The best Ti frame for speed and comfort

aberdeen_lune
aberdeen_lune Posts: 547
edited August 2009 in Road buying advice
Does anyone have any opinions on what's the best Ti frame for a summer bike they would like to share? I was going for Carbon originally but I'm now thinking Ti. I have a Ti winter bike and thats great (VN Amazon) but not quick. Any thoughts? Type of riding is sportives and some duathlons. Mostly longish weekend rides on British roads which as you know arent always pristine tarmac. My weight is 71kgsish. So speed and handling are important and something that will provide some comfort over rougher roads.

Comments

  • topdude
    topdude Posts: 1,557
    How about one of the other VN frames, Euros / aeolus :?:
    Euros is a good basic frame, Aeolus is a bit lighter as i think it has double butted tubing.
    I have the Euros and it seems quick and responsive to me but i am not a racer.
    He is not the messiah, he is a very naughty boy !!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Depends on your budget. I've just got a Litespeed Siena that is like a magic carpet but really stiff when it needs to be.
  • aberdeen_lune
    aberdeen_lune Posts: 547
    My budget is up to £2 or at a push 2.5K for a frame and forks.
    I was looking at the VN Aeolus and the Litespeeds.

    I like the look of the Siena Napoleon. How light and fast is it? Is it as fast as a carbon bike? How does it handle over rougher roads?
  • spanielsson
    spanielsson Posts: 776
    I think the Planet X - Lynskey bike with SRAM Red for £1999 are a bargain, well worth a look. If not a complete bike the frames are pretty nice.

    Or the Van Nicholas frames are very good value again....
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Aberdeen_lune wrote:
    My budget is up to £2 or at a push 2.5K for a frame and forks.
    I was looking at the VN Aeolus and the Litespeeds.

    I like the look of the Siena Napoleon. How light and fast is it? Is it as fast as a carbon bike? How does it handle over rougher roads?

    It is pretty light but with me riding it is very slow. :o

    It is in fact better in every way than my carbon Look.

    As I said, it's like a magic carpet to ride but stiff, really stiff round the BB area. And it was only £1700 for frame, chris king headset and easton EC90SL fork.

    The Lynskey/Planet X with Red looks like a fantastic deal though...
  • brownbosh
    brownbosh Posts: 602
    Burls will custom make you one for a grand.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    The P-X Lynskey is a good deal for the money. I wouldn't go near Litespeed - overpriced and quality is so-so - plenty of warranty issues abound. There are plenty of choices - if you can't stretch to a Moots or an Eriksen, then look at Bertoletti, Passoni or DeRosa for a bit of continental class.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    If warranty is an issue Sabbath give Lifetime warranty on their frames and half-price replacement if you crash. They have also got a flawless record to date apparently. I have got one and it is really good :)
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
    Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • GeorgeShaw
    GeorgeShaw Posts: 764
    +1 for Sabbath. Talk to Greg about the spec you'd like, they're very flexible and amenable. I specc'd my Silk Road with Centaur Carbon, top-end Deda and Neutrons and it was a bargain.
  • Harry182
    Harry182 Posts: 1,170
    I have an Everti Falcon and absolutely love it! Plenty stiff for me and all-day comfortable.

    However, if I had had your budget I would have seriously investigated going bespoke. Enigma do a bespoke service and there's a feature on them in this month's Procycling mag. Their smooth Ti welds look stunning.
  • DaSy
    DaSy Posts: 599
    I have a Litespeed Icon, and can't say enough good things about it, it's not as stiff at the headtube as the Archon, but is really pretty stiff around the bb/chainstay area. It also looks like a proper bike, and revels in it's Ti-ness, the Archon is a bit too shaped for me.

    I too have a carbon Look (a 555) like NapD, and again have to say the Litespeed is better in just about every respect.
    Complicating matters since 1965
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    NapoleonD wrote:
    As I said, it's like a magic carpet to ride but stiff, really stiff round the BB area.
    Laterally stiff yet vertically compliant?
  • dmb101
    dmb101 Posts: 16
    another vote for sabbath. the mondays child is the racier model.
  • cyclingvet
    cyclingvet Posts: 131
    Enigma Esprit.....Perfect combination of comfort, performance and looks i.m.h.o.. Frame and Forks with Chris King headset cost me £1550 18 months ago. Prices have gone up slightly since then.

    Its a great Sportive Bike and I recently got a Gold on the Rydale Rumble on mine.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    aracer wrote:
    NapoleonD wrote:
    As I said, it's like a magic carpet to ride but stiff, really stiff round the BB area.
    Laterally stiff yet vertically compliant?

    Heh heh, isn't everything these days?!

    Who was the first to coin that phrase? You see it bl00dy everywhere!

    But, well, erm yes. I suppose it is ;)

    IMO the Enigma Esprit is one of the best looking Ti bikes out there, mainly due to the classic geometry.
  • Muzak
    Muzak Posts: 78
    Moots. Knocks the others into a cocked hat. :D
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    NapoleonD wrote:
    aracer wrote:
    Laterally stiff yet vertically compliant?

    Heh heh, isn't everything these days?!

    Who was the first to coin that phrase? You see it bl00dy everywhere!

    But, well, erm yes. I suppose it is ;)
    You seriously think it is? Would imply you really have no idea how it came into popular usage :roll:
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    It's stiff but comfortable...

    Will that do for you?

    I've seen it written about many many bikes. Even specialized use it in their spiel about the Roubaix.

    It is the standard phrase used in virtually any bike review.
  • moonoom
    moonoom Posts: 1
    Last year I bought a custom made ti Seven for a ride from Devon to the Black Sea. In all those miles, I did not have a single ache, which was attributable to the very high quality of the frame and custom set up (the welds are second to none in my view) . They will make machines to suit all purposes but whatever your brief is, I'm sure they would build you an excellent bike.

    Moonoom
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    edited August 2009
    Litespeed Siena, literally stiff and virtually compliant, :wink:
  • infopete
    infopete Posts: 878
    I have a Merlin Cielo and it's beautiful :D

    I also have an Omega Axis, there is no comparrison!

    I bought it off the internet, in the "sales" from San Diego. I was going to buy the Extralite but the guy had run out and offered me th Cielo for $500 less.

    As it's coming up to the end of the season why not wait and see what offers are around?
    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 :)
  • fatandforty
    fatandforty Posts: 18
    My commuter/winter bike is a VN Amazon, my best bike is a VN Aeolus.

    I luv 'em both.

    But the Aeolus is faster, lighter and much more fun.

    P
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    If you are on the look for a Ti bike, Greg from Sabbath Bikes has posted 3 offers of Ex-Demo bikes in the Classifieds section of the forum. Go and have a look.
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
    Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • pianoman
    pianoman Posts: 706
    I love my Van Nicholas Chinook :D

    But I'd be intrigued to hear of anyone who's bought the new Mistral, especially that the spec of the wheels hasn't been made public.

    Any takers yet?

Categories