Titanium

Ryan Cooper

What kind of races are titanium bikes good for? How come there were no Litespeeds or Merlins in the Tour de France?

Catabolic_Jones

Go here for the full debate:

http://cyclingforums.com/t242982-bu...er-suckers.html

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It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.

artmichalek

The Postal team rode the time trials in the 1999 Tour de France on Litespeeds painted to look like Treks.

Magnus Backstedt won the 2004 Paris Roubaix on a Bianchi S9. It was the prototype version without the carbon seat stays. This is probably the kind of race that titanium frames are best suited for.

Eden

Don't know if its true, but I heard a rumor the neutral service bikes in the Tour are Litespeeds? of course I guess that doesn't necessarily mean that they are Ti either?

artmichalek

Possibly in the past. This year they were Scott CR1's.

bucfan471

not since then all Discovery/Postal bikes are OCLV carbon.

Hookyrider

Don't forget Lotto rode Litespeeds in 2004.

frusso

That’s why I love my Litespeed. When I’m participating in our locale races or our weekly group rides I’m usually the only one riding a Litespeed. I’ve also replaced the black seat post with a silver Dura Ace and with my Mavic Ksyrium SL, Nice

Hookyrider

I have two - Over here in the NL they are a Super-exotic. Kind of fun having grown adults asking premission to touch them

Bottom line I felt they were the most bang for my buck...

Lately though (especially for 05) most of the Tour Teams have had Carbon or Carbon/Al frames, I'd have to look through my GE Kicker magazine to see who had what, but one team was riding Carbon/Ti - Decathalon maybe. Ti-Triangle CF stays and fork, if memory serves.

it was nice to see Litspeed fire back with the new ultra light G-frame this year http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2006/road/ghisallo_.aspx
and these guys show that Ti is still lightweight - Carbon is just getting it's time in the spot light.
http://www.fairwheelbikes.com/gallery.html

HR

Las Montañas

The problem with titanium is that it simply does not give you the most bang for your buck. Why on earth would I want a Ti Litespeed that weighs in at 16.5lbs for $5000-6000 when I can get a carbon fiber Giant TCR at 15.5lbs for $2000-3000? Makes absolutely no sense to those who are aspiring racers without much scratch to throw around. Aka the high school, college, or recent collegiate graduates. Those are the guys who are going to be buying the bikes in the future.

Titanium manufacturers really messed up by not promoting Ti in the younger generation. If a younger racer never gets a chance to ride Ti when he is starting out or developing, he more than likely won't want to switch to it in the future. I for one will ride Al or C frames for the rest of my racing career.

Hookyrider

I guess this shows when I bought my bikes... a few years ago when Carbon wasn't where it is today... Ti was king, or at least still something that represented the most bang for the buck to me. My road machine weighs in right at 16 pounds, and my Hardtail MTB weighs only a little more than my old Bob Jackson 531C road machine (21.5lbs). I got incredible deals on both or I would have bought something else.


Truth be told if I were to buy a new bike today, it would have a significant amount of Carbon - much more than just the full carbon fork my present ride has.


Keep in mind with bike, what represented the most bang for the buck 4 to 6 years ago, will likely not "value" today. Or what today is hot will be in 5 years old hat, and not so hot. Technology and materials have made huge leaps, and will likely continue - especially for CF.


The other piece to bang for the buck boils down to what feels best for you, and it doesn’t matter what the bike is made of – if you think it rides like crap, is uncomfortable, or the geometry makes you think your going to crash out every time you wipe your nose – then it isn’t going to cut the mustard no matter what the marketing dept. says.

Also I believe if I had bought a CF bike in 2000 instead of my Tuscany, I’d be needing to replace, or would have replaced the bike already. I’m absolutely sure that at least 2 of the crashes I’ve been in would have totaled my road frame – but that’s only my speculation. As for the MTB I’ve had a couple of friends ruin Al frames from hard riding, and after 8 years, finally I’ve managed to chip some of that heinous yellow power coat on the BB on the Hiwassee.

Instead of debating the equivilant of "leg grippers rolled up or flat down" – go ride your bike mate and maybe you’ll be able to keep my wheel on the Kuetenberg if you don’t pop a fuse first.

BTW – Merry Christmas

HR