[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

[hawkinspeter]

I don’t understand how wheels

I don’t understand how wheels make much contribution to ride quality. Surely the main cushioning component on bikes are the tyres? I would have thought that any correctly built wheel will have only tiny amounts of flex so their ability to smooth over bumpy roads is going to be minimal.

Mind you, I also don’t really subscribe to the view that frames make too much difference to ride quality either unless you’re running very high pressure in your tyres. However, I’ve never ridden a titanium bike and my next bike purchase might well be titanium if I get curious enough.

[Chris Hayes]

To add to your conundrum, I

To add to your conundrum, I think that wheels are a massively overlooked contributor to ride quality.  A poor set of wheels would make any bike uncomfortable.  It puzzles me when ‘bikes’ are tested on sites like this – when basically the ‘bike’ is a frame with someone elses components.

[Chris Hayes]

….I think the family sold

….I think the family sold it and then re-emerged making bikes as Lynskey some time later. I have to admit I hesitated writing ‘went bust’… the business was sold and continued to make Litespeed bikes, but in my opinion they are of lesser quality… but I’m old. 

[wycombewheeler]

Welsh boy wrote:

I have often been tempted with a titanium frame but keep asking myself if they are so good then why aren’t there more of them around?  I cannot believe that it is just because of the cost, you only have to look at the frames, groupsets and wheels on bikes parked outside cafes on the wekend to realise that cost is not a barrier to a lot of riders.  

Carbon will always be faster and lighter, and therefore more pro. The vast majority of riders do not prioritise the comfort and durability of a titanium frame.

If you turn up at an Audax event you will see a significant proportion of ti bikes, along with steel frames, ridden by people who are not looking to save every gram, but prefer a more comfortable ride.

[Nick T]

Litespeed went bust?

Litespeed went bust?

[Welsh boy]

I have often been tempted

I have often been tempted with a titanium frame but keep asking myself if they are so good then why aren’t there more of them around?  I cannot believe that it is just because of the cost, you only have to look at the frames, groupsets and wheels on bikes parked outside cafes on the wekend to realise that cost is not a barrier to a lot of riders.  Also, I like changing things, I tried Di2 and went back to SRAM mechanical, I change handlebars every couple of years and at £4-500 for a reasonable frame I can justify to myself changing that every 4 or 5 years.  If I had dropped £2k on a frame, even if I was slightly diasppointed with it I would feel that I had to keep it.  Similary, still being on rim brakes (for the next couple of years until my next frame upgrade when number 1 daughter finishes university) I cannot justify buyin carbon rimmed wheels which will be ground away every time I brake until they reach the point I have to throw them away.  But I digress, I cannot quite bring myself to believe that a titanium frame is an investment for life for most people.

[David9694]

Not such a big investment if

Not such a big investment if you get a Spa model – on your doorstep, presumably? . No adverse issues after 3 years. It’s light, and balances stiffness (it’s an Audax model, that’s what it wants to do) and comfort. Carbon forks. When you compare prices, you have to wonder who is scrimping, who is overcharging? 

Presumably any hole is a potential source of problems, All the materials will produce some instances of a cracking horror story – individual defects, general defects or abuse, I don’t know. With the possible exception of steel (which is real, of course), bike frames can’t be economically repaired, not when you factor in the making good, so you’re right to be concerned. 

[Chris Hayes]

I have two Ti bikes – though

I have two Ti bikes – though old ones – they are hand-made US frames: a Litespeed Siena (initially Chorus now Ultegra 6800) and a Litespeed Vortex (same Record groupset).  Both are from the early 2000s. The Siena has been ridden daily throughout the year and has a few Paris-Roubaixs (which I think is just about as much as you could subject a bike to without taking a hammer to it).  The Vortex has been used less as it’s an out-and-out racing bike, so weekends, sportives, holidays (as it’s components are higher spec), but as a racing bike it holds up well to my modern bike, a Factor O2. 

I’ve never regretted buying either despite what were eye watering costs for the day.  They’re both as sylish as they were new, have never let me down, and now I’m starting to believe what I was told when I bought them in my early 30s – and thought ridiculous: that these bikes would outlast me.  I suspect that one of the reasons Litespeed went bust was that their products didn’t break…i.e. you only need one (or two in my case). 

I can’t speak for some of the modern Ti frames, many of which are probably Chinese-made.  But if you are buying one then I’d strongly recommend investing in a high quality frame – it’s only going to be as good as the person who made it.  I don’t know much about Kinesis – apart from the fact that its a UK brand but the GTD costs £300 less than the Siena did in 2002!.  If I was going to buy one I’d ask for a video showing how it’s made…

[Author]

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