79pmooney

I've had 2 custom ti frames built. First was essentially a ti version of a mid '80s Japanese sport bike. Fit has always been an issue for me and having a bike that is simply jump on comfortable with an ordinary stem and that is also as comfortable on rough stuff as a much more flexible steel frame but as stiff and fast as a modern oversized steel frame.

2nd bike is a fix gear with a purpose, to mimic the geometry and fun of a steel fix gear I put together from really cheap stuff. Most fun bike I have ever owned.

With steel you cannot do more than match two of the lighter, stiffer, more comfortable of ti (assuming both are done well - any material can be built badly). And pushing the tube diameter to get the weight down and stiffness up leads to steel tubes that are easily dented.

Edit: Oh, on builders, another: TiCycles in Portland. If you can convince Dave Levy you are serious and have done your homework, he'll build you anything. He has his trademark details but is not wedded to them if they compete with your vision. And yes, he knows titanium. He started 27?, 28? years ago, making him one of the very early ones. I saw his clean welds 1996.