We tend to joke in my little corner of the cycling world: “Sounds like you’re ready to get your titanium bike.” The joke was reserved for our aging friends, riders who bonked on a hammer ride, and anyone complaining about getting older. The depth of the joke hinges on a line I heard many years ago when chatting about bikes with a titanium frame builder: “This is the last bike you’ll ever need, the one they’ll bury you with,” basically your final ride.
However, the sea of carbon bikes and the dullness of their ride quality (compared to metal) have some road riders looking back to steel and titanium bikes. Sage Bikes from Beaverton, Oregon, recently updated their Skyline road machine, making it more attractive than ever to an all-road and not-so-carbon-crazy audience.
Re-Imaged Sage Skyline
Sage recently updated the Skyline, giving it the endurance and all-road treatment. However, this doesn’t mean they’ve slowed the handling or turned it into a laidback machine. They managed to keep the Skyline’s precise feel and punchiness but with larger tire clearance (now up to 32mm) and a more comfortable ride.
Why Skyline?
Sage took the Skyline name from the serpentine Skyline Boulevard that winds along the spine of the West Hills in Portland, Oregon. To understand the evolution of the bike, you have to know where it came from. The Skyline was Sage’s road race machine. The section of the road encompasses the Skyline vibe: Speed, stability, and stiffness when you want to put the pedal to the metal.
Skyline Frame Details
Every Sage bike is handmade and available in a custom spec. The Skyline is no different. It’s crafted from 3/2.5 titanium alloy and evokes the essence of a race bike from the sport’s golden era.
The frame is slightly compact and modern, with a sloping top tube. Everything is built modern, using flat-mount brake disc brakes, an oversized head tube, fender mounts, and 3D-printed titanium dropouts. The newest feature is entirely internal cable routing with help from the Chris King internal routing headset and a complete internally routed ENVE cockpit.
The Sage team stiffens the frame with a 1.75″ down tube and a T47 threaded bottom bracket.
Sage Skyline Geometry
The newest iteration of the Skyline leans more into the all-road crowd and away from a complete road race machine. This design change isn’t a bad thing at all.
The updated geometry and tire clearance give the Skyline a new lease on life with a broader net of pave’ riders and the light-gravel curious. Our review bike is 54cm and fits me perfectly at 5’10” with a 31.50″ inseam.
Sage Skyline Build
Like many custom bikes, the Sky(line) is the limit for build options. My review ride came decked out in the best all-road gear from ENVE. Each part accentuated the frame’s ride qualities. The ENVE wheels are an excellent piece of kit that gives the Skyline a spring to its step.
Wheels draw out performance in a bike frame, and I feel the ENVE wheels accentuate the raw power of the Skyline frame. The same can be said for the fully internally routed ENVE aero bar and stem combo. Looking down and seeing a clean frame and lines feels good, modern, and fast. I personally love the feel of the ENVE aero handlebar and the way it mates with the new Shimano 12-spd shifter design.
Our review ride came equipped with a full Shimano Dura-Ace groupset, ENVE wheels, ENVE aero cockpit, seatpost, and tires. The build didn’t overshadow the frame; it helped express its intent—speed, power, and good times.
Sage Skyline Build Breakdown
- Frame: Sage Skyline 54cm
- Fork: Enve In-Route Road Fork
- Bars: Enve Aero 42
- Stem: Enve Aero 110mm
- Seatpost: Enve 27.2
- Seat: Sage / Velo
- Headset: Chris King Aeroset 3
- Seatpost Binder: Sage Titanium
- Shifters/Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed R9270 Di2
- Front Derailleur: Dura-Ace R9270 Di2
- Rear Derailleur: Dura-Ace R9270 Di2
- Crankset: Dura-Ace 50×34 172.5 – Stages power meter
- Cassette: Dura-Ace 11-34T
- Wheels: Enve SES 4.5
- Tires: Enve SES 29mm
- Axels: Robert Axel Project
- Price: $5,500.00* Frameset only
- Weight: 18lbs
Ride Review – Sage Skyline
My time with the Sage Skyline was short, but I got lots of ride time on this stunning machine. First, let me preface this: I don’t get to ride or review many titanium bikes. I see them rarely; when I do, they intrigue me but don’t blow me away. I usually ride carbon road bikes, road race-focused, with comfort taking a back seat to efficiency.
When I saw the Skyline, however, I was very into it. It looked like a classically styled road bike with oversized tires like you’d see in the old days of Paris Roubaix. Plus, I reviewed the Sage Powerline mountain bike a few years back as a shreddable art piece and that impression stuck with me.
A Jack of All Drop Bar
My rides on the Skyline varied from full-on tarmac to light gravel and Pittsburgh pave’. After my first outing, one thing was sure: it was a fun bike to ride. The Skyline’s semi-laid-back nature required a less finicky dial-in, so I had more time to enjoy riding.
I’m a big fan of the Sage saddles. I know—they don’t even make them, apart from adding the cool Sage logo to them—but man, it’s something I remember from the Powerline review. Not having to swap saddles is a nice perk; it makes the total package feel better. It feels like my Specialized Power (my go-to) but with a little extra cushion – perfect for the Skyline.
Welcome Home
The Skyline is a versatile bike; the specs greatly help that—especially the 29mm tires spec’d on my review bike. The frame has to accommodate all manner of rides, and that’s precisely what it does. The bike can climb, descend, and roll with the best. The fundamental feature of the Skyline is its ability to adapt to different terrain and remain powerful yet comfortable. I rarely thought, “This is too much for this bike, or I’m uncomfortable.” Remember, this is an all-road bike and not a full-blown gravel rig so we didn’t get too crazy.
When KOM is hunting or on a fast weekend ride, the Skyline can move and react to attacks like a carbon bike. The frame is responsive but not harshly stiff like a carbon frame. The ride and the way the frame rolls on the road are satisfying. The frame gives off a hum that reminds me of my old steel road bike, but more elegant. There is no other way to describe it, but it’s nice, almost like a warm “welcome home” feeling.
Would you Race the Skyline?
I would 100% race the Skyline, but that said, this is a titanium frame that costs $5,500 alone just for the frame. I would save your alloy bike for the crit races and the Skyline for the pleasurable cruises on the farm roads and reenacting your favorite classics.
That said, if you’re ready to take this machine to the front lines of your local race, it will perform with the best of the carbon crowd. It has a slim profile with updated internal cable routing thanks to the Chris King Aeroset 3. The steering is reasonably point-and-shoot, and if you get a build like our review bike, the wheels spin up and hold speed like a demon.
Final Thoughts
Am I ready for my titanium bike? After my time on the Sage Skyline, I’m considering it. The bike is a functional piece of art; the logo, the build, the welds, and the story – all speak to me and inspire a love of riding.
The Sage Skyline’s price reflects its quality, and for most, that puts it slightly out of reach. But I can now see the draw and purpose of a bike like the Skyline more than ever.
So, if you’re looking for a road bike that can hold its own on your favorite terrain, and just the look of it inspires you to ride – the Sage Skyline should be at the top of your list.
