Weight Weenies

Very much doubt you'll get a Rourkie 953 for under £1500.
Think frame in 1 colour is floating around £1600 at the mo; plus the price of a fork.
Delivery is approaching stupid dates. I think this is just a ruse to make them more "desirable"...

I'm not a steel man; last ferrous bike i had was a new SLX Cougar back in the mid 90's, but if i was considering one, i'd go for one of these:

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seems to tick all the right boxes,and some cash to give it some bling to wear

Not sure why everyone is hating on titanium and Lynskey in particular. I own a R430, ride it and race it and it has an amazing ride. Don't have to worry about scratches and it is more than stiff enough for me. Frame build quality is much more important than material and I'm more than pleased with the build quality of Lynskey frames. Both TI and steel will last you a long time. Will one outlast the other because of the different material...probably not.

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OP, check out Roberts in Croydon. Specifically the Racing Compact. Roberts know what they are doing, just ask the tourers that trust their bikes (Roughstuff) in the far flung reaches of the globe.

As for Lynskey being 'budget', I would also like to chime in. TDrifter those bikes you owned are the budget models of the brand it'd be like driving a Ford Focus then saying by extension that Mustangs and GTs are budget rubbish. I have an R330 and it is by far the nicest bike I have ridden. Granted the welds arent the art grade of Baum or Moots, but Lynskeys have their place, and that place is a long way from budget.

If maintenance is a key consideration, then would suggest going down the route of stainless steel.

Reynolds 931 and KVA would come to mind if you want the better selection of tubing sizes compared to 953 and XCR. Also relatively, they are cheaper it seems.

Have to agree with nactjager...very trollish response from T Driver. Both are quaility brands but truth be told I'd rock a R230 over a plain VaMoots any day, I've owned both brands and can say without hesitation ride quality was not better on the Moots vs. my L3, Helix, or even my Cooper CX. The welds were nice but the road frame weight about the same as my cross frame, it was a pig. The only Moots I'd even consider is the RSX but without their PF30BB.

i wouldn't trade in my 2006 Merlin Works CR for anything, it's reasonable light, the ride is wonderfull comfortable and agile + the craftsmanship is second to none (yes i've seen and touched a Moots and i don't think it compares to a original Merlin, neither dis litespeeds coming out from the other end of the factory in 2006)

If it brakes or gets stolen i would contact Tom Kellog at Spectrum and ask him to build a new one since he is the designer of my Merlin and Merlin is no longer made by American Bicycle group.

When purchasing a quality Titanium bike money is not really an object since the bike will last for the rest of your life. I very much doubt the the Carbon bikes, like Scott CR1, i considered back in 2006 would have lasted me now 7 years - I expect to have the Merlin at least another 10 years.

It's really how its made that matters. A friend still rides his 20yr old C-40 weekly. And he ain't no slouch.