Hi Singletrackers

I have a burning desire for a Lynskey HT Frame, although TBH I have no idea why and if I look at the Lynskey site they extol their virtues and of course the people using Steel shout from their rooftops, however I have never seen a comparison and wonder if somebody could summarise.

I have an Orange P7 and plan on replacing the frame with a Lynskey…What differences will I feel?

Cheers, Ollie

What differences will I feel?

A swelling of the head and a lightening of the wallet.

depends on the design of the bikes you're comparing.

LOL, I think you may have struck the proverbial nail on my concerns…..

Steel will rust Ti won't.

Throw away your rusty Steel frame 10 times or buy one Ti frame now

that said you could afford to throw 10 away before it cost as much as the ti 😉 (i do have a ti one tho lol)

Comparison
http://aluminium.matter.org.uk/content/html/eng/default.asp?catid=89&pageid=2144417034

none of my steel frames have ever rusted any more than a bit of surface colouring. this includes 20 year old bikes.

I’ve never binned a frame due to a bit of surface rust, nor have I had an old steel frame rust right through, I think you’d have to go beyond basic neglect to actually have a steel frame rust beyond being usable… 10 years working use out of a steel frame is a bare minimum I reckon, far better VFM…

firestarter – Member
that said you could afford to throw 10 away before it cost as much as the ti (i do have a ti one tho lol)

That's what I ment and I've got both, although my steel frame is nowhere near it's first throw away after 5 years, the Ti one had better out live me

ah i get you john 😉

I still think how and who build your frame is probably a lot more important than just comparing materials. If indy fab et al knocked me out a steel frame id take that over a mass produced *relatively* cheap ti frame.

My own humble not having owned any ti frame* opinion

*except a ti lemond which i had to sell before i built it up. Still cuts me, cuts me deep 🙁

Is the logic that a Ti frame costing ~ £1000 has to last proportionately longer than a steel frame costing ~£400

Therefore if a moderately pricey £400 steel frame lasts 10 years (an annual cost of £40 a year across that period) then a £1000 Ti frame has to last 25 years before it works out comparable in terms of longevity Vs initial Cost…

Could you remember to post up in 2035 and let us know if your Ti frame is still going? I might consider buying one then, I assume this will be “The last bike you ever need to buy” as the Ti whores often claim…

(i do have a ti one tho lol)

I do hope you don't mean a Ragley?

Ti frames are not bought for financial logical reasons.

I too have had a burning desire for a (Lynskey built) to frame. Been rubbing the thighs over a new Soda.

However as I don't have the disposable income that I could even begin to justify the expense I'm going to stick with my Soul. I don't really think that it could really be THAT much better.

Also I very nearly self imported a Litespeed about 10 years ago. If I had it wouldn't be what I want now. Things change. It might last a lifetime but not much cop if its used as a hack/commuter or only taken out on very rare occaisions…

Just my 2p worth.

Titanium frame might last a lifetime but would you really want to be currently riding, say, a 1980s Stumpjumper? Fork travel has increased over the past years, frame angles slacker, disk brake mounts now de rigour etc. etc. Oh, and you could actually smash it up first ride out!

It could seriously stop you buying a new bike in a few years time. We can't have that…

If – and it's a big word, if you could get two frames of the exact same design, angles etc out of steel and ti you would definitely notice the difference in ride. Ti frames give a softer ride, a bit more give and still are rigid enough to give instant acceleration. They take some of the buzz out of the trails and also weigh a little less than steel frames so basically your getting the best of what an ally frame offers with the longevity of a steel frame.
I had a Merlin Oreas ti frame and it was superb and so I would whole heartedly recommend you getting a ti frame BUT I would look for a second-hand frame if it's a more hardcore one your after, then I'd say a Litespeed Pisgah or if it's a more XC one then an Oreas or XLM Merlin.

So its down to an economic choice and a bit of vanity. I have no desire to own a bike for 25 years, I have nothing in my life that I have owned for 25 years and certainly dont plan on starting with a bike frame.

So in terms of weight, ride quality, handling steel and Ti are the same?

whys that wors ?
but no my roadie is ti 😉

I think all the stuff about which frame is better is irrelevant justification for you to spend your money how and where you want. If you want the Ti one buy it and enjoy it. You do not need to justify your decisions to anyone.

I bought a steel 456 a year ago, and did the best part of 2k miles on it, everything from bridleways, trail riding, trail centres and XC racing plus some Enduros. I got it to a spec/weight that I liked.

I then bought a 456Ti frame before Xmas, as it was the only way I could improve the bike any more – and that was by losing more weight – nearly a kilo.

It rides the same, just weighs less – and the finish looks like new.

If you're getting Ti and it's a once in a life time purchase not just frippery do it right and spend the monety and get something that's exactly right. That's how I'd be looking at a once in a lifetime purchase, seems daft spending all that cash on something that's not quite right that you're going to have to live with for 20 or so years.

I’d rather spend the same money on a custom steel effort from Curtis, Dave Yates or similar than an off the peg Ti frame that gets ditched when you realise the bugger just doesn’t fit quite right…

A work colleague got his Van Nicholas "dream bike" and then spent 2 years and lots of money trying to get it to feel right with finishing kit and toys, in the end gave up flogged it and took the proceeds to Dave Yates who made him a frame that he absolutely loves now…

i'm sure the mag ran an article comparing a Charge Duster Ti and Steel with identical spec and found little difference in the two with regards to ride. Will have to dig it out

whys that wors ?

because i would be very jealous!

So in terms of weight, ride quality, handling steel and Ti are the same?

no, titanium generally builds lighter frames (depends on the builder and detailing ofc)

ride etc will depend on the profiles and detailing, the guys who I know who have them (I don't) categorise it as an old style steel ride in an aluminium weight

but ofc they've all paid the price and there's a certain bias that comes with defending an expensive decision that you've made (I *love* my carbon Tranny btw 😉 )

lol wors 😉 i really wanted the ti one but it would mean getting rid of one of my decent bikes to fund so i decided the steel was the one for me. ive been told apart from it weighing less it rides very similar to the steel on anyway. who know tho in the future lol

Don't you read the comments!!!! No – steel and ti RIDE differently lol

I got my Lynskey just coz i wanted one. It's not going to turn me into a superstar, and in reality, at my level of riding/fitness probably wont be that much better than what i had before. But you're only 40 once so i bought something lovely that makes me smile when i open the shed and looks and feels the nuts when i'm riding it.

Waste of money? Probably. Worth it? yep, and i can always sell it if i'm skint.

well after asking someone whos ridden the ti and the steel back to back lots he thought they were very very similar to each other 😉

Still loving my custom Ti four years on from buying it and can't think of anything else I'd have rather spent the money on, although it did take a lot of soul searching at the time before dropping that much on a bike frame.

I don't believe for one second steel and ti ride the same – they have totally different properties and will definitely ride different. It's like saying a good 853 frame rides the same as a bog-standard steel frame – no chance.

It's like saying a good 853 frame rides the same as a bog-standard steel frame – no chance.

please see other threads for the debate/war on this one….

plus i still reckon who puts the tubes together counts more in that scenario too

Typical question – with £700 in your pocket would you spend it on.

A. Whyte 19 Steel frame (my current favourite for many reasons)
B. Cotic Soul (other favourite but missing the fancy dropouts which I like)
C. Second hand Cove Hummer (example as one in classifieds – known chainsuck issues though)
D. Unknown quantity E-bay frame with possible issues

Or – budget creep on up to…

E. Rock Lobster Ti (not quite the geometry I want)
F. Van Nicholas (again – not quite the geometry I want)
G. Voodoo D-Jab – (Geometry looks good – fancy dropouts)
H. Genesis Altitude Ti – (Geometry looks good)

Or – budget creep even further on up to…

I. Ragley or on one (good geometry etc)
J. Cotic Soda (good geometry etc)

Or – kill wife, get away with it and spend the life insurance on…

K. Whyte Ti (my current top of the line drool machine)

Some decisions are very difficult… but if I was planning to spend £1200 to £2000 for the Ragley or Soda or the Whyte Ti I would probably buy the steel version and ride it for a few months first to be sure I'm happy with the geometry. Second hand value will be high enough to not lose much and at least you know you will love what your getting.

My experience of riding friends cheap Ti bikes means I would not go down that route… geometry is top of how a bike rides, the material it's made from effects the toppings and the lightness of the sponge.

on road i agree but for off road i cant see them being that much difference. anyway id take the opinon of a guy that rides them rather than something ive read on tinterweb . also it may be that for this particular frame they do ride almost the same , tis more down to design that material id have thought

I had am 853 frame which I replaced with a Ti of the same geometry with all the same kit swapped over. The steel felt more planted where as the Ti feels a little more lively. Could just be down to the weight I guess.

I'd rather take the opinion of a guy who builds frames so I'll stick with that.
I totally agree that a frame builder will use each materials strengths and the properties of ti allows thinner tubes and a springier feel – which is why I prefer a ti frame over a steel one, which is what the OP was asking – I think lol

back when i started mtb in early 90's Merlin was the Ti frame of choice..

when did Lynskey take over?

massiah

Some decisions are very difficult… but if I was planning to spend £1200 to £2000 for the Ragley or Soda or the Whyte Ti I would probably buy the steel version and ride it for a few months first to be sure I'm happy with the geometry. Second hand value will be high enough to not lose much and at least you know you will love what your getting.

See my post, that is exactly what I did. £200 on a new steel On One, and then £800 (in their pre-Xmas sale) on the Ti version. Haven't bothered selling the steel one though, just sprayed it with WD40 and put it in the garage attic.