Go to a race and what do you see? More alu and CF than Ti. Agree or disagree? That's what I see at my races anyway. Sorry, the Liquigas team used to ride a Bianchi with CF fork and seat stays with an alu main frame. My point was that even pros ride alu.
Ah, I see. So racing defines bicycling does it? Of course you see Aluminum and CF bikes: they're dead cheap to produce. Aluminum bikes are uber cheap to produce. That's got zip to do with popularity. It's got everything to do with racers wanting cheap bikes that won't hurt the pocket when the bike is crashed.
Pros? They ride what their sponsors produce. So? Ti is not cost effective for a race team or for the supplier of bikes to a race team. The price of Ti has gone way up in the last three years.
Now, if you'd care to look at riders other than racers, you'll see all kinds of Ti bikes out there.
Ah, I see. So racing defines bicycling does it? Of course you see Aluminum and CF bikes: they're dead cheap to produce. Aluminum bikes are uber cheap to produce. That's got zip to do with popularity. It's got everything to do with racers wanting cheap bikes that won't hurt the pocket when the bike is crashed.
Pros? They ride what their sponsors produce. So? Ti is not cost effective for a race team or for the supplier of bikes to a race team. The price of Ti has gone way up in the last three years.
Now, if you'd care to look at riders other than racers, you'll see all kinds of Ti bikes out there.
Look at the title of the thread. I'm pretty sure it says "Racing titanium". That's why I referred to RACING.
Yes, it's possible he was referring to Al parts on a Ti frame, but no mention was made of Al interacting: "...Ti carrodes but youll find that modern Ti manufacturers have come up with ways to Get around this..."
Let's try to keep the snake oil barkers from taking over the show, eh?
If someone has a Ti anything and doesn't know that, he/she deserves what they get (Ti-Al interaction). But thanks for that helpful household hint.
If you must post in this forum try and keep your replies on the subject, and stop trying to disprove other people. It doesn't make you look smart. Readers will descide for themselves what information they think is relevant. Its all apart of growing up so dont worry youll learn.😄
Look at the title of the thread. I'm pretty sure it says "Racing titanium". That's why I referred to RACING.
Then you should have stuck to the topic instead of saying inane things like this:
rudycyclist said:
Ti has been out of "style" lately probably because carbon is coming down in price. I ride/race carbon and personally I like it a lot more than my aluminum bike. However, it was not a very high grade aluminum. I have heard that high grade aluminum can be very nice to race on. I know The Liquigas riders race on full aluminum bikes (Bianchi). I bet you could find some pretty cheap Ti bikes on ebay because they are on the "going out". Right now you see more alu and carbon than Ti. I'd highly recommend riding everything before buying though.
Clearly, you don't understand why frames are made of whatever. And your "style" comment has zippo to do with racing. Ti is "going out?" Wow. You lead a rich fantasy life, and clearly you don't know what you're talking about.
"Out of style?" How do you figure? Moots is producing frames at capacity. Lynskey is back in business. Serotta is just as popular as ever, as is Seven. Indpendent Fab. is busy. All these makers are pumpin' out Ti bikes, even with the increase in the cost of Ti.
Apparently Ti's not as "out of style" as you claim. For the record, Liquigas is on Cannondale bikes, this year. Some will be riding System Six bikes, some will be riding Synapse frames. Neither are full aluminum. You should check your facts.
Maybe he meant 'out of reach' for most us - at least the descent brands. Pricing seems to be the factor why most people shy away from ti given the many excellent options there are for CF and Al frames.
Maybe he meant 'out of reach' for most us - at least the descent brands. Pricing seems to be the factor why most people shy away from ti given the many excellent options there are for CF and Al frames.
No doubt: Ti is expensive. It's the most expensive material from which to make bikes. However, Ti is still in great demand as evidenced by all the busy Ti bike makers.
Someone would be hard-pressed to give a reason for racing crits on an expensive frame, given how cheap it is to pick up a Giant OCR or a CAAD4,5,6....and so on.
My next bike will be Titanium or Steel and it will be raced, trained on, commuted etc.
The cost is justifiable if you consider the lifetime that people get from their quality Ti frames. It is only money afterall, a nice Ti frame is the fraction of the cost of a car (here in AU at least), will do its job as long as I would intend to own a car and would actually be a beautiful thing to look at and ride.
If I get to a point that a quality Ti bike is slowing me down in racing, I will be fast enough for a sponsor to give me a bike. 😉
A person I ride with has just retired his 15 year old litespeed roadie (mega mega k's of training, commuting daily and racing) for a new one. His son rides it now.
Someone would be hard-pressed to give a reason for racing crits on an expensive frame, given how cheap it is to pick up a Giant OCR or a CAAD4,5,6....and so on.
Because they have one to race. 😄
My biggest concern in a crash is me. A few weeks off work would cost me a new Ti frame. I see alot of carbon and alloy big dollar bikes being raced every weekend. Why be scared of crashing your bike?
Old people play lawn bowls for a reason.....very low crash risk. 😄
No doubt: Ti is expensive. It's the most expensive material from which to make bikes. However, Ti is still in great demand as evidenced by all the busy Ti bike makers.
Someone would be hard-pressed to give a reason for racing crits on an expensive frame, given how cheap it is to pick up a Giant OCR or a CAAD4,5,6....and so on.
There's demand but not so much as to drive down prices. Having said that, I don't see how Ti frame manufacture can be simplified to how one manufactures AL or CF. On the other hand I think CF frames should now be as cheap as AL frames considering that it can be semi-automated (you really dont need an experienced artisan unlike ti). The Fareast CF industry seems to be booming coz of this.
My biggest concern in a crash is me. A few weeks off work would cost me a new Ti frame. I see alot of carbon and alloy big dollar bikes being raced every weekend. Why be scared of crashing your bike?
Old people play lawn bowls for a reason.....very low crash risk. 😄
In my 18 years since I took to serious cycling, I can remember crashing only twice - once during a criterium (high speed wheel overlap ouch!) and once during a recreational ride when my front tire caught on an embankment (slow speed though). My riding includes all sorts - training, recreational and racing (mtb, road & tri).
On the other hand, a riding mate seems to crash everytime we go on recreational rides. I must be very lucky.
In my 18 years since I took to serious cycling, I can remember crashing only twice - once during a criterium (high speed wheel overlap ouch!) and once during a recreational ride when my front tire caught on an embankment (slow speed though). My riding includes all sorts - training, recreational and racing (mtb, road & tri).
On the other hand, a riding mate seems to crash everytime we go on recreational rides. I must be very lucky.
If you must post in this forum try and keep your replies on the subject, and stop trying to disprove other people. It doesn't make you look smart. Readers will descide for themselves what information they think is relevant. Its all apart of growing up so dont worry youll learn.😄
Hey Mr. 75 Posts, I'll 'disprove' anyone that needs it, and I'll do it with the facts. Whether you like it or not makes no difference.
That is an interesting way to look at things. Have you ever heard of bike control, paying atention, and anticipation?
Yes there are several crashes on bunch sprint finishes but given the number of finishes there are, the crashes are quite rare. Particularly on dry days. Are all of the people in these bunches taking it easy, thus not trying hard enough.
PS interesting way to ask for a date, insult the person then ask them out.
There's demand but not so much as to drive down prices. Having said that, I don't see how Ti frame manufacture can be simplified to how one manufactures AL or CF. On the other hand I think CF frames should now be as cheap as AL frames considering that it can be semi-automated (you really dont need an experienced artisan unlike ti). The Fareast CF industry seems to be booming coz of this.
Some friends at my LBS said that airplanes are now being constructed from CF, therefore driving the price of CF up. I haven't seen too much of an increase if any, but that's just what i heard.
Sounds like the LBS guy's head is going soft over time. 🙄
Any well-built Ti frame will outlast any other frame material, all else being equal. Ask Mr. LBS what he does when he gets a gouge or crack in a CF. Then ask him the last time he saw a cracked or gouged Ti, other than on a poor weld.
=========================================================== I know a guy with a Colnago Bi Titano(look it up!) that one of the downtubes broke on. He know someone who is into Titanium work(aerospace) and they welded it for him. Just to let you know it happens.
=========================================================== I know a guy with a Colnago Bi Titano(look it up!) that one of the downtubes broke on. He know someone who is into Titanium work(aerospace) and they welded it for him. Just to let you know it happens.
Did the tube irself break, or was it just a bad weld? Crappy welds happen with Al and steel too, but that can't be blamed on the tube material.
Did the tube irself break, or was it just a bad weld? Crappy welds happen with Al and steel too, but that can't be blamed on the tube material.
------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was the tube - not the weld. Someone should teach Colnago a thing or two about building bikes....🙂
