6al/4 vs. 3/2.5 Titanium tubing
 

Does anyone have strong opinions for or against 6/4 titanium tubing vs 3/2.5? Research or info to back it up?

Thanks,

Dax

6Al/4V titanium tubing is stiffer than 3Al/2.5V titanium tubing. That's a good point. However, 6Al/4V titanium tubing is not really made from tubes. They are actually 6Al/4V titanium sheets welded into tubes, according to Litespeed customer service. Thanks to Collin Bishops. Even so, they claim that the 6Al/4V is very durable, that's the reason why they provide the lifetime warranty.

Other than stiffness, 6Al/4V titanium tubing costs more than the standard 3Al/2.5V titanium tubing. The reason is that it is harder to weld. Also, this leads to difficult repairing of frames. Once a frame is made out of 6Al/4V, it is a lot more difficult to fix it if the angle or length is wrong or whatever else.

My conclusion is that there is not really anything to compare. A heavier rider would prefer to have a 6Al/4V as it is stiffer.

Here, I also have a question. I weigh 50kg. Would 6Al/4V titanium tubing be much too stiff for me? Would it be too punishing for me on long rides?

That's is pretty much how I understood it. I think 6/4 tubing is available, but it's so expensive that frame builders just use the sheeting and weld it into tubes. 6/4 is suppose to be stiffer, and I guess that makes sense with 3 % more Aluminum, but it seems like it would be a little more susceptible to failure with the weld.

If you're only 50 kg, I wouldn't think you'd need a 6/4 bike. Even a 6/4 won't be as stiff as Aluminum (or harsh that is to say), but at your weight you probably just don't need it.

Now myself, I weight 180 lbs. There may be other factors involved such as wheelset, fork, etc. but I have noticed a difference in flex between a 6/4 bike and a 3/2.5. The 6/4 was much stiffer out of the saddle, and I felt like I was much more efficient. I am not certain of the long term durability of it though :confused:

I was browsing Ebay (as you do) and came across a bike made out of 5/2 Titanium from the former Soviet Union.

Never heard of that type being used for bikes before...I'll see if I can get a link to the bike.

Rich

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=1848010087

5/2!! That is odd. LOL..the guy also has a -1 feedback rating.

Speaking of browsing eBay...I came across this the other day.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...847691016&rd=1

For $ 1000.00, you could just harvest the components for another build if the frame was crap!! This guy is right in downtown Chicago, so I'm tempted to see if he'd let me have a look at the bike. He sent me more pics, including one of the welds, and if that wasn't pshopped - whew, they were pretty! :eek:

Should I??

p.s. Don't ask how I found that:lol: I hit the extreme the other day when I browsed through the whole "road bikes and frames" category on eBay. Yes, a full 23 pages :fun:

NO!

58 cm is my size! :p

:lol: :roflmao: ...Watch it!! http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/...icons/nono.gif I found it first! http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/...ns/violent.gif


If I see anyone bid on this, then...http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/...icons/conc.gif


:D