King of Titanium

2

Comments

  • pjm-84
    pjm-84 Posts: 819
    I was also given the go ahead to buy a custom TI for my 40th but I couldn't manage to ride one. I know James and Andy at R&R and spoke to Clive at Bikelab but no joy so therefore I felt reluntant spending £2300. I've lost interest now and sticking with my trusty 7005 / and not so trusty Trek 5.5 (mark 2). I'll be 40 next week!
    Paul
  • Ken Night
    Ken Night Posts: 2,005
    Why not go custom build at Mercian-lovely 853 steel/carbon jobs for the same as low end Ti?
    “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Why oh why on every single post about "what titanium or carbon frame shall I buy?", some old zealot pipes up with "custom 853" and probably a Brooks saddle too! Why not tell them to go the whole hog to grow and beard, get a big floppy saddlebag and join the CTC too!
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Ken Night
    Ken Night Posts: 2,005
    Oops, I didn't realise it was was a regular faux pas,..... :)


    As the owner of 2 Ti bikes, an 853 steel, and one in Columbus Brain, my fave ride is the 853, and given there was some debate about frame materials, I thought to add my 2 1/2 p.

    I reckon a custom frame, built here, for the same price as a low end Ti frame is worthy of the OP's consideration.

    Regular readers will know I'm not a card carrying Audaxer! :roll:
    “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway
  • Burghley
    Burghley Posts: 412
    Hi

    No need to spend a fortune on a custom ti frame - I have bought TWO this year, for a combined cost of £750ish! One is a relaxed audax/tourer with all the braze-ons I need and the other a tighter frame with no mudguard eyes.

    The frames are unique to my requirements, and were delivered within four weeks of paying (direct from the XACD factory in China - www.xacd.com.cn).

    Service throughout was superb, and for the second there were at least four CAD drawings made for me.

    Email me for full details, photos etc

    Rgds

    Pete
    www.bikesetup.co.uk
    miles more cycling comfort
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    953 stainless anyone...UK built by 'approved builders' ? - Very likely my next route having had a steel custom handbuilt Columbus SLX that's 16 years old and rides like new.....
  • infopete
    infopete Posts: 878
    Hi

    I've had several steel bikes and the very best was my Raleigh 753. In it's time it was amazing. But..... my Merlin is simply better and my Omega Axis is too.

    Steel may be "Real" but it's just not as good as Ti.

    Pete
    Oh and please remember to click on my blog:

    http://americanbicyclegroup.wordpress.com

    The more clicks I get the higher it creeps up the google radar :)
  • smoo
    smoo Posts: 25
    Couldn’t disagree more with the negative comments made about the aesthetics of Ti. Bare titanium is beautiful, timeless, minimalist, with a form that mirrors function. So much more pleasing than some silly piece of carbon sculpture with pointless baroque frilly bits (the new Pinarello Prince springs to mind..). How dated is that going to look in 10 years time?

    The only aesthetic issues I have with the frond end of st199ml's otherwise beautiful bike are the aluminium headset spacers and the white handlebar tape. Black tape on those oversize handlebars would work much, much better imho, and carbon spacers wouldn't clash with the stem and fork.
  • Ken Night
    Ken Night Posts: 2,005
    Brushed or polished Ti, is nice

    I posted this on the C+ site occasionally last year, time for another outing-though it now sports carbon shifters and cranks, it was a looker then

    afa59a1a.jpg
    “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway
  • mattdavies
    mattdavies Posts: 17
    Guys, firstly i'd like to thank everyone who has made a contribution to this thread be it constructive or not :wink:

    I think the argument on whether Ti is dated looking or not, as like everything in life, is purely a personnel one and for me i think it's standing the test of time very well.

    Greg thanks for pointing out the difference between 6al and 3al especially as you think 6al has more flex. I really didn't know that. Being 6' 2" but not the strongest guy in the world i should really take that into consideration. I guess that's why these threads are so good. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for the Mondays Child bike - you might have yourself a new customer.

    st199ml - Moots compact - very, very nice.

    I really didn't think i'd get this many contributions and i really didn't start the thread to bash carbon or steel - i've ridden them both and built correctly they offer lovely rides. I just think in a few years time Ti will still look good, no paint will have chipped off, and people won't be going nice Specialized Tarmac but that model's 2 years old now etc etc.
  • wastelander
    wastelander Posts: 557
    I have to agree that Ti is the dogs dangly bits. I went from a CAAD5 to a Ti/carbon frame and was simply stunned at the difference in ride quality.

    As for it looking dated - I guess that it's in the eye of the beholder but there's a world of difference between dated and timeless, in my opinion anyway.

    070526-0024.jpg

    Whatever Ti frame you go for you'll enjoy it for many years to come.
  • pliptrot
    pliptrot Posts: 582
    Good on you, smoo. Those pointless baroque frilly bits are pretty much all the naysayers actually talk about. If function is actually important (and, evidently, not for so many) then you'll struggle to better Ti. Mind you, some of the latest steel frames are pretty good, too. But if you consider this you'll suffer the opprobrium (see above) of some of our more prejudiced and offensive fellow cyclists, who are keen to dismiss a frame based on it's material, but probably know less about the carbon frame they ride. (Just what tubing is a C50 made of? What are the mechanical properties of that tubing?)

    I guess in these secular times we all need something to believe in. I'm tri-religious, having carbon, steel and aluminium bikes. I know what I like. (It's what I haven't got, of course).
  • Piggy
    Piggy Posts: 43
    I've just ordered a Moots Compact from Mosquito Bikes - Roger there was really helpful. My main aim is long rides, sportives and so on. Had a test ride of Ti and loved it - fingers crossed when I get it. Not cheap though...
  • vigur
    vigur Posts: 3
    mattdavies wrote:
    Cheers guys, loving the feedback, never heard of kent eriksen or nevi but just googled them and they seem really cool. AndyP love your style :lol:

    One more ti frame makers: titerra.com. They actually use to produce ti -carbon frames for Pinarello (Opera Palladium), as far as I know.
  • Burghley
    Burghley Posts: 412
    Hi Matt

    Email sent via private forum.

    Rgds

    Pete
    www.bikesetup.co.uk
    miles more cycling comfort
  • kenbaxter
    kenbaxter Posts: 1,251
    Definitely go Ti. Litespeed Vortex this year (gotta be something in the air when turning 40 .... not yet, give it another month) and the ride is awesome. Smoothest thing I've ridden and looks a million dollars but only cost half that. :wink:

    Whatever you choose, you'll enjoy it.
  • danielh
    danielh Posts: 297
    Just bought a Yukon, they take 57mm long drops. My 06 Chorus callipers do NOT fit.
  • itisaboutthebike
    itisaboutthebike Posts: 1,120
    King of Titanium ? - basically anyone who builds thier frames using 'double pass' welds ie Merlin (definately not second string !) and Moots. There may be other builders too, but you'd need to check.

    Someone mentioned Litespeeds cracking - a few owners have reported cracks with tubes connected to the integrated head tubes - Litespeed don't build frames with integrated head tubes anymore...probably for this reason.

    I did say a while ago I wasn't gonna post on this messy site anymore - but couldn't resist a Ti thread !
  • BigSpecs
    BigSpecs Posts: 309
    Surely you can get a titanium fork aswell can you not?
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    yes you can obtain a ti fork, Burls do one I know that.
  • jasetherunner
    jasetherunner Posts: 17
    After watching these threads for some time to try to get a better idea of who thinks what on titanium, I thought it time to make a contributation.
    I just got back from a test ride out on a Burls titanium with Justin Burls , his bikes are stunning and although he dosnt build them himself, he does build in steel, and certainly knows how to design a frame that rides and handles like a dream! (Burls titanium frames are built in Russia by the same frame builders who built for Colnago and Omega omongst others).Needless to say I just put in an order for my first titanium road frame!
  • jasetherunner
    jasetherunner Posts: 17
    www.burls.co.uk

    the link for his website
  • paul_smith_srcc
    paul_smith_srcc Posts: 247
    That is my bike in the review written by me and yes they are Campagnolo calipers as can be clearly seen, although I had to file the slot at the bottom of the caliper away to get the blocks low enough.

    I already had the calipers as it was effectively a frame change for the bike I use in the tour write ups that are at the bottom, if using new I would have used Shimano calipers with a 57mm drop. To be more accurate I had filed to the slot to fit the 531 Audax bike that it replaced, I only lowered the slot 2mm and that caliper had enough extra for it to be worth the risk IMO, as you can see the caliper is still easily visible under the block, although please note this is my bike; I would be reluctant to do that for a customer

    Yukon_frontpic.jpg

    Paul_Smith
    www.bikeplus.co.uk
    PS The editor of Road Cycling I have known for a long time, he asked me to write some reviews for their web site as he knew I would be nothing other than be objective in whatever I review; the Yukon included. I am of course sensative to the fact that I am a retailer so was extremely careful to write the review as someone who owns one as apposed to someone who sells them


    jimwin wrote:
    Blonde wrote:
    Van Nicholas have been given good reviews. RoadcyclingUk review of the 'Yukon' here: http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/artic ... 31/v/1/sp/

    The link is interesting - the VanNic Yukon can take Campy brakes.. whoopee :-) My other distance frame had too long a drop and needed RX100 brakes (and hence nasty Shimano pads).

    For the original poster... the Yukon is what you want IMO. I've posted before that this is a great distance bike. Not full on touring, but a fast paced audax machine. But it does have fittings for a rear rack if you ever need to do lightweight touring.

    A good stiff frame with an almost perfect ride and great handling, especially on fast downhills. My old audax frame was Reynolds 853 steel but this is way better.

    Hope this helps,

    JimW[/quote
    My personal cycling blog
  • Andy140
    Andy140 Posts: 130
    Hi, first post on this site but very intersted in the tread on Ti frames. Have been considering one now for couple of months. Anyone had any experience with Lynskey frames - I know they founded Litespeed so should know a thing or two about Ti frame building.
  • east_eight
    east_eight Posts: 16
    My Seven - best bike I've ever had in 20+ years

    I know it's a gate but that's down to my body shape

    Much stiffer than the Merlin Agilis I had last year. No flex at all when sprinting

    http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_photo.html?c_photo=1613485225

    Bombproof too. Dropped it twice at the Smithfield Nocture (my fault on only one occasion!) and once at Crystal Place (not my fault) and the only mark it has on it is where the front brake hit the down tube. Not sure a carbon bike would have come off so lightly.
  • itisaboutthebike
    itisaboutthebike Posts: 1,120
    Don't know about gate - looks like a crane !
  • east_eight
    east_eight Posts: 16
    About 67 cm virtual centre to top! 26 cm headtube

    Cross bike is only 62.5 but it's got a higher bottom bracket and I can live with 3-4 cm lower bars for the hour the races last
  • itisaboutthebike
    itisaboutthebike Posts: 1,120
    I'd forget cycling and join a basketball team !
  • east_eight
    east_eight Posts: 16
    Can't do that - just got my 2nd Cat! I'd better at least try and keep hold of it for one season
  • itisaboutthebike
    itisaboutthebike Posts: 1,120
    Shoot for the stars and try and get 1st Cat ! (does iut still exist ? )

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