View Poll Results: Your Favorite Bike Frame Material
Voters: 71. You may not vote on this poll
Titanium Bikes: Are They Worth it?
10-16-24, 08:09 AM
#101
Senior Member
When did it become “titanium vs aluminum”? All of the major materials have pros and cons - Ti is no different. It’s not the cheapest, but it brings reasonable lightness, a good ride, low maintenance and durability to the table. Can it fail? Sure, like any other material, but I have yet to see any evidence of “greater potential” to fail -whatever that means. Everything has “potential” to fail 🙄 whether or not they actually fail is the issue. Apart from some anecdotes, I have seen no evidence that Ti fails at any higher frequency than any other material. And it is absolutely repairable - it’s likely not cheap and only a few places (eg Ti Cycles) can do it, but it’s doable
Repair shops: Many repair shops offer titanium frame repair services, including:
- World Optic: Offers laser welding, brazing, soldering, and argon welding
- All American Eyeglass Repair: Offers same-day service, mail-in repair, and a large inventory of parts
- fixmyglasses: Uses the latest technology and offers a one-year warranty
- Eyeglass Repair USA: Offers nationwide titanium frame repair
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10-16-24, 08:16 AM
#102
Senior Member
For everyone's amusement, the result of a search on the topic of titanium frame repair:
Yes, titanium frames can be repaired:
I adore my first-year fixed-gear Specialized Langster. Large-diameter aluminum frame, large-diameter straight-blade aluminum fork. Of the 20 or so high-end bikes I've owned since 1964, it's the one I've enjoyed most.
That said, I have no doubt that the people who love their titanium bikes enjoy them as much as I enjoy my Langster. Whatever their bikes cost, it was obviously worth it to them.
Yes, titanium frames can be repaired:
- Laser welding: The best method for repairing titanium frames because it creates minimal discoloration. Laser welding is precise enough to produce results that are almost unnoticeable.
- Spot welding: Titanium can be easily spot-welded without the need for an argon cover.
- Repair shops: Many repair shops offer titanium frame repair services, including:
- World Optic: Offers laser welding, brazing, soldering, and argon welding
- All American Eyeglass Repair: Offers same-day service, mail-in repair, and a large inventory of parts
- fixmyglasses: Uses the latest technology and offers a one-year warranty
- Eyeglass Repair USA: Offers nationwide titanium frame repair
I adore my first-year fixed-gear Specialized Langster. Large-diameter aluminum frame, large-diameter straight-blade aluminum fork. Of the 20 or so high-end bikes I've owned since 1964, it's the one I've enjoyed most.
That said, I have no doubt that the people who love their titanium bikes enjoy them as much as I enjoy my Langster. Whatever their bikes cost, it was obviously worth it to them.
Last edited by Trakhak; 10-16-24 at 08:29 AM.
10-16-24, 09:26 AM
#103
For The Fun of It
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Location: Louisissippi Coast
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Bikes: Lynskey GR300, Lynskey Backroad, Litespeed T6, Lynskey MT29, Burley Duet
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Looking at the Lynskey and the Lightspeed bikes - in the context of the OP's "worth it" over other materials question.
A 105 equipped Lightspeed is almost $2500 more than a 105 equipped good aluminum bike. Worth it? I don't know.
The 105 Lynskey is on sale and is only$1200 more than a 105 aluminum bike - and the Lynskey has decent wheels in the base spec. Worth it? HMMMMMM, that bike has me thinking.
A 105 equipped Lightspeed is almost $2500 more than a 105 equipped good aluminum bike. Worth it? I don't know.
The 105 Lynskey is on sale and is only$1200 more than a 105 aluminum bike - and the Lynskey has decent wheels in the base spec. Worth it? HMMMMMM, that bike has me thinking.
When I chose Titanium, I did so in part so that it would match my wedding band and artificial joints. That alone almost made it worth the difference.
10-16-24, 09:35 AM
#104
Senior Member
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10-16-24, 09:45 AM
#105
Senior Member
Titanium joints? Ha! When my knees and hips need replacement, I'm going for carbon fiber -- then I can be laterally stiff yet vertically compliant. And lighter!
10-16-24, 09:54 AM
#106
It turns out the metal-on-metal joint replacements can be problematic.
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10-16-24, 10:04 AM
#107
10-16-24, 10:10 AM
#108
Firm but gentle
Quoting out of context (sometimes referred to as contextomy or quote mining) is an informal fallacy in which a passage is removed from its surrounding matter in such a way as to distort its intended meaning.
I believe his remark was directed at me, perhaps wrongly, but the statement Mr. Farts made was clearly from the "Which Speed Era Was Best" thread that is current and ongoing.
I am surprised that many of the forum members can afford a smartphone or computer and bicycles, given their lack of ability to read, understand, and communicate effectively in English.
Mr. Farts would be doing very well for himself if he could glean some small percentage (even a very small percentage) of knowledge from the likes of Stuart Black, or like myself, scientists with decades of shop experience, metalworking, and many years of racing. This place has a considerable amount of accumulated knowledge, and that post is an insult to everyone who does not join in the effeminate, effete, modern roadie circle jerk that this forum all too often degrades to.
I believe his remark was directed at me, perhaps wrongly, but the statement Mr. Farts made was clearly from the "Which Speed Era Was Best" thread that is current and ongoing.
I am surprised that many of the forum members can afford a smartphone or computer and bicycles, given their lack of ability to read, understand, and communicate effectively in English.
Mr. Farts would be doing very well for himself if he could glean some small percentage (even a very small percentage) of knowledge from the likes of Stuart Black, or like myself, scientists with decades of shop experience, metalworking, and many years of racing. This place has a considerable amount of accumulated knowledge, and that post is an insult to everyone who does not join in the effeminate, effete, modern roadie circle jerk that this forum all too often degrades to.
10-16-24, 10:28 AM
#109
Senior Member
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Quoting out of context (sometimes referred to as contextomy or quote mining) is an informal fallacy in which a passage is removed from its surrounding matter in such a way as to distort its intended meaning.
I'm out.
Last edited by tomato coupe; 10-16-24 at 10:33 AM.
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10-16-24, 10:45 AM
#110
Senior Member
Quoting out of context (sometimes referred to as contextomy or quote mining) is an informal fallacy in which a passage is removed from its surrounding matter in such a way as to distort its intended meaning.
10-16-24, 10:52 AM
#111
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 19,572
Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
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Returning to this business of naked Ti being boring - all my other bikes are painted various colors, so the Titanium gray of my Litespeed stands out. If it were painted, it would look like all the others. BUT, if you don't like the gray, you can paint it. Other metals require painting to prevent corrosion.
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10-16-24, 10:57 AM
#112
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
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Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
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Okay, since we're showing off our bikes, here goes:
My Litespeed as bought:
Ultimate v1.0 - mix of Campy crank, brakes, and FD with Sachs New Success Ergos and RD:
Ultimate v2.0 - Dura Ace 7410, the bike I lusted after back in the 90s:
Ultimate v3.0, what you might call the Ultimate Ultimate - Ultegra R8000 (because 39x25 is too tall for a fat guy in his mid-60s to climb more than 6% for 1/2 mile)
My Litespeed as bought:
Ultimate v1.0 - mix of Campy crank, brakes, and FD with Sachs New Success Ergos and RD:
Ultimate v2.0 - Dura Ace 7410, the bike I lusted after back in the 90s:
Ultimate v3.0, what you might call the Ultimate Ultimate - Ultegra R8000 (because 39x25 is too tall for a fat guy in his mid-60s to climb more than 6% for 1/2 mile)
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10-16-24, 12:25 PM
#113
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
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I simply don't think the "upgrade" if it is an upgrade over aluminum is worth the expense. If Aluminum often failed and Titanium never failed the price might be justified. Titanium has just as much or possibly greater potential to fail as aluminum and is unrepairable when it does.
The Moots also got 7 but it cost me a little more because I went ahead and had them sand blast the stem, seatpost, and frame. But, all in, in it cost less than $400.
You can’t do that with aluminum but you can with steel. However, steel is going to cost a lot more for that kind of modification because the frame has to be repainted afterwards.
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
10-16-24, 12:30 PM
#114
With a mighty wind
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10-16-24, 01:11 PM
#115
Senior Member
Even aluminum isn’t “unrepairable” when it fails. It may need heat treating to make it permanent but it is still repairable. Titanium is certainly repairable and, on the plus side, doesn’t need heat treating afterwards. Titanium can also be modified relatively easily. I’ve had braze-ons added to two titanium bikes and it was trivial to do so. I had mounts for racks and threaded bosses for water bottles/fenders added to the frames. Both were done by Dean Cycles in Boulder. The brazeons cost me about $40 each or about $280 for the 7 on the Dean below.
The Moots also got 7 but it cost me a little more because I went ahead and had them sand blast the stem, seatpost, and frame. But, all in, in it cost less than $400.
You can’t do that with aluminum but you can with steel. However, steel is going to cost a lot more for that kind of modification because the frame has to be repainted afterwards.
The Moots also got 7 but it cost me a little more because I went ahead and had them sand blast the stem, seatpost, and frame. But, all in, in it cost less than $400.
You can’t do that with aluminum but you can with steel. However, steel is going to cost a lot more for that kind of modification because the frame has to be repainted afterwards.
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10-16-24, 02:00 PM
#117
I am potato.
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I wanted to vote Titanium just based on reputation. The next best thing is the thing you don't have yet, & all that, right. Then Carbon flashed across my mind because my almost 9 year old R5 never fails to impress my with it's rocket ship like performance every single ride. But this forced me to reconcile with the fact that every other single bike I own is steel. Yep, every one except the Cervelo. The aluminum bikes all have found themselves out of service and their frames hanging from the garage rafters or given away for one reason or another. Hmmm.....🧐 In hadn't thought about that until now. In might need to stop and think about why that is.
OP if you want a Ti bike, go get a Ti bike. But when you really come right down to it, so much of a bikes weight is component selection, In don't know that frame material will make a meaningful impact in the weight department. The rest of the ride is up to the frame builder and his or her mastery of the craft (whatever the material) intersected with his or her goals and ride preferences.
My lightest steel framed bike is 16 pounds on the nose with a 1949gram frame. It rides every bit as good as the R5. I can't possibly fathom how Titanium could improve it, else I would've jumped to the Titanium ship long ago.
OP if you want a Ti bike, go get a Ti bike. But when you really come right down to it, so much of a bikes weight is component selection, In don't know that frame material will make a meaningful impact in the weight department. The rest of the ride is up to the frame builder and his or her mastery of the craft (whatever the material) intersected with his or her goals and ride preferences.
My lightest steel framed bike is 16 pounds on the nose with a 1949gram frame. It rides every bit as good as the R5. I can't possibly fathom how Titanium could improve it, else I would've jumped to the Titanium ship long ago.
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10-16-24, 02:11 PM
#118
10-16-24, 05:28 PM
#119
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
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That's a nice bike and you make good points "if" you live somewhere that such a repair is logistically feasible. I'm sure there's nobody within 100 miles of me and likely much farther that could do titanium bike repair. Lots of considerations when considering a frame material. I just stated why titanium doesn't appeal to me.
Additionally, most titanium frames are going to be mail ordered. Few of them are actually in a shop and fewer still are ready to be ridden out the door the day you purchase them. I got my Dean road bike directly from the builder because, yes, I do live relatively close to them (45 miles one way). But they would have shipped it to me if I wanted. I also personally delivered both of my frames for modification for the same reason. Again, they would have accepted shipment and shipped them back.
Further, if you want a steel bike fixed, you’ll probably have to ship that to a frame builder as well. There aren’t that many frame builders of either titanium or steel around.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Last edited by cyccommute; 10-16-24 at 05:36 PM.
10-16-24, 06:20 PM
#120
Senior Member
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10-16-24, 06:37 PM
#121
Firm but gentle
I'm truly sorry to you and everyone else. I lost it a little bit earlier today. I try to keep things lighthearted and humorous.
10-16-24, 06:56 PM
#122
Can't we all just be friends ?
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10-16-24, 07:48 PM
#123
Doesn’t change the fact that own a Ti bike and a Subaru. The latter comes is useful for transposing bikes and, as it turns out, meals for seriously ill people, which is something I do at least once a week since I was able to retire at age 59.
Last edited by indyfabz; 10-16-24 at 07:52 PM.
10-16-24, 10:50 PM
#124
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
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I have to do stretches to be free of that lateral stiffness. And yes, I am vertically compliant. Getting shorter every year. I'll take ti or ss any day.
10-17-24, 08:08 AM
#125
Senior Member
I guess I missed most of this one but as someone who has 2 titanium bikes and another frame that I need to rebuild into something fun. I have plans for a few other titanium bikes as well. Basically I would happily replace a good portion of my fleet with titanium if I could.
Yes titanium isn't always perfect and certainly won't do everything but it rides nice, is easy to keep clean and looks really good without much care. A frame I don't have to paint is great as I worry about it less. I can give it some abuse and it won't look like crap.
Yes titanium isn't always perfect and certainly won't do everything but it rides nice, is easy to keep clean and looks really good without much care. A frame I don't have to paint is great as I worry about it less. I can give it some abuse and it won't look like crap.