Bespoked flashback: check out the smooth-riding Reilly T325D titanium road bike

The handmade bicycle show Bespoked has just announced that it will return to the UK later this year with a new Manchester venue, so we thought it would be a good excuse to look back at the Reilly T325D titanium road bike that we first saw at the expo in 2019 – a bike that remains in the British brand’s range today.

The first Bespoked took place in Bristol back in 2011, and it has been staged at various venues since then, most recently taking a trip to Dresden in Germany. 

> Check out 10 stunning bikes from Bespoked Handmade Bicycle Show 2023 

There will be another Bespoked show in Dresden this October, but before that, the UK edition will be held at the Victoria Baths in Manchester from Friday, 28th June to Sunday, 30th June. You can expect to hear much more about the event on road.cc between now and then.

In the meantime, we thought it would be fun to take a look at a bike that we first saw at Bespoked five years ago: the Reilly T325D. This is the disc brake-equipped version of the T325 that we first featured on road.cc back in 2015. Both the rim brake T325 and the disc brake T325D are still in Reilly’s range.

> Take a look at our Reilly T325 titanium road bike first ride review from way back in 2015

The T325D is made with a 3Al/2.5V titanium tubeset, from which the model name is derived, and it’s Reilly’s least expensive road bike. The round tube profiles give it quite a classic look although the sloping top tube geometry and the carbon fork are nods to modernity.

In his first ride review of the rim brake version (pictured below), David Arthur said that the T325 was fast and very direct, and a worthy alternative to a carbon-fibre race bike. The model that we had was built up with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset and matching Shimano wheels, and a mix of Deda, 3T and Fizik finishing kit, and it hit the road.cc Scales of Truth at 7.86kg (17.33lb). The frame weight was a claimed 1,275g, giving away a few hundred grams to a carbon fibre alternative, although if you're buying titanium, weight likely isn’t top of your list of priorities. 

A smooth ride might be a higher concern, and the T325 certainly delivers here. It’s not soft or vague, though, this bike feeling stiffer and more direct than many rivals.

“Where the T325 most impresses is on the descents,” Mr A reported. “The sensation when you bank it into a wide fast turn is quite exceptional. The small amount of initial flex helps to smooth out rough road surfaces that can unsettle a stiffer bike mid-corner. It's no slouch on the climbs, and the front end is reassuringly stiff under load. I didn't get to race the T325, but I reckon it would be right at home in a race, maybe with some deep section wheels to boost the speed.”

Although Mark Reilly died in 2021, Reilly Cycleworks remains and markets this model as suitable for both road racing and sportiness, saying that it’s “equally suited to the Sunday club run or crushing the miles on your next endurance challenge”.

Whatever size frame you go for, the stack height will be a little higher than you get from the race geometry on Reilly’s Fusion aero road bike, but it’s still a performance-minded setup. The short head tube (150mm on the medium-sized version) puts you in a head-down position, and a compact rear triangle keeps the handling sharp and pointy.

> Check out the Reilly Rainbow Road Warrior that too centre stage at the Reilly Rides Out memorial ride in 2022

A Reilly T325 frameset is priced at £2,199 with a complete bike built up with a Shimano 105 mechanical groupset costing £3,699. A Reilly T325D frameset is £2,399 with complete bike prices starting at £4,199. You can choose your groupset and Reilly will modify any aspect of the build you like.

Find out more about the Reilly T325D here, and find out more about Bespoked 2024 here. 

Check out loads more Bikes at Bedtime here.