Take a bow, Titan Racing, because the new  Switch Carbon Empire – the brand’s all-out gravel race bike – will turn heads wherever you ride. 

It’s a stunning machine that looks great from every angle: the rich, dark cherry paint scheme that catches the light and gives you a glimpse of the carbon weave below; those sublime ZIPP 303 wheels; the way the top tube bisects the portion of seat tube between the seatpost collar and the dropped chainstays; the one-piece bar and stem with that almost cocky negative rise… It all comes together in this Carbon Empire model, which sold out before the bikes even arrived in South Africa.

But what’s the point of a good-looking bike if the performance doesn’t match up? That’s not the case here – the new Switch is one of the most comfortable, effortlessly fast bikes I’ve ever tested. The top-spec build helps, of course; but this thing rolls along like nobody’s business, flexing in all the right areas when it’s rough, yet still accelerating when you turn the cranks.

The fact that you can buy this bike for a rand less than R100k is a feat in itself. 

Since SRAM bought ZIPP, the Americans have gone a bit overboard with integration, but you can see the end game here. Yup, the Carbon Empire is basically a SRAM XPLR showroom: the Goodyear XPLR tyres are designed specifically for the 303 XPLR rims, which partner seamlessly with the 13-speed 11-46t XPLR cassette and direct-mount Force derailleur. 

The fact that you can buy this bike for a rand less than R100k is a feat in itself. Sourcing all those bling SRAM parts separately would put you well over that figure. 

A note on the gearing – this is a bike for guys (and girls) with calves of steel. Your easiest gear is 44/46t – a smidge easier than 1:1, but nothing like the granny gear on the Outer Rora, for example, which is 42/52. If you’re planning to race this bike on a stage race like Garden Route Giro or Gravel Burn, look at the passes you’ll have to summit and consider going for a smaller front chain ring. You won’t lose much top-end power with that 10t smallest cog. 

 

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I went looking for bag and accessory mounts, and didn’t find many. There are none on the fork legs, for example, and no secret ones on the frame. With bosses for two bottles, the Switch is making its racing intentions pretty clear. There is internal routing for a dropper post, however, should you decide to install one. 

How does it handle?
With all the parts working seamlessly, you can focus on the road ahead and simply enjoy pedalling your bike. Did I mention that it’s exceptionally light? On our scale, with sealant in the tyres and Shimano XT pedals, it weighed 8.7kg. Say what you want about weight, but riding a featherlight bike feels superb. It saves energy and makes you feel fitter than you probably are. The tyres rolled smoothly on tar, and the frame engineering and carbon cockpit soaked up vibrations when it got rough.

Best part?
I’m sorry, but those wheels…

Worst part?
It’s so light that it made me a bit worried about durability. Not that anything happened, but the frame feels thin in places. It’s designed to be thin there – for compliance – but I would think twice about coming down very rough singletrack on this beauty. 

Thankfully, Titan Racing offers buyers their rock-solid five-year, multi-user warranty, and they’re always available to sort out any issues, should they arise. 

Who is it for?
Anyone who wants an out-of-the-box gravel bike for one-day events and stage races. There’s nothing on this bike that I would want to change or upgrade. The frame can clear 50mm tyres, so there’s the option to go wider for certain events; but the stock 45mm Goodyears are exceptionally versatile, and didn’t put a tread wrong during our testing. 

Build kit

Wheels: ZIPP 303 XPLR 

Tyres: 45mm Goodyear/ZIPP 

Chainring: SRAM 44t 

Cranks: SRAM Force 175mm

Cassette: SRAM XPLR 13sp 10-46t

Derailleur: SRAM Force XPLR AXS 

Shifters/brakes: SRAM Force XPLR AXS hydraulic disc

Seatpost: Round carbon seatpost

Seat: Fizik Ridon 

Cockpit: Integrated carbon stem and 40cm bar

Weight: 8.7kg with sealant and Shimano XT pedals

Price: R99 999 / titanracingbikes.com

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