So, quick poll. Would you, in normal conversation, pronounce the title T.I. or tie?

Neither. Titanium

My bike is a Kobe Ti, in which case it is pronounced the same as the ‘actress’

Well, “Tea Eye” would refer to “Ti” the element and “Tie” would be an abbreviation of the word “Titanium”. I guess either would be fine, but the pedant in me wouldn’t use “Ti” to refer to a Titanium alloy (like a bike frame).
Edit: but in reality I’d call it Tanium cos I’ve awesome like that.

but in reality I’d call it Tanium cos I’ve awesome like that. 🙂 thank you !

tie

Why, in normal conversion, would you want to say either?

Tie is an abbreviation of the american pronunciation. I prefer Ti – as in tit

tee-eye for TI

Tie for Ti

I have a Whyte 19 Tie most of the time but some days it’s a T.I. 😛

Ti = T.I.

If you asked me what the symbol was for titanium in the periodic table I’d say T.I. not “tie”, so I don’t see why I’d say it any differently just because it’s in the context of a bicycle.

“Tie”, cos my bike’s named after the porn actress Kobe Tai. And no, you probably don’t want to be googling her at work.

T.I.

But I would probably say Titanium

The most pronounced aspect of Ti at the moment seems to be [ broh-kuhn ] 🙂

What about Fe, then?

Si’s messed with our heads on this one, same as Mike has with Ti.

And if some of us have moved away from the “Eff Ee”, maybe the northerners are going to be more correct with their pronunciation: their “Beefeh” being closer to the “Fe-” in Ferrous/Ferric etc

so nobody calls it “Tit-anium” then?

😳

just me then…

Simple, depends on who I am talking to.

Fellow biker I would probably say Tie. Assuming they know what it stands for.

None biker I would probably say Titanium. Assumes they know what the metal is at least.

Never t. I.