Titanium ????

[Ajax Bay]

"laterally stiff yet vertically compliant"
"this bike climbs like a monkey in a set of crampons, descends like a monkey in a set of crampons being dropped from a helicopter, handles corners like a prostitute, and accelerates like a particle in a particle accelerator that itself is just a tiny particle in a giant particle accelerator. Overall, the effect is like sitting in a caffe in a trendy Milan street while sipping a cappuccino and wearing fabulous clothes yet inexplicably traveling at or close to the speed of light. Pure Italian class."
Contributors to this thread might like this article: bikesnob-2008-dream-bike-shootout, - though regrettably, the shootout didn't include a bike with a frame made of titanium.

 

[Venod]

the shootout didn't include a bike with a frame made of titanium

If you want to drool over some Ti follow this link.

http://road.cc/content/feature/213004-terrific-titanium-14-loveliest-titanium-road-bikes-weve-ridden

 

[Ian H]

I have two Ti frames, fixed and gears. I put their rideability down to the design rather than the material. In fact I'm convinced that if someone made frames with identical measurements out of steel or any other material, and asked me to ride them blindfolded, I'd fall off.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

I have two Ti frames, fixed and gears.....

My fixed wheel bike was in my youth my go to bike, club runs, commute bike, even touring. I was much much fitter and healthier back then, these days I still use my fixed for commuting but that's all. It's 30 years old and I'm struggling now with the drop and reach to the bars, plus when I remove the BB a somewhat alarming amount of rust tumbles out so I am well aware that either 'it' or 'me' will at some time no longer be able to cope!

As and when I have to replace it I must admit I am in two minds as to how much I indulge and treat myself. If I keep to a budget then in steel I do quite like the Genesis Flyer, I can get just the 'fit' I need plus it takes guards and light luggage. But, I do have something of a desire for something custom in Titanium (based on my Van Nicholas Yukon), much more of an investment but I've not had a new bike in over 10 years and in short I want one; I don't deserve it but I don't care, I need it like I neeeeeeeeed chocolate....

 

[Alan O]

My fixed wheel bike was in my youth my go to bike, club runs, commute bike, even touring. I was much much fitter and healthier back then, these days I still use my fixed for commuting but that's all. It's 30 years old and I'm struggling now with the drop and reach to the bars, plus when I remove the BB a somewhat alarming amount of rust tumbles out so I am well aware that either 'it' or 'me' will at some time no longer be able to cope!
View attachment 401469

It would be a shame to have to part with such a beautiful looking bike. A shorter/higher stem perhaps? And don't worry about the rust until it starts showing through on the outside?

As and when I have to replace it I must admit I am in two minds as to how much I indulge and treat myself. If I keep to a budget then in steel I do quite like the Genesis Flyer, I can get just the 'fit' I need plus it takes guards and light luggage. But, I do have something of a desire for something custom in Titanium (based on my Van Nicholas Yukon), much more of an investment but I've not had a new bike in over 10 years and in short I want one; I don't deserve it but I don't care, I need it like I neeeeeeeeed chocolate....
View attachment 401467
View attachment 401468

I must disagree with you on this one - you *do* deserve a new bike

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

It would be a shame to have to part with such a beautiful looking bike. A shorter/higher stem perhaps...

I agree, I think it's a lovely bike, Dave Yates was the builder for Pearson back then. I have two, one set up as that red fixed and another in blue with gears shown below during the Kent Castle 100.

Before I used my Yukon for tours I used that red bike, my Yukon was in effect a frame swap, I used many of the components off the red 'Pearson' that I had used for Lejog, Channel to the Med', London to Paris and Corsica, the latter had the Campagnolo gears and TA chain set that all got transferred across.

Since that picture I've replaced the stem with another 1cm shorter, I can probably go another cm shorter in time. I confess I felt a sense of guilt talking about replacing it; I've just said 'sorry' to it as I cleaned it ready for my commute tomorrow

 

[Ian H]

As and when I have to replace it I must admit I am in two minds as to how much I indulge and treat myself.

I always thought of fixed-wheel as what you did with your old road frame. But long drop-outs fell out of fashion and usable frames were becoming older and rarer.

I was planning to ride the 2015 Paris-Brest on fixed. so decided to go for it and specify a new frame. Only one company seemed to want to supply proper road drop-outs, so they got the job (Qoroz, who appear to have ceased trading). Measurements were based on my comfortable old Omega, and the result rides very well.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

I always thought of fixed-wheel as what you did with your old road frame. But long drop-outs fell out of fashion and usable frames were becoming older and rarer.

I was planning to ride the 2015 Paris-Brest on fixed. so decided to go for it and specify a new frame. Only one company seemed to want to supply proper road drop-outs, so they got the job (Qoroz, who appear to have ceased trading). Measurements were based on my comfortable old Omega, and the result rides very well.

That's exactly what my fixed is, a traditional horizontal road drop out, works perfectly especially with guards as the wheel removal is easier than with a track drop out.

About ten years ago Van Nicholas did start using horizontal dropouts on the Yukon for a while for this reason as the 'fixed wheel' market was coming back into fashion and few bikes current at the time could take a fixed set up with full mudguards; the Pearson Touche had proved there was a demand for a bike that could offer both. Although I pushed for this amendment and for that very reason, Van Nicholas felt that the majority preferred a dropout that held the wheel in place more securely.

 

[GuyBoden]

Is it easy to weld Titanium?

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Is it easy to weld Titanium?
View attachment 401859

Titanium is arguably the opposite of easy to weld.

Enigma make their signature range here in the UK and often undertake repairs; Max and Joe are first class craftsmen, they rival any work I have seen; I worked there for three years and can assure you how fastidious they are. That looks like a failure at a common stress point, I would imagine that if they had the frame in their workshop they would suggest new stays-rear triangle, simply welding over that crack may not a long term fix.

 

[Soltydog]

Enigma make their signature range here in the UK and often undertake repairs; Max and Joe are first class craftsmen, they rival any work I have seen; I worked there for three years and can assure you how fastidious they are.

You'd have no hesitation in recommending them then? Top of my list for N+1 at the mo

 

[FishFright]

The various YMs are: Aluminium = 69 GPa, Titanium = 110 GPa and steel = 210 GPa. So if that's the physical characteristic 'behind a lot of the difference' either Al or steel should be 'better': Ti can't be; well not if amount of deflection is the issue.

When considering the options for frame material I think it's sensible to compare bikes/frames at a similar price point. One may pay more for the frame and accept poorer components (in this context wheels, tyres, seat post and bars) or vice versa. A titanium framed bike will bury more, proportionately, in the frame.

Quoting from the other (2016) thread: "as for its shock-absorption properties. Those are non-existent. A double-diamond frame bike is essentially an inflexible truss that does not absorb shock due to its shape. It cannot be distorted (not enough to soak up bumps in anyway), so that is a myth. Most shock absorption properties of bikes and tyres are a psychological by-product of the acoustic feedback from the bike/tyres." I'd be keen to hear someone explain why this isn't correct, and why. You'd think the cycle industry would have done research and shared it, explaining why some frame materials are better than others, and why. I have looked, but not successfully.
I think we're looking for properties affecting shock-attenuation (rather than absorption) btw (they may be the same) but particularly the damping effect on vibrations of different materials.

Really ? I'd like to see the peer reviewed literature on this one because it goes against what a frame builder / designer told me .

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

You'd have no hesitation in recommending them then? Top of my list for N+1 at the mo

There are quite a few Titanium brands worthy of consideration, Enigma are definitely one of them. Other brands popular and readily available in the UK worth considering are Genesis, J Guillem, Kinesis, Lynskey, Sabbath and Van Nicholas.

Although they are the most readily available there are plenty to choose from, brands like Baum, Boardman, Moots, Planet X, Ribble, Reilly, Spa, Varuu to name just a few!

 

[Soltydog]

There are quite a few Titanium brands worthy of consideration, Enigma are definitely one of them. Other brands popular and readily available in the UK worth considering are Genesis, J Guillem, Kinesis, Lynskey, Sabbath and Van Nicholas.

Although they are the most readily available there are plenty to choose from, brands like Baum, Boardman, Moots, Planet X, Ribble, Reilly, Spa, Varuu to name just a few!

At 6'5" I may be going bespoke. Some of the above mentioned brands are a little small on their sizing for me & the warranties on some are quite limited. One of the listed offers an 8 year warranty, but will only replace the bike once during that period, when you read the small print This will be a 'once' in a lifetime purchase for me, so would like a reassuring warranty & a UK company would be a bonus for me too

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

At 6'5" I may be going bespoke. Some of the above mentioned brands are a little small on their sizing for me & the warranties on some are quite limited. One of the listed offers an 8 year warranty, but will only replace the bike once during that period, when you read the small print This will be a 'once' in a lifetime purchase for me, so would like a reassuring warranty & a UK company would be a bonus for me too

At 6'5" yes that is probably near the limit for an off the peg frame-bike, each manufacturer should be able to advise if your bike fit will work on whatever model you may be considering. If the conclusion is that you do need to go custom then many of those I have listed will offer bespoke, even though they may not actively promote it. Of the popular brands I listed for a surcharge Van Nicholas and Enigma definitely do, as I imagine would Baum, Reilly, Spa and Varuu.

When they know what bike fit data they need to accommodate most will be able to show you how the custom design will match that 'fit' on a BikeCAD drawing, an example as below.