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Titan bikes have become very popular in South Africa. They are the sister brand to Merida. Having an influence from the Merida brand, has allowed Titan to build and race, high quality bikes. They’ve got road bikes, mountain bikes, and of-course fat bikes. We were privileged enough to be able to test the Titan Whopper Expert. Whopper is Titan’s fat bike series, where you get carbon or aluminium models. Now before we tell you more about this fat bike, we’d like to make a statement: “The Titan Whopper Expert is one the raddest bikes that we have seen in South Africa!” (and it’s not just because it has great paint job)
The Gear 
The Expert has been designed and put together by engineers that definitely know their stuff. For instance, the aluminium frame has been hydro formed to insure strength, while a steel rigid fork keeps bike well balanced. The drivetrain was an excellent choice, with Shimano Acera shifters and Alvio rear derailleur. Plus, the Prowheel Suolo cranks and Shimano FD front derailleur. This drivetrain is the perfect match for the Expert, in terms of what the bike is meant to do, a 3×9 match up, will do the trick.
You can tell that the creators of this bike really put a lot of thought into everything. Now to slow this mean machine down you need some pretty powerful brakes, in this case, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, with a bigger disc on the front hub of the front wheel. This increases stopping power, since 70% of brake power comes from the front calliper and a bigger disc also increases brake power because it’s circumference is closer to that of the wheel’s. Despite the heaviness of the fat bike, Titan has shaved off weight by cutting out circular pieces of metal on the inside rim. Then together with Titan Racing Components and Selle Royal Avio saddle and grips, all added together and you’ve got a fat bike that is able to go above and beyond its limits, and exceed its expectations!
The Ride
I think it’s clear that the Expert is a whole lot of fun to ride. Whether you choose to ride at the beach, in snow or on the trail, the Expert will conquer it all. We tested it on the trail and in loose sand. On the off-road uphill test, the fat bike is a bit of a drag, due to the big wheels, however, because there is no suspension, the rider is able to exert more power into his pedal stroke, therefore maintaining a good pace uphill. On flat out downhill, the Expert is very balanced but not as manuverable as a normal bicycle. Thanks to its fat tyres, it is also able to roll over nooks and crannies in the ground with ease. Through flat terrain and loose sand, the fat bike was the fastest thing. The Titan Whopper Expert is extremely fun on single track. The feeling of the motion when you nail switch-backs, rail a berm and cruise on s-bends with this bike is just incredible. The saddle is also comfortable and the geometry of the frame allows you to ride in a common racing position. So our verdict, was that it was an unforgettable ride and fun experience.
Although this bike is super rad, it is not really meant for MTB racing. It is more meant for experiencing the adventure of mountain biking and having a blast in the process. Also on holiday near the beach, it performs well on beach sand. Because there is no suspension on this bike, things can get a bit bone rattling, however that is a minor sacrifice compared to what you experience. So thanks to Titan’s brilliant innovation, South African cyclists now have an awesome bike that can tackle any terrain and experience fun, fat bike style!
