and it really reduces the stresses in your frame. Impact really hurts a bike and really spikes stresses at welds. which are the weakest part of a frame. this bike is not meant to take long drops. but I have mine set up to eat up single track and it does. I've had it out on slickrock a few times and it climbs really well. not like my mantra but then again I've never ridden anything that climbs like the klein mantra. but this isn't top heavy like the mantra and bombs down singletrack very well. plus it just looks bad ass on the trail. I have guys stop me and ask how much my bike weighs and they are really surprised when they pick up this 26.5# beauty. Looks like monster with the XTR wheels and the fox fork. but really does everything wonderfully. I'm an XC freak and this bike does really well. Oh and XO rocks It shifts whenever and wherever regardless of torque applied or mud in the cogs. If you know what you are looking for ebay can really set you up well.
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Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Bragg Ck, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: February 5, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Calagry Cycle
Strengths:
Simple design, low maintainance. Long travel with light weight.
Weaknesses:
cracked 2 previous frames (2001, 2002) at top/head-tube weld. Took a long time for Titus to warranty frames. On th epositive side, they provided a no-charge complete 2003 frame in exchange.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz superlight,
Bike Setup:
Now build for freeriding.
Bottom Line:
An OK frame for cyldesdale riders ((6'6", 220 pounds).I've been riding for 17 years and these are the first frames I've broken (say no more). I cracked 2 of them doing x-country riding/racing and moderate freeriding (nothing bigger than 5'). The new 2003 frame's built up as a play bike (I got a XL Trek 98 for x-country). I suspect this frame may manage 1 or 2 seasons of abuse until it's replaced by an XL Bullit. Bottom line is the first couple of years design was defective, warranty response was OK. I hope this one is better but I'm not holding my breath. Rides well when it's all in one piece. I'll always have a doubt in the back of my mind when riding it though.
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Submitted by
pfunk
a
from bay area, ca Date Reviewed: January 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
single track of any kind
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
1130
Strengths:
small size for short people, but not short on quality or function. I'm 5' 3.5" so my options were limited. It's a great options for anyone under 5' 4".
Weaknesses:
I found the 4.75 mode to be too unreponsive for most types of riding I do. Not really a weakness in my opinion, but wanted to point it out. I've run my loco in both 4.75 and 4.5. The 4.5 mode is still very plush and sokes up everything, while still being responsive when hammering out of the saddle (especially in up and down terain).
Similar Products Used:
being my first fs, I don't have much base for comparrison. I did demo the sc juliana in small & medium before buying and preferred the stability of the longer wheel base on the loco.
Bike Setup:
2003 extra small, zocchi atom race 100, xt drive train, terry butterfly saddle, v's
Bottom Line:
It handles every kind of riding I do (not a freerider by any means, but I enjoy the techy stuff and hiting small drops) and climbs well too. The long wheel base provides great stability on decents. I've been nothing but pleased with the quality, duribility and the entire riding experience.
The new stable platform shocks that are available will probably reduce any single pivot issues (although I'd say bob isn't really an issue now, except at times in 4.75 mode).
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Submitted by
Eryk
a Weekend Warrior
from New Jersey Date Reviewed: January 24, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Any technical and twisty trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1025.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes.com
Strengths:
Relatively light, simple efficient design, great all around bike. Great on technical trails and great descender.
Weaknesses:
Weak hanger - bent several - still better than ruining the frame. Other than that no weaknesses on the new design.
Similar Products Used:
'01 Titus Loco Moto, '99 Schwinn Homegrown Factory Team
Bike Setup:
Avid Mech Disks, Manitou X-Vert 105mm Air Fork, Fox Float R air, RaceFace Turbine cranks, Sram9.0ESP, XTR, Velocity rims on Hayes/Hugi hubs, Chris King, Thompson, Sun Ringle...
Bottom Line:
This is actually my second frame, the first one (2001 design)cracked right by the head tube after 13 months of use. Titus has replaced the cracked front triangle at no additional cost, and have been great about it. Dealing with this company has been a pleasure - given the circumstances. The only surprising thing about my new frame are the 3 instead of 4 shock positions - normally this frame should have 4 positions. The new X design frame is great: stiff, light, and strong. I have used it for another year and there are no issues. I'd recommend users not to use Truvativ cranks on this frame as the shifting is really lame, and ghost shifts are constant, problem dissapeared with RaceFace Turbines. The bike is a great in technical sections high bb makes it easier to go over obstacles and if you have a 4 inch fork handling is very precise and quick. I would recommend this bike to any rider who wants to move from hardtail to suspension with the added benefit of longer travel.
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Submitted by
etal
a Weekend Warrior
from israel Date Reviewed: December 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anything goes
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Strong ,solid but still light frame (frame can handle a 6" dual crown fork and still weighes only 5.5 lbs) Good pedaling efficiency (with SPV rear shock) Low standover height Single pivot low maintenance Titus high quality workmanship & construction
Weaknesses:
- Rear disc brake cable routing could be better - Top cap on fox vanilla right leg touches the frame when turning the fork 120+ deg to the right (more of fork problem i guess)
Similar Products Used:
Coming off a stumpjumper hardtail this is my first FS bike. Demoed an enduro, jekyll, sugar, hollowpoint ,superlight and fluid.
Bike Setup:
Swinger 4-way air rear shock and fox vanilla RL fork. xtr/xt discs ,sram x7/x9 triggers & rear Der. , WTB Disc Lite/Velocity wheelset ,misc other xc parts.
Bottom Line:
Researched FS bikes for a long time and when I finally decided to make the plunge the loco came up as my top choise. I wanted a bike that could do it all, Longish travel for bombing through technical stuff and still light and efficient for xc rides ,the loco-moto fills the bill perfectly. The manitou SPV really does its job at eliminating bob in while pedaling although I suspect that this hurts small bump compliance somewhat. The fox vanilla fork is great ,at first I was afraid that a 5" front would really hurt the climbing ability of this bike but I was surprised to find out its quite the opposite. Technical climbs are even easier then on my old hardtail due to the better tracking rear suspension and I can stay seated much longer. This bike will may not win races or stand up to 7" travel bikes freeriding but as a jack-of-all-trades trail bike it is just perfect.
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Submitted by
Troy
a Weekend Warrior
from Morrisville, NC Date Reviewed: November 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Kitzuma, Picklesheimer Fields, any Raleigh area trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Frank's Cyclery
Strengths:
Stiff, solid feel. Handles 4'drops w/my rather slovenly 200+lbs w/no problems. It is my first "good" bike. I researched many different types of 4-5" rear travel bikes, and decided on this one because of the single pivot's low maintenance. There are other bikes in this price range that are comparably equipped, but I don't believe that they are as reliable as this bike is, or their manufacturers don't stand behind their product like Titus. It is the perfect bike for someone who rides aggressively, yet doesn't want a 36lb. bike. It is truly an all conditions mountain bike.
Weaknesses:
I've gone through 2 deraileur hangers, and 1 seatpost collar....big deal
Similar Products Used:
None, previous bikes were hardtails, and really crappy ones at that. I had taken a buddy's Intense Uzzi SL to the mountains and enjoyed it but I believe this bike has that beat.
Bike Setup:
XT drivetrain, Rhyno lite/Deore wheels, Manitou QR rear shock, Fox Vanilla 125R fork, Avid Mech Discs
Bottom Line:
I purchased this as basically a Frame w/ a headset, rear shock, seatpost, bar, stem, and brakes. Frank (the Titus Dealer) put the leftovers on from parts I had. I could not be happier with my purchase. I love going to the garage to get the bike and being able to ride...all the time. Reliable, reliable. reliable! I have become a much better rider as a result of this bike. I was a big skeptic of bike shops and bikes that some of their employees tried to sell me,after being burned with my first "shop-bought" bike. I am not wealthy, and I thought long and hard about parting with the money, but trust me, this bike is worth every penny. There might be better bikes out there but not for the money. I give it 4 chili's for value because I am poor and a tightwad, and don't believe a good bike should cost $2000+. Overall, I give it 5 chili's because of what having a quality machine like this has done for my skill, fitness level, and sense of well-being on the trails.
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Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Apex, NC, USA Date Reviewed: November 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Beaver dam,Hog Run, Tsali, Regency
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2700.00
Purchased At:
Franks Cyclery at Briar Creek
Strengths:
Climbs well, Descends well. Good looking Frame. Very Happy with the Swinger 4 way air shock.
Weaknesses:
Took me two years to talk my wife into letting me get one.
Similar Products Used:
My first FS bike. My other bike is a Klein Attitude comp
Bike Setup:
A mix of everything. Fox Vanilla RLC forks, Manitou swinger 4-way air rear shock. Race Face cranks, mavic 618 rims with avid single digit v brakes. the rest is a mix of lx and xt Shimano
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike as an all purpose trail bike and I dont think I could have done any better. A very solid bike that decends well and much to my surprise climbs well. There is some , very minimal, when you stand and mash but if you sit and spin its smooth as silk. The geometry instilled on new sense of confidence in me on some down hills I never previously attempted. Made quick work of several large log pyramids! A great all around trail bike!!
Frank at Franks cyclery got me dialed in so the bike fits absolutely perfectly. If your thinking about one these check em out at Franks!
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Submitted by
SPR
a Cross Country Rider
from seattle, wa Date Reviewed: November 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Thunder Mt. Utah
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Simple design, good finish (ano). great handling on singletrack. Not too much bobbing with the rear shock unlocked, but there is some for sure. Adjustable rear travel.
Weaknesses:
front end cracked after 15 month use, Titus replaced no questions asked. Wish they and other high end frame manufacture's would offer more size options. I was between a medium and large 23.25" and 24.0" A large Switchblade 23.75" felt best but I didn't want to shell out another $500
Similar Products Used:
hardtails only.
Bike Setup:
Mix of XT, Race Face, Avid disc's, Marzocchi Atom 80 fork, Float RL rear shock
Bottom Line:
Good value, but Titus really should have done a recall on the old front end design. Way too many of these have cracked. Can't give it a 5 rating for this reason.
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Submitted by
Kyle
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: September 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Trail 100
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
South Mountain Cycles
Strengths:
Pedals great, light weight, swinger air shock is awesome- on the flats its like a hard tail
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
old GT I-drive- heavy but was durable
Bike Setup:
Swinger air shock, Sherman fork, disk brakes, xt components
Bottom Line:
This bike works very well, I cannot say enough about the Manitou swinger shock. It works like a hard tail on the smooth stuff yet when it hits bumps it sucks them up. Now unfortunately my fork seems dated and its only 6 months old. I only have a couple rides on it so far but everything seems well constructed and the stand over height is good too. I was looking for something with good travel that didn't weigh a ton, the Loco-Moto fits the bill. In AZ, see the guys at South Mountain Cycle they know their stuff.
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Submitted by
Moggie
a
from Pittsburgh, PA Date Reviewed: August 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Bavington
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Dirty Harry's
Strengths:
This bike can a handle just about anything. Takes abuse rather well and yet it is light and agile enough to cut through tight, twisty single track. Perfect bike for any fun-seeking rider.
Weaknesses:
Cheap chain, cheap seat, but who cares. Noticed some occasional creaks coming from the bottom bracket, but could be nothing (I’m not a bike mechanic). Just annoying.
Similar Products Used:
Owned a '97 Raleigh M-400 (old school). Test rode ’03 Specialized Epic Disc, Kona Kikapu, and Santa Cruz Superlight.
Bike Setup:
Medium Frame, Rock Shox Duke XC, Fox Float R Suspension, Hayes Hydraulic, XT Rear Deralieur, LX everything else.
Bottom Line:
I’m new to the sport. In fact, I nearly hated mountain biking until I got a Loco-Moto. Now you can’t get me off the trail!
Out of the bikes I test rode, this was the one bike that felt strong beneath my feet. Just felt like I could do more with this bike. An all-around, great bike! Log piles, rock gardens, climbs . . . bring ‘em on!
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Submitted by
Phil Ford
a
from Azusa, CA Date Reviewed: August 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Raptor Ridge
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1150.00
Strengths:
This is an update on my 2000 Locomoto. I recently purchased the front 03 triangle from Titus. This thing rocks! It is much stiffer and tracks much better through the rough stuff. I would recommend this up grade to any Locomoto owner with the older style. Those looking for a true simple and fun ride this is the BIKE! Go Loco!
Weaknesses:
der. hanger is weak but better than buy new der.
Similar Products Used:
junk
Bike Setup:
XT, X-fly 100 mm.
Bottom Line:
Awesome ride! Great company in Titus!
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Submitted by
Billy Mathisen
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, VA Date Reviewed: August 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Fountain Head
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1150.00
Purchased At:
direct
Strengths:
Versatile, Wieght, stiffness, quality and finish
Weaknesses:
derailer hanger. they really need to invent something that replaces the derailer hanger all together - something that won't beak and cause maintenance downtime.
Similar Products Used:
Jamis Dakar, Titus Racer X, various hardtails
Bike Setup:
Fox Talas Fork, Fox Float R shock, Mavick CrossMax wheels, Panaracer FireX tires
Bottom Line:
Quite the awsome trail bike. Set it up for the highest amount of susp. travel today and found myself climbing a steep rock garden while seated the whole time ("what the hell" was what I was saying to myself) -it was a section I always had to walk and didin't realy think it was even rideable. I have the Titus Racer X as well and while it is a really good cross country bike, I found that with a lot of the trails I ride in the mountains of VA I needed more of a trail bike setup that can handle rock gardens and steeper terrain with a bit more confidence.
This is an extremly comfortable bike as well. If you ride more than 3 hours per session you will be happy you got this thing. And while I agree with the review below that it is not a race bike or quite as efficient as a four-bar, it still will make a decent 24 hour racer simply because of the comfort factor. I highly recomend the fox talas fork as well. This thing will get you up the hill and will soak up just about anything on the way down. It steers excellent and is very smooth -with the adjustable travel it matches the adjustable rear suspension of the loco well.
To sum it up - If you find yourself getting beatup and going over the bars a little too often on your 80mm cross country bike then the loco-Moto is a good choice. Due to the adjustable front and rear suspension, it is very versatile and its kind of cool to be able to set the bike up specifically for the particular trail you plan to ride.
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Submitted by
Damon
a Cross Country Rider
from New Jersey, USA Date Reviewed: July 27, 2003
Favorite Trail:
the one where my lungs burn up one side and my arms down the other
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
pedalshop.com
Strengths:
Relatively light frame, low maintenance suspension design that's stiff and fairly efficient, perhaps the greatest customer service on the planet, best quality to cost ratio going
Weaknesses:
Even the best single-pivot suspension gives up some efficiency and responsiveness to a good 4-bar. I got the bike equipped with the float R shock, but would recommend the float RL in retrospect for the sake of climbing.
This is an awesome trail bike, with the ability and flexibility to climb and descend just about anything you throw at it. It is just at home on northeast singletrack as desert trails. However, the suspension and weight make this a bike better suited to recreational (non-race) use. I had an '02 frame which was part of a defective batch of about 200, and I eventually cracked the frame over a year after I bought it. The people at Titus took my bike, and 2 days later gave it back to me built up with a new '03 front triangle in the color of my choice. Absolutely great customer service from a company that really stands behind their product. The 03 is an very definite improvement on the 02, with any frame flex eliminated quite nicely. The bike is now really at home on single track, and handles like a dream.
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Submitted by
Matt
a
from Harrisonburg, VA Date Reviewed: June 30, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Used
Strengths:
This bike rocks!! It will take huge hits and can still climb like a goat. If you want a hill that can do technical things and still climb this is it!! Weighs in right at 30 lbs dressed HEAVY and you can easily get it to the 26 lb range if you want lighter stuff.
Weaknesses:
Does have a little pedal Bob when you really pedal hard going up hill, but that is what lockout is for right?
Similar Products Used:
Schwinn Factory Homegrown, 03 Jamis , Fuel 90
Bike Setup:
XT drive train. Fox Vanilla 125 RL front shock Fox rear Coil over shock. Rynolite wheels, Tioga tires, Hayes Hydraulics
Bottom Line:
If you want a bike that can do everything, that is classified as a Trail bike this is it! VERY LOW standover. I needed this since I have short legs and a long torso. Great 5 inch travel bike (4.75 in the rear)
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Submitted by
woodyak
a Racer
from Rockport, MA Date Reviewed: May 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Ancient Line
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2950.00
Purchased At:
Hammerhead Bikes
Strengths:
Very stiff frame, lightweight, well balanced. Fun suspension.
Weaknesses:
02's had problems with the frame cracking.
Similar Products Used:
Klein Mantra, G.F. HKEK, G.F. Sugar
Bike Setup:
XS frame, 4.75 setting, Fox Float suspension, XT everything, Avid Mechanicals, Time ATAC's, Mavic 3.1 UST, yada yada yada
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. I put down a year of usage because I've been riding the 02 frame for a year. The 03 frame is 2 months old because I cracked my 02 frame. The 03 frame is much stronger and stiffer. The bike is a very fun and versitile trail bike. It's great for the rooty/rocky/scary New England type trails. The bike has a great feel to it. It can be either plush or snappy depending on how you setup the suspension. I highly recommend this bike!
p.s. Titus is a stand-up company. When I cracked my 02 they replaced it for me no questions asked. I even got to choose the color I wanted. I had my new frame in less than a week. Hammerhead Bikes rocks as well. Charles set me up with a great fitting bike and I didn't even have to try it out.
$
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