[Closed] Titanium hardtail… talk me out of it

JFDI

It's a lot of money, if you have no issues with the current one you'll just pick fault with the new one, Ti hardtails are so 2000s, etc, etc.

I had a Ti hardtail it will ride identical to what you have(unless your a bike journo/work in marketing) save your money.

Find out how well it is made. I had one Ti frame I couldn't get on with - felt stiff and uncomfortable. New Ti - (travers) is so different.

It'll probably crack.

Is it a Tarntanium? They are lovely, lovely things.

Had an Old Skool Litespeed Ti hardtail...lovely thing, it seemed to float down the trail going 'ping' 'ting' 'ting' and encouraged one to push it harder to really make it sing.

Felt indestructible too - liked how water and mud just fell off it, so easy to live with...hammered hard and still looked fresh years later.

Only had to sell because the wheels grew 1.5-3" too small.

Would get something similar again in a flash.

Go on treat yourself.

It’ll probably crack.

He doesn't have to buy a Lynskey.

I had a genesis altitude ti, I'm pretty sure the 853 version would have been better, the ti one was just too bendy in all the wrong directions

I rode my Kona Hei Hei from 1996 until 2016. I love the modern geometry of my new Slackline but if I could afford it, I'd have the ti version tomorrow.

I'm still riding a 95 DBR Axis TT.
The geometry is very old school & a dropper would be nice. But on the right trail, it still flies.
Would happily buy a new school Ti HT when I'm minted.

New Ribble looks very pretty, not seen reviews though.

Still got an old Merlin titanium which I bought new in 1997. Was completely underwhelmed by it to be honest and never really saw why everyone raved about Ti but then again it may just be that particular frame didnt suit me. As said above they can break. It still brings a tear to my friends eye that his Xizang cracked, Litespeed made so not just cheaper manufacturers. Personally I would stick with what you've got.

You could probably spend the money better to upgrade the current bike, it doesn’t save that much weight, unusually for me I think most of the painted ones look nicer.

That said, it’s still a lovely thing and it’s a heart over head decision, so how much do you really want it?

If your existing one is a green one how much do you want for it?

Existing one is Dark Metal paint (loverly)… and the Titanium version doesn’t look any nicer… it’s not the look of Ti that’s tempting me… except perhaps the lack of future paint chips etc… but no, assume that looks have nothing to do with it.

Sold my ti about 3 years ago. Tried various bikes since a FS a Gravel bike even looked at eMTB but nothing seems to be as versatile or good to ride as the old ti so just ordered another.
Only change is an EBB and 12x142 rear axle.

I bought the Ti version a week ago. Best bike I’ve ever had by a country mile. Light, comfortable, looks amazing, and fast. Very fast. You won’t regret it......

In that case, why do you want it? If you really want to spend the money would eewings/axs/carbon wheels or other expensive marginal gains selected according to taste do the job better?

Someone I ride with bought a ti one over the summer. It’s nice but it’s not nicer enough in my opinion.

A full suss will be faster both up and down!

At the end of the day it is just a bike, in a year or two's time it will be an old bike and you already have a bike. Brexit is coming save your money.

Enjoying my signal. Not sure if it's comfier than the tarn it replaced but it's certainly very nice to ride and significantly lighter.

It will be a waste of money no doubt...but since when is that a sensible excuse? If you fancy it and can afford it/finance it then go for it. You only live once and even the cost of a decent Ti frame in the grand scheme of your life is not very much at all.

Did you really expect to be talked out of it on here??

Steel = real.

There, that was simple. Now choose a paintjob.

So much conflicting good sense!

Prepare to be massively underwhelmed. They don't last forever, they don't ride that nicely and they crack.

Why would you want to stare at that sexy sexy bare naked metal and have your friends (and internet buddys) fawn over its beauty? Why would you want to make your wife jealous of your bike such that she buys all new sexy underwear and jumps on you at any opportunity? Sounds like a stupid decision.

I love titanium tbh. Is it worth it, nah (though I did sell both of my ti frames for what they cost me after years of riding, so that was totally worth it). But it looks lovely, it does tend to ride lovely (I had an Mmmbop and a Ti, and a Soul and a Soda, and anyone that can't tell the difference must be numb from the neck down)

But I don't have any now, because they're damn expensive.

They are rubbish.

The Dark Metal ones are sooooo much better, take it from someone who knows....

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Now you’ve done the miles, how do they compare?

If you're not cursing the weight of your SolarisMAX then there are surely many better ways to spend the money.

Unless you're getting a very good deal on it.

Did you get a chance to ride the SodaMAX at all?

For me the SodaMAX is a just a nicer ride than the SolarisMAX. It does have that little extra zing thing and in 29er mode I find it the best hardtail I've owned.

Is it worth the extra cash? Honestly? No, probably not. But a fool and his money is easy parted. In smiles, mibbes.

As a friend (since departed) used to say 'there aint pockets in a shroud'...

If you find yourself up my way you're more than welcome to try it out (bearing t-shirt or not 🙂 )

I’m still riding a 95 DBR Axis TT.
The geometry is very old school & a dropper would be nice. But on the right trail, it still flies.
Would happily buy a new school Ti HT when I’m minted.

Beautiful frames. I worked in a part-time in bike shop and we sold them.  Couldn’t afford one as I was a student.  Built up into truly lovely bikes.  Sandvik built them - if I remember...?

I’ve had three titanium frames since and have another I am yet to build up.  The Van Nicolas Road bike was light, fast and comfier than my mates similar OCLV road frame to the time.

I bought Northwinds old Cotic Soda and had a great few years on it. It was lively, light, comfortable and just a special bike.  I plan to either build it up for one of my children and/or maybe with 700c wheels as a flat bar bike for the road.

I have a Stanton Switchback Ti at the moment, which is amazingly good, super-capable, light for a hard-core hardtail and very direct.  With 2.6-2.8 tyres it is also super-comfortable, giving more of a magic carpet Ti ride than just taking the edge off bumps as it did with 2.4’s.

I also have a Kona Hei Hei, which I need to build up and as such, I have never ridden it...

So I say...  GO FOR IT!  I have never regretted having any of my Ti frames.  They have always just been fantastic.

Titanium hardtail… talk me out of it

No, do it!
Rationally you can't justify it - it's a ton of money for something you may or may not feel any difference in.
But riding a bike with big knobbly tyres through forest can't really be justified in rational terms, so you might as well go for the bike that looks the best and gets you thinking "oooh, I want to go for a ride NOW" the most often.

Have splurged on a Ti hardtail earlier this year, that is more or less similar to my lovely steel hardtail. Its different, it encourages hooning about a lot more (once I got geometry sorted out). Its quick climbing - very responsive. Is it worth it ? its a laugh, its not vital. To be honest again, if I came direct from my old M2 alloy hardtail I'd be "wow" but recent steel hardtail has softened that impact.

Don't regret it either -- it looks lovely, I wish I had more headspace and energy to ride it this year.

Like northwind mentioned, if you cannot tell the difference riding Ti from any other metals or plastic then you do are “numb” to experiencing the benefits of them

I’ve had loadsa Ti mtbs and 1 VN roady which deffo was an impulse buy at time quickly sold on as wasn’t a roady type plus felt I was quicker on my ss steel ht at time

Merlin xlm even though special with the engraving felt a bit dead in a way but still nice to ride mind

All the others have been LS made and have and do feel amazing

No crackage yet touch ti 😜

I even took my ti 29er ht down a easy track at GGH recently to find it just about works - though not ideal
Would really prefer a 26er full suss around 140mm +

Was interesting to bottom out the 120mm fork for first time in 15 yrs lol

The only 2 bikes I have regretted selling were both Titanium. Not sure why it was those two and I particularly like the look of titanium which is your case is not a factor.

Currently looking out for a second hand titanium track frame but they are not common unfortunately.

On the other hand, I also have a SolarisMAX and expect it to meet my needs for many years to come.

So assuming the ti version doesn't crack, it's likely to be a safe bet from the POV of not-immediate-obsolesence, IYKWIM.

Imagine if you'd spent that kinda money on a 26in frame in 2013 - just before everything changed so much. I honestly can't see that kind of rapid evolution happening again now.

I’m loving my Sonder Signal Ti. It flexes the same as my Stanton Sherpa did, but it’s lighter.
It’s beautiful to look at, and no paint chips.
My Stanton sherpa 853 frame cost £700
My Ti frame was 1k. So not massively more expensive.

I have had a couple of TW-made Ti frames fail (and none were Lynskeys). And by the time the stiffness is similar to a good Ti frame the weight saving isn't that much. But still, if the Cotic Ti is about the same stiffness as the steel that you like already but a bit lighter and the diminishing returns thing isn't a problem, I'd go for it.

I had a genesis altitude ti, I’m pretty sure the 853 version would have been better, the ti one was just too bendy in all the wrong directions

.. and that was a fairly stiff Ti frame compared to most at the time - tubes were larger OD. They can feel too flexible compared to a good steel equivalent since that's what the 'Ti ride feel' is, flex.

I think that's a good point actually- it used to be that a really good 853 frame would cost you £400-£450 and ti of the same quality/same quality brand would be over a grand. Now steel's gone up and ti has become more accessible.

Wonders when Ribbles offerings in steel & ti will be ready for release into couriers hands

I’ve always lusted after a Ti hardtail, but never had the money. Go for it OP, you’re a long time dead. Buy it, ride it and post lots of photos of it on here

Don't buy a Ti frame they are just rubbish. I love mine but don't you buy one.

has that worked?

Have you ordered it yet?