Doonbiker

Hi all,

Great to see so many folder enthusiasts, especially the new guys!

Can anyone recommend a few good folders that come w/ a titanium alloy rear triangle and front fork? I know the Brompton Superlight ones do. Any other?

bbmike

I'm curious, what would be a reason for wanting a titanium bike over aluminum one?

Doonbiker

You must obviously be referring to the price.

Hmm.. I guess you could say I haven't really found a bike that hits the sweet spot weight-wise, bbmike.

Also, was talking to a mechanic friend who told me that aluminium bikes aren't really lighter than steel ones, because they end up using a lot more material for the frame, to bring it structurally at par with a steel one. (He has the superb aluminium Vitesse folder, by the way. A true stunner in every sense, though the thick butted frame did put me off a bit. I like my top tube nice and narrow.)

Some of the Airnimal models are pretty light, but look a little flimsy for my 175 lbs.

So there it is. Help.

rhenning

Since money doesn't seem to be a problem call Bike Friday for a fully custom bike. They will make exactly what you desire. Roger

fietsbob

Len Rubin, crunching computers in Portland, and having fathered children
to take up his disposable income,
is probably still seeking Investors , like via Kickstarter,
for getting his UFB, Ultimate Folding Bike project past a Prototype..

an all Titanium Brompton.

https://www.ufbusa.com/Ultimate_Foldi...Home_Page.html,

BruceMetras

If you are trying duplicate a road bike that folds, an Airnimal will be hard to beat in ride quality vs weight .. with the rear elastomer, a Chameleon is more comfortable than most folders .. I weigh more than 175lbs and my Chameleon has had no structural problems through the years .. you can also make them very light (20lbs-ish).. a much cheaper option would be the Xootr/Swift.. that bike can be made light and rides very well ... a Pocket Rocket Pro .. and a Pacific Reach Racing (both running on 451's) will also fly and can also be made light..

ttakata73

Folding wise, all I know of is the Minimax Ti.
There's a new batch of carbon folders, but I can't find any reviews on them or the Minimax Ti.
If I had unlimited funds, I'd get a Seven Cycles minivelo with couplers, but that's more of a travel bike, not a real intermodal folder.

Doonbiker

Frankly, an aluminium road bike over $1200 is a little overpriced imo.

Still..

The Chameleon does come pretty close. My only consternation is that the elastomer might induce flexing later. (BruceMetras, may I ask how long have you had yours, and if you've faced this problem? She's a beauty, by the way.)

I've actually heard good things about the Minimax, but I'll wait for someone to post a ride-n'-tell.

Looks like yet another BikeFriday/Airnimal stand-off as of now.

Man, why isn't there a light(er)weight titanium version of the Dahon Dash P18? I'd have lapped it up by now.

Doonbiker

Actually, this gives me an idea for a fun new thread: Which bike (make and model) should get a titanium makeover?

bendembroski

I've always thought that the swift was begging for Ti bits. I wonder how noodley an all - Ti Swift would be.

invisiblehand

The Airnimal was a pretty good ride during a handful of test rides. The big issue is tire/tube availability. The Joey can actually fit ERTO 520 and 507 tires which makes things considerably better on that front. But last I checked the Joey only comes in one size whereas the Chameleon came in either two or three.

FWIW, I believe that titanium frames are roughly the same weight as aluminum frames; but have ride characteristics similar to steel frames.

There was a limited edition titanium Birdy.

Bike Friday will replace the steel seat mast with a titanium version which saves some weight. Although getting back to the weight difference between titanium and aluminum, when Bike Friday made a "Super" Pocket Rocket Pro prototype, I believe they made the seat mast out of aluminum because the aluminum piece was lighted than a similar titanium piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAjswy_xlN8

BruceMetras

I got the bike new over 5 years ago.. I'm on my fourth set of tires, so it has a few miles on it .. the rear triangle is pretty beefy .. I wouldn't expect abnormal flexing attributable to the elastomer implementation.. there are also different shore elastomers available to compensate for varying rider weights..

fwd-bwd

Mmm...Seven Cycles Mini... (drooling)
https://www.thaimtb.com/forum/viewtop...?f=70&t=107480

kraftwerk 

The good titanium folding bikes have not been made yet.