The Winner
We upped the ante with Sage’s award-winning road machine, the Skyline, by setting it up to be the All-Road/ All-Round Road Race bike it was always destined to be. “Precise,” “agile,” “terrific craftsmanship” and “titanium rocket” are the phrases of choice from professional testers. But this isn’t just a bike for the cycling media. It’s a sleek and sexy titanium space ship built to inspire the masses.
With a design that blends refined simplicity and outright performance, the Skyline occupies an enviable niche in the cycling world. It climbs mountains as confidently as it rips sinuous descents, and it launches snappy attacks without compromising comfort on all-day adventures. It’s a looker in the showroom that shines even brighter out on the road.
Named after the serpentine Skyline Boulevard that winds along the spine of the West Hills in Portland, Oregon, the bike is built for speed and stability, whether railing through corners or sprinting out of the saddle. It reimagines traditional construction with touches of refinement, blending the class of the past with the performance of the future. The thin-profile seat stays nod to the traditional race bike, yet the frame incorporates high-tech touches–like flat mount disc brakes, a 1.75” bi-ovalized down tube, 3/2.5 titanium alloy, compact frame design, an oversized head tube, and even frame fender mounts for winter training. Combined together, these elements give rise to the perfect modern take of a high-performance road race bike.
The finer details, like Breezer dropouts, are deliberate selections based on a blend of strength and stability. Sage Titanium’s patented Cable Clip System (US Patent No. 9,545,975) is the pinnacle of this attention to detail. It strives for elegance in the otherwise utilitarian pursuit of drivetrain routing. Use the clip for external mechanical cable routing, or remove it for streamlined internal shifting without extraneous clutter. The lusty shimmer of raw titanium finishes off the Skyline’s show-stopping look. It’s the stuff of dreams for the discerning cyclist. It wows. It rips. It inspires.
- Updated geometry for a more “aggressive” race profile with a super compact frame design
- Flat Mount Disc Brakes
- Clearance for up to 32mm tires
- Thru-Axle specific design with 142x12mm spacing
- CCS Ready (Electronic and Mechanical Drivetrain Capable)
- Ovalized and shaped tubing for race ready performance
- 44mm headtube provides razor sharp precision steering
- Ultra thin seat stays for increased compliance
- Short chainstays provide snappy acceleration
- Fender mounts for winter training miles
Cable Clip System (CCS)
Sage Titanium’s Cable Clip System streamlines shift routing with a touch of retro elegance. Officially recognized as US Patent No. 9,545,975, the design combines a single port under the down tube and a removable cable stop that work in harmony to sleekly route internal electronic wires or external mechanical cables. The machined-aluminum clip dovetails with the opening, guiding mechanical cables below the down tube. Ready to switch to an electronic drivetrain? There’s no upcharge for “Di2 compatibility” as the CCS seamlessly converts between mechanical and electronic systems. Removing the clip eliminates external cable stops and cleanly routes wires through the frame. The Oregon-made clasp also uses integrated barrel adjusters for fine-tunable functionality on this tiny chunk of genius.
Bi-Ovalized Down Tube
Snap. Precision. Giddy Up. All Sage bicycles are built upon these principles, and the bi-ovalized down tube is the foundation of these qualities. The oval shape provides a larger weld surface area compared to traditional round tubing. This increased contact patch better resists torsional forces at key locations on the frame. A vertical oval at the head tube junction resists twisting and yields precise steering, and a horizontal oval bonds to the bottom bracket shell, reinforcing lateral strength and preventing side-to-side movement during sharp accelerations. Mash, dive, sprint and swerve—the bi-ovalized down tube handles it all.
3/2.5 Titanium
At Sage, 3/2.5 titanium is the magic material. The smooth riding alloy blends stiffness, durability and weight for the ultimate frame tubing. Titanium has a superior strength-to-weight ratio compared with steel and aluminum, and the fatigue tolerance far surpasses the other materials. Don’t fret long rain rides or brackish water crossings—3/2.5 titanium resists rust and corrosion better than any other metal tubing.
Flat Mount Disc Brakes
Flat mount disc brakes add another level of refined elegance to the Barlow and Skyline. The mounting bolts pull the caliper toward the frame, tucking it tight and secure onto the chainstay. The design eliminates tabs, removes excess bolts and results in more consistent braking with a streamlined, show-stopping look.
Sleeved Seat Tube
That clean weld on the seat tube isn’t just for looks–it’s the lynchpin of Sage’s sleeved seat tube construction. The design mimics the benefits of double-butted tubing, without succumbing to the drawback of increased stress risers. The thicker wall diameter above the weld creates a stronger junction with the seat stays and top tube, while a thinner wall diameter below shaves grams, maintaining the superior structural integrity of straight-gauge tubing.
Industrial Finish
All Sage frames have a raw finish with the titanium shinning in all its glory. But industrial brushing is not just simple with a sexy shimmer. It’s also practical. The lusty sheen can be polished and renewed time after time. While bead-blasted and high-polished titanium frames have an alternatively classy look, any cosmetic flaws must be fixed by the pros at the paint shop or titanium factory. Should the industrial finish scratch or scuff, simply grab a Scotch-Brite pad to buff out the blemishes. A little elbow grease and DIY initiative brings the bike back to life, giving the frame that polished glow like the day it first rolled onto the doorstep. Or send your frame to us, and Sage will refresh it with a full buff and new set of decals.
English Threaded Bottom Bracket
Classic and classy, the English-threaded bottom bracket reigns supreme over press-fit alternatives. The strong interface between bottom bracket cups and the frame eliminates creaks and maintains alignment that won’t slip or wobble over time. Additionally, installation, removal and service of the design are simply superior. No punching or pressing required. Just thread it, grease it, shred it. Repeat.
Oversized 44-Millimeter Head Tube
Borrowed from the mountain bike realm, the oversized 44-millimeter head tube affords phenomenal front-end stiffness and precision on the road. Press-in headset cups provide a secure interface between frame and cockpit, and the large diameter opening accepts a wide range of steerer tubes, from 1⅛-inch straight to 1⅛–1½-inch tapered and every combination between.
Skyline Chainstay Yoke
A true All-Road bike needs to be versatile. It needs to run traditional gearing options, while also incorporating increasing tire sizes, while at the same time running short chainstays to ensure snappy acceleration when the sprint finish is on the line. Enter the Skyline’s chainstay yoke, a tweak on classic frame construction that reconciles the chainstay clearance conundrum. It’s one of the defining characteristics of the Skyline, and the foundation of this bike’s versatility. Located on the drive-side chainstay, the yoke allows for a 32 millimeter rear tire and 53/39 gearing all while maintaining normal Q factor and short chainstay length. Don’t sacrifice. Don’t compromise. Have the versatility to follow the race wherever the course may go.
