Another U.S. Titanium Frame builder!
 

Stumbled on this in the latest Bicycle magazine. Happens to be 3 former employees of Independent Fabrication decided to start a new shop since IF decided to move to NH.

http://fireflybicycles.com/ .
http://www.bikeworldnews.com/2011/02...ove-hampshire/

So now they have gone from Fat Chance, to IF, and now to Fire Fly. Well, I'm sure they will contine to make awesome bikes.

After visiting their web site I came away more intrigued with their Stainless Steel frames. I always thought about the concept of using SS tubing but thought it would be way too costly. They priced their SS frame about the same as their TI.

Super clean work from FireFly. If I had the coin and wanted a Ti or TIG stainless steel frame, they'd be very high on my list.

The only question is their longeity. It looks like they've been in business for several months. However their web site is sparse on details and pics of bikes. Maybe they are too busy making bikes instead of updating their site but it looks like only a handful of completed frames to date.

Just some food for thought...in mid-October of last year, I was toying with the idea of a SS bike as I always loved the ride quality of steel. I contacted Hampsten Cycles and after several dialogues between A. Hampsten, S. Hampsten, and myself, I came away with the following conclusion:

SS rides like steel and is more springy than Ti and is more forgiving over small bumps. Over bigger bumps, Ti is more forgiving than XCr, a similar Ti frame will be lighter and stronger in the event of a crash or ding than XCr. I thought that XCr would be a more durable frame but S. Hampsten set me straight by saying, "if I'm going to pay ti-like prices then I want the ti, dammit."

A. Hampsten concurred, so I ended up going Ti--couldn't be happier with the ride quality--bike is way stiffer than my steel bikes but so forgiving after 6+ hours in the saddle--always feel like I want to ride more.



As for Firefly, not a fan of all the internal routing but the welds look really clean! The head-badge looks really cheesy. For $3900 I would want something a little more refined, even it it were a decal IMO.

Well, they're made up of former IF employees left behind after their very recent move, so I'd base their work more on the IF bikes which were top notch in quality. With some minor differences, of course, the stainless bike is very similar to the SSR, which is an amazing bike in its own right. I wish our shop was carrying them, but it makes sense that we wouldn't given our relationship with IF.

Here is another Ti & stainless builder you may not heard of: http://www.formcycles.com/FORM_cycles/ROAD.html

Their work looks pretty nice. Think they are originally from the Titus shop, but not 100% sure.

Check out the DI2 ready frameset in their blog, it is pretty sweet. What I really like is how they hid the battery in the seatpost.

http://fireflybicycles.com/1138#more-1138

That's pretty sleek but does that mean one has to pull out the seatpost every time to charge?

I guess if one can afford Di2 one can also afford to have a mechanic on a retainer to do the menial stuff...:p

Thats pretty genius hiding the battery in the seatpost making for a much cleaner look. I dont have Di2, but from what ive read, a charge can last up to 3000 miles. So that would be charging the battery once a year for me.

Even though the company has only been out for a few months, your guaranteed the same quality as the IF frames they built. The only issue I see is if the company will stick around for a while to cover warranty. Prices are steep, maybe if they built an entry level bike like the Lynskey cooper, maybe they can build a name for themselves.

Prices seem a bit steep for a new startup company.

stainless steel really? that ****s heavy. Uninformed opinion.

I still can't fathom how normal people justify spending that much on a bicycle. Richers.

Actually some of the newer SS tubing is lighter than titanium if I recall right. Was talking to a friend at a LBS who has an IF made from the new SS they are using.

I say we send in Psimet as a scout. He runs a small business that generates much demand, much like these guys. I bet your assumption is correct though.