[21pavone]

Two questions in one really.

I’m considering getting a titanium framed bike. It’s a big investment – for me anyway, especially as I’m a Yorkshireman – so I don’t just want to jump in, no matter how tempting it is.

Firstly, it’s easy to believe from short term tests in magazines or on websites that it’s a wonder material and that it’d be a good choice. But what about long term? Is it a keeper or would any foibles mean that I’d be looking to change to carbon or aluminium in a couple of years? Are there any possible stress points that I need to be aware of? I’ve seen a couple of examples that have suffered cracks, particularly round cable entry points.

Secondly, the frame I’m considering is a Kinesis GTD V2. It’s a relatively new version of the GTD so there may not be a great deal of opinions out there but some forum members may have experience of the previous model.

Thanks in advance for comments.

Topic

[Stratman]

I bought a second hand GFTi

I bought a second hand GFTi in 2017.  I’d seen it and decided that I couldn’t justify the cost for another bike, but then it was significantly reduced, so I succumbed.  I’d felt the ‘magic’ as soon as I tried it out.  I rode it very happily for a year, and then the down tube cracked by the cable entry port.  Kinesis sold me a replacement GTD at a decent discount, (the original wasn’t under warranty).  They also explained that they’d changed manufacturer between the GFTi and the GTD.

I’ve done 200k and 300k rides on it, and used it every weekday for 50mile round trip commutes pre lockdown.  It’s extremely comfortable, I’m not sure that it’s any more comfortable than my carbon Defy, but it does have the advantage of being able to take panniers on a rack, full mudguards and 28mm tyres.  I certainly find it more comfortable than my Equilibrium Disc (Reynolds 725). The GTD is my bike of choice for anything, and I miss it whenever it’s in for service.

[zeeridesbikes]

I’ve always seen a ti frame

I’ve always seen a ti frame as an object of desire and used the ‘magic’ material myth as an excuse to get one. I bought a ribble cgr ti as a multipurpose winter/commuter/tourer and overall I’m really happy with it.
 

Initially it was a bit clunky but once I swapped out the stock wheels for some dt swiss 1800 it trasnformed the ride. It’s now my perfect winter bike and im not sure why but it just feels lovely. I have a steel frame kona and a carbon best bike but even then it’s hard to say the material is what makes it so enjoyable to ride. Not had it long enough to comment on the longevity but when I look at it i have a smile on my face which stays with me when I’m riding it too. I’m also going out more in all weathers a lot more as im not worried about trashing it. 

[chaos]

I am lucky enough to run 3x

I am lucky enough to run 3x bikes: A Sirius Audax Reynolds 853 (Sirius went bust, but the bike lives on, and even after 21 years it is a joy). A Van Nicholas Amazon, a wonderful Ti frame which has toured so many miles without failing ever. And, a Lynskey 230, a truly wonderful Ti bike; the best I have ever ridden. I did have a top-end carbon bike for 10 years, but after 2x frame failures (replaced under warranty) I have given up on carbon.

I usually average 4-5k miles per annum, but this year, funnily enough, I will hit 6k. 

For me, Titanium and steel are real.

 

 

[wtjs]

All these things are

All these things are anecdotal, and I’ve only had my Merlin (US Merlin) for 19 years- 23mm tyres, Ultegra 9 speed triple. Rather irrationally, I only take it out in good weather. I’ve only had my other ‘best bike ever’, the Vitus Substance steel 9 speed double, for a year but my comparison is that on rubbishy North Lancashire roads the titanium gives an equally comfortable ride on hard 23mm as the steel on 55-60 psi 37mm, and is about 4-5% faster.

[OnYerBike]

I definitely felt a

I definitely felt a significant difference when I upgraded the unbranded stock wheels on my bike to Mavic Krysium pros. It was a while ago now so it’s hard to remember exactly what felt different. I think the most noticable thing was climbing out-of-the-saddle felt more efficient with less flex. The hub/bearings also felt much smoother – although I think that’s partly because the stock wheel hubs were a bit knackered by the time I upgraded!

[Chris Hayes]

Perhaps you should try some

Perhaps you should try some old Ksyriums! I can’t help you with that, however.  I dumped mine on eBay and got £425 for them – so they weren’t all bad. 

[Smiley miles]

if you churn bikes then no,

if you churn bikes then no, if you keep them then yes. My best bike has been a Ti bike for 13 years. Like triggers broom the only thing original is the frame. But its a bike for life and after 13 years of riding it, i’ll neverr be replaced.. its timeless as the carbon paint schemes come and go..   Had carbon too..it cracked. Ride Quality..cant really tell tbh.. And the penalty is about 600 grams. 

[OnYerBike]

I’ve never owned a Ti bike,

I’ve never owned a Ti bike, but the impression I get is that they are like steel, but slightly lighter.

Much like steel bikes, the primary attraction is the “ride quality” over out-and-out performance, although you certainly can get race-focused Ti (and steel) bikes. Even so, they can’t compete with carbon for strength-to-weight if racing is your thing.

Another attraction of Ti bikes is that they don’t rust and don’t need painting – so you can have that raw Ti look. Which some people love, but isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

No frame will last forever – it’s old now, but this article shows that Ti frames are subject to fatigue failure (indeed the longest-lived from was Al!): https://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/frame_fatigue_test.htm

Ultimately, IMHO Ti bikes are objects of desire rather than being objectively a sensible choice. The best reason to buy a Ti bike is because you want a Ti bike! If you don’t “want” a Ti bike, then you can probably get something fit for purpose and cheaper by buying something else.

[Jimmy Ray Will]

Personally not a fan. 

Personally not a fan. 

I’d argue that longevity and performance are not bed buddies when it comes to Ti. You can have great performance, but then the Ti alloy tends to be more brital and prone to failure, or you can have durability and comfort at the expense of performance.

Looking at long term durability, as already mentioned, there is an argument that you don’t want one frame to live forever… techs develop and fashions change, are you ready for a one colour cycling future?

Personally speaking again, I prefer the ride quality of steel.. its just feels more energetic than Ti. With steel the balance is a three way thing, weight, performance and durability… choose two of the three. 

[ElCani]

I’ve had a Planet X Ti

I’ve had a Planet X Ti Sportive, as my ‘best’ bike for 10 years now. The frame was built by Lynskey, I believe it was the same as their contemporary Sportive frame, just with less intricate dropouts. It came with Dura Ace 7900, which it still has, but I’ve upgraded the wheels (Shimano RS80), seatpost (Van Nicholas titanium) and handlebar (3T carbon). When I bought it i immediately noticed that the ride feel was significantly smoother than the aluminium Scott it replaced, but obviously there were other variables in play. 

It’s been and remains a fantastic bike, but I’d agree that there aren’t many reasons to believe a titanium frame is necessarily going to be any longer-lasting than a steel or carbon frame. The lack of paint obviously means it keeps its looks better though! 

Overall I’d say go for it, but the main benefits are likely to be the classic looks (vs a carbon bike) and the resilience of the finish (no paint, no corrosion). 

[Nick T]

The Lynskeys started the

The Lynskeys started the Litespeed brand but I think they sold it at some point, the Litespeed factory is still the same one it’s always been in the USA as far as I’m aware

[jaymack]

I splashed out on a titanium

I splashed out on a titanium bike about eight years ago, it’s an absolute dream to ride. Bikes like those from Kinesis are amazing value, yes you can get more bling for your money if you go carbon but if you want to buy something that will still be a joy years down the road you can’t better a titanium frame. I can’t say anything about stress points as my bike’s in as good a condition today as the day it was delivered. If you’re looking for a ‘one bike’ solution then titanium is an excellent choice. 

[Joe Totale]

I was strongly considering a
I was strongly considering a Ti frame for a new gravel bike build as I wanted a frame material that can shrug off chips and scrapes. However, I’ve ordered a Fairlight Secan as I just couldn’t justify the extra cost of Titanium. Sure the steel Secan is a little heavier than a titanium frame but that’s irrelevant when bike packing. As already stated, tyre choice makes more impact on ride comfort than frame material, especially with big off road tyres. I’m also a big fan of a quality steel frame and how they ride, I can’t imagine titanium riding that much better.

The geometry of the Secan also suited me better, all the Titanium gravel frames I looked at had pretty upright geometries whilst I’m more used to slammed racing bikes.

[Joe Totale]

If the OP was cool with
If the OP was cool with getting a Chinese made Frame then I’d advise them to cut out the middleman and get one from Waltly. You save an awful lot of money by doing that and can specify what you want although the process certainly isn’t as straight forward.

[TheBillder]

Glad to see someone else
Glad to see someone else raising the topic of cracks. Some of the internet chat on Ti frames makes it seem as if they’d survive an asteroid strike in the gazillionth century.

Whilst I’m sure there are plenty of great frames that will survive 100,000 km and jumps off Beachy Head, my son’s (used, old) Ribble developed chainstay cracks. The LBS that found them said that they see this quite often.

So buy a Ti frame for the performance and the looks, but please don’t make assumptions about amazing longevity. It’s a good material for frames but not magical.

[Author]

Replies