bb86 is a ******** standard, you get all the drawback of pressfit but non of the benefits of PF30 such as lighter stiffer 30mm axle, bigger bearing longer bearing life, smaller q factor etc

I think that there is such a wide variety of designs, tube sizes and shapes, and components that it is very hard to compare the material of one bike to another. I feel that a well designed bike for a certain type of riding can be outstanding when made of any of the mentioned materials. People have preferences in this area based on many factors which may not even be evident to that person. Tires and wheel construction have a lot more to do with ride quality that most other factors. Each frame material has certain inherent advantages and disadvantages. I worked as a bike tech for eight years in a large high volume shop, which gave me the opportunity to work on, build and repair thousands of bikes. I have preferences and reasons for liking certain bikes and some are just feelings that I can't explain, but overall I like Titanium. Over many years I have owned several Columbus, Reynolds and Tange CroMo framed bikes. I currently own one casual Giant bike that is Aluminum (mostly for visiting guests to our Hawaii home), an Aluminum and CF Specialized and three Lynskeys. I built all 3 Lynskey Ti Bikes. My first was a Sportive 2010 which is pretty much completely Dura Ace, the second is a Pro29'er 2016 which is all XTR and my new one is a Backroad 2020 which is Ultegra. I selected the parts for the first two but ordered the Backroad with the Ultegra group, but it came unassembled due to my location in Hawaii. I built the wheelsets on each making up two pair for each bike for different purposes. I am pretty much a Ti guy, but I have to say that one day I would like to own a high quality stainless steel framed bike.

In what way was the Merckx "flimbsy as shat" (assuming this means "flimsy as sh1t", but who knows?)? - AFAIK Merckx Tis were built by Litespeed.

flexy
. 1inch head tube, small tubes, very nice bike but flexy.
i sadly sold it for a carbon 928 bianchi.
regret daily ...

It sounds like a fabulous all-day cruiser. Maybe along the lines of an older LS Classic, but I think Merckx geometry has a longer TT than an equivalently-sized LS?

I find my titanium bike feels smoother on rougher roads. On nice tarmac, the difference compared to carbon bikes is less noticeable. I feel the wheelset you put on the bike contributes greatly to overall comfort/feel.

I have three titanium bikes and love them all dearly. My Ti road bike is the envy of the shop and generally people are always trying to "finesse" it as the kids say. They want to race for it or just take it, never works though. I don't race and I certainly wouldn't do it for pinks, it is my pride and joy but I damn sure couldn't beat these young kids with my slow ass.

No carbon in the collection aside from some forks but plenty of steel (and one aluminum) and honestly I love both but if I could swap a couple bikes over to ti I might consider mainly for my commuter beater bike just because I kind of want no paint to get damaged and for my aluminum bike so it is more comfortable and it would be cool to have a titanium fixed gear road bike.

I find if it cannot rhyme it ain't worth your time. Steel is real, Ti is fly and Wood is good.

How about:
“Titanium for a happy cranium”

“Carbon when drinking bourbon”

Titanium or carbon? Both!

I’m a big fan of lugged steel racers, but in ‘93 I got the ti bug. “It’ll last forever” and it very well will. I am 69 so I doubt I’ll be in the market for another road bike. In March I debated buying something current but instead upgraded the old Campy Chorus to the new 12 speed, with new wheels. It wouldn’t have mattered. I love this bike and have from the day I bought it. It’s fast, forgiving, quiet, solid, light enough and has proved true...I’ve ridden it for 27 years! It’s an oddity among the carbon bikes around me, but I’m pulling the line as much as anyone. I love this bike!

I want to see it. Post some pics!

I realize I need to take more photos of the bike and also remove my saddle bag.

It's all about the welds. I also have an Airborne Ti and one of the reasons they went out of business is that the weld (frames assembled in China) quality was hit and miss. I think my Valkyrie was done on a good day with one of their better welders. Others weren't quite so lucky.

At a endurance race in the pouring rain and mud I saw a Moots rear chainstay detach from the bb shell about 5 miles from the finish. Guy's race was over. They sure have a good reputation and I'm sure they'll take care of him.

My ti lynskey developed a crack at the base of the seatpost expansion slot, I think because my easton seatpost had a flat face at that point. I called around locally and people wanted > $1k to fix. Lynskey offered to replace my seattube for ~300. Rather than mail the frame in I got a thomson post and a deeper seatpost clamp from Engin Cycles and crack hasn't grown in > 1 year, but if it grows I'll send it in.

I've had my kona hei hei since new, its lived on my trainer now for 6 years and is crusted with salt but no corrosion. I've had to replace steel stem bolts because they were exploding with rust.

I'm a big fan of Ti but a lot of hype is just false. I think best is to try and buy from someone that will support you down the line.

I currently have a Ti Merlin Extralight, and Cf bikes from Willier, Cervelo, and Calfee.

The Merlin, now 25 years old and still looking new has been a great bike. I put S&S couplers on it, and it makes a great travel bike because you don’t need to worry about scratching paint or abrasion damage.

Otherwise, the Cf bikes are just better for rigidity, where you want it, comfort, and weight.

I think Ti still has a place for a bike that can take
some abuse and last a very long time. Performance
wise, a good CF frame is just better.

To be fair perhaps, you're comparing your CF experience to a 25yr old Ti bike that (because that's how they were made then) can't take tires probably wider than 25mm, and has S&S couplers. It's maybe possible that the OP shopping for a new Ti bike today, could find options that are more rigid and/or comfortable. Weight.. could still be an issue, though the big boys seem to be making their CF offerings heavier every year.

Other than wider tire spacing (and fwiw, I run 25mm tires on the Merlin, and could likely squeeze in 28mm) I don’t think there’s any Ti bike built today that’s a dramatic improvement over the Merlin Extralight. The Extralight has oversized, shaped, tubes, a very well thought out geometry and built to a high level of craftsmanship. There’s a limit to what you can do with Ti, and I think the second generation Merlin Extralight got pretty close to that limit.

Admittedly, I haven’t ridden a recently built Ti bike. However, I would be shocked if any of them could approach the ride quality and handling of a high end modern CF bike.

As for the S&S couplers, I rode the bike for over 15 years before I retrofitted the couplers. The couplers add about a pound of weight, but make zero discernible ride or handling difference. The couplers do point out one advantage of Ti however, that it’s a great material for a packable travel bike.

I got my titanium Mosaic RT-1 after seeing one and thinking it was beautiful. Seriously, that is an underrated reason. I still get admiration all the time on the road, and it's 7 years old. (See below.)

I have a 2011 Cervelo R3, which I loved, but the Mosaic is more comfortable. However, this may be primarily because I can fit 25s on the Mosaic, but only 23s on the Cervelo.

I love my titanium bikes, but they aren't good looking bikes. Titanium rarely looks good to my eye. Your bike is one of those rare instances where it looks fantastic.

Well thank you! I like a good looking bike.

I am not a fan of AL, but like carbon, Ti and quality steel. My only Ti bike is a 2000 Colnago CT1 Titanio(6/4 Russian Ti), which has carbon forks and rear triangle. Unique bike that rides great.

Been riding a carbon gravel bike for the last 4 years, and just switched to titanium. It feels a lot more quicker and quieter. Only have a few hundred miles on it and have been pretty happy with it so far.

You're going to be surprised by this, but I disagree. With 3D printed Ti and improvements to shaping of Ti tubes, Ti bikes are once again making progress and can now be both stiff and compliant like CF. Look at the T-Lab R3 & X3, they are far from conventional tube shapes. Ti will hit a limit on seat and chain stay size that CF can accomplish and I think Ti will always be a bit heavier, but unlike CF will have a life span that outlives the technology.

I have a 2017 Lynskey Helix Sport, and a 2021 Scott Addict RC.

To me, the Lynskey feels a bit flexier in the BB. I'm not saying it is, it just feels that way to me. The Addict RC feels more responsive at faster paces. I'm not saying it is, it just feels that way to me. I grab the Scott for faster group rides and races, and the Lynskey for longer rides, solo rides, etc. That being said, I can do distance on the Scott and the Lynskey does fine on said faster rides. I think it's mostly about perception and overall setup...Scott has deep carbon wheels, Lynskey does not, etc.

If I could only keep one, it would the the Lynskey, mainly because I have a thing for the look of Ti bikes. Luckily, I can keep both.

now with paint....