I ride Titanium Genesis, steel Condor and Genesis and a CAAD.. I prefer the feel on the road 😊 I’ve had carbon bikes in the past and no longer own any. Pete
I have a Giant Contend SL1 Aluxx, Titan racing Valerian full carbon aero, and a Dolan ADX Ultegra titanium rim brakes. Carbon bike is a trophy bike, too stiff, I hardly ride. Contend is my 'speed' bike. The titanium is my long haul 170km+ bike. I never worry about paint: it doesn't have, I don't worry about scratches doesn't scratch. And it the most comfy bike frame. Short distances u won't c difference. But long distances titanium rules.
After years of steel and aluminum bikes and one CF, I bought an old Litespeed frame and built it up. Love it. I still enjoy the particular characteristics of the others (N+1 over lots of time, baby). But the Ti is oddly special. If I get another new frame at some point I’ll be leaning that way.
Yes. It is. "Oddly special". I will say that steel remains my favorite 'feel' in a material, especially when it is custom built like my Curtlo, but Ti is calling my name for the future.
I own an old custom US made Turner FS. Made with US made Easton Ultralite just like my US made Rock Lobster. Both still going strong after being beaten for 20 some odd years. Would I pay for one of Turner's Asian made bikes? I'd no longer support my fellow citizens and wouldn't KNOW who built it shake their hands. No freakin way, but there's no point as long as mine still functions anyways.
I just ordered a rielly fusion for road from research and reviews i should have no issues with keeping up with the group ride and just one pound heavier than my canyon endurace i can live with having a different bike than everyone else
Completely agree. I have steel and aluminum also. I like all of them, but none compare titanium. Don't have to be careful about paint either. Have a Lynskey cooper cx. They don't make that model anymore but it's been great for many things.
I have a titanium framed commuter ebike from Watt Wagons, and love it. I'm now considering adding a titanium handlebar. I'd love to have a titanium road bike, but I can't justify replacing my Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0, which is a better bike than I'll ever be as a rider.
Here is a big thing with metal bike as opposed to carbon: one can't really prototype a carbon bike, the moulds are just too expressive. But with metal, prototyping is easy. This means fewer flawed models get produced. After 30 years on carbon i switched to aluminium this summer out of curiosity. Have now sold all my carbon bikes. Next step is probably a ti frame, mainly for the pure art of the welds. Probably Enigma or Riely. Expensive but genuine craftsmanship.
Companies definitely prototype carbon frames😂 *My Seven is a relic that's never coming off my trainer. The mass majority of modern bikes that are half the price(not even factoring inflation) are better bikes
In the bike shop, we $hitcan broken plastic frames on a regular basis. They're easily damaged in a small crash or mere get off. My buddy's plastic wonder gravel bike busted the top tube, merely falling over on a mail box (just right) after he was only able to take a test ride! Plastic junk is often so cheaply made, a new frame is cheaper than a repair. You wouldn't believe what a new 'high end' frame costs to produce in Asia. Brand new plastic bikes are a constant source of warranties, recalls, therefore JOB SECURITY we're rarely well compensated for. In 8 years in the bike industry, Ive seen far more plastic frames relegated to the dumpster than metal ones. In 50 years wrenching racing and hardcore riding I haven't seen this many metal frames trashed beyond repair. Ironic considering how strong carbon is 'supposed to be'. Ignore marketing BS. Think FOR YOURSELF. There's the key! It's the carbon failure mode that few seem to be able to comprehend! Ive also helped build carbon aerospace components during my career. I'm a retired machinist and mechanical inspector. Nobodys fooling me. We were required to work with quality assurance (QA) procedures. Human life also relies upon bicycles. Believe it or not. Whatever you buy, assemble it yourself (disassemble a built up bike) or hire a real professional to do it. Asian manufacturing provides me with job security every freakin day🤑BUT FIRST, demand frame machining and prep, THEN alignment on a frame table BEFORE you ever take possession. Demand it's done in your presence, before the final payment. This will weed out all sorts of the fakers. Learn how quality is proven. Its NEVER assumed, I can assure you. I can take practically any production bike out of a box and find several assembly errors or quality issues. That inspection sticker means very little. A child or a monkey could have put it there. I'm still finding stickers in odd places around my house after my daughter moved out over 10 years ago. I'm going to give my new granddaughter a bunch of stickers soon! I can buy modern carbon bike junk at or below cost. I'm not losing sleep, lusting or drooling over any of it. I ride several decades old bikes. I pay full price or trade services with my metal frame building riding buddies. I've built lots of their tools and jigs. Nobody's fooling me! I'm now learning to braze, TIG weld and I'm buying equipment to DIY. If I don't like the frame I've built, a set of steel tubes is relatively affordable . So I build another..... This is a much cheaper hobby than my 4wd rock crawler! But eventually I always get EXACTLY what I wanted!
@@veganpotterthevegan Some of us have different ideas what qualifies as acceptable quality and how it's proven. I've learned to never trust anyone building stuff in Asia besides the Japanese. All these frame prep and inspection procedures ENSURE your bike functions properly and its bearings will function correctly and last as long as possible. But they probably dont teach that in schools any longer, much less a bike shop. I work in one of the most expensive zip codes in the US. Folks literally have money to burn here. We don't work cheap and we never ever discount labor. That's unprofessional. In my shop there's well over 100 years wrenching experience in our tech department. Myself, a retired high reliability aerospace and medical device machinist and mechanical inspector, our boss, a former Pro Tour mechanic and a part time mechanical engineer. We all agree QC in the larger bike industry is an overpriced, inconvenient joke. Mere lip service. But this is OUR job security.
Love my Seven and I put 200k miles on it. But outside of NEEDING custom geometry, there's really no reason to get a titanium bike in 2023 and the future. It's on lifetime trainer duty now. Replaced with a $5k Domane that's better in every way, despite only being about 40% of the cost of that Seven
That is much more how the material is used than the material itself. I have ridden Ti bikes that were very stiff beasts and carbon bikes that ride very nicely. For instance, the carbon Giant Revolt has a rep for being very smooth riding. gg
People buy titanium because they bought wrong carbon bikes usually the extremely cheap ones and the extremely high end World Tour level frames. The high end level ones are usually too stiff for a lot of people whilst the extremely cheaply made ones have more resin than CF and that makes the ride quality harsh. I find the middle ones my favourite. Or, they bought aluminium and we all know how bone jarring most aluminium bikes ride.
No carbon for me - keeping my Litespeed Titanium forever, love it! Made in the USA!
I ride Lynskey helix, Lynskey pro gravel, and still have an original Merlin from 1989 that I bought new back then. As a fellow old guy, TI is amazing!
I ride Titanium Genesis, steel Condor and Genesis and a CAAD.. I prefer the feel on the road 😊 I’ve had carbon bikes in the past and no longer own any. Pete
I have a WHY cycles R+. For about 2+ years and close to 7,000 miles.
I don't think I'll ever ride anything else!
I have a Giant Contend SL1 Aluxx, Titan racing Valerian full carbon aero, and a Dolan ADX Ultegra titanium rim brakes. Carbon bike is a trophy bike, too stiff, I hardly ride. Contend is my 'speed' bike. The titanium is my long haul 170km+ bike. I never worry about paint: it doesn't have, I don't worry about scratches doesn't scratch. And it the most comfy bike frame. Short distances u won't c difference. But long distances titanium rules.
After years of steel and aluminum bikes and one CF, I bought an old Litespeed frame and built it up. Love it. I still enjoy the particular characteristics of the others (N+1 over lots of time, baby). But the Ti is oddly special. If I get another new frame at some point I’ll be leaning that way.
Yes. It is. "Oddly special". I will say that steel remains my favorite 'feel' in a material, especially when it is custom built like my Curtlo, but Ti is calling my name for the future.
BEAUTIFUL Turner bike there 👍😎💯
I own an old custom US made Turner FS. Made with US made Easton Ultralite just like my US made Rock Lobster. Both still going strong after being beaten for 20 some odd years. Would I pay for one of Turner's Asian made bikes? I'd no longer support my fellow citizens and wouldn't KNOW who built it shake their hands. No freakin way, but there's no point as long as mine still functions anyways.
I just ordered a rielly fusion for road from research and reviews i should have no issues with keeping up with the group ride and just one pound heavier than my canyon endurace i can live with having a different bike than everyone else
Completely agree. I have steel and aluminum also. I like all of them, but none compare titanium. Don't have to be careful about paint
either. Have a Lynskey cooper cx.
They don't make that model
anymore but it's been great for many things.
I have almost 5400 miles on my Lynskey GR250. Not one single complaint. I might make it into a 650b Rando bike or something. Not sure yet.
gg
Im loving my Kona Rove Ti.
And Kona seems to be rising from the ashes.
gg
I have a titanium framed commuter ebike from Watt Wagons, and love it. I'm now considering adding a titanium handlebar.
I'd love to have a titanium road bike, but I can't justify replacing my Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0, which is a better bike than I'll ever be as a rider.
Watt Wagon! Never heard of that but what a great name!
Great to hear. I emailed Wattswagon but they never responded. Are they still in business? How do you like the bike?
WattsWagon is in the Process of closing down. @@RussellHogan
Here is a big thing with metal bike as opposed to carbon: one can't really prototype a carbon bike, the moulds are just too expressive. But with metal, prototyping is easy. This means fewer flawed models get produced. After 30 years on carbon i switched to aluminium this summer out of curiosity. Have now sold all my carbon bikes. Next step is probably a ti frame, mainly for the pure art of the welds. Probably Enigma or Riely. Expensive but genuine craftsmanship.
Companies definitely prototype carbon frames😂 *My Seven is a relic that's never coming off my trainer. The mass majority of modern bikes that are half the price(not even factoring inflation) are better bikes
In the bike shop, we $hitcan broken plastic frames on a regular basis. They're easily damaged in a small crash or mere get off. My buddy's plastic wonder gravel bike busted the top tube, merely falling over on a mail box (just right) after he was only able to take a test ride! Plastic junk is often so cheaply made, a new frame is cheaper than a repair. You wouldn't believe what a new 'high end' frame costs to produce in Asia. Brand new plastic bikes are a constant source of warranties, recalls, therefore JOB SECURITY we're rarely well compensated for.
In 8 years in the bike industry, Ive seen far more plastic frames relegated to the dumpster than metal ones. In 50 years wrenching racing and hardcore riding I haven't seen this many metal frames trashed beyond repair. Ironic considering how strong carbon is 'supposed to be'. Ignore marketing BS. Think FOR YOURSELF. There's the key!
It's the carbon failure mode that few seem to be able to comprehend!
Ive also helped build carbon aerospace components during my career. I'm a retired machinist and mechanical inspector. Nobodys fooling me. We were required to work with quality assurance (QA) procedures. Human life also relies upon bicycles. Believe it or not.
Whatever you buy, assemble it yourself (disassemble a built up bike) or hire a real professional to do it. Asian manufacturing provides me with job security every freakin day🤑BUT FIRST, demand frame machining and prep, THEN alignment on a frame table BEFORE you ever take possession. Demand it's done in your presence, before the final payment. This will weed out all sorts of the fakers. Learn how quality is proven. Its NEVER assumed, I can assure you. I can take practically any production bike out of a box and find several assembly errors or quality issues. That inspection sticker means very little. A child or a monkey could have put it there. I'm still finding stickers in odd places around my house after my daughter moved out over 10 years ago. I'm going to give my new granddaughter a bunch of stickers soon!
I can buy modern carbon bike junk at or below cost. I'm not losing sleep, lusting or drooling over any of it. I ride several decades old bikes. I pay full price or trade services with my metal frame building riding buddies. I've built lots of their tools and jigs.
Nobody's fooling me!
I'm now learning to braze, TIG weld and I'm buying equipment to DIY. If I don't like the frame I've built, a set of steel tubes is relatively affordable . So I build another..... This is a much cheaper hobby than my 4wd rock crawler! But eventually I always get EXACTLY what I wanted!
@rollinrat4850 I was in the industry for almost 20yrs and that BS never came into my mind🤡
@@veganpotterthevegan Some of us have different ideas what qualifies as acceptable quality and how it's proven. I've learned to never trust anyone building stuff in Asia besides the Japanese.
All these frame prep and inspection procedures ENSURE your bike functions properly and its bearings will function correctly and last as long as possible. But they probably dont teach that in schools any longer, much
less a bike shop.
I work in one of the most expensive zip codes in the US. Folks literally have money to burn here. We don't work cheap and we never ever discount labor. That's unprofessional.
In my shop there's well over 100 years wrenching experience in our tech department. Myself, a retired high reliability aerospace and medical device machinist and mechanical inspector, our boss, a former Pro Tour mechanic and a part time mechanical engineer. We all agree QC in the larger bike industry is an overpriced, inconvenient joke. Mere lip service. But this is OUR job security.
@rollinrat4850 I work in Deer Valley, Utah. So what? Asia has a range of QC throughout, and that's true in the US too.
I had oportunity to have Focus Cayo carbon bike, and in the same time titanium bike, easy to compare, and Titanium was more rigid and easier to ride.
Love my Seven and I put 200k miles on it. But outside of NEEDING custom geometry, there's really no reason to get a titanium bike in 2023 and the future. It's on lifetime trainer duty now. Replaced with a $5k Domane that's better in every way, despite only being about 40% of the cost of that Seven
How about comfort? Would you say titanium is more comfortable than carbon for gravel bikes?
That is much more how the material is used than the material itself. I have ridden Ti bikes that were very stiff beasts and carbon bikes that ride very nicely. For instance, the carbon Giant Revolt has a rep for being very smooth riding.
gg
People buy titanium because they bought wrong carbon bikes usually the extremely cheap ones and the extremely high end World Tour level frames.
The high end level ones are usually too stiff for a lot of people whilst the extremely cheaply made ones have more resin than CF and that makes the ride quality harsh.
I find the middle ones my favourite.
Or, they bought aluminium and we all know how bone jarring most aluminium bikes ride.
PS modern alu bikes aren’t as harsh anymore. I rode the latest Spesh Allez Sprint and it felt like a few generations back kind of good carbon bikes 👍
@@ariffau That Allez Sprint would be a great choice for a 'fast ride day' bike if you had a quiver on a budget.
gg
Lite speed T1sl is King