I owned a Dean Scout for a couple of years. Beautifully made and lovely to look at but to be honest nothing to justify the price tag in terms of ride quality.
I'd go for high end steel every time.
I ride a Morning Glory (fnarr) swapped for my Turner 5-spot with a chap off of here.
I found that full sus was great for riding fast but took some of the fun out of it - I live in Suffolk so don't get to do a massive amount of MTB so when I do I like it to be challenging. If I rode in the Stanes every day it might be different.
I got a titanium frame mainly because I like a bit of bling. However its light enough without loosing strength and feels much nicer than Alu.
I scratched my [url= http://flickr.com/photos/ginja_andy/2991639187/ ]itch[/url]
I've scratched my Titanium too, but with a bit of scotchbrite/wire wool/metal polish, it pretty much all comes good again.
Get a s/h frame, try it, if you don't get it move it on.... I think the summary of the posts on here is pretty much my experience, you just don't know if you will like it and all the bits bolted to it make a helluva difference, and it is a very personal thing
Following on from the_pilot, I bought a 2nd hand Ti frame, a Moots, as I had never tried Ti and was Ti-curious, and it came up for sale just as I had a wad burning a hole in my savings account. Needless to say after a few months the headtube split and cost me a sh1t load of cash to have repaired. Which is now why I have gne back to a nice steel hardtail.
and now have a bad back and am "thinking" about FS 🙁
I recently read in mbr or mbuk(?) a comment that they seem to 'peel open' alot of ti frames.
Ps. Put a brown Spoon saddle on a ti frame.
Stunning [FACT]
i had a titanium frame last year that i used for XC racing, loved it, had to sell it though, would love to replace it, but considering a steel frame until i can, something like an 853 tubed genesis altitude, but worried about the weight, as my ti was sooooo light.
I cant think of a more overated material.Other than its ability to look good for a long time and the smug value i really havnt fallen in love with the three ive owned.Ive just sold a Lynskey,owned a Litespeed and Cove and am now riding a Cotic Soul which i think is a far superior frame.Just an opinion.
Have to say that the thought of owning a Moots was better than the real thing. It was all a bit underwhelming TBH
