Cutting weight wherever one can is a good thing. But I confess to riding a 39-year-old steel-framed touring bicycle. Am I schizophrenic? Must I check myself into therapy? My camping gear is all ultra-light: cuban fiber, titanium and minimal gear carrying, and fasteners on the bike are titanium to counter-balance the weight of the steel-framed bike. Part of the joy of ultra-light gear is the planning and acquisition. And having it means I can enjoy my steel-framed vintage bicycle, carry a steak or extra water for extra creature comfort.

And my saddle is a Brooks Champion Flyer (sprung and heavy version of the B-17). I tolerate weight when the part suits my needs, and cut weight where I can without sacrificing anything.

If you have the means and desire to buy ti do dads, go for it and don't worry because therapy costs a lot more than bike crap.

I only tolerate weight for comfort and reliability on a mission critical/safety item.

Bike = Therapy

I can understand the ultralight camping gear, but to spend big dollars for small titanium bits to put on a heavy steel bike is just a bit over the top, however you saved more weight by losing the weight of the currency you spent on the bits than the bits themselves weighed.

Yes, you do need therapy. But then again, I buy titanium parts for my heavy steel bike. So make room on that couch.

I am getting a new titanium road bike. The builder also makes these for the person who has everything. You should get one:

Pint glasses ready to ship | Engin Cycles

Repeat after me...Do NOT drink the Kool-aid!

I will give you an out - do you ride in wet and rain a lot with a poorly sealed tool bag? If so, you're good.

Which costs more, therapy or titanium tools?

I have found that for both touring and backpacking I can go lighter than just about everyone I have met on tour or on the trail without spending any money on Cuben fiber and the like. That stuff is OK for shaving the last few grams, but before worrying about that you should pick all of the low hanging fruit first. I found that by the time I was ready to spend on Cuben fiber and the like I was already down to a 10 or so pound base and that the extra hundreds of dollars to trim a few more ounces were not worth it.

I am really baffled when I see folks carrying a bunch of extra stuff and haven't cut weight in the easier and cheaper ways before they spend $$$ to save a few ounces. I advise starting by leaving stuff you don't need home followed by using lighter items without huge pricetags and then evaluating if you are already light enough to not need to spend $$$ to go lighter.

Bottom line...
In my opinion it doesn't make sense to spend hundreds of dollars to save ounces when you still have choices that allow you to save pounds for cheaper.

Sawing off toothbrush handles is next and only getting tiny sample sizes of toothpaste and soap.

cuban fiber? is that their Cigars ?

A tent made from tobacco leaves.

I personally think titanium tools are the worst possible use of the material. Titanium is weaker than steel for a given part dimension, and since things like allen keys and wrenches must be a fixed dimension, you are necessarily trading tool durability for a tiny weight savings. Any gain you make because of the weight savings will be lost trying to figure out a way to use a rounded allen key.

Thanks. I don't own any. Now I'll avoid doing so.

Sometimes you can cut too much weight and end up with something you're trying to use only to find that it breaks to easily.

Never been a fan of TI bolts, they can strip or stretch, or what is known as stretching plastically, and take less stress than a steel bolt which means they have to be constantly tightened until eventually they snap then you have a part of the bolt stuck inside something, also since it is constantly moving you get creaking sounds which can damage things. Thus a ti bolt cannot clamp as well as a steel bolt of the same size, however if you know that the clamping force is light, like clamping something onto carbon fiber than it could work. The only other way TI bolts work is to make sure the bolts are grade 5 Titanium, if it doesn't have a shallow dimple pressed into the hex then assume the bolts are not suited for the application you attempting to use it for and could jeopardise your safety, of course grade 5 is more expensive than lessor TI bolts. And some steel bolts like 10.9 or 12.9 should NEVER be replaced with any TI bolt, these types of bolts are used to hold suspension pivots together which you'll find on a MTB but not on a road bike. Also TI bolts will deform in the hex opening once a tool is applied to it.

Some things that are considered to be light load bolts TI will work, some say seatpost rail clamps but I knew a guy who snapped his TI bolts for that use, not sure what happened since I wasn't the one that installed the bolts. But low stress stuff like water bottle cages it could be fine but you do have check the tightness of any TI bolts at least once a month.

Ti bolts weigh about 35% less than steel bolts but they're heavier than aluminium by about 30%, ti bolts will cost from $3 to $10 EACH, whereas an AL bolt will cost $1 to $3 each, so if you really want to save weight and money then get AL bolts instead for non crucial clamping. Also when using TI or AL bolts you have to use a anti seize lube on the treads of the bolt and the female threaded area to prevent the TI from cold welding onto the steel, than of course every time that bolt is removed you must reapply the goop.

But again for the money that TI bolts cost vs just regular steel you'll spend far more money than the weight savings is worth, this is the worse place to spend money to try to save weight.

I Think of getting a Ti Spork .. the stamped stainless steel ones Park offered is too weak for ice cream. though Maybe I should just cut and File a stainless steel spoon


91, I visited by chance, a Central Polish steel factory, Worker's resort/campground on the Polish Pomeranian north coast and experienced the way hot soup heats an aluminum spoon .


and wonder if Titanium is almost as good a Heatsink letting the soup heat the spoon about as quickly ?

Ti is a pretty poor heat conductor, with a thermal conductivity value one tenth that of aluminum. That's why cooks don't like Ti frying pans, but it would make a really good spork if you don't want hot fingers.

I have some Ti cooking pots that I got used for a good price, they are very light, largely because they are so thin. And a Ti spoon and fork that were on sale when I went to the store to buy another fork after breaking my lexan camping fork. My next backpacking trip will include those Ti items for weight savings. I did buy a double wall Ti mug that has good insulating properties, it is pretty nice for hot liquids in cool weather, for example the coffee does not get cold too quick and I can hold the mug without gloves.

Bike touring, I usually bring stainless pots instead of the titanium ones, I do not think the weight is as critical when I have wheels. Kitchen utensils is the limit of my Titanium stuff, I have no plans to buy any bike components made of Titanium.

On the bike trip when I took this photo, I carried a Ti pot instead of stainless because there were going to be a lot of hills on this trip.

The most effective weight to lose is often the part that is sitting on the saddle.

Here is a TI spork that got very high reviews, see: https://www.amazon.com/Light-My-Fire-.../dp/B001E7S5BO

Or for $5 more get 3 normal looking utensils in TI; see: Amazon.com : TOAKS Titanium 3-Piece Cutlery Set : Camping Flatware : Sports & Outdoors

really? you're gonna pay up to $200 to save maybe 1/4 ounce? seems more like bragging
rights......ooh, lookie me, i gots titanium valve caps! must be better uses for that cash.
$50 spent on a higher-quality tent or cookset or rims or tires would save half a pound.

heck, you could save as much weight with just 50 cents worth of sandpaper!
just grind the paint off your aluminum frame! quarter ounce saved right there!

The really only TI tool you need is a Snow Peak Ti Spork. I carry that sucker with me all the time not just touring and it has been a non-theistic blessing. I have had both the short and the long stem version and I currently carry a short spork.

People who carry forks and spoons are absolute fools or have just been living under a rock ; )

There are plenty of relatively lightweight tool sets that are steel and will last longer than the TI plus you can always use the old practice of drillium in non critical places (drill holes in the Park Tool I Beams and make dem speedy)

Nobody ever regretted buying quality. But are titanium tools better quality than steel?

I vote no therapy needed. My line of thinking is that my road bike weighs under 20lbs already, and I only ride it <50mi on a good day. It doesn't need to be a new super-ultra light carbon something that weighs 14lbs. My touring bike/gear, however, I'm going to be on for a month or more and hauling all of the gear weight up hills day after day. That's where saving weight is more important to me. I've seen first hand in my riding the difference of hauling a heavy load vs. a light one. I have titanium cookware and light weight stove, a fairly light sleep pad, a very light backpacking quilt, and the DIY cuben tent is on the list for making this spring for overnight bike trips. I got the lightest panniers I could get for the rear too. The lighter the better. I bet those Ti tools are pretty sweet.