The 2018 Genesis TarnTanium takes the ‘either-or’ 27+/29er Tarn model and sculpts a thing of a retro futuristic mountain bike beauty.

>>> “They’re rubbish, but they’re iconic!” – explaining the retro bike obsession

The titanium hardtail used to be something. It used to be the ultimate. The bike that we all wanted when we grew up. But things changed.

Aluminium got lighter and nice. Full suspension came along. Steel got the heritage vote. More significantly, carbon fibre came along as the hardtail dream material.

Frameset (with carbon forks) only for now, £1,999

Who will buy the Genesis TarnTanium?

No one wants a ti hardtail anymore.

Is that really the truth though?

Maybe things are about to go full circle again. As riders of a certain age return to their first love (mountain biking) after a foolish dalliance with a fashion model (road cycling), maybe there’s a returning market for titanium.

And after all, roadies are used to spending ludicrous amounts of money on fully rigid bikes with rims brakes. So the cost factor of titanium hardtails won’t even raise an eyebrow in the shaven legged set.

On a more serious note, there should still be a place in the mountain bike market for titanium hardtails. They do offer something different. Not just the stunning looks. Nothing rides like Ti. Whether that ride feel is as significant as it used to be, or if it’s worth the money, is sorta immaterial.

If you want titanium just because you do, that’s fine. There’s still a place for such heart-over-brain sentiment in the bike world.

Genesis TarnTanium geometry

Pretty piccies

Regardless of whether (m)any people will buy the Genesis TarnTanium, it’s always nice to just look at pretty pictures of striking bicycles. So let’s do just that.

On manoeuvres

Going up…

… coming down

Classic yet contemporary

TarnTanium ti top tube

Buy me

Here’s what Genesis have to say…

Our long ‘n’ low Tarn frameset in a super-sweet 3AL-2.5V titanium!

This beautiful example of a titanium Tarn code name: “Tarntanium” comes into the line-up for 2018. After many requests over the past two years we now have the daddy of all 27.5+ frames. Spec it with either 27.5+ or standard 29″ wheel/tyre combo for ultimate trail versatility. It’ll happily take a top swing or side swing FD, comes with a shim for either a comfy 27.2mm rigid post or new-fangled 31.6mm dropper along with a port for stealth dropper routing. A new 120mm suspension corrected, full carbon fork. It has Boost spacing front and rear (110×15/148x12mm) and a lightweight bolt up type rear axle. Both Shimano direct and old type hangers are included along with a sealed bearing headset to round up the carefully considered details.