T Line Full Titanium Brompton incoming!

[bikegang]

T Line Full Titanium will be announced at Jan 19. (#Brompton)

 

[cheys03]

Oooooow, can we expect the main frame to be titanium too? I’ll list the kidney

 

[T4tomo]

Wonder if they will sell a frame only version so I can decamped the rest of my 2005 superlight onto it?

I imagine not, they will want about £3k+ for a full bike I reckon.

 

[rogerzilla]

I wonder how they will make it stiff enough? Ti is only about half as stiff as steel so is always oversized when used in bike frames (you can also retain stiffness by increasing wall thickness, but that gives you a frame of similar weight to steel, so there's no point).

But the fold severely restricts any change in dimensions that you can make, unless it's a ground-up redesign. And I don't think Brompton has the will or ability to do that.

My guess: it'll cost over £3,750. The early ones will break in use.

 

[cheys03]

Tantalising when viewed at 0.25 speed. D-shaped tube and lots of girth. Could be interesting, if true.

 

[FrankCrank]

Helix have done a full Titatium folder, but that was a scratch build jobby. Not sure if a homage Brommie can be achieved like this - for reasons already stated. As the Helix uses 24" wheels, and Brommies are 16", reckon a gap exists for a 20" titanium folder variant, which might prove a better overall compromise.

 

[Arrowfoot]

I wonder how they will make it stiff enough? Ti is only about half as stiff as steel so is always oversized when used in bike frames (you can also retain stiffness by increasing wall thickness, but that gives you a frame of similar weight to steel, so there's no point).

But the fold severely restricts any change in dimensions that you can make, unless it's a ground-up redesign. And I don't think Brompton has the will or ability to do that.

My guess: it'll cost over £3,750. The early ones will break in use.

I have the same thoughts. It's not an easy material material to work with including welding. Labour cost will be high as it not just straight tubing.

 

[steveindenmark]

As usual they will already be earmarked for certain people. They will then appear for sale at a huge mark up 6 months later. This is how Brompton releases seem to go now.

 

[rogerzilla]

A mere CHPT3 is £4000 if you buy from the eBay spivs.

 

[Cycleops]

A full tit Brompton. How exciting. I’m with one of the commenters on the YT video who said: ‘I’m so excited I’m going to vomit’.

 

[T4tomo]

Ti is only about half as stiff as steel so is always oversized when used in bike frames (you can also retain stiffness by increasing wall thickness, but that gives you a frame of similar weight to steel, so there's no point).

This has always been Will Butler-Adam's reasoning for retaining steel frame in the past. Whilst it may seem over engineered, its is just a bar and not a triangle so has to be stiff & strong.
Alu would potentially make it lighter, but to get the required strength, you would need a lot thicker tube walls, so the weight saving would be limited and you would destroy the ride quality through less compliance.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Back of envelope calculation, my guess is it will be limited model edition if it is foldable and goes below £5k for entry model.

 

[rogerzilla]

Stiffness isn't just about making it good to ride and avoiding ghost shifts/brake rub. It's also about avoiding fatigue failures by limiting strain. Aluminium frames aren't super-stiff because riders wanted stiffer frames; they are stiff to protect themselves from cracking.

Ti may have a theoretical fatigue limit but a skinny, whippy Ti frame will still have a short life, especially where weakened at the welds.

 

[berlinonaut]

Helix have done a full Titatium folder, but that was a scratch build jobby. Not sure if a homage Brommie can be achieved like this - for reasons already stated. As the Helix uses 24" wheels, and Brommies are 16", reckon a gap exists for a 20" titanium folder variant, which might prove a better overall compromise.

This gap has been closed already a while ago with the Burke 20" https://seattle-cycles.squarespace.com/products#burke20
They do btw. have a 16" version, too. However, both are far from being cheap. And their prices may lead to people that constantly complain about excessive Brompton prices changing their mind. Joke - probably that complaining about everything Brompton does oder doesn't has become second nature of some already and there's absolutly nothing to change that habit.

 

[Tenkaykev]

This gap has been closed already a while ago with the Burke 20" https://seattle-cycles.squarespace.com/products#burke20
They do btw. have a 16" version, too. However, both are far from being cheap. And their prices may lead to people that constantly complain about excessive Brompton prices changing their mind. Joke - probably that complaining about everything Brompton does oder doesn't has become second nature of some already and there's absolutly nothing to change that habit.

It’s the “ well it only used to cost twelve shillings “ mindset. When you realise what you’re getting for your money you realise what an absolute bargain a Brompton was and, to a slightly lesser extent, still is.
Some people are happy to spend several grand on a super duper carbon frame bike with trendy branding and a “ designed in “ Italy / USA sticker, but in reality manufactured in the Far East, and that’s fine.
All Brompton are doing is readjusting prices to reflect the true vale of a product that is built in one of the most expensive cities in the world, by employees who are being paid a fair wage. The resale value and the fact that people are willing to pay over list price reflects this reality.