GT Xizang vs Lightning - Differences

[d8mok]

At the time the Bi metal was done to provide a cheaper alternative to the full Ti version.

However … it proved more costly to produce and was pulled.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Indeed. The material itself wasn't that expensive, but there was a poor selection of suitable sized, suitable quality titanium tubes for chain and seatstays, and a lack of the skills and equipment to shape them to clear the fatter tyres and triple chainsets - requiring a costly investment in manufacturing processes, even if you could already weld titanium alloys adequately.

Remember those stories about Russian fuel pipes?

Quite a few early ti frames were too flexible, and this probably led to a higher than acceptable fatigue failure at the welds.

Now steel we'd already been building double triangle frames with for 100 years by 1986. Most problems had been ironed out, tube selection and fabrication skills were abundant.

 

[bikeworkshop]

... and over time many bi-metal frames gained a reputation for sudden failure - at the junction of the different materials.
They don't half look pretty though

 

[Oldtat]

Fascinating stuff this, why the forum is special.

 

[al-onestare]

Yes Jamie Lynn has one. It’s truly a lovely thing and very rare

And don’t forget the steel Xizang of 89. Complete with browning bits.

It should have won the Show and Shine. A tremendous build with the most eye-popping fluro I've ever seen on a bike.

 

[d8mok]

It should have won the Show and Shine. A tremendous build with the most eye-popping fluro I've ever seen on a bike.

Totally agree.

I guess its rarity is lost on many.

I think the story is more important than the bike to be able to place in the top 3

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

I've scaled 18" Xizangs and Lightnings at the exact same weight in the past.