titanium frames/bikes - talk to me
Discussion
I'm idly looking for/considering an N+1 road bike. I've got my carbon bike, and an mtb, but can't stop myself from looking at titanium road bikes.
I've only been into road cycling for just over a year, but never ridden a Ti frame. But can't help marvelling about how right they look.
So my questions are:
What's so good about them apart from how they look?
What's a good frameset for around/upto 2k and why?
For what it's worth I'm a larger rider 6 2 and 112kg if that has any bearing on the above.
I've been off the booze and partying for about 15m (this time last year was 150kg). So feel a treat is in order
ps - i'm a newbie so be gentle
I've only been into road cycling for just over a year, but never ridden a Ti frame. But can't help marvelling about how right they look.
So my questions are:
What's so good about them apart from how they look?
What's a good frameset for around/upto 2k and why?
For what it's worth I'm a larger rider 6 2 and 112kg if that has any bearing on the above.
I've been off the booze and partying for about 15m (this time last year was 150kg). So feel a treat is in order
ps - i'm a newbie so be gentle
For me, titanium is the best 'bike material.
Aluminium work hardens and over time it deteriorates and can break.
Carbon fibre is susceptible to breakage and the gradual erosion of the frame make it a more short term bike.
Titanium responds to stresses in a different way. It responds to your riding style and where you stress the frame, it hardens. Not like aluminium which work hardens and if stresses remain, it will break, the stress across the titanium make the bike more rigid.
Titanium isn't as light as carbon fibre. It isn't as cheap as steel or aluminium and is pretty skilled job to work.
Titanium frames are a bike for life, or as close to it as possible. They are also very beautiful. It is very difficult to mass produce so mainstream producers have not embraced the material in anything but small component garnishes.
Lynskey frames are just beautiful and there are loads of small craftsmen making stunning frames. They just need a brilliant build to compliment them.
Aluminium work hardens and over time it deteriorates and can break.
Carbon fibre is susceptible to breakage and the gradual erosion of the frame make it a more short term bike.
Titanium responds to stresses in a different way. It responds to your riding style and where you stress the frame, it hardens. Not like aluminium which work hardens and if stresses remain, it will break, the stress across the titanium make the bike more rigid.
Titanium isn't as light as carbon fibre. It isn't as cheap as steel or aluminium and is pretty skilled job to work.
Titanium frames are a bike for life, or as close to it as possible. They are also very beautiful. It is very difficult to mass produce so mainstream producers have not embraced the material in anything but small component garnishes.
Lynskey frames are just beautiful and there are loads of small craftsmen making stunning frames. They just need a brilliant build to compliment them.
From your profile I see you are in Yorkshire, and they are in Norfolk, but if you want to see/feel/compare titanium bikes, you could do far worse than take a look at these guys...
http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/534/bikes---titanium.asp...
...they claim to be "'Europe's biggest dealer in Titanium road bikes" and I can recommend a visit, if you ever get a chance to spend a weekend in north Norfolk. 'Tis a nice place to visit anyway, great cycling to be had, and HM the Queen regularly holidays there
http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/534/bikes---titanium.asp...
...they claim to be "'Europe's biggest dealer in Titanium road bikes" and I can recommend a visit, if you ever get a chance to spend a weekend in north Norfolk. 'Tis a nice place to visit anyway, great cycling to be had, and HM the Queen regularly holidays there
I was in the very unfortunate position of hitting 40 last year, which put me in the very fortunate position of my wife insisting on buying me a 'bike for life', Ti was the obvious choice!
Firstly let me do away with the myth that Ti is heavier than carbon, my Ti bike tips the scales at just over 7.5 kgs with 'heavy' wheels, my Colnago CX-1 evo is the same give or take a couple of lbs! I won't go into the whole carbon v Ti as you already have a carbon bike, but to make a stiff carbon frame requires a decent layup in key areas of the frame, which adds to the weight!
The ride is the real revelation, Ti gives a ride like nothing else - the bike feels extremely sprightly or 'alive', by comparison to carbon which feels a little 'dull', it feels like every pedal stroke gives you payback. Ti also gives a very comfortable ride - it removes the road buzz but you still feel very much in contact with the surface, my Alu bike beats the crap out of me when I ride it, my carbon bike gives a fast but dull ride by comparison. Smooth, fast and 'alive' would be how I would describe the ride of Ti.
I am not knocking out 'awesome power' but I have never felt my bike flex on a climb, in fact it climbs extremely well seated or standing. It descends confidently, although I would say my CX-1 is slightly better on the downhills and twisty bits, but that is down to its geometry rather than frame material.
If you are worried about flexing under your powerfully built director type frame, then there are Ti bikes out there that are brutally stiff - the Lynskey Helix is an example. Although I am not totally sure why you would buy a Ti bike that does not have the ride characteristics of Ti!!
For around the 2k mark you should be able to bag a decent frame, the choice of manufacturers are quite bewildering from the 'mainstream' like Linesky and Van Nicholson, then the more boutique like Enigma (although I believe their frames may be built in the far east and shipped over). My suggestion would be to find a dealer and take a couple for a test ride, don't forget depending on the geo of the frame the ride qualities will be different (racey v sportif).
Got to take my lad to his footy match now but will have a think about what else to add, but my advice would be to go for it. I plan on riding this to the shop and back if I make it to 80!!
Here are a few snaps of mine (Dedacciai K19)
Firstly let me do away with the myth that Ti is heavier than carbon, my Ti bike tips the scales at just over 7.5 kgs with 'heavy' wheels, my Colnago CX-1 evo is the same give or take a couple of lbs! I won't go into the whole carbon v Ti as you already have a carbon bike, but to make a stiff carbon frame requires a decent layup in key areas of the frame, which adds to the weight!
The ride is the real revelation, Ti gives a ride like nothing else - the bike feels extremely sprightly or 'alive', by comparison to carbon which feels a little 'dull', it feels like every pedal stroke gives you payback. Ti also gives a very comfortable ride - it removes the road buzz but you still feel very much in contact with the surface, my Alu bike beats the crap out of me when I ride it, my carbon bike gives a fast but dull ride by comparison. Smooth, fast and 'alive' would be how I would describe the ride of Ti.
I am not knocking out 'awesome power' but I have never felt my bike flex on a climb, in fact it climbs extremely well seated or standing. It descends confidently, although I would say my CX-1 is slightly better on the downhills and twisty bits, but that is down to its geometry rather than frame material.
If you are worried about flexing under your powerfully built director type frame, then there are Ti bikes out there that are brutally stiff - the Lynskey Helix is an example. Although I am not totally sure why you would buy a Ti bike that does not have the ride characteristics of Ti!!
For around the 2k mark you should be able to bag a decent frame, the choice of manufacturers are quite bewildering from the 'mainstream' like Linesky and Van Nicholson, then the more boutique like Enigma (although I believe their frames may be built in the far east and shipped over). My suggestion would be to find a dealer and take a couple for a test ride, don't forget depending on the geo of the frame the ride qualities will be different (racey v sportif).
Got to take my lad to his footy match now but will have a think about what else to add, but my advice would be to go for it. I plan on riding this to the shop and back if I make it to 80!!
Here are a few snaps of mine (Dedacciai K19)
MadDad said:
I was in the very unfortunate position of hitting 40 last year, which put me in the very fortunate position of my wife insisting on buying me a 'bike for life', Ti was the obvious choice!
Firstly let me do away with the myth that Ti is heavier than carbon, my Ti bike tips the scales at just over 7.5 kgs with 'heavy' wheels, my Colnago CX-1 evo is the same give or take a couple of lbs! I won't go into the whole carbon v Ti as you already have a carbon bike, but to make a stiff carbon frame requires a decent layup in key areas of the frame, which adds to the weight!
The ride is the real revelation, Ti gives a ride like nothing else - the bike feels extremely sprightly or 'alive', by comparison to carbon which feels a little 'dull', it feels like every pedal stroke gives you payback. Ti also gives a very comfortable ride - it removes the road buzz but you still feel very much in contact with the surface, my Alu bike beats the crap out of me when I ride it, my carbon bike gives a fast but dull ride by comparison. Smooth, fast and 'alive' would be how I would describe the ride of Ti.
I am not knocking out 'awesome power' but I have never felt my bike flex on a climb, in fact it climbs extremely well seated or standing. It descends confidently, although I would say my CX-1 is slightly better on the downhills and twisty bits, but that is down to its geometry rather than frame material.
If you are worried about flexing under your powerfully built director type frame, then there are Ti bikes out there that are brutally stiff - the Lynskey Helix is an example. Although I am not totally sure why you would buy a Ti bike that does not have the ride characteristics of Ti!!
For around the 2k mark you should be able to bag a decent frame, the choice of manufacturers are quite bewildering from the 'mainstream' like Linesky and Van Nicholson, then the more boutique like Enigma (although I believe their frames may be built in the far east and shipped over). My suggestion would be to find a dealer and take a couple for a test ride, don't forget depending on the geo of the frame the ride qualities will be different (racey v sportif).
Got to take my lad to his footy match now but will have a think about what else to add, but my advice would be to go for it. I plan on riding this to the shop and back if I make it to 80!!
Thanks for the insight, and the deda is gorgeous btw.Firstly let me do away with the myth that Ti is heavier than carbon, my Ti bike tips the scales at just over 7.5 kgs with 'heavy' wheels, my Colnago CX-1 evo is the same give or take a couple of lbs! I won't go into the whole carbon v Ti as you already have a carbon bike, but to make a stiff carbon frame requires a decent layup in key areas of the frame, which adds to the weight!
The ride is the real revelation, Ti gives a ride like nothing else - the bike feels extremely sprightly or 'alive', by comparison to carbon which feels a little 'dull', it feels like every pedal stroke gives you payback. Ti also gives a very comfortable ride - it removes the road buzz but you still feel very much in contact with the surface, my Alu bike beats the crap out of me when I ride it, my carbon bike gives a fast but dull ride by comparison. Smooth, fast and 'alive' would be how I would describe the ride of Ti.
I am not knocking out 'awesome power' but I have never felt my bike flex on a climb, in fact it climbs extremely well seated or standing. It descends confidently, although I would say my CX-1 is slightly better on the downhills and twisty bits, but that is down to its geometry rather than frame material.
If you are worried about flexing under your powerfully built director type frame, then there are Ti bikes out there that are brutally stiff - the Lynskey Helix is an example. Although I am not totally sure why you would buy a Ti bike that does not have the ride characteristics of Ti!!
For around the 2k mark you should be able to bag a decent frame, the choice of manufacturers are quite bewildering from the 'mainstream' like Linesky and Van Nicholson, then the more boutique like Enigma (although I believe their frames may be built in the far east and shipped over). My suggestion would be to find a dealer and take a couple for a test ride, don't forget depending on the geo of the frame the ride qualities will be different (racey v sportif).
Got to take my lad to his footy match now but will have a think about what else to add, but my advice would be to go for it. I plan on riding this to the shop and back if I make it to 80!!
yellowjack said:
From your profile I see you are in Yorkshire, and they are in Norfolk, but if you want to see/feel/compare titanium bikes, you could do far worse than take a look at these guys...
http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/534/bikes---titanium.asp...
...they claim to be "'Europe's biggest dealer in Titanium road bikes" and I can recommend a visit, if you ever get a chance to spend a weekend in north Norfolk. 'Tis a nice place to visit anyway, great cycling to be had, and HM the Queen regularly holidays there
OMG I could get lost in that site for days. thanks for the heads uphttp://www.fatbirds.co.uk/534/bikes---titanium.asp...
...they claim to be "'Europe's biggest dealer in Titanium road bikes" and I can recommend a visit, if you ever get a chance to spend a weekend in north Norfolk. 'Tis a nice place to visit anyway, great cycling to be had, and HM the Queen regularly holidays there
insurance_jon said:
OMG I could get lost in that site for days. thanks for the heads up
If you like the website, you'd love the shop/showroom in Hunstanton. I made an effort to go up for a look when I was buying my 40th birthday bike a couple of years ago. I couldn't quite stretch to titanium, but had a good poke around the bikes and frames they had in. Their sales/advice style is refreshingly straight and honest too. They ask the questions and let you supply the info they need to point you in the right direction, rather than some shops I've been too, where the priority seems to be to sell you something they need rid of. (Trek/Specialized dealers, I AM looking at you, here 
)I still want a titanium bike, but I'm currently 'en chômage' so a new bike is definitively off limits for the foreseeable future.
I ride titanium for winter and would second pretty much all of what MadDad has said above. It has a lovely ride quality to it, and of course looks great.
Having said that, you are in Yorkshire.....
Having said that, you are in Yorkshire.....
well its taken me over 2 months to select components but i've built it. Had a little blast tonight and the ride is very surprising, in a good way. It's amazing stiff, yet comfy,feels like you could ride for a lot longer and finish a lot less broken
build list
Enigma Equinox Ti Frame
Enve 2.0 forks
Enigma Carbon Seat Post
Enigma Seat Clamp
3t Integra stem with integrated garmin mounts
Zipp SL Carbon Bars
Fizik Arione Saddle
TRP 950sl carbon brakes
Madfiber Brakepads
Dura Ace 9000 12-28 cassette
Dura Ace 9000 front and rear deraileurs
Dura Ace 9000 11 sp shifters
Madfiber Gen Tubular Wheels
Vittoria Corsa EVO tubs
Rotor 3d+ 53/39 Chainset
Rotor Ceramic BB
Zipp Bar Tape
Zipp Skewers
build list
Enigma Equinox Ti Frame
Enve 2.0 forks
Enigma Carbon Seat Post
Enigma Seat Clamp
3t Integra stem with integrated garmin mounts
Zipp SL Carbon Bars
Fizik Arione Saddle
TRP 950sl carbon brakes
Madfiber Brakepads
Dura Ace 9000 12-28 cassette
Dura Ace 9000 front and rear deraileurs
Dura Ace 9000 11 sp shifters
Madfiber Gen Tubular Wheels
Vittoria Corsa EVO tubs
Rotor 3d+ 53/39 Chainset
Rotor Ceramic BB
Zipp Bar Tape
Zipp Skewers
picked mine up from www.theproscloset.com for £900 plus imports taxes
there are quite a few on ebay, but make sure they are gen 2 http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m5...
there are quite a few on ebay, but make sure they are gen 2 http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m5...
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