Titanium Road Bikes

[Comedian]

I'm considering a move in this direction. Does anyone have any experience out there with these? Speed, Ride Quality, Longevity?

[DaveOZ]

Speed depends on the legs but you know that.

Ride quality of Ti is very nice, better than Al and similar to carbon.

Longevity should be forever as long as you get a good frame.

I'm extremely happy with my Lynskey CX and will definitely consider a Lynskey road frame when I decide to upgrade my Cervelo.

[ausrandoman]

I have two and I love 'em! I have my go-far bike and my go-fast bike, a custom-made set up as an Audax bike and a van Nicholas, respectively.

For most riders on most normal bikes, the speed is not much affected by frame material*. Most normal racing style bikes (made of steel, carbon fibre or aluminium) in the same price range as Ti are light enough and stiff enough for most normal people. To be a bit more particular, if you are a hot-shot scratch rider then you might find Ti a bit too heavy** and soft. On the other hand, I got 14th out of 199 in my age group in the Amy Gillett Gran Fondo K.O.M. on my van Nicholas. If you are looking for a solid, robust bike to ride across Australia with a tent and a sleeping bag, Ti will be a bit lighter than steel but with all that weight you might not notice the difference.

The much commented ride quality of Ti is 95% wishful thinking. Shock absorption comes mainly from tyres and the saddle. Comparing my aluminium and carbon fibre Specialized to my Ti go-fast bike (same size tyres, same pressure) on fast bumpy downhills, I notice a smoother ride on the Ti bike but the difference is not dramatic.

Unlike carbon fibre, you don't have to worry about over-tightening (within reasonable, non gorilla, limits) a seatpost pinch bolt or a front derailleur clamp. It will never go rusty. Get it unpainted: if the decals start to look ratty, just scrub them off - bare Ti looks great


*A 40+ year old mate of mine on his Surly Long Haul Trucker regularly punishes younger club racers on bunch rides.

** Unless you pay a lot of money, most average size Ti road frames are around 1300 to 1400 grams

[RonK]

If you are looking for a solid, robust bike to ride across Australia with a tent and a sleeping bag, Ti will be a bit lighter than steel but with all that weight you might not notice the difference.

I have Sabbath and Van Nicholas Ti touring bikes. They are at least a couple of kilos lighter than comparable steel tourers and that makes a big difference to me when I'm grinding up a long grade of 10% or more.

[twizzle]

Just one issue with titanium - it needs to be welded in an inert environment. It can be done with TIG welding if the tubing is purged as well so that the back of the weld isn't contaminated, but I've seen video from the Lightspeed factory which didn't appear to show this. The cheap Chinese frames are known to crack in odd places as well.

[Comedian]

@ausrando.... Which van much do you have?

[ausrandoman]

@ausrando.... Which van much do you have?

I have a Mistral. I bought it brand new about 6 months ago for $2500 with Ultegra cranks, brakes, derailleurs and levers. They now have Sram Apex and the price is a bit higher. But here's the thing: the budget price, entry level Mistral frame is lighter than the top end Astraeus frame. I reckon the Mistral is a lot of bike for the money and I'm still happy with it.

[notwal]

Speaking of Van Nicholas, they must have one of the worst adds on tv.
I think the concept was a little dubious to start with but the voice over was woeful.
To be true to type they would have had a voice like that one that features in so many movie teasers, you know that deep overly dramatic turgid one.
"Titanium, formed in the hydrogen fusion furnaces of stars and scattered throughout the universe by supernovae more powerful than than colliding worlds ...." something like that
Yeah, I definitely wouldn't buy one of those.

Speaking about bad bicycle adds the Oppy one had a pretty good concept (bicycle so fast that it rides away from its shadow), but the execution was truly lame.
I can't think of any good bicycle adds.

Sorry. back to the topic ...
Titanium is excellent stuff for a bicycle. It's practically a noble metal as far as corrosion is concerned. It has an excellent strength to weight ratio and excellent fatigue strength. You don't have to worry much about knocks as you do with carbon. Rides like steel but a bit lighter and corrosion proof and longer lasting than aluminium. If I was going to build a tourer, one that can be loaded on the back of a cattle truck if needed, titanium would be my first choice, and I'd fit it with a Rollhoff and a Brooks and garden variety Shimano bits that can be fixed anywhere. Oh and lots of spokes, millions of em.

[notwal]

... The cheap Chinese frames are known to crack in odd places as well.

Ooh, any links?

[Nobody]

But here's the thing: the budget price, entry level Mistral frame is lighter than the top end Astraeus frame. I reckon the Mistral is a lot of bike for the money and I'm still happy with it.

Although I agree that the Astraeus is more of a statement of money spent, rather than the value received (like many bikes these days). The Astraeus has got bracing and hydroforming to increase stiffness.
http://vannicholas.com/ImageHandler.ash ... WS6626.jpg

[sumgy]

I have a Moots Compact that I race.
I have probably had it for about 5 years now and it looks as good now as it did when I bought it.
I seem to hold my own in B grade crits but obviously it is only as fast as my 44 year old legs.
My sponsor imports titanium bikes from a number of high end companies and if you are keen to have a yarn send me a PM and I will put you in touch with him.

Nobody, can you please make that picture bigger??

The Moots:

[Nobody]

Nobody, can you please make that picture bigger??

Sorry. Changed it to a link.

[aeroslave]

I think I can share my experience with Titanium.

the Litespeed I use is relatively stiff for full on racing (i have won races on it so performance is not an issue with all that carbon marketing !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !!) and compared to my carbon bikes...I am not afraid that a crit crash will render it useless. Its also very easy to clean. The ride is like steel only lighter. You get that road feedback that is a bit dull in carbon frames. I swap my Zipps and Reynold wheels on these bikes and they both have DA groupsets and same cockpit. All things equal, the Titanium frame is a little less stiff (not by much mind you, oh I have said that:-) BUT it is definitely more comfortable.

I also LIKE it that UNLIKE carbon frames,..Ti is not faddish. If you are to buy a year 2000 model Litespeed frame on eBay and put a Dura Ace 7900 or SR11 on it with Zipp or ENVE wheels....it would look just as good with any Specialized or Tirek este TREK he he or Cervelo or ...you get my point.

Another thing....Ti is the best material for MTB XC hacks like me who comes and goes on easy XC trails or uses it for commuting every now and then. Its easy to maintain, Durable and bulletproof as Kevin Rudd's popularity rating and you don't have to worry about stone chips on paint. wash it down, dry it and lube it....good as new!

I am so enamored with Titanium frames that I am selling my carbon bike as I really haven't been using it.

Go for it!

Go for the Moots VAMOOTS RSL! Lovely bike and if I will not be divorced by my wife if I add another one on the table, I would buy it.

[ausrandoman]

There's all the answers you need, Comedian. I'll check this forum again on Monday to see the photos of your new Ti bike

[PawPaw]

A few Brisbane guys race Ti. Two Lynskeys, one a 120kg E grade rider who gets out of the saddle on the roads. He's had it for a couple of years I think and it is supporting him; I think the other one I've seen belongs to a competitive B grader. There's a few Koiled, a Brisbane designer and importer http://www.koiled.com.au/home.html, and a Litespeed.
Two experienced roadies bought Chinese generic Ti frames from ebay dealers for around $700 and built them up, and use for general use and racing. Weight is about 1.3kg for medium frame. They look like this one, but this isn't the dealer.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TACC-TRF-1-Tita ... 256b7cd4f4

If tempted by Lynskey, talk to Alex McGowan at HighGearRacing at Alderley about his view on helix tubing. Alex is a qualified engineer and has strong views about it.
Pay attention to the head set races. If any are built into the head tube, then what's the plan once they've worn so that bearing are not snug?

[sumgy]

There's a few Koiled, a Brisbane designer and importer http://www.koiled.com.au/home.html, and a Litespeed.

Yep.
That is my team.
Shannon is the man to talk to.
Designed both of the frames that Blacksheep then built to win the North American Handmade Bicycle Show.
He is now having his designs built up in factories in Taiwan.
He also imports Form, Calfee, Blacksheep, Quiring and Roark in ti.
On top of that he has all the bling you could ever want including Mad Fiber and I9 wheels.
Finally we have THE hottest cycling kits on the planet.

[PawPaw]

Finally we have THE hottest cycling kits on the planet.

yup, according to several girl riders I know, it is THE kit of the year.
a while back, we were joking about continuing the kit design into leg tattoos.

[sumgy]

Finally we have THE hottest cycling kits on the planet.

yup, according to several girl riders I know, it is THE kit of the year.
a while back, we were joking about continuing the kit design into leg tattoos.

What?
You thought we are keen to impress the male riders (well maybe Rach is ) ???

[PawPaw]

Finally we have THE hottest cycling kits on the planet.

yup, according to several girl riders I know, it is THE kit of the year.
a while back, we were joking about continuing the kit design into leg tattoos.

What?
You thought we are keen to impress the male riders (well maybe Rach is ) ???

So what have my chickie babe friends got to do to get the kit? One is a cert.

BTW, what's with THOSE cages on your MOOT?

[sumgy]

So what have my chickie babe friends got to do to get the kit? One is a cert.

Get them to email us via the Koiled website.
We are organising a re-order soon.
Just be aware that it is a registered Uni kit and therefore branded with Uni's logo.

And what is wrong with my cages?
They hold bottles and dont rattle which is all I care about.
The Aussie flags are because I am not quite bogan enough to have a Southern Cross tattoo.

[twizzle]

... The cheap Chinese frames are known to crack in odd places as well.

Ooh, any links?

Fraid not. There were a number imported by local Vets riders a few years back, cracked chain stays (NOT near the welds) and a broken Ti stem were encountered. The local bike specialist was very unhappy with the amount of facing/chasing/reaming he had to do on new frames, due to the wear it put on his tools. As with anything, YMMV, but I'd be wary of the cheaper stuff unless the quality control has improved.

[PawPaw]

Kit details emailed to chickie babes. One is a challenge. If you ever see a tanned blonde with the hottest legs, solo riding a red super record BMC between Spring Hill and Scarborough, DON'T draft her. Or she'll pull a knife and gut you, after she burns a hole in your Soul with a look that can kill.

[sumgy]

Kit details emailed to chickie babes. One is a challenge. If you ever see a tanned blonde with the hottest legs, solo riding a red super record BMC between Spring Hill and Scarborough, DON'T draft her. Or she'll pull a knife and gut you, after she burns a hole in your Soul with a look that can kill.

Ok I get it.
She is your girlfriend.
I will leave her alone.

[PawPaw]

Ok I get it.
She is your girlfriend.
I will leave her alone.

got that wrong. anyone in koiled kit is welcome to the challenge.

[sumgy]

got that wrong. anyone in koiled kit is welcome to the challenge.

I will take your word for it.