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six of the best titanium bikes1Video: Six of the Best Titanium Road Bikes
Once extremely rare and oh-so-exotic, titanium might be a lot more attainable these days, but it still commands a premium over many other frame materials. There is also a lot more choice if you’re in the market for a titanium frame these days, and in this video we’ve rounded up six of the best examples we saw at the recent Eurobike show in Germany. There are many more frames we could have included of course, these are just a few of the highlights.
Don't forget to watch Six of the Best Road Bikes, Six of the Best Disc Road Bikes and Six of the Best Steel Road bikes if you missed them previously.
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
Latest Comments
- brooksby 2 sec ago
I didn't get my first BIKE until I was 40.
- mdavidford 20 min 6 sec ago
"hanging in there by a thread" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Q17HG8lBo
- thax1 38 min 52 sec ago
I managed to break the chain link on mine. (I assume it's the same product, mine came as part of a rather snazzy Birzman toolkit)....
- thax1 42 min 44 sec ago
Good review. I like to see the full range of 'award stars' in use to differentiate between good and 'meh' products. Same with the Ribble Allroad...
- brooksby 49 min 42 sec ago
I was under the impression that “unbalanced investment from Arab countries” is having a not necessarily good impact on pretty much every sport.
- brooksby 57 min 19 sec ago
Very true....
- brooksby 1 hour 1 min ago
Like going to a cello lesson?
- Pub bike 3 hours 53 min ago
"use of illegally modified e-bikes"...
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18 comments
also worth a look at are www.jlaverack.co.uk
Glynr36 - understand the cynicism.
Carbon for racing because it's light and can be made very stiff and has a feel like it rides by itself almost. A dead ride - I mean muted, not offering much road buzz or sensation of riding over the road. I don't wanna say "oh but it can be fragile" because I think any top end super light frame is going to suffer in a crash, carbon more so though due to the late obsession with light weight. Also note I've only had one carbon frame - the Canyon CF 2012, so make of that what you will.
What is an involving ride feel? I don't know how to describe it, other than I really had no idea what to expect from the frame when I got it, but now I know that it feel incredible to ride. It is something I have been longing for - having spent around almost 2 years on the Canyon. Some feel to the ride, feedback and just that something that makes the bike feel alive.
I completely understand that you can discount this very easily as just some misty eyed drivel, all I can say is that in riding only a few 100kms on the steel frame, I like it more than I ever liked the Canyon after close to 22000kms on it.
I have just bought a Van Nicholas Ventus and put some Ksyrium Elites on it. It is very smooth, light and fast and certainly turns heads among the carbon bike crowds. Hopefully it will last for years to come.
I'd like a Ti frame for the craftmanship, longevity and sheer beauty, but I like a fast bike, and specifically the stamp-and-it-goes handling characteristics of quality carbon. My current thinking is an Enigma Equinox - is this on the money/wide of the mark - any other suggestions?
(I haven't watched the video as I can't view it on the work laptop)
I'd like a Ti frame for the craftmanship, longevity and sheer beauty, but I like a fast bike, and specifically the stamp-and-it-goes handling characteristics of quality carbon. My current thinking is an Enigma Equinox - is this on the money/wide of the mark - any other suggestions?
(I haven't watched the video as I can't view it on the work laptop)
Wot, no Enigma?
I think I'll be dreaming about the Punch Solon tonight. Gorgeous.
Not sure why you'd pick Ti over Carbon. Pro peloton seems to know where they pin their hat.
Easy. Comfort over performance. Not every ride has to be a race.
A Pro peloton rider doesn't have to dip into their own pocket to replace a frame that's been involved in a shunt.
My wife is in the market for a new road bike, and we're thinking that a Ti frame is going to have significantly better longevity and resistance to life's knocks and bangs.
We're not going to be racing, so days in the saddle will be the more enjoyable for the smoother ride.
Anyone know of a women's geometry Ti framed bike with triple chainset?
Your best bet by far (speaking from personal experience) is to have a chat with Justin Burls, the man behind the Burls brand of custom build Ti frames/bikes. Then your wife can have a frame that is EXACTLY what she needs at a cost that's no more than an off the peg frame. No brainer in my opinion.
Google 'Burls titanium' and get in touch with him.
Look up Baldwin Titanium, they custom build to your geometry and specification.
Truly exquisite bikes.
I'm on a carbon race bike now but I've had 3 Ti bikes in the past (and loads of 1980s and 1990s steel). Someday I'll go back to a Ti frame but it won't be for its ride characteristics - my SuperSix is as comfortable as my Seven Axiom Race was and it's stiffer.
There's something about the construction of a good Ti frame that no steel or carbon frame can match. It's the look of the bare tubes and the absolute cleanliness of the welds. They look like they've been built by craftsmen with love and care.
Builders like Moots, Seven, Firefly, IF, etc all produce bikes with beautiful TIG welds. Even the best steel welds just aren't as pretty (though fillet brazed bikes can be very pretty). Carbon frames don't have the same feeling of craftsmanship.
No offence but that seems liek a blatant trolling comment.
Personally I find carbon to feel dead and offering a completely disengaged ride. For racing it is probably the better material to go for but for overall riding I would take anything over it.
Just recently bought a Genesis Equilibrium and it's incredible to me. It does have a heavier feel to it, but the feel of the ride is superb - very involving and does not feel less stiff that my Canyon. I think more people people should try steel over carbon, but I agree there is the allure of "ermergerd crabon gotta try" so eh..
Two opposing facts there, you don't want something dead feeling for a race.
But what exactly is a disengaged ride feeling?
And then what's an involved feel?
Just curious to see how people actually define these words they use to describe ride feel, or are they just regurgitating marketing/review spiel...
I wonder what the weight difference would be between a Ti and steel framed bike if the two were of equivalent geometry? I love Ti and steel but wouldn't know why I'd pick one over the other.
Y'see, you had to go and show us videos, now I've found a De Rosa I like. My N+1 is N+4 already. You have caused a domestic incident, I hope you're happy.
These videos are great!