Looking at picking up a titanium frame with mounts for full guards as a winter/foul weather rig..

Need 54-55 TT(non disc)

The kinesis gran fondo looks ideal but bit pricey 🙁

Any one know of similar but way cheaper 🙂

Cheers

Anything from Van Nicholas? Try fatbirds as they often have an offer on.

The lynskey viale looks ok too.. Still £999 though 🙁

I know titanium is worth it but still way more than I have to spend really .. Reckon secondhand or chinese Ti may be the way to go ..

Buy a second-hand Litespeed Siena or Firenze. I had one and ran full guards with plenty of clearance at both ends using p clips on the forks and stays, and zip ties round the chainstay bridge. Wonderful machine, perfect allrounder but ideal as a winter bike.

^ cheers I’ll check em out ^ 🙂

I have a small Sabbath September frame for sale with a 54cm effective TT. It’s had the graphics repolished by Sabbath and looks as good as new (well it actually looks better as they’ve had more practice doing them since mine were originally done!) Probably looking for around £600. I have a full carbon Columbus Hiver fork and USE/Sabbath Ti seatpost for sale as well.

If you’re interested let me know and I can get pics sorted tomorrow (frame is at work)

Sent you an email simon pics would be great

Cheers

No problem. Not had anything come through – have changed the email address in my profile since posting my reply up ^^^^ as I spotted it was out of date. Needs to be to my username at gmail.com

Will grab a camera tomorrow and get some pics to you.

Why Ti AND cheap?

Have you not heard the adage that “Cheap Ti isn’t good, and good Ti isn’t cheap” before? It very much rings true IMO!

Can confirm that the Kinesis Gran Fondo is an incredibly well made machine. But at roughly the same weight, and 1/3 the price, Kinesis’ own 4S Shares the same geometry and featured as the Gran Fondo! Or save another £300 and just buy a T2 which is a mere 200g heavier…

Ok tried again if not I’m on

Maymayshaft@aol.com

Cheers

Colin

Custom Burls would be £1350. There is no cheap Ti. It’s a nice material, but steel has caught up. Geometry trumps material. And cheap welded tubes may not have the stiffness you’d like.

That said, I’d like a Burls fixed wheel road frame with full guards to save 600g from my Paddy Wagon custom build.

Just looking for the comfort of steel minus the rust worries.. It will see worst of the winter and can’t really afford a top drawer Ti frame 🙁

Got couple of months so hopefully something well made with pedigree will come my way 🙂

Spa Cycles Ti audax?

Looks like spa is full bike .. Looks good deal though

Just looking for the comfort of steel minus the rust worries.. It will see worst of the winter and can’t really afford a top drawer Ti frame

28c tyres are your friend here… Seriously!

The Kinesis T2 or 4S will be more comfortable than a Ti frame on 23’s for certain, and they’ve got the clearance for them with full guards too.

Why not steel though? Not heard of Framesaver or Waxoyl?

Thanks for input guys I’ll check out the 4s and T2.. Never really thought about the fatter tyres= comfort option ..

I have steel bikes and love the ride feel but the lighter weight and a bit of an itch for Ti is where I’m heading ..

Some food for thought though

You could go for a Chinese one, could get whatever geometry you want starting from about £500ish.

Cheers, Rich

At least one of my mates bought his Spa Audax as a frame. They are very helpful if you contact them to check.

Colin, you should have some photos on their way to you.

Just looking for the comfort of steel minus the rust worries

Seriously? My winter road bike is 531c, 18 years old and has no rust at all.

a bit of an itch for Ti is where I’m heading ..

Be honest with yourself OP! It’s not about weight or rust, it’s about shiny things and Ti is shiny 🙂

I’d be amazed if there’s more than a pound or two difference between the same frame in steel and Ti, and rust isn’t really an issue with steel these days (even if it were it doesn’t really do much harm for years and years).

I’d love a Ti frame (or a 931 Croix de Fer) but my cheap steel framed (Pompetamine, £139) commuter is extremely comfortable, especially with 32c tyres. The bike weighs a ton but the frame itself is pretty light.

I changed my 735 CdF frame and fork for a Pickenflick with a carbon fork. It lopped almost 1.5kg from the bike weight or 15%. Not much really, but it didn’t cost much to flip and feels better for it.

I’d like to do the same with my Day One, but it’d hardly make a dent in the overall weight of the bike due to the Alfine, lights, guards and brakes.

Thanks guys all handy input .. Yes I reckon it is just a new shiny bike urge !!! What it’s all about though 😉

Rust is not and has never been an issue if the bike is properly looked after. However, a poorly looked after bike will suffer corrosion and because expensive tubsets are typically thinner, then expensive bikes fail quicker.

hmmm – I’ve still got this that I could possibly be persuaded to part with:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-54cm-kinesis-gf-ti-v1-frame-fork

@ianpy – is that still frame or complete bike now?

“Rust is not and has never been an issue if the bike is properly looked after. However, a poorly looked after bike will suffer corrosion and because expensive tubsets are typically thinner, then expensive bikes fail quicker.“

I used to clean my Tange Prestige bike by chucking it in the canal after a ride and dragging it around a bit and then hoicking it out. That was 21 years, many miles and a couple of sandblasts ago, and it’s still doing daily service as my commuter.

Ianpv..

If f any interest I have a giant tcr size medium(frame/fork) to swap if your still up for swap ..

It’s an 07 frame it’s the alliance frame which is half carbon/half alloy very comfy and in excellent condition ..

Cash your way aswell

Maymayshaft@aol.com

Cheers