Bored at work and the “Are Alu hardtails still relevant” thread has got me thinking…

Having been a bit out of the loop for the past 18 months I dunno what the latest buzz is as far as Ti frames go. What is there at around about the grand mark? Can you get them for less now-a-days? Is it worth spending more? That sort of stuff, and if so, what?

Thinking maybe trade in my S-Works hardtail for something Ti and less overtly jey

I love my Whyte 19 Ti (but the frame was a bit more than a grand), and I’ve got the option to change from geared or SS very easily.

I really loved my Airborne Black Widow, so maybe look at Van Nicholas.

Funny you should say that, I was just running the rule over Van Nicholas here…

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Is that who Airborne “became”? Mrs P has an Airborne Liberator which is a lovely little frame (Alu tho’)

Yep – Airborne “became” Van Nicholas. You can also get “Airborne” frames direct from China, but the exchange rate makes this less attractive than it once was. I got mine for £325 (delivered).

Have a search for old threads on On-One Ti 456 which appeared last year to great acclaim, I got one, like it a lot.

Ragley Ti about to drop, more expensive but will be worth a test ride. Again, quite a few threads on here. Brant built both.

Built em with his own hands then?

Yes, I think the rights to the Airborne name ran out or something so then the Van Nicholas brand was formed to sell the frames. The Black Widow is the same as the Tuareg. You can also find the same frame direct from here

Lots of choice but be careful – dont forget the old adage “You get what you pay for..”

So if Black Widow = Toerag, does it follow that Lancaster = Zion?

neilb67: That chinese website looks well dodgy, for starters the MTB frame has v-brake bosses and no disc mounts

RepacK – Member

Lots of choice but be careful – dont forget the old adage “You get what you pay for..”

In this case, you pay more, you get a fashionable “name”.

Not always true Druid – yes in some cases but not always the case.

Yep – Lancaster = Zion.

Here’s one of the cheap chinese frames built up (in this case a HM-III).

They all have V-brake and disk mounts

Oh – and the dodgy graphics come off with a wee touch of nail varnish remover.

Never bought from the site. Was just pointed to it by the people who sold them on Ebay. Which I believe is were Druid bought his. They are all from the same factory in China. You can spec what you want on the frame. As I said before never had any dealings so not personally recommending. Druid seems very happy with his though… 🙂

mike_P, the frame in the picture does have disc mounts

There’s a Litespeed Obed in the Classifieds.

It does now… your link took me to a completely different site the first time I clicked on it! The glory of the web, eh…

MT have you the scene from The Office when the IT geek pays a visit?

“You know when he’s fighting Chuck Norris in Enter the Dragon?”
“No?”
“You not seen that?”
“No?”
“Have you not, I can’t… that is a classic.”
“No, I’ve not seen him fight Chuck Norris in Enter the Dragon, I’ve seen him fight Chuck Norris in Way of the Dragon.”
“Ah, that’s what I meant, that’s what I meant.”
“Is it? Why did you say have you seen him fight Chuck Norris in Enter the Dragon? He fight’s Bob Wall in both, but Norris is only in Way of the Dragon.”
“Yeah, I know, so when he’s fighting Chuck Norris-”
“In what?”
“In Way of the Dragon.”
“Correct. At last.”

Go on mate, correct me…..

mcboo – as a manufacturer with our own design office I’ll be pedantic, design/built himself but manufactured by others is significant. Especially when made by cheap labour in the fareast. I’ll give Mr Richards his due he does not make any claims about doing anything other than what he does, unlike some uk based “manufacturers”. To think we all worry about being unemployed, were did all the jobs go?

The Whyte is essentially a Litespeed – just thought Id point that out.

so my Ti frame was built in Asia? Chattanooga actually, which is word i never get tired of saying.

and thanks for pointing out yourself that you were being pedantic. Top man, apology accepted.

Here we go… get a room FFS

RepacK – being a Litespeed is no bad thing, surely?

yeah the ti bit of my frame was built in chattanooga as well 🙂

I got myself a VN Zion last year before the exchange rate was less attractive. I’ve been really impressed with it. I use it for the daily commute and fit mudguards & rigid fork during the winter. It’s also got mounts for a rack so I can go touring on it as well.

The Santa Cruz hasn’t seen any use for months – that’s how pleased I am with it.

It depends what you want – it ‘only’ takes a 100mm fork.

Just Washed:

mcboo – I take pride in being pedantic (in this instance) so don’t see it as an apology, you were wrong.

Did you really type all that scene from The Office for me, takes on to know one then.

mike_p yeah Litespeed top bikes & I love the idea of a Ti HT designed for the UK manufactured by one of the best makers (allegedly).

This was on my Whyte 19 frame.

My MLC

The Zion and the 19 both appeal to me as I could run the Rohloff on either if I went for right Zion frame.

Lookin for less ‘jey’ then the ragley is probably your best bet close to what you want to spend.

Litespeeds are about £1700 and I think the Cove Hummer now made by Lynskey is about the same.

Anotehr vote for Airborne(Van nicholas) here, I love my black widow(Tuareg). Mike_p I didn’t know that airborne did any alu frames, you learn something new every day eh!

I prefer my Airborne to either the Ti456, the Cotic Soda or the Hummer and yes I’ve owned them all.

I’d like a Whyte 19 Ti, it looks fandabbiedosie….but i’ll never see one second hand and so will never own one.

i got a second hand airbourne lancaster (zion) frame with lifetime warranty.

It had tatty decals, so i stripped it refinished it with scotchbrite, and reapplied some van nic decals, it came up as new.

didnt skimp on parts, the whole thing only cost about £1100, which is the same as most frames, ….

best bike i have ever built/ridden

a custom crisp.

DeSalvo

“mcboo – as a manufacturer with our own design office I’ll be pedantic, design/built himself but manufactured by others is significant. Especially when made by cheap labour in the fareast.”

The current titanium On Ones are made by Lynskey, neither cheap nor far eastern.

Van Nicholas Mamtor looks nice!

van nick zion – cheap, light, fast, brilliant frame detailing what’s not to like (mate has one)

OK it’s not very “core” like the 456Ti is.

What’s the deal with hummers these days, have they fallen out of fashion? Does the change from litespeed to lynskey make any difference? For what its worth I love mine, a 97, 19 inch,
PJ