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Custom Ti Enigmas are made in the UK, the standard Ti Enigmas are batch produced overseas.
A bike for life is really about how good the warranty is... not what it's made of
I'm on my third Raleigh Ti frame, but it had a 15 year warranty so no problems. i won't get a fourth if it breaks though as they don't make ti frames anymore AFAIK
They do clean up nicely though, there's no paint to chip and they don't rust.
I don't think the bike for life exists not because I think it will inevitably break but because standards will change over the years.
I bought a bike for life in 1990. It has a 1" headset, pressfit bearings which take a square taper axle that's only available from one place in the US, The brake bosses on the frame are positioned to take a 'U' brake and the geometry means that it really needs forks shorter than anything readily available today and certainly not suspension forks.
It is still a great frame and gets ridden fairly often but spares are getting harder and harder to get and I can foresee the day when it becomes impossible to get decent quality bits to fit it.
Leaving that aside If were to buy something special I'd go for a Seven or IF.
[edit] thinking about it a bit more and I realised that I wouldn't actually go for either of those as I wouldn't be able to leave it anywhere without assuming it would get stolen as happened with my last super dooper bike purchase.
for life?....well I've got a Ti456 but I really want a Jones. I'd only ever spend that much if I 'won the lottery' though....but treatng myself to hte Ti456 was nice, and still makes me grin just to look at it or think about it!
Soda - it's a bike for life for me. In that it's all the bike I want or need, and if it does break I guess I'll try to get another...?
I still have my cheap Taiwanese Ti bike - affectionately known as The Onion. It does all that "old style" mountainbiking. It'll take panniers, 100mm forks (or rigid) and is real comfy. I've done some decent off-road tours on it, and written about some of them on here. It's basically a Van Nicholas Zion, but direct from the factory that makes them. It cost me all of £380 to get it - including shipping to the UK. That was, however, a few years back when the exchange rate was more favourable.
However...... if I was buying a bike for that same purpose today, I'd go for a 29er.
Edit: FWIW, I've seen more broken/poorly made US Ti frames than anything else, so don't get sucked in by any jingoistic nonsense.
the nearest you'll get to a bike for life is a 'Triggers Broom' style one.
I bought a hardtail in 96, and I've still got it, but it's on it's sixth frame, eighth pair of forks, third chainset, and so on.
The bike i've kept the longest and still love every time is my Cotic Soda.
It's the latest model which is lynskey made and rides so well.
I keep giving 29ers a try, but couldn't bare to part with my soda.
Its my fourth ti frame, 5th if you count a warranty replacement Hummer.
As said before, don't plan on it being a bike for life, bikes can break and if not i'm sure you'll fancy a change at some point. (I'm around 85kg and ride pretty light, but i've broken a frame or two in the past)
If you can still get a Soda, do it i'm sure you'd love it, but seriously consider the Soul first. You could buy 2 and get them powder coated every year for 10 years and still be in pocket.
One of the Genesis range
Look great and ride nice.
Had my Enigma a couple of years now and its the bike that gets taken out the most, other bike is an 08 Pitch Pro. Still love the Pitch and intend to keep it for gnar stuff but for my do-it-all-everyday bike the Ego gets used the most.
A 456Ti will run any fork from 100mm to 160mm, but I find its happier around 140mm. I love mine and this week its managed two days at Glentress, one at Innerleithen, a night ride and an XC day out. I race and enduro it, plus use it for dog runs are the like.
And its not like Ti are frames are particularly expensive, compared to most decent FS's people seem to ride on here.
I'm still rocking a 95 DBR Axis TT.
Rebuilt in 07 with the last decent V brake fork I could get, Fox F80, XTR V brakes & XT drivetrain.
I'll never sell it, they don't make them like that any more.
There's no such thing obviously, but I could be very happy with a Ragley Ti for a very long time, I think.
+1 for the Soda.
Still my favourite bike after 3 and a half years.
Mine has a few dents but hopefully it'll last a while longer.
There is such a thing.
Buy a brand that build their own ti frames onsite with experienced staff.
Buy a brand that has a strong reputation for mostly building just with ti, working ti is expensive to set up.
Buy a brand that has an interest in preserving their ti reputation.
Every bike brand has failures, those still building ti bikes have managed the failure with excellent customer service. quality control costs money, Buy cheap buy twice.
My ti frame from 1994 is still being ridden regularly. The one built in 2000 raced last years trans-provance.
Choose carefully, play a percentage game, and you'll increase your chance of getting a frame that will last a lifetime, or as near as!
Well said. Hang Lun would be a really good example.ti_pin_man - Member
There is such a thing.Buy a brand that build their own ti frames onsite with experienced staff.
Buy a brand that has a strong reputation for mostly building just with ti, working ti is expensive to set up.
Buy a brand that has an interest in preserving their ti reputation.
ti_pin_man - MemberThere is such a thing.
Buy a brand that build their own ti frames onsite with experienced staff.
Buy a brand that has a strong reputation for mostly building just with ti, working ti is expensive to set up.
Buy a brand that has an interest in preserving their ti reputation.
What, like Lynskey?
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! You really crease me up!Northwind - MemberWhat, like Lynskey?
Does kinda make me wonder what I'll do if my Soda breaks 🙁 Ti456 is too much bike for me, I think; and the Cotic geometry is just so right
druidh - MemberHa, ha, ha, ha, ha! You really crease me up!
Was worried I'd played that one a bit too straight tbh.
How about a Cove Hummer, mine must be a 2009 model goes well as it doesn't have stupid length forks, just 120 mm, which is perfect and best of all I will be selling it soon to get a 29er hard tail.
Any one interested in a 19" with rebas and 10spd XT group set, Eaton finishing kit and Hopehubs on Stans.
I've just put my Litespeed Lookout Mountain on the For Sale page, I doubt you'll find a better frame for your project, call me if you are interested: 07908611345
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/litespeed-lookout-mountain-titanium-hardtail-frame