Road Cycling - concerns with buying used Ti

we all know the inherent problems with buying used stuff, and would never buy used carbon but does anyone know about fatigue and its effects on Ti? (Ti framesets)

RiPHRaPH, as you probably already know, all Ti bike manufacturers boast the durability of this material. It is supposed to be very resistant to fatigue, especially. If the frame is not abused or damaged, I would not be too worried about its lifetime.

Is there any particular frame you are looking at?

What Bruco said, Ti is very good fatigue wise, much like steel is. Providing everything is straight on the frame I wouldn't have any problem buying a used Ti frame. But then again I wouldn't have a problem buying a used Al or Carbon bike either (providing I could look at it before handing over cash - rules out 99.999% of ebay purchases).

Andrew

I do not see a problem with buying a used Ti frame. As usual you need to be comfortable with the seller, but many people buy online and you never know.

I have not yet heard of any scams with Ti frames. Carbon I read and hear all the time. Usually people with cracked frames that cannot get a warranty they sell online and make it someone elses problem.

As long as it is a brand name that has good representation I do not see a problem.

i see a guy selling a 5 year old Serotta Legend Ti in exactly my size.
i'll have an opportunity to ride it. he's selling it for less than 1/2 of a new one. I was told to get the weight of the rider. someone even told me that over time the ride can feel different...(??)

If there is one type of material that you're safer buying - its got to be Ti. In terms of fatigue, it just doesn't suffer (as much) as other materials. It's not indestructible, but it also doesn't really have hidden weaknesses that Al or Carbon has. If you're able to examine the bike beforehand, you should be very safe (provided you examine it carefully for any cracks/etc). If not, then Ti is certainly a better material bike to buy sight unseen then say Aluminum or Carbon.

a ti bike will outlive everyone on this board. it will be the last bike you buy.

Nice thing about five yr old frame is you are not getting the built in headset that has gotten popular in the last two yrs. Drawbacks of these headsets are discussed on the Cane Creek web site. Serotta is a very good frame, and as Velocipedio says , it will be the last bike you buy. A preridden frame has been stressed and any weaknesses would have shown up by now, Riders drift much more than frames, and Ti frames drift is miniscule. It is impervious to water, sweat and if brushed finish, to dirt and abrasion. Steve

Originally posted by velocipedio
a ti bike will outlive everyone on this board. it will be the last bike you buy.

That's what I've been saying all along. You literally can keep that frame forever (provided it's not crashed or damaged) and upgrade the components around it over and over again.

Just a side note, being a fisherman and a cyclist, something that I wish every fisherperson would experience in their lives at least once is catch a 70+ lbs Wahoo (Ono in Hawaii) and for cyclist is to ride a Ti bicycle. Great experiences (brings a tear to my eye).

Originally posted by velocipedio
a ti bike will outlive everyone on this board. it will be the last bike you buy.

Last bike you replace, maybe. I plan to keep buying bikes as long as the money holds out! :D

RichC

Only negative I can think of, TI does not paint very well. Also it is not as well suited for the taller/heavier rider since it is much more flexable than steel, at least that's the impression I get from my litespeed.

Originally posted by Red Baron
Also it is not as well suited for the taller/heavier rider since it is much more flexable than steel, at least that's the impression I get from my litespeed.

Like most things, that's a function of design. My ti Airborne is stiffer than either of my steel bikes, even the tourer. I'm no lightweight, either, at 215lb, and if a frame is going to flex around the bb it will be when I stand and hammer up a hill.

Maybe it would be different if I was using very large frames.

RichC

Red Baron,
the old Ti bikes were like that. The new ones have shaped, formed, and even butted tubes. They can be as stiff, or as compliant, as one wishes.
I have the same frame Rich does; and I wouldn't complain a bit if it was a tad more compliant. It's stiff.

Rich & late - I agree - I was just pointing out the properties of TI in the reference that RiPHRaPH asks. TI is mostly a process & design issue: I quote from what I remember from a design manuel:
. Five important properties need to be considered when working with titanium;
Titanium heats up faster than steel.
Titanium, being a poor conductor, will tend to retain the heat being generated in the specific area being worked. Therefore, it is easy to quickly overheat that specific area which causes work-hardening.
Alloyed Titanium is very abrasion resistant.
Titanium has a fairly low modulus of elasticity. This gives titanium its "springiness" property. This, in turn, causes titanium to "chatter", which causes tooling to break if not fixtured correctly, and elasticity must be taken into account in the purpose of design.
Titanium has a tendency to gall.
Thus if I were considering a Used TI Bike, I would give consideration towards frame design from a personal 'want' perspective (did the frame designer do a good job) than the merits of TI 'per se'. In fact I see no negatives on TI other than what I mentioned (oops - can't forget $'s). I don't see many negatives or worries over owning a TI bike as RiPHRaPH asks other then does it met his design needs (and his wallet).
When I bought my Litespeed the salesman pointed out that this bike would 'last me a lifetime'. I pointed out to him (he was about 30 years younger) that this selling point didn't have as much meaning to me as it once did (GRIN).It was the design factor that was uppermost in my mind.
I think we all are saying the same thing- Good materials combined with good design = a wonderful bike.
On the other hand, I would look over a carbon bike closely and would like to know its history, as my impression and experience is that carbon fiber has a 'catastrophic failure' mode that 'if present' will present itself much faster than metal. Just my $0.02

I guess the only point of neurosis I would have about Ti is part seizure. I dunno if he'd let you, but I'd want to make sure nothing had seized. Headset, seatpost, h-bars, waterbottle cage bolts, etc. I'd mostly worry about stuff that people don't mess with much, e.g. the BB.

thanks guys. a serotta legend Ti perfectly sized for me w/ a combination of ultegra & dura-ace & open pro's, all 5 years old for $1900 may be too much bike to pass up... the legend Ti framesets can go for upwards of $3400 alone.

Well, Did you get it?
I really like the Legend, great bike.

Marty

not yet. i've got to get clearance from the tower.