sp00ki

i feel sorta corny starting the thread as it's still ~6 months away, but:

my girlfriend and i are exactly the same size. we're both 5'7" with similar inseams and reach.
we have our own bikes (she has two, i have three), but my tri bike is likely going to be "ours" next year when she does her first duathlon.
since we've come to this realization, we've decided to co-build a road bike (aside from the tri bike, we have two fg each).
I was initially planning to go with carbon, but have recently started considering titanium. it's a more expensive route to take, but i'm thinking a frame-only might not be a bad bet. we're planning to go with an older model litespeed (06 or 07) if we go the ti route, to give you an idea.

what do you guys think of carbon vs ti? i've ridden full carbon machines extensively, and have enjoyed them-- though i do love the feel of my steel bob jackson vigorelli (though the fork and seatpost ar carbon; the stem is titanium). i'm told ti responds similarly to steel and close to half the weight.

ehidle

They each have their advantages and disadvantages. It depends on what you are looking for...

I, for one, do not wish to participate in a religious war today, so I will just leave it at my obnoxious non-answer.

sp00ki

really just a lightweight roadbike that rides well. occasional centuries or weekend cycling trips, climbs OK.
we've also toyed with the idea of criteriums. not unlikely, but not definite.

it will probably see 40-60 mile trips on average.

i'd like it to grow old with us/me.

ShadowGray

Titanium would probably be better... if you're not looking for that race factor, metal just has that rustic quality to it. Something designed to last for ages!

kensuf

I've got a litespeed tuscany and I recently built up a giant formula one. For competition, I prefer my giant because it's stiffer and I can tell the difference in power transfer on climbs and in sprints. For longer leisurely rides, I prefer the litespeed because it's plush.

CastIron

Bronze.

Far more years of R&D over steel and the vertical compliance is unparalleled.

sp00ki

patentcad

95% of the carbon lovers have never ridden a Ti bicycle. I own two Ti bikes, a road and an MTB hard tail. I essentially prefer Ti. Nothing quite feels like it.

I race on CF.

Flip a coin boys.

sp00ki

then i ask, why do you race on carbon if you prefer ti? does the "plushness" really absorb power in the transfer?

CastIron

It's mostly about frame design. In any case, I'd much like my next road bike to be Ti. Or Magnesium, but options are a bit thin.

johnny99

Carbon bike prices are coming down. Ti prices are going up.

patentcad

CF is lighter and has a stiffer BB, so yes, I feel there is some power loss in that plush ride. Not much, it may be 90% mental.

Pcad, is of course, 100% mental. But he is not alone on BF.

sp00ki

ok, then why do you prefer ti then?

(sorry to keep directing questions @ you)

mr handy

I have tossed back and fort in my head for the last year as to what I want in a new bike (which is fine as it is at least anther year away) Carbon or ti.

I think for me at 23 my next bike will probably be carbon, mostly because If I go the ti route, I want the best, and I would hate to end up with a bike that will last forever that does not quite fit perfectly.

*edit* I voted ti, because ultimitly I want one as well.

waterrockets 

Dude, are you trolling me?

I guess there's no debating how you feel about it, but there's no power loss.

jfmckenna

I say go for the TI. Carbon bikes are disposable. I dropped the chain on mine once and it sawed a hole through the chain stay - true story.

Actually a carbon bike with a TI fork would be ideal

Here we go boys and girls sit back and enjoy.

CastIron

sp00ki

do you mean ti bike with carbon fork?

merlinextraligh

Boron Carbide Ceramic Metal Matrix.

Carbon Unit

I have no real experience with Ti but my next bike will probably be Ti since I already own a CF bike.

Not all carbon bikes are created equal. Different ride characteristics can be designed into a CF bike to give you any type of ride you want. Also, carbon can last as long as Ti if it is designed well. CF has a long fatigue life as does Ti. I ride a Calfee and Craig Calfee has been building carbon fiber bikes for more than 20 years and has owners with over 120,000 miles on them and they still ride like new. Craig’s bikes have a lively ride quality like a Ti bike. I have ridden several carbon bikes that, to me, have a dead feel to them. Some carbon bikes do not have this problem and a well designed Ti bikes does not have this problem.

Here is how I see the advantages of each:

Carbon:

Carbon bikes are usually less expensive. A Calfee Luna Pro frame $1,495.00.
Carbon bikes can be easily repaired. Craig Calfee can replace a broke tube on a bike for a few hundred dollars.
Carbon is stiffer and lighter than Ti
Carbon had great vibration dampening properties

Ti:

Has a nice lively ride quality
Is more durable and crash resistant
Scratches can be removed with a scotch pad
A well made frame will last a life time

That said, my next bike will probably be a Kish. He builds great custom Ti bikes for $2,300.

https://www.kishbike.com/

If you are really cost sensitive, you can buy a Habanero Ti bike for $895.00. I have heard that it is well made bike too.

https://www.habcycles.com/road.html

Bob Ross

Okay, so this isn't really a "Carbon vs. Ti" question, it's a "carbon vs. Litespeed" question. Now all you have to do is decide on which carbon frame you're considering, & then we can actually have an intelligent conversation. There are so few generalizations about carbon vs Ti that actually hold up to the scrutiny of real-world implementation that it's almost pointless to discuss in the abstract w/o a specific bike in mind.

sp00ki

that's a good point.

not yet sure about the carbon nominee, but the ti pick so far would most likely be this:
https://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2008/siena.aspx

i suppose that doesn't help, but it's where we are.
i think my real question should be, "which is more durable?" along with "is there anything inherrently negative about ti (other than price)?"

though i'm pretty sure i know the answer to that...

patentcad

I say right in the post it may all be in my head. Read it again WR.

I would never troll you. I do your intervals. You and that fast kid of yours are my heroes.

Carbon Unit

The only negative I have ever heard about Ti mostly comes from the "Steel is Real" bicycling crowd. They will say that Ti is too flexy. I have ask this question of Jim Kish who teaches Ti frame building and builds his own frames. He said that he can make a Ti frame as stiff or flexy as someone wants based on the tube thickness and diameter.

So it will come down to what do you want from your frame? If you are going to race it, you will want it stiff. If you are doing training and group rides and centuries, you will want more compliance.

kensuf

I notice the BB stiffness (or lack thereof) on the Ti bike when I am sprinting or climbing. I really do get more "snap" on the CF.

I prefer ti for longer rides. It's hard to describe but it's a very nice comfy feel. CF is fine though and I wouldn't hesitate to ride my giant on centuries.

If I had to choose *ONE* and only one, and I wasn't racing, I'd go titanium. If I was racing and I could only choose one, CF is the way I'd go. Since I was able to choose two, I got one of each.