I was looking at Seven and on one..
It would be an all day bike when built and as lite as possible for xc.(leisurely rides only)

What do you recommend ?
How do yours fair up ?

Can be f/s or h/t, im not to bothered .

Cheers

Whyte 19

merlin works.
not yet built, so it looks nice in my lounge so far…

Genesis Altitude Ti (£978.71srp)

link

Is it just me that thinks it’s slightly odd that you know you want a Ti bike but don’t know if you want a hardail or full sus?

Genesis ti is 3.08lb for a 17.5″, light and not expensive as we bought a batch before ex rates went down the loo.

so you want a very ‘lite’ (?) bike for leisure rides only??

why not spend a bit less, get a bike that’s 2lbs heavier and will last twice as long? No idea re. the frame, don’t buy a Merlin though unless your overweight/a London commuter.

i’m not overweight, though i am a london commuter. obviously not on the as-yet-unfinished merlin, though!

Soda!!

I’m not overweight, though i am a London commuter.

😀

james-o – Member

Genesis ti is 3.08lb for a 17.5″, light and not expensive as we bought a batch before ex rates went down the loo.

Is the ti version really THAT light? I’m amazed!

If it’s that light though, surely it’s a bit of a flexy mess when ridden? I’m sure it’s strong enough, but ti frames that light tend to be very flexy. I had an Airborne Lancaster a few years ago that weighed 3.4lb for the frame, and I still found it too flexy.

(Genesis Altitude 853 steel owner here, interested to hear how the ti version comares)

Seven (if they still do custom geometry).

Have you taken a look at Enigma and their Ego MTB frame.

I haven’t yet seem any reviews but it looks good in the flesh and is sensibly priced – although not as attractive price wise as a couple of months ago.

I considered it but then had a change of heart and opted for a Whyte 19 carbon jobbie.

Oh dear! I use my Ti for picnic rides – hopefully some of you may find that amusing 😀

I love my Litespeed and freely admit that I can’t ride for toffees but riding a Ti is a totally different experience.

Re mboy:

Guy Kesteven’s playing with one at the moment so expect review in WMB over the coming months.

Cheers

It’s all in your mind. Riding a ti bike is hardly a ‘different’ experience.

People are only going to reccomend whatever frame they own.So I’ll do the same.Its got to be A ti456.

Joe – sorry but I beg to differ!

What’s the point of make a f/s out of ti?

I am with Joe, Its 98.32% in your mind, if you let 2psi out of your tires you’d see a larger difference in performance. Ti bikes, as lovely as they are, are no better/diffent to a well set up Alu bike (say Spesh s-works hardtail), the only difference being bragging rights. Road bikes are a different story.

So what your saying is buy a decent aly frame and kit it out with super lightweight kit.
BUT ,does ti not ride like carbon. Absorbing the terain. Thats what im after something thats not so sore on your ass. Then again i can go f/s.
Do they make f/s ti bikes ?

I agree with cinnamon girl, I’d beg to differ about the feel of Ti. Having had a Hummer, and having to stop a couple of times on the first ride to check my rear tyre pressure, I can confirm there is a “feel”. Now, I’m certain that one can achieve something approaching that with carefully butted tubes on bikes made of other materials, but it certainly does exist.

Like SSS, I find it curious that you know you “want” Ti, but you don’t have a clue about what type of frame. That’s arse about face

http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/new/sewanee.aspx

Not sure if Ti f/s are commonly made – there must be some but it doesn’t sound like a great idea. A high performance f/s wants a very rigid (aluminium) frame such that the shock and linkage provides suspension in a predictable and tunable manner. Throwing in some Ti frame wibble seems to contrary to this idea, the bike wouldn’t work as good. Maybe 🙂

I am with Joe, Its 98.32% in your mind,

It may be in your mind but I can feel the difference between each of my 4 ti bikes and between them and my steel bike and my alu bikes. Which leads nicely to the point that it’s not just the material the frame is made of but the way that material is worked and put together.

IME steel is probably the most ‘comfortable’ material for a ht xc frame for ‘leisure rides’.

i’m a Ti freak (got a Hummer and a 456 Ti) and would suggest you re-think your option on the on-one as it begs to be built up tough.
it could be built light, but, imo , you’d miss the point.

The OP might also check out Moots. Their YBB frame is a legendary softail – quite pricey. No idea how it rides, but for a piece of titanium bicycle scuplture to ponce around on you won’t find better.

I’ve a Global TH 1.5.

Very nicely made, rides light and whippy yet still direct and strong.

I’ve ridden racey high end steel and alu hardtails and IMO Ti for me is the best of all worlds.

fat chance or moots

Moots Rigormootis.

Interesting responses to my post:

Just to qualify i have had and still have ti bikes, both road and MTB. I obviously agree with the point that construction is 9/10ths the resulting ride characteristics. But, in reality we are talking about microscopic amounts of difference in deflection and absorption between steel, ti, carbon and aluminum in what is essentially a rigid object. When you but Ti you should buy it for ‘prestige’ (for want of a better word), workmanship, operational life (it will last longer) or weight. A frame in each material (car, ti, alu, st), designed specifically for the same purpose – harnessing the particular qualities of each material will perform in almost the same way. The best way to tune a bike to your particular riding requirements is not to throw money at a Ti frame believing it will be a revelation but picking the best setup in terms of tires, stem, bars, forks, matched with a frame that allows for flexibility in you budget to archive the riding characteristics you need.

In short, if you have pots of cash then blow it on a Ti bike with stans wheels and carbon loveliness. If you are working to a budget (albeit a healthy one), you can get the same ride quality for less money spent in the right places.

operational life (it will last longer)

Is this really true? Does it really last so much longer that steel or alu? In an ultimate sense, perhapos, but we’ll all be long dead by then.

This is often used as a justification for buyinf Ti. Not a good one, IMO (especially given the frequency with which some change their frames).

Titus FTM (was Motolite) / Racer X are both f/s Ti.

Kent Eriksen makes stunning Ti frames, you’ll need deep pockets tho esp with the pound crashing against the dollar. Same for Indy Fab, Black Sheep, moots.

I had a bad experience with an asian made Setavento titanium frame that cracked after 6 months. The build quality compared to my old Rocky Mountain Ti bolt was pretty poor.

If you are going with Ti the old addage “buy cheap, buy twice” is quite relevant.

Seven, custom geometry

My Ti has a totally different feel to my other bikes that are all made from different materials, ie aluminium, 853 steel etc. It’s a bike for life, built up reasonably light with good quality kit. I’ve only had it a few months but am pretty certain I will be doing all-day XC rides on it and will not feel beaten up afterwards.

There is a Litespeed Obed for sale in the Classifieds at the moment. I demo’d one that was a size too big, with a 140mm fork, but I could ride it and it was actually lighter than my Ocoee. I was then sold on the Ti idea! I would say it’s a real opportunity cos I hate to imagine how much the Litespeed frames are selling for now following the price increase.

Go seek out some demo bikes and have fun!

If you are going with Ti the old addage “buy cheap, buy twice” is quite relevant.

But Ti frames come with a lifetime guarantee, so who cares.

I bought an Airborne off ebay, it cracked as the previous owner rode it with an inch of post in the frame (no really!), Van Nicholas gave me a brand new Zion no questions asked, there is now a lifetime guarantee on that too…

litespeed……….I have a kitsuma not the one in classifieds and it is excellent…..but the on one looks great value.

There is a difference between the Ti and steel, ti is just better but cost wise cannot beat soem of the steel frames

I have had 3 alu hardtail frames in quick succession (2 years) Orange Gringo, Focus Raven, S Works M5. They all ride very differently on almost identical kit. The gringo was very stiff, focus too, s works is very comfy. As someone mentioned above if you buy a top end frame it will ride better than a bottom end one, regardless of material. S works were £1000 when they came out, (maybe overpriced) now available for £700ish. However, you do get what you pay for.

Ridden Ti and carbon hardtails too and both are nice but not mega different to the s-works.

Seen and heard of lots of snapped Ti frames, so to me the longevity thing doesn’t add up either. I guess as someone said above, buy a good one or buy with a lifetime guarantee….cotic only guarantee the soda for a few years!

I have a Litespeed Obed & like it very much. Best makes are Lynskey, Moots, Merlin & Litespeed. The other makers just havent been building Ti as long & dont have the experience or the heritage. Experience is necessary as Ti is VERY difficult to weld. The reason more makers are buidling Ti is that the material has come down in price. Personally I would never buy a bike cos its cheap – work out what is the most you can afford then go buy, not the other way round. i.e. whats the cheapest Ti bike on the market..