Photos: Twin Six

On Sunday, Twin Six announced a new addition to their Standard Ti bike lineup. The Standard Ti 3×2 is a titanium 32er that’s designed for either flat or drop bars. Is it a mountain bike or a gravel bike? Yes. The brand says the 3×2 is a mashup of their mountain and gravel frames, and it shows.

The Twin Six Standard Ti 3×2 frame is built with T6 Standard 3.25 titanium tubing and uses 3D-printed titanium UDH-compatible dropouts and chainstay yoke. With “wishbone” chainstays, Twin Six says the 3×2 “is both snappy and compliant.” The frame manages to fit two bottle cage mounts inside the front triangle on size medium and large frames, and a whopping three sets of mounts on size extra large and XXL frames. Plus, all the frames have a set of bottle mounts on the underside of the downtube for a total of three or four sets, depending on the frame size.

Twin Six Designer and Co-Owner Brent Gale tells Singletracks that the bike is rigid for now, given the limited availability of 32er suspension forks. “The Standard Ti 3X2 is designed with a steeper headtube angle. When suspension forks with slightly longer axle-to-crown dimensions become available, the STD Ti 3X2 will be ready for one.”

The titanium frames are built to spec in China by the same manufacturer Twin Six has been working with for the past 14 years, according to Gale. The 3×2 features external cable routing, except for the dropper post, which is internally routed through the seat tube. A press-fit bottom bracket, clearance for 32×2.4″ tires, and the ability to run up to a 38T chainring round out the frame specs.

Big wheel geometry

We’re starting to see how 32er geometry is shaking out with each new release. The Twin Six Standard Ti 3×2, available in sizes medium through XXL, features a 69.5° head tube angle. Though that appears to be on the steep side for a mountain bike, it’s actually a degree or more slacker than the average gravel bike. The 443mm reach on a size large frame also falls between what one would expect for a mountain and a gravel bike.

Given the larger wheel size, stack heights are on the high side, ranging from 650mm to 675mm. Similarly, the 460mm chainstay stands out for its length. Those long chainstays surely give the bike stability at speed, though they suggest the bike could struggle with tight corners.

Twin Six, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was formed in 2005 by Gale and Ryan Carlson. The brand got its start with graphic-driven cycling apparel before expanding into bikes in 2014, when it introduced a line of steel framesets. Twin Six’s current frame lineup is built around its Standard titanium platform, including the Standard Ti Rando (gravel/all-road), Standard Ti FSU (trail/XC mountain bike), and Standard Ti Road Disc, alongside a steel Standard Rando frameset offered in several colorways.

Twin Six Standard Ti 3×2 frames are priced at $2,350 and are available for pre-order. A $200 discount is available until July 6. Complete 3×2 bikes are listed as “coming soon” on the Twin Six website.