Titanium Frame / Ti Frame Builders

it would be safe to say people usually sell their 'bike for life' before it fails

it would be safe to say people usually sell their 'bike for life' before it fails

True. Also, Ti bikes are further and fewer between, so maybe that's why we hear of less failures...

I think a lot of people who buy ti frames go for the custom option

of the frames I have seen sold most are stock ones

Have a goo at that, made by Bubblan from the forum here, reasonably priced for a custom Ti frame and I'd imagine he'd make you whatever shape you fancy... his company name is D.A.M.P have a gander and drop him a PM if you're into them!

I own three Ti frames.

I bought my first, a De Rosa Titanio, in 1999, and it has served me well for many different types of events, from the Tour of Flanders to the Marmotte, and still brings a smile to my face when I ride it. It has, however, dated with age as it has a 1" steerer and skinny tubes so looks it's age so I looked to replace it as my best bike last year after ten years of happy riding.

Last year I turned 40 so I wanted a new Ti frame for the next ten years and, 9 months before my birthday I began researching the frame I wanted. My friend Dan, the workshop manager at Sigma, and a confirmed Italophile like me, was advocating Seven as the one he had was a revelation and I was very tempted. The other brand I was considering was Nevi, after I'd seen their frames in the flesh at the GF Felice Gimondi start village and I was this close to ordering one when I stumbled across pictures taken at Eurobike of a frame from a maker I'd never heard of before called Paduano. I fell in love in an instant, and starting searching the web for feedback from Paduano owners. All I could find was tales of how hard it was to get hold of them, so I crafted an email in my poor Italian, got a friend to correct it and fired it off. I got a response in English within an hour (and this was done in the evening)! A conversation followed and I flew out to Italy in November 2008 to visit them and talk about what I wanted. 3 months later the frame arrived and, once it was built, I took it out for it's maiden ride. WOW! What a fucking beauty, stiff (it's stiffer than an aluminium frame I have), comfortable and so, so stable at speed it's got to be experienced to be believed. I rode the Etape on it last year, the first time I rode it in the mountains, and it's got to be the best bike I've ever descended on.

I think I what I'm getting at is this, work out your budget, do your research and find the frame you want.

I've also got a Ti cross frame, bought mainly because I thought Ti is the ideal frame material for cross as it'll not corrode and won't look shit after a year of use due to the paint getting battered.

I hate you Andy.

sounds very special, pictures please :) ^

One day I'll have a Merlin Cyrene, even if it's just to hang on the wall and admire the engraving.

I have 2 ti bikes and I have to say the ride on both is, as they say, "like a magic carpet". I have never ridden carbon, so can't compare, but they are in a different league to aluminium. I have a 531c bike too which is closer to the ti bikes but a little heavier and feels more flexy when climbing.
Ironically the nicest ride I had was a 1957 531 steel Flying Scot, even with the skinniest hardest tyres it was so smooth, but then the seat stays where as thin as pencils so it couldn't be abused.

The other plus is that I can't scratch the paint on the ti bikes!
Regards
Richard

titanium frames are rubbish

titanium frames are rubbish

A well thought out and considered opinion. Thanks for taking time out of your day to post that. /cnut

titanium frames are rubbish

This from an individual who has filed off one tooth from a 48 ring thinking it will give him a 47 ring..

This from an individual who has filed off one tooth from a 48 ring thinking it will give him a 47 ring..

Looking at all of his/her posts; i think it must be an alias. Taking into account current forum haters, perhaps it is that Ian bloke?

I have soul.. he's a troll.. 100%

ti is nice, i was addicted for a while spending all my money on ti trinkets and such like if you can afford it then yes... but for the money there's probably other things that do the job for less

at one point my entire bike collection was ti but these days i prefer a mix of materials, (steel ti and carbon) they all have their charm for me, my vote is indy fab (they make moots) or lynksy (they made litespeed)

I don't think there are really any downright bad Ti frame manufacturers (although you could probably screw yourself if you sent some dodgy geometry to xacd.)

I have a 2008 De Rosa Titanio, and it's luverly. Light and stiff enough, but oh so cosy. And it meets the important criterion of having the name of the bloke that made it on the down tube. I bought it through comobike, who are good people.

would it be safe to say that in terms of failure rate, ti is probably the longest lasting when compared to carbon, aluminium, steel?

doubt there are proper statistics on such things as it would depend on manufacturer and how well they keep records etc

In my limited experience I'd say that steel was probably the best in terms of failure rate, but at the price of a bit of weight. I don't personally think that aluminium is a very good material for bikes - I've had two aluminium frames fail on me through work hardening / stress fatigue - type fractures, and I wouldn't buy another one. Plus it's not at all comfortable on a longer ride.

@ Ivanskavinsky what brakes are you running on your Yukon? Are they just those trekko long reach jobbies?

@ Ivanskavinsky what brakes are you running on your Yukon? Are they just those trekko long reach jobbies?

Hey Gabe,
Not the Tektros these Shimano ones:
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Shimano-R650-57mm-Brakes/SHIMBRAR360

So far so great, stopped me falling off any Alps during Easter:-)

Ti FTW.

i love my ti frame to bits.

Burls does custom ti frames for a very good price, cheaper than any other ti frame manufacturer i could find.

Isn't Burls are generally plain gauge ti which is why they're cheaper?

yes.

Was just checking the Burls website, the fillet brazed steel version look pretty tasty.

I nearly bought a bargain beaut yesterday, but the Iatollah found out and slammed the financial door as only a wife can :-(

Sure you don't want a 56cm seven axiom?