Groasters

Before ordering a custom ti frame 10 years ago I rode bikes of steel, aluminium and carbon. All road bikes by the way.

The very first time I rode the ti frame (similar frame geometry and tyre spec as my other bikes) was quite memorable, and it reminded me of the first time I rode a handbuilt Reynolds 531 bike in the early 1980s after my gas pipe cheap steel frames.

I live down a gravel road and the sensation I got on that first ti ride was that it felt like the seatpost was made of some sort of well-damped springy plastic, so improved (or maybe just "different") was the damping of the vibration from the gravel road. I immediately checked the pressure of the rear tyre. Quite unexpected, a mild shock, to be honest.

I got used to it, in time, of course, but for me, using a sample of one, riding a good quality custom ti frame for the first time, the "magic carpet ride" myth seemed to be true, at least up to a point.

I'd love to test a ti superbike (aka expensive bike) to see if I can detect a difference but to be honest even if it rode the same, they are objects of such exquisite beauty that I would gladly pay the big money for one. Money which I don't have, I have to say!!

My guess is that the ride quality wouldn't be any more magic than my own, assuming the geometry and wheels/tyres were equal. But that's not really the point of these ti superbikes, I think.