Which Titanium Road Bike?

[PK99]

Mrs PK recently came with on a Skedaddle Tuscany tour - 260 miles, 23,000 feet of climbing - riding her trusty Tricross (as did i out of solidarity). Much as she enjoyed the experience, it did convince her that for next year's ascent of Mt Ventoux on a Ventoux to Vence tour, she had better get a lighter bike.

Titanium is our preferred material.
Price: we know how much Titanium costs and as a retirement present can afford it.

So, the teams views on which:

Titanium road bike
Disc brakes (it is the way to go.....)
2*11 compact gearing with dinner plate on the back wheel to get up the nasty hills.

Over to you!

 

[StuAff]

Just bought a Litespeed T5 Gravel frame- on special offer at Wiggle. The T5 Disc frame- a better bet if you don't need or want wider tyres- is £1200 at the moment. Haven't had mine built up yet but it looks fantastic. With a frameset you'd obviously have to pick your own components- but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Evans have complete builds with Ultegra at £3799- overpriced (I'm saving about £500 on mine by getting the LBS to do it....!).

 

[Smurfy]

2*11 compact gearing with dinner plate on the back wheel to get up the nasty hills.

Why not 3*8? You'll get a better gearing range, and the parts will last much longer than 11 speed.

 

[vickster]

Maybe pop to Sussex and see what enigma have, e.g. http://www.enigmabikes.com/products/evoke-disc

I think pearsons have a Ti bike with disc brakes, but their website is down it seems, take a jaunt to Sheen. They can build with whatever gearing you might want I'd assume

Fatbirds have a massive range of Ti bikes, in addition to Enigma there are disc versions from Sabbath and Lynskey

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/534/titanium-bikes.aspx

For a more mainstream option, genesis, not sure which London retailers would have one in store
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/road/road-disc/equilibrium-disc-ti

@jowwy might be able to offer assistance too as he has Ti with discs

For me, there's only one Ti option from Condor but no disc brake compatibility

 

[jowwy]

I had my Ti disc frame custom made by ciello rosso cycles for the princelly sum of 700 fine british pounds.........

 

[samsbike]

I think you have to decide budget and then the supplier. There is also burls who do custom builds.

If you want lightweight then you can't beat carbon. Quite frankly I am amazed how heavy my ti bike is.

Spa cycles also do a ti audax bike and can probably customise a lot more including getting a good set of hand built wheels. However it's not disc. If it's a sunny day bike I would be inclined to stick with callipers otherwise get discs.

Planet X may also have something.

 

[vickster]

Here's the Pearson option, complete custom build to order

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/pearson-objects-in-motion.html

Kinesis also do a Ti disc but it looks more cyclocrossy than road?

http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/decade/tripster-atr
Sigma are a stockist, they also sell Seven but they cost £££
https://www.sevencycles.com/bikes.php

There are loads of options and you need to decide whether the budget is £4k or rather more

 

[Onyer]

+1 for comment by @jowwy I have had a number of frames built in China and the quality is as good as any from Enigma, Sabbath, etc, which are all made in china anyway. The cost is a lot less as you are going directly to the manufacturer and you have the fun of choosing your own components, wheels etc. and the build. Plus you will end up with something unique.

 

[StuAff]

Not all titanium frames are built in the far east or Russia- Lynskey and Litespeed both manufacture in the US, for example. Doesn't really matter as long as they've built it right and treat you right in the event of any issues. @jowwy's bike does look lovely.
Tripster ATR's a very good, and very versatile frameset- there are a few owners on here. Adventure/gravel/whatever you want to call it rather than CX.
http://road.cc/content/review/123233-kinesis-tripster-atr-frameset.
11 speed wears no quicker than 9 or 10 speed, btw.

 

[vickster]

I think Condor build theirs in Italy

 

[StuAff]

I think Condor build theirs in Italy

Well, all their other bikes are (have been for years) so it wouldn't be surprising.

 

[vickster]

Well, all their other bikes are (have been for years) so it wouldn't be surprising.

Yep I think you're right

 

[ianrauk]

I think Condor build theirs in Italy

If that frame had straight seat stays...I would buy it in a heartbeat

 

[vickster]

What's with straight seat stays? Go look at it, it is astonishingly lovely in the metal they had a 55cm in store. Long wait list for them to manufacture the frame at that time

 

[StuAff]

If that frame had straight seat stays...I would buy it in a heartbeat

Would point out you have at least one bike with bendy seat stays