DrDyno

I finally found a Ti bike to round out my N+1. It joins my CF Focus, my steel Bottecchia and my aluminum Dynamic Synergy. And... WOW, the ride is considerably smoother than any of them. I took it out for its first 20-miler, yesterday, and ruts and bumps I used to cringe over passed underneath mostly unnoticed. Some I actually had to look for to be sure I passed over them. I am now a believer!

The frame is a "Quiring," created by Michigan frame builder Scott Quiring. The controls and associated parts are Ultegra and, most interesting, the rear stays are Carbon Fiber. I contacted Scott to be sure the mating of the titanium to CF was not a cause for concern and he assured me it was all good.

Cypress

Nice!

Now rotate those bars down...my wrists hurt just looking at them

TrojanHorse

That's basically a CF bike, how can you draw conclusions as to the ride properties of Ti with that thing?

Gconan

The main triangle is Titanium, so it is basically a Titanium bike, with Carbon fiber stays.

DrDyno

That "thing?" Thanks for the support.

In answer to your question, some of the manufacturers that combine CF into their Titanium bikes are:

Colnago (CT2)
K. Bedford Customs
Dean Bikes (Exogrid)
Seven Cycles (Ti / Carbon Hardtail)
Litespeed (Unicoi)
and, of course, Quiring Cycles

downhillmaster

I believe that Serotta also used to make some very nice Ti/CF frames that still fetch a pretty penny on the used market.

downhillmaster

How about the plethora of steel and aluminum framed bikes on the road today with CF forks.
Can’t draw any conclusions there either?

indyfabz

eduskator

Yep, weird fitting indeed. Not wrist-friendly.

jadocs

Nice bike OP!

datlas 

Ti is fly.

But the truth is, how a bike "feels" and "handles" matters very little on the frame material. Frame geometry/fit/tires and especially tire INFLATION all matter more IMO.

That's not to say that identical setups with Ti/Al/CF/Steel/Bamboo/etc. will feel identical. There are certainly nuances to each material. But it's modest and certainly over-rated.

MoAlpha

Yeah, I have a Ti bike, which I like very much, but I haven't reached any particularly exalted plane of understanding. It rides like a CX bike with 36mm tires, right now.

The up-tilted bars suggest to me that the frame doesn't fit, the stem is too long (been there), and/or or the OP doesn't really like standard road geometry.

indyfabz

Yeah. Look at the saddle. It's pushed (almost?) all the way forward.

chainwhip

Just picture same set-up with a zero setback seat post. Meh.

DrDyno

Whoa, you folks are plenty observant in the "bike fit" department! I'm an old guy, just passed my 74th birthday, and started road cycling about 13 months ago. So, you're right, I set up more for comfort than speed. The pictures, above, were taken after a hasty set up for my first ride. My other bikes are equipped with 40° stems which brings the bars higher and closer to me. Being anxious for my first ride, I flipped the Ritchey stem it came with to gain a few degrees of elevation and moved the seat forward to mimic the distance from the seat stay to hoods of my other bikes. Following is a picture of my Bottecchia with its 40° stem.

Regardless all that, my first ride on the Quiring was measurably smoother than my other bikes (aluminum, steel & CF), with the same tire pressure. I have to believe the Ti made the difference.

C'mon, I'm old!

chainwhip

Still got your sense of humor.
Ride on, brother!

chainwhip

Bottechia's top tube looks shorter to me.
Head tube as well.

MoAlpha

You are a good sport. Ride it safely for many years. The fit may work itself out as you get used to it.

CyclingFool95 

Ti is light no question. I went from an 87 Pinarello (Columbus SLX) to a Litespeed Classic (w/Kestrel EMS fork). Shaved off around 6 lbs (Chorus 11 carbon vs 8-speed Chorus aluminum doesnt hurt, nor does the Syncros Ti seatpost, or other special bits on the Litespeed), but I'm not sure it rides any smoother, and it definitely doesnt handle as nicely. At this point, it doesnt help that it went from a classic 32-spoked wheelset to Zondas, which are pretty stiff themselves. The Pinarello has Mavic Open SUP CDs on 32 spokes. Point being, it comes down to a good bit more than the frame alone. Doesnt matter though...

Adjust the fit so you're comfortable, and just get out and enjoy the ride.

indyfabz

I'm thinking of getting a custom ti frame.

Jack Tone 

This. New Cycling Plus (British bike mag) tests 5 different Ti bikes. Some were stiff, some rode smoothly.

MoAlpha

I hear Engin does a nice one and you can't go wrong with Cerakote®. Puréed peas and breast milk baby puke is a popular color these days, many people are saying.

79pmooney

I have two custom ti frames and 3 steel frames, one custom. All with steel forks. What I love about ti frames is that I can run good tires at old-school pressures and the ride is sublime. I don't have to drop the pressure to the level where all frames and wheels feel the same. 92/96 front/rear psi is excellent with Vittoria G+ tires. 104/100 for 25c. 106/110 for 23c (though I no longer run 23c; I may go back to them if I go sewups). (I weigh 150 pounds.)

Yes, at those pressures there is road feel. I like it. I run the same pressures on my steel bikes except a touch less on my winter./rain/city fix gear with its not so light tubing. My Mooney has a little more road feel, my Raleigh Competition less than the ti bikes. (None of my bikes have any damping save tires, seat padding (not much) and two layers of bar tape. All posts and stems are aluminum or ti and all bars are aluminum.)

Ben

indyfabz

Hataz gonna hate.

datlas 

I was thinking the same exact thing.