Sonder Camino Al – v – Ti

Does anyone have experience/comparison of the Sonder Camino Al versus the Camino Ti?. I’ve got the Al version (bought Jan 2020) and love it – the best bang-for-buck bike I’ve ever owned. I’m considering the ‘upgrade’ to Ti. Any sense in that?. Any real world difference, or is this a daft idea?. Thanks!.

I test rode the Ti version from the Hathersage shop for about 15mins and it felt a bit nicer to ride than the Alu version I bought. Not very scientific feedback though.

The Ti looks very pretty so it must be better   🙃

They have quite different geometry, so I would think the handling would be noticeably different – but I haven’t ridden the Ti one so couldn’t tell you what feels different about it in riding terms. Not sure that’s actually helpful (unless you didn’t realise the geometry was different) sorry!

The difference I found is the worry that one day you will find a crack. It’s great material, maybe slightly flexy but no corrosion, good weight and superb strength to weight ratio, but the worry for me was always there. Especially when I read other threads of peoples ti’s cracking on them.

I always tell my customers that Ti has the lightness of alu but the feel of steel. if the geom on the Ti is the same as the Alu you can’t go wrong really.

i bought a cosmetically damaged Alu frame to respray and it does ride very nicely with 27.5 x 2.1s on it

They have quite different geometry

I didn’t know that, I wonder why they did it different?

I can’t answer the Q other than when discussing same question direct with Sonder they were steering me away from Ti on basis it wasn’t gonna be a game changer.
I accepted what I took to be honest feedback (they coulda easily sold me the Ti version).

So stuck with the Alu I already had.

And on basis of always good service from them i went and bought a Signal ti from them instead.

So worth picking phone up and asking them direct. You can usually get thru to Neil or the other bike gurus there.

I’m currently in the process of changing from a Camino v2 Ti to a different frame in Alu, I don’t think I will notice a great difference in frame material as I’ve ridden the Camino with 33mm 700c tyres,42 mm 700c, 47mm 650b and 2.1 x 650b and i feel it rides best for me with 2.1 x 650b, so after all that waffle i think tyres make more of a difference than frame .

Regarding cracks in Ti, I know its a concern but I drilled an oval hole in my Camino 2 years ago for a dropper post and the frame has been sound, but I would never sell it on just in case.

Dredged up from the depths of my memory from my early uni years materials science course: aluminium spends 95% of its life in fatigue….

🤔 Makes you think, eh? 🤪

Mine is the V1 Alu Camino from 2017. I’m sure the older ones have identical geometry Alu Vs Ti

Yep, I replaced the frame on my V1 Alu for a cosmetically damaged V1 Ti in one of Alpkits yard sales. The geometry feels exactly the same to me, but there is a little more suppleness in the ride quality. However, perhaps unsurprisingly, nowhere near as much as my aluminium running ‘nice’ 650b wheel & 50c tyre combo.

I flogged my 650b wheels to fund the frame swap…Doh! I guess the Ti frame with 650’s would be the brilliant. However, IMO unless you can get a whopping discount on a Ti frame, I’d not bother and would spend some money on some nice 650b wheels & tyres (er..assuming you’ve not already got some).

Geometry is handling, material is weight, tube diameter is stiffness. For there same geometry, Al will be stiffer than Ti because the tubes have a larger diameter. There won’t be much weight difference. For Steel, the handling and rigidity will be the same but the weight difference will be significant.

And I love Ti frames – the hint is in the name. You can’t beat shiny.

Thanks all – useful stuff

The latest not-quite-here yet Ti version looks to have much more progressive geometry than the (current) Al version. Slacker HA, longer TT, drilled for a dropper etc.

As much as I love ti and alpkit offer a 10 year warranty on their ti frames, so no need to worry about cracks. I think you would be better off spending the money on better wheels, carbon cranks, carbon bars,and stem, better gears etc and save some weight.

If you already have very good wheels, gears and bars etc and still have some money burning a hole in your pocket then go for it.

I flogged my 650b wheels to fund the frame swap…Doh! I guess the Ti frame with 650’s would be the brilliant. However, IMO unless you can get a whopping discount on a Ti frame, I’d not bother and would spend some money on some nice 650b wheels & tyres (er..assuming you’ve not already got some).

This

Wheels and tyres aren’t shiny shine though. Ti frames look lovely, buy one OP and then post pictures!

well my camino Ti (v2) GRX1 has shipped, due to land monday, glad i went 650b 1.9 reading the above, although i just spotted the panaracer gravelking is SS semislick on my receipt, so quickly ordered the SK version on merlin, and an 11-46t sunrace cassette, (gonna have a dig for a B screw tonight.)

40t/46t isnt too far off my current topstone 105 lowest gear

my new camino TI (possibly v3) looks lovely, i fitted an old sunrace 11-46t cassette with the GX810 derailleur and chainline isnt great but i’ll not use the 46t too often..

its internally routed and has a 31.6″ seatpost, hence the v3 comment, as i was expecting 27.2mm and externally routed..

over the moon, cant wait to ride it

you know the rules…. share photos on New bike day !

awaiting hermes and a set of pedals, due today, so will get out and takes some pics

I thought Hermes had winged shoes?

🙃

To dredge this up from the archives – under a similar dilemma myself – although the Ti in large is currently out of stock.

I’m considering just going AL and sticking Rudy’s on it; much to the chagrin of one of my riding buddies.

Any more thoughts on AL vs Ti and forks on either?

Also musing the benefit v cost of ti for the camino (also considering ribble cgr) against the alu. Having never riden one it’s only from what i have read. Got a alu giant defy to compare against.

Timely! I’m having the same dilemma, want to swap everything over from my Giant defy. Aluminium is winning at the moment.

I’ve put my order in for an AL now so the stock is held whilst I sort out Bike2Work.

I’m still really struggling to decide on whether Ti is an unnecessary extravagance…it amounts to almost £80 a month extra over a 12 month period

the question is…do you have (or have ever had) a Ti bike?
recently taken delivery of mine and its lush, still a little bit of work to get the position dialed it but its such a nice bike.

Nope, this would be my first.

I managed to get a demo on a Ti (with Rudys on!) and it was very comfortable.

I have memories of being rattled by my hardtail mountain bike but obviously that was on trails not gravel or road.

What spec did you go for?