whitemax

Ok, currently, I am riding a Cannondale Optimo frame with Dura Ace and Kysirium SL's. Have always wanted a Ti bike for the longevity of the material and ride characteristics I have read about and have heard of from riding buddies. Really wanted a Litespeed Vortex but couldn't come up with the dosh for a frame that costs well over 3k that comes with no fork. Couldn't jump high enough for an Indie Fab Crown Jewel that my local LBS carries either.

Really like the stiffness of the Cannondale and in reality, it isn't as harsh as some would have you believe. Accelerates well and is a very quick bike. Just want something that will last a good while. I have already had to replace a Cannondale frame due to a crash.

Am getting custom fitted for the Extra Light next week at a really good price (fork included . LBS says I should be able to ride a bit faster due to the custom fitting ( he has a good reputation for fitting a bike to the customer) and that the Extralight with its Ti construction will be close in terms of stiffness and acceleration. Hate to say bye bye to the Cannondale as it is a great bike (I'll keep the frame and build it up at some point when I have the cash).

Anyone here transitioned from aluminum to Ti or specifically ride an Exralight? Your experiences would be most appreciated.

cryogenic

one of my LBS friends who basically worships the Merlin frames admits that the Extralight is a bit flexy in the BB area for those that hammer. Most normal riders won't have an issue with it, but he says he has talked to some larger (210+ lbs) who have had slight derailleur rub under heavy cranking. He was actually able to flex the frame a small amount by holding the bike and standing on one pedal. Outside of that, he admits that it's a fantastic frame and rides wonderfully, especially over long distances. As long as you're not like 6'3, 250, I'd go for it.

Doid23

Can you help you somewhat. Switched to a Merlin Cyrene after riding steel/ aluminum for years. I'm 6'4", 230 and after reading how Ti can be somewhat flexy at my size, have been pleasantly surprised at the stiffness this bike has. I've had no derailleur rub at all, even when standing up and mashing. The other "rule of thumb", that Ti is a more compliant ride, has also not held true in my case, although I think that has more to do with the 32 spoke Deep V's I have on it than the frame. I'm not a racer, so can't help you if that's what your looking to use it for, and I've never ridden an Extralight, but I've loved my Cyrene, and now that I'm used to the setup, it's gotten better with time. Good luck.

cryogenic

I think the cyrene is a bit beefier than the Extralight and slightly heavier. My opinion is that the Cyrene is sexier, too

SoulBlade

My Extralight gets minimal BB flex and rub when I'm standing and really mashing (5'11", 175#). I've been very happy with the ride and it's a champ on century rides. Just wish the engine were bigger....

cryogenic

That sounds about right... my friend was saying they don't flex a TON, but due to the inherently flexier nature of Ti, they do flex a bit more than an equivalent aluminum frame. I wasn't meaning to imply that it was going to feel like a wet spaghetti noodle.