Titanium road bikes here please

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Tinea Pedis
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by Tinea Pedis

What properties does titanium have that would lead you to choose it ahead of steels or aluminium (or carbon)?

Tried doing a search for it on here...could take a while...

grahny
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by grahny

Last edited by grahny on Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

by Weenie


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ww4
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by ww4

your one lucky person "Juanmoretime" :D

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Tinea Pedis
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by Tinea Pedis

Juan mate, could you please help me out with my question?

mattr
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by mattr

Tinea Pedis wrote:What properties does titanium have that would lead you to choose it ahead of steels or aluminium (or carbon)?


Its light and durable compared to most lightweight steels, its more durable than (most) aluminium and (most) carbon frames, plus only grammes heavier than these, it can be tuned for ride quality without too many headaches.

Its pretty straightforward to get custom geometry and to get shaped, butted tubes. (thats a more recent change! Early ones were straight gauge or single butted only!).

Basically a jack of all trades.

bikedoc
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by bikedoc

just like every material it can be made to ride how you want it to ride, as strong as you want it, as stiff as you want it and as comfy as you want it.

its not the material its how its used that effects the ride/weight/stiffness etc

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Ari
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by Ari

Excuse the double post (sort of since I also posted as it's own thread before noticing this thread).

My baby has more than 30k miles on it and is still going strong though it's going through a refresh by replacing the 2003 Campagnolo Record group with Campagnolo Super Record 11.

Coming in the next few weeks are:

Reynolds UL fork
Negative GSL brakes
Zipp SLC2 bars
Ritchey WCS 4-AXIS 31.8 stem with titanium bolts

and yes, I know the bike could use a nice cleaning!
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RichTheRoadie
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by RichTheRoadie

My old Omega Enigma might as well make an appearance:

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This frameset is now in the capable hands of 'currieinahurry', aka Tikka 8)

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Tinea Pedis
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by Tinea Pedis

Why the sale Rich?


And ta for that matt and Juan. Certainly understand that it's horses for courses. However some opinion (however personal it may be) from people who have made the choice of Ti over other materials is exactly what I was interested in hearing.
Thank you.

Wildabeast
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by Wildabeast

Tinea Pedis wrote:What properties does titanium have that would lead you to choose it ahead of steels or aluminium (or carbon)?

Tried doing a search for it on here...could take a while...


Titanium has many many things going for it over steel aluminum and carbon. Its fatigue resistance is very very high. The odds of you wearing a frame out are very very slim if it was built correctly. It should last a lifetime and more. Its lighter than steel, stronger (depending on the alloy and heat treatment.) doesn't really oxidize, has a unique ride quality to it. Its like steel but better. Aluminum frames are usually lighter, but have a finite lifespan (and I prefer Aluminum for my use.) Titanium usually doesn't dent easily unlike super light steel, (unless its Stainless steel, then its a different creature altogether.) or aluminum.

For a buy it once and ride it for life material, Ti is the way to go. Its hard to work with, and weld, but done right, it will likely never let you down. IF I had the money, I'd opt for a custom Lynskey R420 without much of a second thought. Carbon allows for funky shapes and wow factor, but in my opinion is not the ultimate frame material. Its the "now" material, but you will never catch me riding the stuff unless its a beater frame (I don't care how high end the frame is, I'm not going to willingly race on it.)

Will
I can't ride that, I'll break it...

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Ari
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by Ari

Wildabeast wrote:
Tinea Pedis wrote:What properties does titanium have that would lead you to choose it ahead of steels or aluminium (or carbon)?

Tried doing a search for it on here...could take a while...


Titanium has many many things going for it over steel aluminum and carbon. Its fatigue resistance is very very high. The odds of you wearing a frame out are very very slim if it was built correctly. It should last a lifetime and more. Its lighter than steel, stronger (depending on the alloy and heat treatment.) doesn't really oxidize, has a unique ride quality to it. Its like steel but better. Aluminum frames are usually lighter, but have a finite lifespan (and I prefer Aluminum for my use.) Titanium usually doesn't dent easily unlike super light steel, (unless its Stainless steel, then its a different creature altogether.) or aluminum.

For a buy it once and ride it for life material, Ti is the way to go. Its hard to work with, and weld, but done right, it will likely never let you down. IF I had the money, I'd opt for a custom Lynskey R420 without much of a second thought. Carbon allows for funky shapes and wow factor, but in my opinion is not the ultimate frame material. Its the "now" material, but you will never catch me riding the stuff unless its a beater frame (I don't care how high end the frame is, I'm not going to willingly race on it.)

Will


Amen brother.

Though my next Ti frame will more than likely be a Holland or Eriksen and if it surpasses my Seven the Seven will get S&S couplers and be my traveling partner.

RichTheRoadie
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by RichTheRoadie

Tinea Pedis wrote:Why the sale Rich?

Purely a sizing issue - I bought it second hand and didn't check the head tube measurement properly! :oops:

ty-ro
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by ty-ro

Juanmoretime wrote:
Tinea Pedis wrote:What properties does titanium have that would lead you to choose it ahead of steels or aluminium (or carbon)?

Tried doing a search for it on here...could take a while...


Everyone has different preferences so why do I prefer titanium over other materials?

1). I agree that carbon can be made lighter but to me that doesn't make it a better choice. The area where I live and ride are seal and chip roads and the rocks really chip the heck of any painted or clear coated frames so all my friends bikes down tubes on their painted look like garbage. So cosmetically raw titanium works better for me.

2). I've found in many cases titanium to stiffer that aluminum in the bottom bracket but titanium does a better job of absorbing road shock. I do realize the fork and the tires volume and pressure come into play here. When I raced mutli-sport my tribikes were Klein's and while I could flex the bottom bracket and get the big ring to rub on the front derailleur the ride was so harsh that I never could ride more than 40 to 60 miles on the Klein and then I would be totally trashed. I finish feeling less fatigued on my titanium bikes and can't get that derailleur rub. BTW, I did get derailleur to rub on other aluminum frames I have ridden too.

3). Steel is real and the magical ride of steel. Steel offers a very lively ride since it makes a good spring and returns all the energy of road impact although it does a poor job of absorbing the energy hence the lively ride. Titanium does a much better job of absorbing the road shock verses steel.

This is by no means gospel and is only my personal reasons for riding titanium. So if carbon, aluminum or steel work for you then keep doing what your doing and we will all be happy.


Well said Juan. I'm in this "carbon quandary" right now. I'm getting pummeled by the carbon marketeers and have to consciously resist the temptation to buy a carbon bike. I LOVE my Ti bike right now and have nothing against it, but I feel like a deer in the headlights with all the carbon ads, etc... That said, I have a custom steel due next month as well as another one next year.

Right now I'm thinking of a more high-end Ti bike, maybe an Eriksen or a Baum (the latter makes me cringe with the price, but a high end carbon is there too). I'm really after a Ti bike that is lighter and stiffer than my current ride.

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Ari
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by Ari

You might want to add Bill Holland. His road Ti frames run about $2800.

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I love my Lysnkey even more after putting more than 500 miles on it: stiff, responsive, yet not too uncomfortable for a 4+ hrs training ride on not-so-perfect roads. Like the Seven Axiom I sold, this thing feels very nukeproof and undestructable, which is very different from my 14lbs Crumpton. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but it is simply nice to switch between two bikes.

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