Tested: Bossi Strada Titanium Road Bike

The 2024/5 summer of cycling was made much sweeter for contributor Harry Kooros thanks to Bossi Bicycles, who loaned its new Strada titanium road bike to test, much of which was done on the Bowral Classic roads.

Founded in 2017 by James Bossi, Bossi Bicycles has become well-known in Australia for its expertly crafted titanium masterpieces. With a deep passion for cycling and a keen eye for design, James drew upon his extensive background in product development, design and materials to establish the brand. His vision is to create bikes that blend engineering excellence with real-world practicality, allowing his bikes to be priced within reach of most keen cyclists while maintaining the highest quality possible.

When asked what significant hurdles he faced when building the Bossi brand in an exceedingly competitive market, James noted that his biggest challenge was creating his own “brand identity”. What helped this was carving out a “niche by focusing on what makes Bossi unique: our commitment to innovative design, a deep understanding of riders’ needs, and delivering bespoke solutions to suit”.

Another hurdle he faced was balancing quality with scale, as they were “determined to create bikes that were not only visually stunning but also engineered to perform flawlessly. We were, and still are, obsessed with quality” resonated with me, as it’s easy to tell just by taking one look at this bike.

Quality

Designed in Australia by James, all Bossi frames are handcrafted in China before being shipped to Australia, where James handles final assembly and finishing. First, hearing the word ‘China’ often makes people think ‘mass produced’ and ‘same quality as every other frame’, but James works with world-leading manufacturers and has a comprehensive quality control process from start to finish. When the frames arrive in Australia, James reams, taps, and faces every contact point to ensure they are of the highest standard. This process allows him to keep his bikes within price points accessible to the broader cycling market.

First impressions

Picking this bike up from Bossi’s store in Sydney, I was taken aback by its beauty. While I’ve ridden a few titanium bikes in the past, none of them appealed to me like this did. The polished titanium was immaculate, and the branding was unintrusive. Taking it out of the shop, my first worry was safely putting it in my car – a car worth less than half of this bike.

I’m usually not a fan of the mismatched forks that naturally come on titanium bikes, and while I still would have preferred a matched frameset, the matte black carbon fork looked great against the brushed titanium.

The build

The Strada sits right in the middle of Bossi’s 2025 road bike range, with the Strada Classic slightly cheaper and the Strada SS somewhat more expensive. The reviewed Strada came with the latest SRAM AXS E1 12-speed wireless groupset. The rest of the build was complemented with Bossi components, including a 40mm carbon wheelset with Bossi’s CLD hubs, a 27.2mm titanium seatpost, titanium bottle cages, and a fully integrated cockpit. This extensive scope of branded Bossi components is a unique feature and adds to the build.

One downside of the Strada is that it is only compatible with electronic groupsets. While most new builds at this level will likely be with electronic groupsets, this does limit riders who still want mechanical options. The Strada Classic and Strada SS both allow for electronic or mechanical groupsets, though, so it’s not the end of the world for mechanical fans who want to ride a Bossi.

Weight

The frame weighs 1540g (54cm), which is on the heavier side. However, Bossi prioritises comfort and durability, so the weight is a small trade-off. The fork weighs 400g, which is on par with most high-quality carbon forks on the market.

The bike, as reviewed, weighs (7.65kg) (excluding pedals but including bottle cages). While this weight is certainly heavier than many carbon bike options out there, people buying titanium know that weight is a slight compromise for its many benefits.

Geometry

The Bossi Strada comes in 52cm, 54cm (ridden), 56cm, 58cm, and 60cm frame sizes. The reviewed 54cm frame features a 72.5º head angle, a 73.5º seat angle, 410mm chainstays, a 72mm bottom bracket drop, and a 153mm headtube. With longer legs and a short torso, my saddle-to-bar drop was fairly significant, and some spacers were needed to get the fit right.

As with most fully integrated cockpits, you need to dial in your fit before the build is completed, as post-build adjustments to the cockpit are costly. James is acutely aware of this and offers custom bike fitting for local customers, and can work with interstate or international bike fitters if you’re not local.

How it rides

With a history of bad back issues, I was excited to see how this titanium bike performed comfort-wise compared to carbon. On the first few rides, I noticed how comfortable the bike was, handling the rough Southern Highlands roads with ease and minimising vibrations when going over potholes and gravel sections. It wasn’t until returning to my carbon road bike that I realised how different the Bossi was to ride. The main factor that stuck out was how quickly I fatigued on the rough roads in my hands, arms, and back. The Bossi was much more comfortable over longer rides, and I would finish rides with no aches or pains when using it. Another thing I noticed was how stable the bike was, both in straight lines and tipping into sharp corners.

Given titanium’s natural flexibility and compliance, previous bikes I’ve ridden have felt a bit slower and more flexible out of the saddle compared to carbon bikes with similar builds. James seems to have aced the Bossi frames, though, as this bike felt like a weapon on the hills, and the power transfer felt as good as any carbon bike I’ve ridden, even out of the saddle. 

Summing up

Quality

It’s clear from the design and quality of the frames that Bossi Bicycles aren’t just white-labeled frames from a factory deep in China. James works hard to ensure that these frames are unique, safe, and of exceptionally high quality, working closely along all supply chain steps to make his frames as good as possible. One look at the complete bike and you can see that it’s a well-crafted masterpiece. Riding it was enjoyable and comfortable, and there was never a shortage of riders saying “nice bike” at the local cafe.

Price

Bossi Bicycles are essentially the best in the business if you’re a titanium lover and have money to spend on your passion. Dealing with such a passionate owner, James, is very comforting when making such a big, considered purchase. This level of intimacy is a big rarity when buying a bike. The reviewed build retails for $14,450, a hefty price tag for most. That said, it is decked out with the best components on the market, and most other brands’ top-level builds will cost you the same, if not more.

Value for money

With complete bikes ranging from just over $6,000 to around $17,000, Bossi offers price points to suit most serious riders. While the Strada I’ve been riding is certainly out of my price range, I can see the value presented. Given the amount of time and effort James puts into ensuring his bikes are of the highest quality, I would not look past Bossi Bicycles if you’re looking for a custom titanium build.

Specifications

Colour: Raw titanium: brushed

Frame: Bossi Strada Titanium Frame

Fork: Bossi Carbon Integrated Road Disc Fork

Cockpit: Bossi Integrated Carbon Cockpit (100mm x 420mm)

Handlebar Tape: Bossi Stealth 3mm

Headset: FSA Orbit Integrated/44mm headset

Saddle: Selle Repente Latus M Carbon Saddle

Seatpost: Bossi 27.2mm carbon Seatpost

Groupset: SRAM RED AXS E1 12-speed groupset, 48/35t x170mm crankset, 160mm rotors, 10-33t cassette

Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB T47

Bottle Cages: Bossi Titanium Bottle Cages

Wheels: Bossi RD Carbon Wheelset (1,439g), 40mm deep, tubeless ready clincher

Hubs: Bossi CLD Hubset 24H Straight Pull

Tyres: Pirelli PZero Race TLR 30c

Max Rider Weight: 120kg

Website: www.bossibicycles.com