what cost carbon???

[Old Ned]

OK, you've all discussed the relative merits of steel and carbon and where to save weight - but what about Titanium? The advantages of Steel (resiliance, repairable, long-lasting) and some of the advantages of Carbon (weight - not as light as carbon but lighter than steel, stiffness possibly). I've never ridden a Titanium bike but I know a lot of people who swear by them.

If anyone wants to sub me I'll do a comparison test over the next 5 years for you

 

[CTK]

I don't see the point of comparing bike weights- its frame weights that should be compared. & of course weight isn't everything.

I'm sure that a well made, dare I say hand made bike will feel better than a cheaper mass produced bike whatever the material.

My aluminium (shock horror!) Pesenti handles and feels better than any bike I've thrown a leg over.

 

[tonyf39]

Yeah, it's great that very nice retrobikes are very much affordable. I think VFM is fantastic, what else can give you so much pleasure for so little and still be worth what you paid for it 10 years down the line

 

[David B]

OK, you've all discussed the relative merits of steel and carbon and where to save weight - but what about Titanium? The advantages of Steel (resiliance, repairable, long-lasting) and some of the advantages of Carbon (weight - not as light as carbon but lighter than steel, stiffness possibly). I've never ridden a Titanium bike but I know a lot of people who swear by them.

If anyone wants to sub me I'll do a comparison test over the next 5 years for you

Never ridden a Ti bike but would love to give one a go (one of these days I will end up owning a Raleigh Timet R800, hopefully). As for your "comparison test" idea, really you need a bigger sample than just one rider to get a conclusive result. Anyone fancy subbing me as well?

David

 

[AndyPA]

Merlin gave me bikes to ride for a season,the road frame was the best I have ever ridden.It got battered every day as race bikes do and still looked new at the end of the season,that is the real upside to me with Ti
The downside is its very difficult to fabricate properly and hence expensive for a good one
A bike is only a bike with wheels and equipment so frame weights alone dont mean a lot in my mind.

 

[elquequiencom]

Well, under my impressions....
For aesthetic...the metal frame againts a composite frame it´s like forged iron esculpture againts a bronze...one is built and the other it´s out of a mold like a reflect...
As I can think too , it´s a chance that the human been feels more atraction to metals by plastics...
By the price....you can´t make comparation, you can buy a classic or very good metal frame for a carbon integrated handlebar...

Comfort of the steel or titanium, too much comfort in the titanium...(flexes) maybe the steel like aluminium not absorb vibrations at all...
In the range of wheight...I´m sorry you can´t make a comparation; I mount the bike for a client 60 size Cervelo R3 with Record 10v & Zipp 404 in 7 kgs......

Summarizing you have "new" metals that can compete with carbon frames in performance issues like Cinelli XCR or the french beast FKC...
& some racing titanium frames like some one from Moots & Litespeed..

ALSO you can see in a very good relationship between comfort, aesthetic, weight and price today some old carbon frames like Colnago C40 or a Look 96, or a Alan carbon........

Cheers.

 

[elquequiencom]

"...you can buy a classic or very good metal frame for a carbon integrated handlebar... (PRICE, sorry)"

 

[tonyf39]

If anyone wants to sub me I'll do a comparison test over the next 5 years for you

As for your "comparison test" idea, really you need a bigger sample than just one rider to get a conclusive result. Anyone fancy subbing me as well?
David

I can do a hire scheme if yer legs are long enough Not quite as the piccie but you'll not mind the replacements Apart from the saddle which I still can't get used to this is stiff & easy to ride. Just bought a 55T ring to see how fast I can get it down the nearby dual carriageway this summer..yay

 

[pondlife]

i have a couple of Ti bikes, i use a 02 Lemond Victoire as my daily roadie, it doesn't really flex but it does soak up all the bumps in a way that leaves
me always having to look at the rear tyre thinking its half flat, its sooo smooth. i'm about to mothball it for a bit of steel action, maybe i'll apretiate it more when im older