Titanium Box Chain

Gorgeous $5500 Titanium Bike Checks Every Box

22.08.11

It goes on. Instead of a dirty, noisy chain you get a Gates carbon drive belt drive and Shimano Alfine internal hub (or the already-mentioned Paul hub if you go for single speed, or even a chain). Appearing like a cross between a beach-cruiser, a hard-tail mountain bike and a hipsters’ single-speed, the bikes come with a component spec sheet that reads like a laundry list of all your fantasy bike parts. Both bikes have Budnitz’s titanium frame, fork and all-in-one handlebars, Chris King No-Threadset, a choice of Fizik or Brooks saddles, a Phil Wood bottom bracket, Paul hubs and brake levers, Avid BB7 disk brakes and MKS pedals. Thus the Nº1 has thin, slick tires on 700c Velocity rims, a more upright position and harder gear ratios, while the Nº2 sports a 29er up front and a 26-inch at the rear, lower gearing, a more laid-back position and sweep-back handlebars. Yeah, Paul Budnitz’s bikes might cost $5,500 apiece, but they look frikkin’ awesome.

Source: Wired (blog)