The World's Fattest Man with no bike! aka - find hippy a new bike aka - Just get ( fill in blank )

electric = di2

Benefit of Titanium is that you can get custom to your exact spec for very good value if you go the Chinese route. They'll build whatever you ask em to

Yeah endurance/gravel bikes tend to be short and tall headtube. That's one of the reasons I've liked the long and low Surly. Buy a Straggler :D

Down with e-bikes!

Friend of mine had one ages ago from XACD or whatever they were called and it snapped. You also have to be very careful specifying stuff - they will build exactly what you spec. and won't assume anything. If Ti appealed I'd probably go with Burls, I think Bike Whisperer has a relationship with them. But I just don't get the material. Steel, alu and carbon all work for me and Ti always seems like an expensive option for little benefit (if say looking at a Kinesis alu frame vs. their Ti ones).

Didn't what'shisface ride a Straggler SS around the world?

http://road.cc/content/review/112398-surly-straggler

They've come a long way since a few years back

Waltly couldn't have been more helpful / on it with detail during my frame build.

I agree there is a huge premium on buying a branded Ti frame over an alu version but going direct narrows that premium hugely.

594/393

Very similar to the 4S but I wanted capacity for bigger tyres than that. Cheap though, could throw it away after each race ;)

"Internal dynamo cable routing front and rear."

ooh

Awesome polished turd paint 👍👍👍

Looks like Upgrade/Kinesis will let me choose a different replacement frame if I pay the difference.

Mike raced a Ti Racelight GF? in IPWR
Jack raced a Ti Tripster ATR? during TABR
There's a much cheaper alu Tripster AT but it would require new rear wheel (142 x 12mm Thru-axle, new 12mm E-thru drop out hanger. Shimano direct mount hanger optional)
Athein Disc (https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Models/Clearance-Offers/Aithein-DISC)

Hmm

What wheel do you have currently? A few hubs can be converted by changing the end caps (Hope, DT Swiss, some Novatec, etc).

Actually, there's a dropout kit so it can do 135x9 or 142x12 so I should be ok.

ATR dropout kit
https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Components/Dropouts-Mech-Hangers/Tripster-ATR-Ti-V2

Doesn't look like the cheaper AT can do that:
https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Components/Dropouts-Mech-Hangers/Dropout-15

The Tripster is also way high... like another 20mm taller than my 4S which was already pretty tall.

Where there's a will there's a way.

Tho that does have a rather long wheelbase and slack headtube angle.

With the stem and bars like that, I think headtube angle would be the least of your handling worries

#internetbikefit :)

You can't let a piece of headtube tell you what to do.

I don't want head tube in the airflow unnecessarily. Won't somebody think of the aeroz.

I reckon the Tripster AT is looking good, maybe not for an ultra race bike but for a training bike and audax machine with potential to get onto rougher stuff with massive tyre clearances:
https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Models/Adventure/Tripster-AT

It's also about the same price as the busted 4S so should be easy warranty swap.

Might size down to the 55.5cm which would put it around the 4S size (10mm higher, 10mm shorter).

Which colour though? Arran Blue or that crazy fluro 'Seeon'?

I bet if I got the highviz paint I'd be victim of a SMIDSY on the first ride.

Oh, I guess it will take a band on FD but should I dabble with 1x for this or what? I already have FD and chainrings so is there any point in building up a 1x11? I think this frame will require a new rear wheel as well, since I don't have any Thru Axle rears.

When fluo is an option, it becomes the only option

I've never liked presenting an easy to see target to drivers. Most of my bikes tend to be dull colours, black if possible. I don't really like the blue though so I think I'm erring towards the lellow...

Just get the Ti. They ride nice and you getting old now.

#safetyblack

I’d go yellow but I don’t like the stripes on either.
I’ve got a 50t SRAM 110 narrow wide if you’re interested

Do you like gappy gears and faster chain wear? Then go 1x. I can't find anywhere if it takes band on FD, if so what diameter.

Get a Bitex 12x142 hub built onto the matching front (lightbicycle?) rim.

Lastly, your need for ugly is disturbing, I want to find out who the designer is and want to donate my eyes.

Also if anyone from Kinesis is reading this, fuck your inconsistent gaps between stack and reach between sizes.