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Old 08-07-06, 07:42 AM
  #15  
dalmore
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Big Ring. Little Cog.
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Bikes: 2005 Dahon Speed TR, 2006 Dahon Mu SL, 2000 GT XiZang, 1999ish Rock Lobster, 2007 Dean Animas CTI

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Titanium is between steel and alumium in almost every physical category that matters in bike making. It's heavier than alu, lighter than steel. stronger both in flexing then returning to shape and in permanently bending/breaking than alu but weaker than steel in in both aspects.

For our bike building purposes I'm not sure it matters, but there is nothing particular about Titanium that I've ever read that suggests it's more prone to snap instead of bend. Again that's kind of moot because TI parts will generally be the weakest link in a bike system so thus fail first in most bike applications. But even steel will snap with the right application of force.

Aluminum is prone to snapping after a point. It develops fatigue and gets more brittle with each time it's bent. As a result, bike frames made from aluminum are "overbuilt" to the point of being both heavier and stronger than Titanium frames. This is why Titanium has it's place in lightweight bike building and why it has a reputation in some circles as being flexy.

Titanium also is highly corrosion resistant - not so important in BMX bikes for any reason that I can think of.
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Last edited by dalmore; 08-07-06 at 07:52 AM.
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