Test Bulls Mache-Ti: The titanium bike from the Cologne-based manufacturer is a very modern interpretation of the classic material. The result is a titanium gravel bike that can hardly be compared to anything else - and that seems quite inexpensive given its exclusivity.
Classic, timeless, everlasting? Titanium has a very special reputation as a material for building bicycle frames. The processing of the precious metal is complex, which makes titanium frames comparatively expensive - and rare, because mass production makes little sense here. The market is therefore dominated by custom frames or models produced in small series with standard geometry; many companies specializing in titanium frames offer the custom option for an additional charge.
Titanium frames are light, but also quite robust - the corrosion-resistant material does not need to be painted, and to get into similar weight ranges with stainless steel, for example, you have to use very thin-walled tubes, which are much more likely to get dents. You can't necessarily tell that a titanium frame has been used for many years, so it's no wonder that many models are used for years, if not decades.
Timeless material, modern standards
However, you have to be careful with the term "timeless" when it comes to titanium frames. New technologies and assembly standards - disc brakes, thru axles or internal cables and lines - make a 15-year-old titanium frame look just as outdated as a similarly aged carbon model; at most the understated look is still current. Last but not least, tube shapes and manufacturing methods have evolved, and a current titanium frame looks completely different to its predecessors.
Would you like an example? At Eurobike 2024, Bulls caused a stir with an absolute one-off in the wide range of models: the Mache-Ti. The name itself is pretty clever, as this is the titanium version of the carbon gravel bike Machete. This made a positive impression at Velomotion, gained from extensive wheel test rides: The Machete is a stiff, powerful bike that can be trimmed for racing with a longer, lower stem, where it has already proven itself at a world level. In addition, with countless attachment options, it is suitable for bikepacking and even everyday use. And many of these features can be found in the Ti version.
First of all, the Mache-Ti is appealing with its typical titanium look. Or is it? With conventional titanium frames, even, finely scaled weld seams are often pointed out as a sign of the highest quality of workmanship; however, these are almost completely absent on the bike from the Cologne brand. Instead, there are soft, organic shapes that you would expect from carbon, where there is much more freedom in this regard. On the one hand, this is due to the careful reworking of the tube connections; on the other hand, however, it is due to the use of cast parts - for example the head tube including the connection points for the top and down tubes. The cast fork head also looks like a metallically painted titanium component.
Organic pipe transitions and castings
Bulls' titanium bike is modern not least because of the completely integrated routing of the brake lines - there is no shift cable on the one-by-one bike with electronic SRAM Force AXS. In this respect, too, the Mache-Ti is similar to its carbon sister model; in other respects it is even more modern: Bulls is using the UDH standard for a rear derailleur mounted directly on the frame for the first time on a gravel bike (although an adapter for the conventional derailleur is installed here).
Subtly improved geometry
The geometry has also changed slightly: With a changed steering angle (70 instead of 71°) and a significantly longer wheelbase, the bike has been trimmed more for straight-line travel. The head tube is 10 mm shorter, the reach has grown by 4 mm, which leads to a slightly more stretched sitting position. With the short stem and the upwardly curved handlebars of the standard equipment, you still sit quite comfortably on the Bulls gravel bike. If you want to use the Mache-Ti for sport, you have to mount a longer, slightly downward-angled stem, as with the carbon model.
The spec is also sporty and high-quality, including the aforementioned SRAM Force AXS drivetrain and a lightweight aero carbon wheelset from Mavic, combined with fast Schwalbe tires. The 42 mm deep, hookless rims, with a 25 mm inner width, are ideal for tubeless tires from 40 mm wide. The components and wheelset are well over half the price of the 5.999 Bulls is asking €100,000 for this bike – making the Mache-Ti exceptionally affordable for a titanium bike. Especially since the Cologne-based company also specs a fork made of the precious metal, which is largely responsible for the off-road racer's smooth handling. The Mache-Ti rolls smoothly and seems to noticeably absorb road shocks; at the same time, it delivers the kind of propulsive power you'd expect from a bike weighing around ten kilos. Compared to the carbon model, the slight optimization of the geometry is barely noticeable; both gravel bikes, especially with their short stems, stand out for their pleasant handling and overall neutral character.
Mounting options for bikepacking & Co.
Like the Machete, the Mache-Ti can be equipped with luggage mounts on the fork, a bag screwed under the top tube or a strap on the top tube; there are also various other mounting options. This bike is still an all-rounder, but now much more elegant and exclusive. The metallic surface is also much more resistant to bikepacking bags rubbing against it than a paint finish.
But the appeal of the Bulls Mache-Ti lies not only in its versatility. A titanium frame that follows modern assembly standards and current looks so consistently is rare; many suppliers stick to the conventional design with visible welded tubes and external cables and lines, thus appearing more old-fashioned than forward-looking. If you want the classic material but with a modern interpretation, the Mache-Ti is a good choice - and you are also acquiring what is probably the most exclusive model in the entire Bulls collection.
