The Chiru Savage is an unusual full-suspension mountain bike that deliberately combines two materials: the front triangle of the frame is made from hand-finished titanium, whilst the rear triangle is made from carbon. Chiru is thus pursuing a clear functional approach: the titanium main frame is designed to deliver a comfortable yet torsionally stiff and precise riding experience, whilst the carbon rear triangle promises direct responsiveness and precise handling. Let’s take a closer look at the details.
Conclusion
Riders will undoubtedly turn heads on the Chiru Savage. The combination of a titanium main frame and a carbon rear triangle isn’t new, but it’s certainly a rare sight. The design promises to combine the advantages of both materials and provide the basis for a versatile full-suspension bike. Enthusiasts are sure to enjoy the timelessly beautiful Chiru Savage for many years to come. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
The Chiru Savage in detail
- Intended use: Enduro / All-Mountain / Trail
- Suspension travel: 140–160 / 120–150 mm
- Wheel size: 29”
- Frame material: titanium / carbon
- Frame weight: approx. 2.5 kg
- Price range: from 4,000 euros
Chiru Bikes: Between Tibet and France
The name ‘Chiru’ refers to the Tibetan antelope of the same name, which lives at extreme altitudes and in harsh conditions – a fitting symbol for the brand’s philosophy of venturing off the beaten track and pressing on reliably even under difficult conditions. The history of Chiru Bikes is closely linked to its founder, Pierre-Arnaud Le Magnan. As early as 2005, the French engineer and endurance athlete developed his first ultra-bike, before founding Chiru Endurance Bikes in 2009. The early models were still based on carbon fibre and classic cross-country designs. However, Chiru gained experience in extreme adventure races from an early stage. A strategic turning point finally came in 2017: the small French brand increasingly focused on ultra-endurance and bikepacking. Titanium became the primary material used for the frames.
Chiru does not view the bicycle primarily as a piece of sports equipment designed to be as light as possible, but rather as a reliable and high-performance machine for long distances and challenging adventures. The ‘Dream, Design, Craft, Ride’ approach describes a development process in which the bicycles are not only designed on a computer, but are tested on real routes and under extreme conditions, and subsequently refined. Behind this lies the conviction that a bicycle intended to be ridden far, for long periods and at high speeds should place as little strain on its rider as possible. That is why the precise shaping of the titanium tubes, in particular, plays a key role in achieving the desired level of comfort.
Versatile platform
When developing the Savage titanium-carbon hybrid full-suspension bike, Chiru did not want to consider weight, comfort and durability in isolation, but rather to create a mountain bike that was as versatile and durable as possible. Chiru explicitly describes the bike’s range of use as extending from alpine trails to bike park jumps and challenging lines in the high mountains. The components can also be tailored accordingly: for the rear shock, for example, a FOX Float X with a stronger focus on trail riding or a Float X2 for a more enduro-oriented setup are available. This makes the Savage less of an uncompromising lightweight project and more of a characterful all-mountain bike, where the combination of titanium and carbon takes a unique approach.
Depending on the shock length, the Chiru Savage’s rear suspension offers between 120 and 150 millimetres of travel. This can be combined with 140 to 160 millimetres of fork travel. In terms of geometry, the Savage is clearly positioned at the more aggressive end of the all-mountain spectrum. The head angle is 64°, the seat tube angle 76.5°, whilst the chainstays are comparatively compact at 435 mm. An integrated flip chip allows for a slight adjustment of the head angle whilst simultaneously lowering the bottom bracket, enabling the handling to be adjusted between a slightly more moderate trail-oriented set-up and a downhill-oriented configuration.
What do you think: do you see the benefits of a titanium frame for a full-suspension mountain bike as well? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Jan Timmermann
Editor