oldwoman

Please give me some opinions on titanium frames and the SRAM Rival and Force gruppos. I have no experience with these, but I hear they are good and I am thinking of purchasing them. I currently ride a carbon Madone (2006) with Ultegra. I need a new bike and these were suggested. Thank you for your time and expertise.

bengreen79

lol BD shill

Hulley

I'm going with a Lynskey R230 and SRAM Force group (maybe Red shifters). Undecided on the wheels though, maybe Soul S3.0.

PhotoJoe 

But they aren't releasing their Ti Force for pre-orders until next month!

Oh, MAJOR bike lust right there, though I would need the 3.0Max's to carry my assets!

Santaria

Lynsky R230 or Cooper CX. Force crank with rival group. ROL D'Huez clinchers. How do I love thee Lynskey...

oldwoman

lol?!? It was a legitimate question. Why bother to reply at all if all you can offer is rudeness.

Forums are the worst resource imaginable--why did I bother? No one who posts seems to know anything about the sport anyway. It's all just posturing BS.

Santaria

I reiterate:

SRAM - my recommendation would be a Force crank (it's carbon, hence you're getting a little less weight at the point of force) with a rival group. Red is racing grade and, at least in my opinion, overpriced for 98% of those of us who ride/race/drool.

Lynskey is a Tennessee company that makes great titanium frames. I have personally spoken with their sales manager and can say that from contact with them they have the absolute BEST customer service I have seen in my life. They bend over backwards and will work with a customer to get them into a great bike that is designed to last a lifetime. Their product doesn't seem to have built-in shortcomings designed to make you have to purchase again in a few years.

had a valid reputation when Mr. Lynskey ran it. I've heard that its now ran by the same people that run BMC. I may be wrong though.

Habejero seems to offer a cheaper alternative to U.S. manufactured frames. If I wanted a titanium frame and was on a tight budget, this would be a decent option.

Dean bikes have always impressed me. When I was a younger bike, I saw them as a status symbol. Unfortunately, I've also been to their website enough to realize that they don't appear (to me personally) to be as customer oriented toward a large market as Lynskey. One of the running jokes in my community is that I have a DEAN jersey, not because of my devotion to titanium bikes, but because my name is, in fact, Dean.

Bicycles direct offers a selection of titanium bikes that seem overpriced, other than one. If you were looking at saving a buck, didn't care about who made your frame or getting the most from a U.S. company's R&D division, I'd recommend looking at their offerings. You'll figure out pretty easily which one. Frankly, and I'm not bashing BD, they're not a U.S. company. That's always been my consumerist stance. I'd rather keep money in the hands of U.S. companies so that I do my part to help keep people inside the United States of America working - even if its only for another day. Also: When I see Motobecane on a frame, I usually make that guy the one person to beat on any ride. Not because he's better or worse, but because I know that I can usually beat them (/joke)

There are substantially more titanium frame manufacturers, to include:

Moots
EverTi
Sabbath
Carver
Black Sheep

Or this could all just be posturing BS and I don't know jack ****. Either way, I'mma go ride, you can maybe do some of your own research in the future?

kkthxbwai

topflightpro

Try searching for this. You will find lots of info out there.

Steve90068

Lynskey/Force/Soul

Hulley

Oh so very B-E-A-UTIFUL....

Hulley

Where are you giantdefy? You need to post up the Cooper!

chado445510

Nachoman

Correct.

sced

That Ti Moto with Rival is a much better deal than the Lynskey and will get you where you're going just as fast. The Motos get rave reviews from their owners and cost less delivered than a Lynskey frame alone.

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...heat_rival.htm

Santaria

I'd agree with you, other than I personally try to buy products made in the United States. It's a personal thing. I don't necessarily think they are better or worse.

Also, when we're talking post $1,500 bikes, I'm incline to want to keep that bike around. Part of that mindset is how a bike looks, feels and style. I don't think the Moto has style. I know its unfair, and I have no issues with BD and the bikes they sell. I just think the Lynskey is sexy as all hell, and the moto is ugly as hell. Components be damned, I want a frame that I'm still gonna wanna spend more time with than my wife, and that frame better be sexy enough that she admits its an acceptable trade.

fa63

Here is a Lynskey made Titanium frame with SRAM Rival (well, at least the shifters and the derailleurs). SRAM works like a charm by the way, as long as you don't mind what I would call somewhat more direct but clunky shifting (compared to Shimano).

mmmdonuts

It depends. The Moto Ti frames look a bit tight to me. So those wanting a comfort all-rounder with the option of bigger tires and perhaps fenders should look elsewhere. Although their Ti cross bikes are a disc brake ready option.

sced

The OP wants to replace her Madone, which probably didn't come with fat tires, fenders, or disc brakes, although maybe she retrofitted it:-)

mmmdonuts

True. But in a Moto Road Ti a 25 is a "fat tire" with very little clearance.

PhotoJoe 

I've heard directly from BD that there is a Force version of the LeChamp Ti coming, pre-order in May, delivery in June. Target price of "under $2000". Also, a "touring ti" coming very soon, but I don't remember exactly when. This will have the ability to take wide tires and fenders.

And I agree, the Lynskey is just plain sexy!

dalava

A used Ti frame, e.g. mid-2000 Seven or Merlin for about $600, with a mix of Force/Rival will be hard to beat in terms of performance, sexiness, and value.

Bobsled

Hey,

Why isn't Litespeed on the list?

mikeoverly

I won't read his mind here, but Litespeed seems to be less and less committed to Ti nowadays.

giantdefy

Here ya go, Lynskey Cooper with SRAM Force group. I chose sram Force which I believe is the best bang for yer buck in the Sram lineup. I prefer the shifting of the sram over Shimano. I chose the Cooper frame for its geometry, would have preffered the R230 with the butted tubes, but did not want the curved seat stays. Bike weighs in at 16.09 lbs without pedals. Right click - view image (Mac) , to see larger photo. I think its the same for PC.

Hulley

Damn that is so gorgous! That Cooper is gonna look so good for so long.