Originally Posted by raven1
Which leads to a brief question for all the Ti afficionados as I ponder a Ti frame purchase in the near future: given the choice of a Ti frame with a carbon seatstay or not which would you recommend? In other words, will I lose the particular Ti feel with those carbon parts?
IMHO, a Ti frame with CF seat stays defeats the one biggest remaining advantage of having a Ti frame-- durability. Today, its possible to build a CF frame that is lighter than virtually any Ti frame, stiffer laterally, and as vetically compliant for comfort. So the best reason to buy a Ti frame today is that it is very durable, will survive crashes that would likely destroy a CF frame, and cosmetically will retain its appearance through years of use and abuse. By adding CF into the frame, you suddenly have a frame that is no more durable than a CF frame, and you've lost the advantage of a Ti frame in the first place.