Originally Posted by Dave Kirk

Hey Michael,

I think it's important to remember that I'm not comparing all (or any) Ti bikes will all (or any) steel bikes. I'm talking about designing bikes for a big guy and what can be done with the two materials. No doubt your steel bikes have 531 or prestige stays and they are most likely ROR (round-oval-round) in profile as most stays were made back in the day. They are also very thin and therefore not very stiff. I have no doubt that a modern Ti bike can be made stiffer then either of these. But with modern steel stays using a constant round profile and a thicker wall could be made stiffer than most any Ti chainstay that will fit between the tire and the chainring.

It all comes down to the design,the material and the tube diameters and walls chosen. One can't say bikes of one material are heavy/stiff/flexi or what ever and that bikes made of another material are the opposite. It's not just the material but what the builder choses to do with it.

Way back in the day I built the bikes that Davis Phinney and the Coors Light team used and I could never put a Ti bike under Mr. Phinney that he liked because they were never stiff and responsive enough in the rear end for him. So even though it was heavier he opted for a custom steel bike with beefy chainstays that was painted to look like a Ti bike to race on (Serotta was the sponsor and wanted to promote the Ti bikes).

So, in the end, saying your Ti bike is stiffer then your steel bikes means just that - that your Ti bike is stiffer the the steel bikes that you have experience with and is not an indication of the materials but one on the designs. One can't effectively compare materials that way IMO.

I hope that makes sense - I'm too tired and hungry after skiing all day so my words might not be the goodest.

Dave