[url=http://www.condorcycles.com/Road/9464-Condor-Moda-2011/flypage.tpl.html]null
Have been looking at this and enigma for a new 'more serious' road bike for training rides and the weekend club rides. Its not going to be used for racing. I'm keen on Ti over CF as this will be a 'special' bike for my 40th and i thought Ti would be the way to go. Any views on the condor? or should i be looking at other brands. I have a budget of 3-3.5k
Have been riding a litespeed sienna with
the carbon rear end for sportives and the
pilgrimage to the alps/ pyrenees for many
years, a fab bike.
It is worth considering the likes of ebay
for the budjet you have, picked up a moots
compact from the states sh with edge forks
chris king headset for £1200 inc shipping:D
first ride today!
So may have to part with the trusty sienna.
A friend has just bought a spin titanium a
very pretty bike too also worth a look.
I'd test ride with that budget...not all ti road frames ride the same...
I love my Yukon but it's not what you are after.
Looks nice, there are probably loads of Ti frames in your budget - Litespeed are ones to avoid from what Ive read.
do you eat many pies? ti isn't the stiffest and 1 would want a custom tubeset if i was a Fray-Bentos fan.
has to be butted too, can't see the point of a plain gauge frame when a stainless or columbus spirit/853 frame can be had for similar money.
i train on a Ti Lynskey... Not as stiff as my Colnago's but its nice to have added comfort if sat on it for 5/6hrs... Mines been all over Europe dring the last 18 months and i have never been left wanting.
Moots make a super stiff ti race frame. Having ridden one i'd love to own one. Just need to find 4k.
Van Nicholas, Planet X and Sabbath also worth a looksee
Money like that is go indy fab custom
Take a look at Sabbath - i love my Silk Road , its plain gauge Ti , but they also do some more highter end models and Greg is a great guy to deal with .
Alternaltively look at Enigma http://www.enigmabikes.com
The Effusion with the Carbon rear end would be my choice .
No need to avoid Litespeed since they abandoned integrated headsets.
I like plain gauge but I'm of the larger persuasion and lack of corrosion was a big part of my choice as well. It's worth testing some bikes, not just Ti, to establish the fit and ride you want, then seeing what marries up to that.
Unlike Cynic Al I wouldn't automatically rule out something like the Yukon. It depends on your personal sensitivity, one persons stiff and all that.
At £3.5k you could get custom plain gauge, Burls, or direct to somewhere like Triton or XCAD, with high end finishing kit. Or you can get a higher level OTP or custom and go with medium level finishing kit.
Lists, I love lists, get making some to refine your criteria and narrow down the choices.
Baum or moots or lynskey
I had a Litespeed Vortex (the last one with diamond tubing)
It was a bike I always wanted, the engineering and look of the bike was amazing.
It was the worst road bike I have ever had, flexed like mad at the rear, so bad it changed gears by itself. Also the EC90 forks on it had severe brake judder. Im only 77kg, hated racing on it as when I stood up to attack or what have you it changed down a cog and made a right racket and everyone knew what I was upto in the group/peleton.
Still love the look of em, but was sooooooo disappointed, cost a fortune and sold it within a year and lost a load.
Badly built titanium is as bad as any badly built material. There is nothing inherently wrong or flexible with ti. I own 8 ti bikes, and they range from soft and comfortable to shake-you-teeth-out stiff. And they are all from Seven.
Find a builder that knows what they are doing with the material, ask them for what you want and prepare for a fabulous treat!
If the budget is for frame only, the world is your oyster. For a full build, try Enigma for that price. Handmade in the UK, and you'l be able to influence the build and stiffness.
I have the gran fondo which is the sportive version, so it has a longer head tube and mudgurad mounts. I bought mine for £1500 and then the prices went up a couple of years ago. I was very unimpressed with the service considering the price of the frame. The bike's nice but it should be for that price. It's a bit flexible but I believe that's common with ti. I wouldn't buy from there again tbh.
Try a custom builder like Justin Burls (I don't have experience but have spoken to him and the bikes look really good, they're surprisingly reasonably priced too.
Where does 'Cold worked 3aL/2.5V' stand in the scheme of all things Ti.
Picking up an Airborne Ti frame for training and general winter hacking.
There's a useful thread on yacf here on Ti road bikes.
indy fab, vertigo or firefly if they changed the hideous seat stay bit on their ti frames
i bought a 2005 litespeed vortex which had the 'normal' external headset as a custom option. its the nicest bike i'm had as of yet. I'm 72kgs and dont have any flex issues with the frame even when out of the saddle putting the hammer down. With that cash i'd got for a custom BAUM.. dream frame, you may even be able to get a cheapo ticket to AUZ to get measured up in the shop 
Rode a friend's vortex in race a few years ago. I thought it is was superb. Did not notice any flex in the frame compared to the scandium I was riding at the time - gios carbon. Had I had a small fortune stashed away I would happily have purchased one.
The budget of 3-3.5k was for a complete build not frame only....sorry for confusion and thanks for advice. I live in Oz but dont think i can stretch $$ for Baum
I have a Merlin Cyrene for long day rides and sportives. It's comfortable stiff, exclusive and now discontinued 
. I don't race, so the geometry and handling were just what I was looking for. Parallel top tube too.
If I was looking again, I'd go UK custom (Enigma), and I'd also be looking at a 953 stainless steel frame from Paulus Quiros
Got a few weeks back. Really liking it and finding it an ideal training bike. Robust but lighter than steel. Though the biggest suprise was quite how stiff it is. Not ridden it less than 65 mile in one go, and so far the Ti is living up to it's hype.
Bought the frame secondhand, Ebay'd the crap SRAM red compact and got rid of the abundance of frame decals the Americans so love to slap on.
Got this for 40th treat a couple of years ago. A few changes since, but you get the picture. Lynskey Cooper M/L.
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I thought all Ti frames had that matt finish like your Lynskey, Mines really shiny like polished stainless?
You can finish them how you like.
I have a custom Burls based on my now defunked Colnago EPS with a slightly longer top tube length.
The frame is fantastic, super stiff and comfortable. I can't explain why or how. It much stiffer than the EPS ever was and not much heavier.
If I had the funds I would be speaking to Justin tomorrow about a 29ER hardtail.
I've had a couple of custom ti road frames and very nice they were too. Now I have a 953 road bike and (I know it's not all about materials its what you do with them etc) somehow it has a different feel that I prefer. I sold the ti frames once I'd ridden the 953 enough to get used to it and decide between them. It's light enough, it's as comfy as ti but the spring / flex somehow feels different. It feels as stiff as the PG OS ti frame but comfier, like a faster rebound setting on the springiness. Less soft and more pingy? That's a bit vauge, yes, frames vary so much when you look at the subtleties of the ride feel, but basically 953 is a viable alternative to Ti.
If you don't see the right option in ti, have a look at a Brian Rourke custom 953. For £1500 ish for a frame I know what I'd spend my money on.
If you are seriously concidering a Ti road frame then get in contact with Titan Road sport. These frame are very good and at a decent price.
£800ish buy you one of the Ti frames and I know several people riding them.
If you don't see the right option in ti, have a look at a Brian Rourke custom 953. For £1500 ish for a frame I know what I'd spend my money on.
Though my Ti frame just cost £450 with Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork, CK headset and SRAM red chainset. It;s about 10 years old, but feels great.
One persons opinion....
http://www.fitwerx.com/an-overview-of-material-applications-in-bicycle-frames
Independent Fabrications view on shot-peening titanium bike frames
http://www.ifbikes.com/?id=40&keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=400&width=500
Interesting. Still it's pasted off the net, so I'll just treat it with the contempt it deserves.
For that money, I'd also consider a nice stainless frame, have a look at the Milani Acciao Puro, amazing bike, so nice to ride and they are a fantastic company. I seem to remember that there are few dealers in Oz so I certainly recommend you have a look...
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