Post Your Titaniums
08-18-18 | 02:14 AM
#2708
6-4 Titanium
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 330
Likes: 36
well, all is not lost, but im kinda trying an alternate route before dumping huge coin on the repair,, I decided to see if we had any qualified Ti welders in HSV that knew all about the material and had a skill set to do the work.. my first idea was to contact the welding supply company that specialized in Ti rods and stuff,, and they reffered me to a fellow who taught as an welding instructor in college and was also doing contract work for Marshall Space Flight Center and NASA.. and i talked with him a good long time on the phone.. learning all about how you need to Purge the frame (back shiled with Argon?) inorder to remove oxygen from the weld area.. and how color is a prime indicator of the weld joint.. and how you need to keep it at a certain temp but not under or over that temp.. and he just seemed like a smart, decent guy who was well qualified to do the job,, as qualified as litespeed? i guess not.. but i did not get a good vibe with the litespeed conversation through email... it was just PAY US THIS MUCH and WAIT! down tube ECTOMY! we will see if things just dont go well with this repair... i will go with litespeed, but its well worth the 40 buck lotto ticket mho.. and i get my bike back in days vs months.. either way. the bike will be back on the road.... in for a penny in for a pound on this bike... its too good to just make a lamp., 
A fee of $195.00 will return your frame to it's original brushed appearance including new decals. Chain suck damage, dents and deep scratches cannot be completely eliminated by refurbishing. Your frame will also be inspected for additional damage and will be aligned to ensure the best possible future performance.
08-18-18 | 07:40 AM
#2709
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 554
Likes: 32
From: Huntsville Alabama
Bikes: cannondale 2.0,caad3,schwinn Peleton,Felt F35,2007 litespeed Vortex
I do wonder how long you've had the bike. Were you the original owner? I bought my litespeed second hand so it's well over a decade old now. How much did Litespeed want to do the job? I read that they charge $200 to refinish the whole frame and add new stickers. Something that I will probably consider doing down the line before I upgrade to a new groupset. This is from the litespeed web site:
08-18-18 | 08:30 AM
#2710
Ride more, eat less
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,167
Likes: 947
From: Philla PA, Hoboken NJ, Brooklyn NY
Bikes: Too many but never enough.
The task of machining and welding 6/4 ti is vastly more difficult than 3/2.5 ti, especially when it comes to shaped & thin-walled tubes.
I personally would not trust anyone who have successfully performed similar task over 100 times and made more than 100 of mistakes... on 6/4 ti specifically.
It's always a balance between light, strong or cheap.. pick two.
I personally would not trust anyone who have successfully performed similar task over 100 times and made more than 100 of mistakes... on 6/4 ti specifically.
It's always a balance between light, strong or cheap.. pick two.
08-18-18 | 09:15 AM
#2711
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 554
Likes: 32
From: Huntsville Alabama
Bikes: cannondale 2.0,caad3,schwinn Peleton,Felt F35,2007 litespeed Vortex
The task of machining and welding 6/4 ti is vastly more difficult than 3/2.5 ti, especially when it comes to shaped & thin-walled tubes.
I personally would not trust anyone who have successfully performed similar task over 100 times and made more than 100 of mistakes... on 6/4 ti specifically.
It's always a balance between light, strong or cheap.. pick two.
I personally would not trust anyone who have successfully performed similar task over 100 times and made more than 100 of mistakes... on 6/4 ti specifically.
It's always a balance between light, strong or cheap.. pick two.
ok, but this fellow is a aero space wellder contracted by nasa and the marshal space flight center... and also doing contract work for the army and various other contracts... you may not have made my choice... fair e enough,, but lite speed what so prefunctory with me that i did not feel good at all with giving them a thou to fix the problem.... i trust the college instructor, contractor, and man who has 50 years exp... more then some guy i send the problem to and hope he gets it right... i talked with the man... for a good hour or 2 to see where his head was at... seems solid showed me his 6/4 welding rods has VAST experience in 6/4 tig,, but usually builds a box for the purge process with his other work.. explained to me the whole process. purge argon throught the tubes and wants to do a 2 pass weld .. was referred to me by a specialty welding supply house as the only guy in the state that they would trust for the task.... in short... i did about as much research as i could before making the decision... what it right? i dont know.... but i dont think i could find a more capable craftsman other then litespeed and i did not get a good vibe at all from them.
dunno...
08-18-18 | 12:59 PM
#2712
Ride more, eat less
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,167
Likes: 947
From: Philla PA, Hoboken NJ, Brooklyn NY
Bikes: Too many but never enough.
Regardless of background, experience in working with the same material, specifically "6/4 titanium, shaped, thin-walled tubing" is the particular skills you need to repair your frame.
Litespeed may not be able to give you a more timely or personal response unless they have the frame in front of them and can see clearly what needs to be done.
It's Litespeed's name on the frame, they should be able to make good with it regardless what it needs; even if replacement frame at a significant discount.
For me that certainty is more important.
Litespeed may not be able to give you a more timely or personal response unless they have the frame in front of them and can see clearly what needs to be done.
It's Litespeed's name on the frame, they should be able to make good with it regardless what it needs; even if replacement frame at a significant discount.
For me that certainty is more important.
Last edited by cat0020; 08-18-18 at 02:21 PM.
08-18-18 | 05:07 PM
#2713
6-4 Titanium
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 330
Likes: 36
ok, but this fellow is a aero space wellder contracted by nasa and the marshal space flight center... and also doing contract work for the army and various other contracts... you may not have made my choice... fair e enough,, but lite speed what so prefunctory with me that i did not feel good at all with giving them a thou to fix the problem.... i trust the college instructor, contractor, and man who has 50 years exp... more then some guy i send the problem to and hope he gets it right... i talked with the man... for a good hour or 2 to see where his head was at... seems solid showed me his 6/4 welding rods has VAST experience in 6/4 tig,, but usually builds a box for the purge process with his other work.. explained to me the whole process. purge argon throught the tubes and wants to do a 2 pass weld .. was referred to me by a specialty welding supply house as the only guy in the state that they would trust for the task.... in short... i did about as much research as i could before making the decision... what it right? i dont know.... but i dont think i could find a more capable craftsman other then litespeed and i did not get a good vibe at all from them.
dunno...
dunno...
08-21-18 | 10:00 AM
#2715
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 901
Likes: 32
From: NYC
Yes you can another Ti Frame, but it will be hard to find the same model Vortex for 1K. They just dont come up for sale often.
08-21-18 | 11:41 AM
#2717
Ride more, eat less
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,167
Likes: 947
From: Philla PA, Hoboken NJ, Brooklyn NY
Bikes: Too many but never enough.
Knowing how difficult it is to have 6/4 titanium shaped-tubing with thin-walls welded into a bicycle frame, $1K price tag to repair isn't too bad until Litespeed can see the frame in person and determine exactly what's needed to for the repair... especially for that particular generation of Vortex frame.
08-21-18 | 12:45 PM
#2720
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 554
Likes: 32
From: Huntsville Alabama
Bikes: cannondale 2.0,caad3,schwinn Peleton,Felt F35,2007 litespeed Vortex
size 60cm, yep it's more rare than unicorn wings, got the frame back yesterday, guy did a great job on it, I'm hopeful it will be fine, seem good and solid dude put 3 hrs time to it.. I need to get my friends headset press and do some wrench work, but I'm glad I went local, kinda cool to keep it rolling, wish me luck. Haha.. still got that super snazzy ultimate, I always liked seeing bill Copland tear it up for LA sheriffs!
08-21-18 | 01:48 PM
#2721
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 901
Likes: 32
From: NYC
size 60cm, yep it's more rare than unicorn wings, got the frame back yesterday, guy did a great job on it, I'm hopeful it will be fine, seem good and solid dude put 3 hrs time to it.. I need to get my friends headset press and do some wrench work, but I'm glad I went local, kinda cool to keep it rolling, wish me luck. Haha.. still got that super snazzy ultimate, I always liked seeing bill Copland tear it up for LA sheriffs!
Have fun on the rebuild....may be its time for new groupset. R8000 is a lot of bang for the buck.
My Ultimate (post #2658 ) was actually a used Chevy/ LA Sheriffs team bike. It supposed to have been ridden by Steve Hegg.
Last edited by SSRI; 08-21-18 at 01:57 PM.
08-21-18 | 06:52 PM
#2722
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 78
Likes: 22
From: Pasco, Washington - the brown side of the Pacific NW
Bikes: 2020 SWorks Tarmac SL6 w/ Shimano DA 9100; 2016 Lynskey R240 w/ DA 9100, 2014 SWorks Roubaix w/ DA 9100
I love it! Just got in from a 35 mile ride after putting in a new bottom bracket. My Old one was an HSC ceramic that originally was in in my old Roubaix Expert that I sold when I got my SWorks frame. With my current bikes, the Cooper in the background would go before either of them!
08-22-18 | 08:34 PM
#2724
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 358
Likes: 21
Mosaic RT 2
Mosaic RT-2
Another inaugural ride. Purchased this a couple weeks ago from TPC on ebay. Swapped out Ultegra 6800 for SRAM Rival with Rotor 46/30 and 11-28. I have to thank Lynskey for being my gateway drug to titanium, but I wanted something with a stiffer front end, more direct steering and better fit and this seemed to fit the bill. The stack and reach on this approximate my favorite bike, (with the exception of more toe overlap) but the titanium ride quality is preferred for nasty Pittsburgh roads. Caught a good deal on the Fizik Kurve, and it is surprisingly comfy, but we will see after prolonged usage if it holds up to the favored Selle SMP Well on the Bianchi.
08-22-18 | 09:59 PM
#2725
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 12,942
Likes: 282
From: Colorado
Sweet bike.
Mosaic RT-2
Another inaugural ride. Purchased this a couple weeks ago from TPC on ebay. Swapped out Ultegra 6800 for SRAM Rival with Rotor 46/30 and 11-28. I have to thank Lynskey for being my gateway drug to titanium, but I wanted something with a stiffer front end, more direct steering and better fit and this seemed to fit the bill. The stack and reach on this approximate my favorite bike, (with the exception of more toe overlap) but the titanium ride quality is preferred for nasty Pittsburgh roads. Caught a good deal on the Fizik Kurve, and it is surprisingly comfy, but we will see after prolonged usage if it holds up to the favored Selle SMP Well on the Bianchi.
Mosaic RT-2
Another inaugural ride. Purchased this a couple weeks ago from TPC on ebay. Swapped out Ultegra 6800 for SRAM Rival with Rotor 46/30 and 11-28. I have to thank Lynskey for being my gateway drug to titanium, but I wanted something with a stiffer front end, more direct steering and better fit and this seemed to fit the bill. The stack and reach on this approximate my favorite bike, (with the exception of more toe overlap) but the titanium ride quality is preferred for nasty Pittsburgh roads. Caught a good deal on the Fizik Kurve, and it is surprisingly comfy, but we will see after prolonged usage if it holds up to the favored Selle SMP Well on the Bianchi.