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-   -   Why did Titanium not take off amongst Pros? (https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=1181307)

pstock 08-16-19 08:47 AM

Why did Titanium not take off amongst Pros?
 
this thought just popped into my head recently.
It seems like Titanium frames are the hot ticket these days. even riders who are mainly riding modern carbon bikes drool over titanium it seems. and they sell for a significant premium over similar quality steel frames.

so then why did titanium never (as far as I know) become popular among pro riders (during the pre-carbon years).?

was there ever a pro team riding titanium frames?

DaveSSS 08-16-19 08:54 AM

Ti is not the hot ticket these days. Carbon fiber can be made stronger, lighter and cheaper. Although today's top of the line carbon frames are pricey, frames that match the weight of a Ti frame are now relatively cheap.

I've only owned one Ti frame, a Litespeed Ultimate with a bladed down tube. I thought the ride was too stiff. I didn't keep it long.

One other thing I noticed after coming back to cycling last year after an 8 year hiatus, is that what used to be the lightest frame from a big company like LOOK, was now the weight of a much cheaper frame, the 785 Huez. The pricey frame is quite a bit lighter - the 785 Huez RS.

cb400bill 08-16-19 08:55 AM

Many pros used Titanium in the 90s and early 00s. But it’s popularity was brief. The Carbon Fiber Wave took over.

Seattle Forrest 08-16-19 08:58 AM

lol wut

MoAlpha 08-16-19 09:11 AM

What, doctors and dentists aren't professionals?

johnny99 08-16-19 10:49 AM

Titanium was never popular with the manufacturers that sponsor pro bike teams

noodle soup 08-16-19 11:04 AM


Originally Posted by cb400bill (Post 21078192)
Many pros used Titanium in the 90s and early 00s. But it’s popularity was brief. The Carbon Fiber Wave took over.

Many of those pros had them painted to look like the steel frameset from their team's sponser, but they were usually made by Merlin or Litespeed.

Steve B. 08-16-19 11:58 AM

Too expensive to build, not many manufacturers could afford to help sponsor a team, plus the team sponsors had to paint the frames from XX manufacturer to look like steel manufacturer YY. Then carbon took off.

indyfabz 08-16-19 12:27 PM


Originally Posted by MoAlpha (Post 21078210)
What, doctors and dentists aren't professionals?

You left out lawyers. Still, you win Bikeforums for today.

indyfabz 08-16-19 12:28 PM

Anyone want to see a rare photo of my ti bike? :D

ksryder 08-16-19 12:29 PM


Originally Posted by indyfabz (Post 21078519)
You left out lawyers. Still, you win Bikeforums for today.

To be fair I'm frequently unprofessional.

brianmcg123 08-16-19 12:30 PM

It did in the 90s, before carbon came in. The big killer was when titanium prices skyrocketed. That made it a no brainer for bike companies to go to carbon. A lot cheaper to manufacture.

Plus, it’s not a good business model to make bikes that “last forever”, as titanium seems to do.

indyfabz 08-16-19 12:31 PM


Originally Posted by ksryder (Post 21078525)
To be fair I'm frequently unprofessional.

Same here. I am wearing shorts in the office.

ksryder 08-16-19 12:32 PM


Originally Posted by indyfabz (Post 21078533)
Same here. I am wearing shorts in the office.

That's nothing, I'm wasting government time on some silly internet bike forum!

MoAlpha 08-16-19 12:32 PM


Originally Posted by indyfabz (Post 21078519)
You left out lawyers. Still, you win Bikeforums for today.

Sorry, I realized that the moment I saw your "like." Why don't you post a pic or something.

We're 2 for 2 on the docs I'm aware of, but I haven't seen anyone here cop to being a dentist.

tagaproject6 08-16-19 12:34 PM


Originally Posted by indyfabz (Post 21078524)
Anyone want to see a rare photo of my ti bike? :D

You are horrible...funny, but still, horrible! :roflmao2::innocent:

WhyFi 08-16-19 12:38 PM


Originally Posted by indyfabz (Post 21078524)
Anyone want to see a rare photo of my ti bike? :D

You have a Ti bike?! What are you, a professional?

MoAlpha 08-16-19 12:38 PM


Originally Posted by ksryder (Post 21078535)
That's nothing, I'm wasting government time on some silly internet bike forum!

I'm taking off my clothes in my government office in preparation to ride home at 1500 hrs on my Ti doctor bike.

WhyFi 08-16-19 12:39 PM


Originally Posted by MoAlpha (Post 21078537)
Sorry, I realized that the moment I saw your "like." Why don't you post a pic or something.

We're 2 for 2 on the docs I'm aware of, but I haven't seen anyone here cop to being a dentist.

Stoney hasn't been around in a while... can't remember what he's riding.

ksryder 08-16-19 12:39 PM


Originally Posted by MoAlpha (Post 21078554)
I'm wasting government time and taking off my clothes in my office in preparation to ride home at 1500 hrs on my Ti doctor bike.

The dentist that I ride with just bought two new carbon bikes, one road, one gravel, so I guess he's not riding his Ti bike anymore.

None of them are Cervelos, however, so I think they're going to yank his license.

indyfabz 08-16-19 12:49 PM


Originally Posted by MoAlpha (Post 21078537)
We're 2 for 2 on the docs I'm aware of, but I haven't seen anyone here cop to being a dentist.

I know a doctor and a dentist who had custom Serrotta tis. Both were built at the time when ti was really expensive.

JohnDThompson 08-16-19 01:14 PM

Titanium is expensive and requires specialized skills to work with. Carbon fiber is a much cheaper, lighter, and more versatile material.

MoAlpha 08-16-19 01:16 PM


Originally Posted by ksryder (Post 21078560)
The dentist that I ride with just bought two new carbon bikes, one road, one gravel, so I guess he's not riding his Ti bike anymore.

None of them are Cervelos, however, so I think they're going to yank his license.

Being a neurologist, I had to have a Cervélo, just for the name.

Banzai 08-16-19 01:46 PM

Really? I kind of feel like Ti is pretty dead. Fewer offerings on the market, and not a lot of widespread “bike lust” for it.

I personally know more people with bike lust for a new steel roadie than for Ti.

indyfabz 08-16-19 01:57 PM


Originally Posted by Banzai (Post 21078667)
Really? I kind of feel like Ti is pretty dead. Fewer offerings on the market, and not a lot of widespread “bike lust” for it.

We are a special breed. And there are enough offerings on the market if you know where to look.


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