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I love mine! Current xc setup.
See BelowJonT - Are you just stirring, or care to actually provide any more info?
I did work there for a bit, I had to walk past Ray's returns pile to get into the office. there were at least 4 Ti 456 frames there and I've seen another 2 since. these could well be the 6 that they claim failed however I'd be slightly surprised if I'd seen every single failure, having said that, considering the sheer number of frames they have sold, the failures are an incredibly small fraction.vinnyeh - Podge, I thought you worked there for a bit
Really? I beg to differ. sounds like a bit of sour grapes to be honest.Digger90 - The only reason you would do this as a frame builder is to tidy up crappy welds...
anyway, I really should be packing for Japan instead of nobing around on here
The only reason you would do this as a frame builder is to tidy up crappy welds...
As an occasional tig welder of profoundly amateur ability I concur - the only reason I ever do this to a weld is to remove the embarrassing mess I've just made of it 😳
Admittedly when it comes to functionality, welds are all about strength & durability and looks should not matter but to me a neat weld smacks of a competent practitioner working without excessive time pressures, which normally indicates a quality strong job. If I had to trust my life to a weld and there was the choice of a neat one and a messy one, I'd choose the neat one every time - which most certainly wouldn't be mine!
Is this a good time to say I've got an original non [s]butchered[/s] braced Lynksey ti456 18" frame with less than a double figure number of rides in practically as new condition gathering dust in my shed that will be looking for a new owner as soon as I get my arse in gear to photograph it (and a pair of Pikes to match). No idea what to ask for it though....
This [i]'oh, look, they've filed the weld to hide how rubbish it is'[/i] has been argued ad-infinitum re: Cannondale over the years.
As far as I can see, its merely an approach - If you take longer to make a tidy weld, you don't need to finish it in anyway. However, if you weld quicker, the weld will be messier, but not necessarily weaker, and you can hand the frame on to a fettler for finishing.
This could have been done purely for productivity reasons, so lets not confuse aesthetic with functional.
re the filing - I have to say the guy that taught me would disagree and as a Lloyds welder who put together half of Sellafield before moving underwater in the North Sea, I'd like to think I trust him. Having said that, we're talking about a bike here, not a nuclear reactor so standards can afford to slip a little!
Fortunately most of my welding is in poncey bits of furniture so I can blast away with the powerfile to my heart's content!
Which is VERY high quality, zero error tolerance, low volume work.
Perhaps there is another approach that works for bulk productivity where outright demonstration of workmanship is not paramount?
It seems reasonable that there may be a different approach, but I'm not in manufacturing so I wouldn't know.
thepodge - thanks for your reply. I honestly didn't know how long you were working there and didn't know if you were just being brief or if it was sour grapes.
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i own a ti456 with a brace. I have ridden mine hard i way alot and push it as hard as i think it will go. i have never had a problem with the frame. Having said that i don't run 203 brakes on the rear.
Fair play to the guy who rode Morzine on it 😉
It kind of saddens me to see peolpe who have owned them and have had so much trouble.
my Lynskey 456ti (with brace) is great.
Very tidy well made bike, rides like a dream and better than my mates steel version (IMHO) which feels harsh by comparison.
I'd buy one of these second hand over a Van Nicholas, especially if its a rear brace version and knew the history.
Convert - mate of mine might be interested in your Ti456. I just bought a second hand one, with all the provenance (receipts, box etc) local to me and paid £550 collected and cash (so saved on fees for the seller). Just to give you an idea of what to ask.
I purchased one of the last remaining TI456's last year from On One before their big move to Rotherham and I LOVE IT! Great feeling bike, nice and springy at the back and certainly NO DAMAGE OR CRACKS anywhere! I ride my bike every week and I love it! Still the best hardtail frame out there!
Greg - Thanks for that - that was the sort of money I guessed I'd get. That makes each ride I actually used it for cost about £80! They were damn good rides though!
I have an unused Ti456 Flame Blasted logo frame in 18" in my loft.
I bought it planning to build it up, havn't yet.
Now lusting after TD1 instead...ho hum.
I have one of these "cheap" Taiwanese frames and there's no sign that anyone has had a file near the welds.
The idea that every welder in the US is some sort of amazing craftsman and his Taiwanese counterpart is a clown is just laughable. Have you ever driven an American car?
Sour grapes??
I don't own either a Lynskey or Van Nic 456 so no axe to grind here...
Merely trying to help the OP with an observation from someone who's actually qualified on the subject, rather than some of the e-speculators who seem to increasingly frequent this place.
Sheesh!
Interesting thread. I can't believe people are still buying expensive hardtails.
Carry on.
JonT - thepodge - thanks for your reply. I honestly didn't know how long you were working there and didn't know if you were just being brief or if it was sour grapes.
there are no sour grapes, I left them for a much better job. I'm sure the bikes are very good, its just the management are tossers.
there are no sour grapes, I left them for a much better job. I'm sure the bikes are very good, its just the management are tossers.
lol - oh the irony..............
fwiw, mine's still in one piece after a brutal ride over the grampians this week 🙂
[i]Interesting thread. I can't believe people are still buying expensive hardtails.
Carry on.
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My 456Ti was only £800, I wouldn't say that was expensive, especially when compared to the average carbon XC bike or even alloy FS.
My 456Ti was only £800, I wouldn't say that was expensive, especially when compared to the average carbon XC bike or even alloy FS.
Mine too. BARGAIN 😀
Looking at the picture my tabs are diferent to those shown, I have a ti 456 with the brace and the tabs where this failure is are bullet type ones on mine. Looking at my classic inbred - the tabs on the pic are similar to those.
I've a 456ti without the brace.
It's an excellent bike, ride it as much like my FS as possible, doesnt seem to complain 😀