Titanium's Ride
 

For all who have ridden and riding a titanium bike, how do you describe the ride?

I heard people say plush but i don't think it is smoother than carbon. Yet it is far from harsh. Maybe springy is a good description. Feels soft but not as absorbant as carbon.

i have only ridden one carbon and one ti bikes, so maybe it happens to be how those 2 bikes worked out.

I have 2 carbon, 1 aluminium, 1 titanium and 1 steel bike. There is much more of a difference from the differing geometries. That said, a good carbon fibre frame is noticeably smoother yet stiffer...

i'm glad you said that. i was thinking i must be the only person to think titanium is not the smoothest thing since sliced butter

Springy. Responsive. Nice.

Not as good as carbon. More high frequency vibrations come through to the rider.

Not much different from steel.

AlexT:

Your mention of geometry is right to the point. I've ridden a conventional geometry decent carbon bike with comparable components and wheelset compared to my recent titanium bike with compact geometry. I feel the titanium has more snap and climbs better, but maybe because it's lighter. I do find the ride solid and smooth but I can only compare to a 7-year old bike. I prefer the titanium to the old carbon.

Springy, snappy, very responsive, very comfortable.

Doesn't rust, likes the rain.

Compared to my aluminum mtn bike? I describe it as night and day ;)

Seriously though I tested at least 15 bikes before getting my new Ti bike and of those 80% were carbon, hard finding Ti around here. While the carbon was stiffer the Ti was still very stiff and out of the gate and on climbs, full tilt, I don't feel the flex and I'm a clyde. I love the ride and don't notice the road vibration etc even compared to my mtn bike with front shock. I'm not exactly aiming for potholes though.

Old Merlin is much livelier than the Colnago which is kinda Blaa but easy as hell to ride far.

Profoundly, disturbingly, and stunningly incorrect.

depends.

Great description.

Also good to remember is that each ti bike will ride differently and in some cases, like night and day to each other. I have several ti bikes and they all ride a bit different and in the case of my Merlin Extralight and my Colnago the difference is certainly night and day. Climbing on the Merlin feels very spongy compared to the 'Nago but the Merlin is money when it comes to a plush all day bike.
I also have carbon, steel and aluminum bikes and I think they all have their place. I think it's crazy to say one material is definitively better than another. To much depends on the rider and the rider's needs, the geometry, build quality etc.

I'm told it rides similar to steel yet is almost as light as aluminum and doesn't rust. Strength wise it is as strong as steel if the welding is done right (which is far more challenging than either Al or steel).

Magic carpet ride ... :thumb:

Mushy ... although I must say I've gotten used to it and it's quite comfortable now.


(I've ridden aluminum, steel with carbon forks, steel with steel forks, and now titanium with steel forks.)

i just thought of another way to characterise it compared to my carbn and my steel.

imagine you are lying on a bed and it is being jolted under you. steel would be like a plank of wood so every jolt you feel directly. Ti would be like a water matress so you feel every jolt but it is more like a push than a hit. carbon is like being on a foam matress where the smaller jolts might just be soaked up by the matress and you don't even feel it.

i don't know about aluminium. maybe like a baseball bat smacking you?

i don't know either

Rides smooth as butter.
Very strong.
Very durable.
Rustproof.
Rides very similar to steel, but I give good steel the edge.

too many variables. What kind of wheels and tyres are you running? Size of the frame? Kind of roads/terrain you are on?

Any cookie cutter response here is not what you are looking for until we have this information.

what about if i used the same wheelset swapped around on the bikes being tested on the same one road?

That's what i did. i was curious like the op is about ti.

Nonsense.

Ti is a great ride. Consider it rustproof steel. You won't regret buying a Ti frame.

some people are getting a bit touchy about this. weird. almost like criticising campy.