Why did Titanium not take off amongst Pros?
#76
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As I recall, Pinarello wouldn't let him keep any of his team bikes because he quit racing before the contract was up. Indurain asked his pals in the peleton for recommendations, and the decision came down to Colnago (steel) versus Cannondale (aluminum). He bought a Cannondale. I remember our Cannondale sales rep saying, "We'd have given him one if he'd asked!"
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#77
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I have heard 7 Cycles is pretty reasonable. I don’t know much about their frames.
Seven Cycles | Custom-Built Carbon, Titanium and Steel Bicycle Frames
Seven Cycles | Custom-Built Carbon, Titanium and Steel Bicycle Frames
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My bike is not painted. It's colored with Cerakote. Don't mind being in the minority, assuming you are even correct. (Big assumption there.) There is McDonald's for the masses.
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I think all new bike frames will be carbon fiber, at some point, once manufacturing costs come down. Cheaper, lighter, more versatile ... and really boring to ride. But efficient.
#83
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I looked up Cerakote. Seems to be big in the kitten community.
#84
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They're down, but I doubt they'll fall anymore than they already have. Still costs more than an entire walmart special. And probably would never clear CPSC or EN safety testing.
#85
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Never say never, but I don't see CF taking over the entry-level and big-box store bicycle market any time soon. Given need for durability and low cost, it's going to be steel and aluminum for the time being.
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I think bare titanium looks boring. Imagine if titanium were more popular… You would go out on a big group ride and six other people would have the same finish on their bikes.
I will take a nice paint job any day… Even if it is prone to scratching.
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#88
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I have heard 7 Cycles is pretty reasonable. I don’t know much about their frames.
Seven Cycles | Custom-Built Carbon, Titanium and Steel Bicycle Frames
Seven Cycles | Custom-Built Carbon, Titanium and Steel Bicycle Frames
#89
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I switched to Ti last November from Carbon. My P4 is now my secondary bike. The T2 with over 4000 miles on it so far is plenty snappy and soaks up irregularities better than my Carbon bike. It's also plenty fast.
#91
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I joke with them that Seven is the cost of the bike, but it’s pretty close to the mark.
#92
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Titanium bikes don’t have to be boring. My tandem has a silhouette of our local mountain range anodized onto it. My wife’s gravel bike just has some gold anodizing to go with the anodized aluminum bits. They’re personalized, but it didn’t require paint.
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It should go without saying that a comprehensively optimised carbon frame will perform better in every aspect, except durability, than a comprehensively optimised ti frame, and cost less.
Of course, YMMV when it comes to aesthetics, but there's no denying a mad ano job looks sweet AF, not to mention being an intrinsically awesome means of decoration.
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A group I used to ride with had multiple 7s in the bunch. One guy had a few issues with his and had to send it back to the factory. 7 paid for shipping both ways, and when you he extent of the problem became clear, replaced his frame with a new, more expensive model. Their price is high, but their customer service is top notch.
#95
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Folks like to talk about frame material like it's the only thing that matters, but the design is more important. Competent engineering utilises a material's strengths to deliver the desired properties in a structure.
It should go without saying that a comprehensively optimised carbon frame will perform better in every aspect, except durability, than a comprehensively optimised ti frame, and cost less.
It should go without saying that a comprehensively optimised carbon frame will perform better in every aspect, except durability, than a comprehensively optimised ti frame, and cost less.
There's a cost vs quantity tradeoff with carbon and ti, however. In high volume production, molded carbon frames are much cheaper per unit than titanium frames can be produced. In very low volumes (i.e. custom bikes), I think it's cheaper to produce an optimized titanium frame than a carbon one. Certainly our custom ti tandem cost thousands of dollars less than a custom carbon tandem would have, without giving up anything on weight, stiffness, or features. For single bikes frames, $3-4k seems like the going rate for custom ti, while custom carbon is more like $4-5k.
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A group I used to ride with had multiple 7s in the bunch. One guy had a few issues with his and had to send it back to the factory. 7 paid for shipping both ways, and when you he extent of the problem became clear, replaced his frame with a new, more expensive model. Their price is high, but their customer service is top notch.
Literally everyone I know who rides one would cut a throat for it.
Tilford's take was pretty much what you see here: durability and quality. Titanium for Cycling | Steve Tilford
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Ti can be a good value, especially considering the durability. Was looking at gravel bikes last winter. $3300 for a handmade USA Ti bike with 105 hydraulics... or a chinese slave labor Salsas Warbird with paint that will scratch and chip for $3400 from LBS. It's kind of a no brainer.
Last edited by Menel; 08-23-19 at 12:15 PM.
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#98
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I see a lot of Sevens on the road as the shop that I do most of my group riding out of is owned by one of the founders. They are gorgeous and completely custom though I think that they now offer some frames in stock sizes as well. I haven't talked with an owner that was unhappy with their frame in any way, you can literally spec it exactly how you want it. I believe the frames, without fork, start around $4k depending on the level of butting and options that you choose. It's a bit out of my range right now but someday want to get one.
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