Titanium frames- what do you think of yours?

I’m really enjoying the Kingdom Double9, but not sure if that’s down to the 29″ wheels or frame.

Got an orignial On One Inbred, had it from new in 2003 and ahve toured on it, ridden trail centres on it and raced numerous 24 hour solos on it.

I love it for so many reasons

I’ve got a custom Ti frame that I had made by Dean USA six years ago. The geometry is the same as my much loved 1993 vintage Orange Clockwork but adjusted for a 100mm fork. Like the original it’s a demon on tight twisty trails and climbs really well. Seems to work better as a singlespeed than geared though, maybe too much flex when grunting in the big ring?

In case you hadn’t guessed, yes I’m loving it. And it hasn’t cracked.

Kryton57 – Member

Bruce – Member
My partner weighs about 8st and she had one crack

This is a bike forum, not a biology lesson.

Best STW post ever 🙂

Soda from the very first batch here. Love it. Compared to the Soul it replaced, it’s got more of a spring in it’s gait – wants to pop off every root and rock and spend a much time out of contact with the trail as possible. Awesome climber (partly due to the overall weight) and super-nimble on the singletrack.

I found I was getting tempted into doing things on it that 3.3lb frames really aren’t designed for (15’+ gaps, 6’+ drops) so I built myself a BFe as a playbike. Yet on an average Peaks rocky bridleway descent the Soda is way faster, despite 30mm less fork travel as it’s just so much more comfortable. It also jumps better, probably due to the extra spring in the frame, which makes it’s prescence felt when pumping the face of a jump. (The slacker angled BFe comes into it’s own on the real steep gnadgery stuff though).

I am slightly surprised I’ve not broken it yet and as and when it happens, I will be absolutely gutted. It’s simply my favourite bike, even though in some ways it’s the “least capable”. It just puts a smile on my face every time I ride it, simple as that. If it ends up braking unrepairably, a custom builder somewhere will end up making me another one as identical as possible.

Doesn’t the BFe have the same angles as the Soda, fork not withstanding?

(Not a smartarse question)

Love my Kobe, but it doesn’t half batter me when I’m riding it. Soft and squishy it is not.

Interesting discussion followed by the funniest post ever

Kryton57 – Member
Bruce – Member
My partner weighs about 8st and she had one crack

This is a bike forum, not a biology lesson.

Doesn’t the BFe have the same angles as the Soda, fork not withstanding?
(Not a smartarse question)

Yes – voila:

…despite 30mm less fork travel…

Ti alloys bother me. Potentially so good but so often compromised by microscopic material or welding defects.

I have a last-generation-from-the-far-east Cotic Soda and I’m very happy with it indeed; it has already taken me around some lovely parts of the world (Tajikistan, Laos, Vietnam, Peru, Bolivia) and it will be accompanying me around Tibet and Nepal this summer.

My 95 DBR Axis TT.

Still a fast bike after all these years.

@kiwijohn – that frame looks identical to my Cube.

Think mine was one of the last to be made by Lynsky before Cube went to the far east. Sadly, they no longer make a Ti.

@kiwijohn – that frame looks identical to my Cube.

Think mine was one of the last to be made by Lynsky before Cube went to the far east. Sadly, they no longer make a Ti.

Krtyon57- post of the year!!!

That dbr is stunning. I remember lusting after those and the rsp ones when I first started racing

Built my Ego Ti yesterday, and rode it today. Loved it…

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ego6[/url] by kryton1957[/url], on Flickr

I really like my Soda, had it for three and a half years and in no hurry to replace it.
I think all the magic is in the shape / geo, titanium just adds a little ‘softness’ and obviously weighs less.

The best thing about it is the frame cleans up like new after every ride, bare metal is the way forward.

my ti456 broke…..didn’t think a lot of that.

my ti456 broke…..didn’t think a lot of that.

1st generation or 2nd generation, how?

Original Lynskey ridgeline.
Very comfy on long xc rides. Very light build so goes uphill ridiculously well. Very flexy at the bb and you can feel it when sprinting. Almost changes gear. Scary on gnarly ish descents. Feels like its going to tie itself in a knot. Love it to bits for the previously mentioned traits.

Cube Elite HPT – love this bike.

Sorry – rubbish at posting pics on this forum. My pride and joy:

[/url] 246_4635_1[/url] by jwmlee[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Do people think that this cracking of Ti frames malarkey is down to production defects on certain frames, design flaws, problems with the material or fatigue cracking over time?

I cant help wondering whether we hear more about Ti frames cracking than other materials due to the price people pay for them and the “frame for life myth”.

What I am trying to work out is if my beloved soda is in danger of succumbing to the crack plague anytime soon. I have had it for over 3 years and bought the frame second hand from this website (so its definitely an early one). Its the best bike iv ever owned and I absolutely hammer it – much more than you would think possible. I use it for everything from 24 hour endurance races to welsh trail centres to full on downhill. My 6 inch full susser just gathers dust these days, only coming out for Megavelanche.

Whilst the lightweight components on the soda regularly bend and need replacing, touch wood – the frame remains looking like new.

Should I calm down a bit now on my journeyman soda – or is titanium the gift that keeps on giving?

Mine’s hanging up in the garage with a cracked frame. Are Ti scrap metal values any good these days ?

Yip – I would imagine they are

For balance I’ve had two ti frames and several aluminum. Had two cracked alu frames and none on the ti side. I think some frames just break like everything else you can buy. No ryhme or reason.

ndthornton – without a proper analysis I guess it’s hard to say. Although many brands are mentioned above (and one might expect a small percentage of failures), it does seem that one particular manufacturer has quite a high defect rate.

Iv never cracked a frame but iv severely dented both an ali and a steel frame in the past – the Ali was a kona Stinky too! Both of these were definately down to user error though and I am sure the Cotic would have faired no better upon impacting a tree at such high velocity!

No problems with my Lynskey so far- 12 months on with plenty of hard riding.

My guess on the failure rate thing is:
1. We hear more about it because they are more expensive
2. Lynskey have a higher number of breakages because they make more frames – On One, Cotic etc. as well as their own.
3. All frames break if you ride them hard enough, with a short enough seat post or indeed do stuff they weren’t designed for!

Would I buy another one? Oh yes.

I’ve never broken a Ti frame but I’ve bust a few Al, steel and carbon 😈

This could have something to do with me never having owned a Ti frame 🙄

I’ve ridden a few and liked them well enough but I see little point in splashing out heaps of cash on a frame if all I can afford to dangle off it is worthless scrap… and then there is the likelyhood of me breaking it anyway 8)

IMHE the wheels and other stuff can have a larger bearing on a how a frame rides than what material the frame is made of, blah blah blah etc etc.

None of this stops me wanting a Ti frame any less though 😐

I have bol’s old Cotic Soda (see page 1 of this thread). Very similar geometry to my old Merlin MALT-1, but oh-so-different to ride. Love it. My other bike (S-Works FSR 120) hasn’t been out for a while…

Genesis Altitude Ti is perfectly suited to my needs/wants

I weigh a lot, and am utterly unforgiving to my bikes. No subtlety in my riding at all, I regret to say, and it’s therefore reasonable to assume that if anyone’s going to kill a frame, it’d be me.

The 456 Ti remains unbroken after several years of bashing.

I’ve managed to kill steel, aluminium and carbon frames though, if that’s any help.

here is my pride and joy – i love my lynskey, gets ridden a lots more than my Yeti ASR5C!

The lefty has now gone, replaced by a DT Swiss XMM 140. Its a touch heavier, but much nicer to ride.

Currently own a 1995 Marin Team Titanium with 1×9 drivetrain & 2010 RS Sids

Love the ride quality & zing that this bike has, it’s so quick (even with me powering it) and comfortable

Shame the frame, forks, original White Industries cranks & wheels are going up for sale soon, but a new project is coming!

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P1020814[/url] by Andy Bax[/url], on Flickr

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P1020816[/url] by Andy Bax[/url], on Flickr