Titanium Bikes…

Is having a ti bike really worth it? And feel free to show a few off, dont normally see titanium bikes while I’m out riding.

The new Kinesis Maxlight Sync is

I had a Merlin XLM Ti frame – its was OK & very light but the ride of my Pace RC104 steel frame is much more comfortable, but 2.5lb heavier.
I would consider high end steel before Ti although design probably has as such to do with it as material.

I think so if you let your heart rule your head to some degree – my Dekerf’s many many years old and still rides fantastically so imo, giving great value for money. As always probably, good design/geometry and workmanship is more important than the material itself

What about ti full suspension?

Why would you build a Ti full sus? The point of Ti is it gives a nice ride characteristic for the weight. That characteristic, of inherent damping is not needed on a full sus, so its a waste of the material. Indeed Ti’s characteristic flex/give would be a hinderance to keeping the pivots of a full sus in line.

I was just wondering because i have seen a couple of ti full sus online i have no intention of having one

I was just wondering because i have seen a couple of ti full sus online i have no intention of having one

What about ti full suspension?

Can’t see any point in it. Carbon / Alu are better suited to the application and (generally) cheaper.

I got a Ti hardtail as it was just a long time itch I had to scratch. It’s a great ride (Ti456), light, compliant at the back but beefy in the front. Probably the best bike I’ve ridden, but it is also at least 70% down to the design/geometry.

I’ve never ridden high end steel (I guees Indy Fab, that sort of thing?) but I thought even that would give away a pound or two in weight from what I’ve seen of comparative weights in reviews. If it didn’t it might well be of interest to me.

I’ve got 2, and love them

Voodoo saved about 1kg on the steel frame it replaced, for a similar ride, which is noticeable when climbing. The On One was bought for its forks! But its way, way more comfortable than the ally Ribble it replaced. Handy when ridden in this mode:

My titanium full sus:

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Rohloff/SUB demo bike[/url] by Ben Cooper[/url], on Flickr

Why? Um. Well it’s beautifully made, it was a frame that I saw at a trade show and fell in love with, but there was no way I could afford or justify it. Then one came up on CRC at less than half price (RRP for the frame alone was £2600!) and I persuaded myself that I really needed a demo Rohloff bike for the shop, so I bought it.

This is why I don’t make much money at running a bike shop 😉

You need a belt-drive on that bike Ben for more niche points…. 🙂

(I know, can’t get a tensioner etc…)

I was just wondering because i have seen a couple of ti full sus online i have no intention of having one

For the fool who must have everything, absolutely everything! in one bike.

Edit: just seen BenCooper’s. No offence Ben. 😉

For the fool who must have everything, absolutely everything!

Hey! 😉

I’m not yet convinced enough about belt drives to have one on my own bike…

Here’s my Holeshot. Not especially light, but it rides light and while I’m not very good on detecting frame subtleties it is certainly not as harsh as my alu’ Stiffee. I see no reason for me to ever want another hardtail.

😆

Holeshot owner here too.

Insanely fun bike, but quite harsh for a ti frame. Very much a short-blat bike over an all-dayer.

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Post-Dyfi Brodie[/url] by NeilCain[/url], on Flickr

Another Holeshot owner here 😀

The frame brought S/H from the classifieds, replaced a Mk1 Bluepig

I love it, and it has made a huge difference to my riding and the enjoyment of riding.

Although I could never have justified the new price, as an upgrade frame and moving on the pig it was do-able……

As one of my riding mates said “If I had known that frame could have made such a difference to your riding, I`d have brought it for you myself” 😳

Still getting used to a light bike and I go OTB more often as the back end is silly light now, but I still love it

Have a Ti full sus and hardtail, am not close to having everything yet but one day there will be a Ti road bike of some discription. Then my life may be complete. No forgot a Ti CX bike, a Ti shopping bike, a Ti Moulton.

I have one, ‘titanium bike for life’ i thought, with the comfort & durability the at an £1800 frame should offer (this was back in 1998). But then fork lengths changed & hardtail geomentry changed. So now it’s pretty much redundant & worth about £100.
I won’t buy another. For the same reason i chose a Lurcher over a carbon highball, when it goes i’ll lose less money.

Go on then.

It’s old enough to drink now.

Mine bought from the classifieds too (from Si/Progressive Bikes) 😀

Pimpmaster Jazz – Member

I was just wondering because i have seen a couple of ti full sus online i have no intention of having one

For the fool who must have everything, absolutely everything! in one bike.
Keep digging pmj!

But then fork lengths changed & hardtail geomentry changed. So now it’s pretty much redundant & worth about £100.

You see this I don’t get. My Tomac is pretty elderly by MTB standards, but still as much fun to ride as it was when I first built it up. The value may have depreciated, the fun factor hasn’t.

For me it’s worth it- I loved some things about my old Mmmbop but the stiffness just ruined it, the Ti version doesn’t have any of the failings of the alu one, which makes it pretty damn brilliant.

But it’s a case-to-case thing, there are brilliant steel, alu, carbon and ti frames, and bad ones of each too. I don’t like it because it’s titanium, I like it because of how it works.

camwba96
Is having a ti bike really worth it?

No!

PS. Loving my recently built up Kili Flyer Ti 😀

I have a Van Nic Tuareg and love it.

But then I have a Yeti ASR which I love and a Genesis IO ID SS which I ride the most at the moment.

They are all different but I ride the Ti Tuareg when I want to be a maniac and ride fast.
If I could only have one bike it would probably be the one I’d choose.

ir-b, is that a Jannd bag on your on-1? Nice set up. Congrats on your L-E-L ride too!

Here’s my Saracen Kili Flyer Ti having just completed Bontrager 24 hr solo a couple of weeks back:

I’m going to trail bike it after the race season – bigger tyres and wheels, shorter stem.

Another from earlier in the event:

To answer the original question, yeah I think it’s worth it. Mainly because I’ve always wanted one!

The Kili Flyer does give a nice mix of lightweight, fun geometry and that special Ti sparkle!

@daverambo – that detailing is beautiful, just had a look at the price 😯 £1700 !! how did you get that past the wife? (if you have one, if you haven’t then perhaps that’s why! lol)

ir_bandito, was it you that had an e-stay belt drive frame made in Ti? I still have your 853 inbred going well as a SS BTW.

Here’s my Burls road bike

It’s been great apart from me wrecking the non-replaceable mechs hanger on it…It replaced a Ribble Gran Fondo and rides a lot nicer.

I’ve thought about a Ti SS frame but it’s been no more than thoughts.

Northwind

For me it’s worth it- I loved some things about my old Mmmbop but the stiffness just ruined it, the Ti version doesn’t have any of the failings of the alu one, which makes it pretty damn brilliant.

But it’s a case-to-case thing, there are brilliant steel, alu, carbon and ti frames, and bad ones of each too. I don’t like it because it’s titanium, I like it because of how it works.

This^

I wanted a Ragley Ti as I liked the geometry of the Bluepig but wanted something that weighed less and was a little more forgiving in ride terms.
I couldn’t find one in 16″, (Should have brought Geetee’s when it was up for sale) but the Brodie came up and was very similar geometry and came highly recommended.

@jekkyl

Mine is a 2010 frame that I bought when they were selling them off before the 2011 frame changes. 2010 has a straight down tubes where 2011 onwards have the down tube curved plus other tweaks. Personally I prefer it. Because it was cheap (relative term) I got the Ti seatpost and collar as well.

I think the frame was 43% off or something like that. I then built it up with an XT groupset to save a bit but went KCNC for cockpit and Hope brakes and wheels.

As for getting it past the wife I didn’t 🙂 I decided forgiveness was better than permission and I figured she wouldn’t know it was Ti and hence work out how much I’d spent.
I was only partly right.
It took her 8 months to notice it and even then had a rough idea how much I would have spent on a new bike anyway.

More detail shots

The big advantage of Titanium over the other materials is it’s strength, weight and durability. It’s an almost ideal compromise. The downside is that it isn’t as indestructible as you might have been led to believe, and it tends not to be overtly characterful. A high-end steel frame for example will have a very noticeable (and charming), liveliness to the ride, while a good carbon frame will give a bizarrely smooth and comfortable experience, yet still provide great agility and control. Titanium blends these in a noticeable but not overt fashion. In a sense it’s a neutral material.

That makes it sound bland and dull, but in fact it can generate a tremendous amount of confidence on the bike. It seems to remain composed and exibit a degree of stability in extreme conditions that’s hard to define exactly. It’s extremely springy, but in a contained manner and that allows for a surprising amount of technical control. If it has a unique ride quality, then it’s a certain supple ‘meatiness’ that isn’t quite there in steel and carbon.

So it’s better than steel in that its lighter and won’t rust, and it’s better than carbon in that it won’t damage quite as easily (chainsuck for example), and it blends the best ride characteristics of both. Other than that, good steel and good carbon are as good as good titanium.

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My Enigma here, I think mangatank’s desription here is spot of for me too;

…but in fact it can generate a tremendous amount of confidence on the bike. It seems to remain composed and exibit a degree of stability in extreme conditions that’s hard to define exactly. It’s extremely springy, but in a contained manner and that allows for a surprising amount of technical control. If is has a unique ride quality, then it’s a certain supple ‘meatiness’ that isn’t quite there in steel and carbon.

I love my Ragley Ti. Yes it was alot of money but in smiles per mile its been worth every single hard earned penny IMO. 😀
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IMG_0116[/url] by billyboulders@btinternet.com[/url], on Flickr

Is having a ti bike really worth it?

From a lay persons/non cyclists perspective i doubt it can be justified as being worth it? but from my cycling perspective and having been riding mtb’s since my muddy fox days during the school summer holidays of 86 (a good year) i can entirely and very easily throw a few months wages at any bike without a second thought, i realise that for the years of enjoyment i will get out of riding the initial expense is insignificant and as i don’t own a house/mortgage, or have a GF to worry about then what i earn i spend on what i want.

My two TI bikes below, Cove Hummer (now with KS Lev dropper post) and my New Kinesis Tripster ATR, the Hummer hasn’t been riden since i built up the Tripster last month – Both fantastic bikes but at this precise moment in time the Tripster ticks all the boxes.

Back in the early 90’s my mate ran a cycling B&B and ran guided tours of the trails and hills of Galloway, i used to do a fair bit of work for him taking folk out into the hills and showing them around and i remember the first time i saw a TI bike, two in fact!. They were both custom Merlins and belonged to a very nice couple from California who were over to explore Scotland and we spent a few days riding together as i showed them round and i got to ride his Merlin, compared to the Marin Indian Fire Trail i was riding at the time the Merlin was so smooth to ride and floated over everything or at least seemed to. Ever since then i’ve wanted a TI framed bike, i’d love a full custom Kent Eriksen or an Engin but at the moment i’m quite happy with what i’ve got.

EDIT : FWIW : I’ve owned a high end custom steel frame (soulcraft) and that was the best bike i’ve ever rode or owned, it fitted me perfectly and i’d still be riding it if i didn’t rip the front end off it (entirely my fault).

EDIT : FWIW : I’ve owned a high end custom steel frame (soulcraft) and that was the best bike i’ve ever rode or owned, it fitted me perfectly and i’d still be riding it if i didn’t rip the front end off it (entirely my fault).

Weren’t you going to send that up here so I could wave my torch at it?