T-Lab bikes: Titanium frames designed and manufactured from scratch in Canada
The Montreal-based company has been building performance frames for almost a decade
Titanium frames are not a common choice of material for bikes—the majority of performance frames are made of carbon fibre or aluminum—but Montreal-based T-Lab favours the material and builds its bike in Canada. It began building titanium bikes in 2016, when the company was formed by several former employees from Guru Bikes.
“We came back together to work on a new mission to push titanium bikes forward,” co-founder Roberto Rossi says. “We believe that high quality should incorporate notions of performance and longevity. When you factor stiffness-to-weight-to-durability, nothing beats a titanium frame.”
T-Morph technology
The only relative weaknesses of titanium in the past, he says, was a relatively lower lateral and torsional rigidity compared with carbon, and higher cost versus other metals. Rossi says T-Lab solved the first issue by developing a proprietary titanium-shaping capability. T-Lab builds road, gravel and MTB frames that Rossi says its T-Morph tech sets them apart.
It’s a precision-forming technique that enables them to sculpt Grade 9 titanium tubing into a frame profile, delivering up to 30 per cent more stiffness than leading titanium bikes—without adding weight, according to Rossi.
Titanium done affordably
Rossi says that the radical shaping also results in a frame profile that is modern aesthetically. A common expression at the company is that what they produce is “not your grandpa’s titanium bike.”
Regarding the cost, going consumer-direct has allowed the company to offer quality titanium frames at prices lower than some of the leading producers in the industry. The T-Lab R1 road frameset, for example starts at $2,850 with a complete bike starting at $3,650.
T-Lab, he says, hopes to represent the “new school” of titanium.
On buying Canadian, and cycling in Montreal
With the ongoing trade war between the President Donald Trump and Canada, there’s a lot of discussion these days about buying Canadian. T-Lab frames are designed and manufactured from scratch in its headquarters in Montreal. “Complete bikes are also built up here, tuned-up, and shipped all over the world to discerning cyclists,” Rossi says.
Montreal has a strong cycling culture, especially when it comes to bike racing. With one of only two WorldTour races in North America held there, along with the upcoming road worlds in 2026, Rossi says that’s one of the two key reasons it’s a great place to build bikes.
“It’s rooted in the European side of Montreal. Being based in one of the world’s major aerospace hubs also gives us access to a ton of relevant know-how and skilled labour,” he says. Montreal is a global aerospace hub due to the presence of major companies like Bombardier, Airbus Canada, and Pratt & Whitney Canada. The skilled workforce is supported by specialized aerospace programs at various universities in the city.
Sending a message with dollars
As far as the trade war, Rossi is clear that having Canadian-built bikes is more important than ever.
“As Canadians, we have all been jarred into reconsidering some of our choices (based on recent events emanating from south of the border). We can essentially vote with our dollars to send a message to those who have overtly disrespected us and help make our home economy stronger,” he said. “That said, a high-end bicycle is not a bottle of wine or a t-shirt. It needs to perform at a high level in order to justify its purchase. It needs to be acquired based on merit. In all humility, based on countless reviews from around the globe, we are making the most advanced titanium bike in the game right now.”
But just because it’s Canadian, doesn’t mean that Rossi expects anyone to buy just for that reason.
“We just ask that they consider our bikes. We’re confident that, if and when they do so, they will see that what we’re offering them is the best of all worlds. When purchasing higher-ticket items, there is a tendency in all of us to look to an “import” for distinction,” he said. “Now is the time to set aside that bias and to look more carefully at the outstanding products that are actually made in Canada.”
To learn more about T-lab check out t-lab-bikes.com