Good News for Fans of Titanium
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Good News for Fans of Titanium
Hello all!
There may be significant change on the horizon for entry/mid-level bicycle frame manufacturing. Avanti Metal Company, in it's quest to develop a method for creating breathable oxygen on the moon, has discovered a process that can create liquid titanium at 1/10 the cost of current processes. It has the added advantage of creating only 1/100th the toxic byproducts.
Here's more information from Technology Review.
Freddy
There may be significant change on the horizon for entry/mid-level bicycle frame manufacturing. Avanti Metal Company, in it's quest to develop a method for creating breathable oxygen on the moon, has discovered a process that can create liquid titanium at 1/10 the cost of current processes. It has the added advantage of creating only 1/100th the toxic byproducts.
Here's more information from Technology Review.
Freddy
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Based on that article, the current material cost for Ti is $40/pound. Meaning that a typical Ti frame uses $120 worth of titanium. So if Ti prices drop to $24/pound, your Litespeed or Merlin might be discounted by $50...
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Is the cost of ti components/frames due to the difficulty in machining them/welding?
Think of the ti version of those pedals costing $50-100 more. This doesn't seem to be based on material cost, as much as manufacturing costs.
Think of the ti version of those pedals costing $50-100 more. This doesn't seem to be based on material cost, as much as manufacturing costs.
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Originally Posted by brianallan
Is the cost of ti components/frames due to the difficulty in machining them/welding?
Think of the ti version of those pedals costing $50-100 more. This doesn't seem to be based on material cost, as much as manufacturing costs.
Think of the ti version of those pedals costing $50-100 more. This doesn't seem to be based on material cost, as much as manufacturing costs.
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Yeah, but by the time this new technology is applied to the cycling industry, carbon is going to be more widely available. Or am I totally wrong?
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Nah. I'm waiting for Scotty to come back in time to reveal the molecular structure of transparent aluminum.
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Originally Posted by RatherBeBiking
Yeah, but by the time this new technology is applied to the cycling industry, carbon is going to be more widely available. Or am I totally wrong?
#12
Peloton Shelter Dog
Originally Posted by Phantoj
Based on that article, the current material cost for Ti is $40/pound. Meaning that a typical Ti frame uses $120 worth of titanium. So if Ti prices drop to $24/pound, your Litespeed or Merlin might be discounted by $50...
Exactly. Where's the 'good news'? According to these figures a Serotta Ti frame will go from $4000 to $3899....
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Originally Posted by mingsta
Thats good. I'd hate to see my Seven upstaged by new fangled Ti bikes costing 1/4 of the price!!!
umm can't you buy titanium frames now that are 1/4 the price of a steel seven?
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Merlin TR3/2.5
The only Grey Matter, Ride Ti, everything else is...just a toy
Merlin TR3/2.5
The only Grey Matter, Ride Ti, everything else is...just a toy
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