Sabbath September AR-1

by Tim Granshaw · 06/01/2015

Off The Road

The September has plenty of clearance around the rear stays and the Whisky fork has even more at the crown. It took us only a couple of days to throw a pair of fat Continental Speed King tyres and some mountain bike pedals on the bike to see if it behaved as well off road as it did on.

We have a preferred loop that runs south from London for 50 kilometers before dropping into 30 kilometers of parkland packed with single track and fire road before a return home, a perfect test for an all-terrain machine.

As soon as we left the pavement, the benefits of a titanium frame for off-road riding are clear. The frame absorbed washboard vibrations and larger hits with aplomb. We were able to stay seated over rough, rooted terrain without any bucking or bouncing. Through muddy sections, the plentiful frame and fork clearance meant the bike stayed clean. The relaxed seat tube and slightly more upright position kept us back over the rear wheel for some of the steeper dirt climbs around Surrey.