# Titanium Commuter?



## kzoo_cyclist (Apr 16, 2009)

While cleaning up my trusty steel Gunnar rock Tour yesterday, I discovered several small holes in the chainstay where it had apparently rusted through...

I am now in need of a new bike - I am pretty lax with maintenance, and would prefer not to have to deal with steel again.

Any recommendations for a titanium commuter? It will need eyelets for fenders and a rear rack. I just bought new 26" wheels, so I would prefer a mountain bike, but I am willing to look at cyclocross or 29" bikes as well.

For those with steel frames, does application of frame saver internally work well at preventing rust? 

Thanks.


----------



## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

If I used a Ti bike for commuting, I'd want a seriously secure place for parking it.

I might look at the VanNicholas lineup for relatively affordable Ti ... or just go for aluminum.


----------



## kzoo_cyclist (Apr 16, 2009)

Thanks - I do have a secure (and sheltered) place to store the bike at work.

Does anyone have experience with the Civia Hyland Alfine?


----------



## barrettgremlin (Mar 13, 2009)

slow down there. is there one hole on the bottom of each chainstay the same distance from the bottom bracket? some frames had drain holes there.

got any pics of the rusty holes?


----------



## nuck_chorris (Jun 6, 2008)

id go with a carbon fiber bike if you want to shell out the kind of money for a Ti bike


----------



## byknuts (Aug 9, 2008)

framesaver works pretty well, but all frames are finite.
cheap ti? hit ebay, got my merlin taiga for 350$... at that price I'll deal with bolt-on racks and such!!  
and yeah, cf frames can be found from pricepoint for like 500$
but if you want a beater, dude, get a 100$ aluminium frame and call it a day! 
the (maybe) pound difference between a hundred dollar generic alloy frame and a 1400$ titanium frame isn't worth it... not for a commuter!


----------



## nuck_chorris (Jun 6, 2008)

byknuts said:


> framesaver works pretty well, but all frames are finite.
> cheap ti? hit ebay, got my merlin taiga for 350$... at that price I'll deal with bolt-on racks and such!!
> and yeah, cf frames can be found from pricepoint for like 500$
> but if you want a beater, dude, get a 100$ aluminium frame and call it a day!
> the (maybe) pound difference between a hundred dollar generic alloy frame and a 1400$ titanium frame isn't worth it... not for a commuter!


he has a point there, save the money to buy a nice xc Ti bike a buy a beater *ugh* ........aluminum bike


----------



## davesauvageau (Jan 8, 2010)

One bike. Moots Comooter.


----------



## limba (Jan 9, 2004)

The Coomooter is the dumbest/coolest bike ever. 
My Blizzard mtn.bike (which I commute on all year, including terrible Canadian winters) is 13 years old. It's been rusting from the inside out for at least 4 years. This is my mtn.bike too. I don't baby this bike. It still hasn't broke.
I'm guessing your Gunnar is made out of high quality steel too. It might last for several more years before it snaps.
Your option are -
Keep your bike and ride it til it breaks.
Buy a junk beater bike.
Buy another steel frame/bike and use frame saver on it.
Buy something scandium, carbon or Ti.


----------



## Maximus_XXIV (Jun 7, 2009)

http://www.lynskeyperformance.com/a/pages/promotional-specials/cooper-cx-frameset-free-wheelset.php


----------



## yangpei (Apr 18, 2004)

*Jones Commuter*

My Spaceframe is set up 1x6 for off-road / trail use, but Jeff can easily build one up for commuting with fenders and / or pannier racks. This pic is a sample of such a bike from Jeff's blog.


----------



## Normbilt (Jan 17, 2004)

yangpei said:


> My Spaceframe is set up 1x6 for off-road / trail use, but Jeff can easily build one up for commuting with fenders and / or pannier racks. This pic is a sample of such a bike from Jeff's blog.
> http://forums.mtbr.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=563810&stc=1&d=1282441750


 That is one sweet Bike!


----------



## limba (Jan 9, 2004)

What does that bike weigh?


----------



## yangpei (Apr 18, 2004)

limba said:


> What does that bike weigh?


The bike in the pic is from Jeff's blog, so I don't know how much it weighs. My Spaceframe set up as a 1X6 29er weighs in about 22 lbs or so with knobbies. I would guess the commuter is a littler heavier with the fenders / racks / lights - maybe 23lbs?


----------



## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

A Titanium commuter bike is nuts. Not that I wouldn't do it if I had the money :lol:

My last two commuters have been aluminum...Nasbar X frame cyclcross, and currently an Access XCL 29er from Performance. Think of the components you could afford if you bought a $100 frame instead of a $2000 frame.


----------



## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Custom made stainless 953 frames are also out, unless you are in the large disposable income group. Maybe a used Moots from someone who hasn't a clue what the cost of the frame would be.

The Commoter isn't bad. Like the James a lot: very intersting use of Titanium's flex.. Champagne tastes and water budget.


----------



## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Stainless steel frames aren't all that much cheaper than Ti. Apparently, it is harder to work with than "regular" steel.


----------



## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

perttime said:


> Stainless steel frames aren't all that much cheaper than Ti. Apparently, it is harder to work with than "regular" steel.


Yeah, that's why I suggested a large disposable income. Both Ti and SS are conceptually ideal for a winter commuter on salted roads, but beyond most of our budgets.

So without $2000-4000 for a frame, we are left with Al and treated steel or finding a really good deal one someone's purchase mistake.


----------



## sanjuro (Sep 29, 2004)

I like ti, but I don't see what aluminum doesn't do for you in terms of overall reliability.

I have a polished alu frame and it seems to do fine, just as well as my ti bikes.


----------



## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Heck, Carbon doesn't rust either! Seriously, the days when Aluminum was infereior just because it was aluminum are long gone, as are almost all those early inferior Al frames unless someone rode it a couple of times and stored it.  I supppose there are some poor ones still made but I bet they don't carry trusted brand names. A metal frame is more about how it is assembled into a frame to use the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of an alloy than the alloy used. The trial and error period is long over for a 'normal' format Al frame. 

Aluminum can under go galvanic corrosion. Exposed aluminum can oxidize and pit but you will wear the bike out or be sick of it before that's a problem. Copper and ZInc don't play nice with it when you add water and salt. Don't know of bike accessories made of these but DIY lights and racks might have these metals (galvanized steel has a zinc coating and DIY pipe fitting lights are copper, best mounted with plastic holders or to Carbon bars.

I like steel. I love the idea of Stainless. But the aluminum mountain frames plus forks look pretty good at half the price of 4130 chromoly. Don't like it after the purchase? Just save for a frame upgrade. Just takes awhile to scrape $500 for steel a bit longer for a $2000-3000 custom Ti or SS frame.  

Remember at one point is our not too distant past Aluminum was prized as a precious metal and bars of it were included with crown jewels.


----------



## urwin (Feb 14, 2006)

I use an old Rock Lobster Team Ti frame for commuting and buzzing around places. Mainly just made it up out of old bits I had lieing around.


----------



## saltyman (Nov 21, 2009)

yangpei said:


> My Spaceframe is set up 1x6 for off-road / trail use, but Jeff can easily build one up for commuting with fenders and / or pannier racks. This pic is a sample of such a bike from Jeff's blog.


thats my actual bike with the fenders in jeffs blog, weighs in at 25lb in its current spec, its built for strength, not weight as im quite heavy.


----------



## saltyman (Nov 21, 2009)

more pics with fenders........


----------



## yangpei (Apr 18, 2004)

saltyman said:


> thats my actual bike with the fenders in jeffs blog, weighs in at 25lb in its current spec, its built for strength, not weight as im quite heavy.


Beautiful bike, Salty.


----------



## saltyman (Nov 21, 2009)

yangpei said:


> Beautiful bike, Salty.


thanks :thumbsup:

how are you finding yours?

i have yet to use the fenders myself, i may use them during the winter, though i dont mind getting the bike dirty.


----------



## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Very nice Ti. Yep. 

Interesting seat and seat post in the last three pics. Info? Review? (As it concerns a bigger person fitting a potential Ti commuter I guess it's barely on topic).


----------



## saltyman (Nov 21, 2009)

the bike was briefly owned by neil, heres what he says about it:

''The saddle is a Proust 3.3, it swivels to counter any initial tendancy to fall forward. The theory behind it is sound although hard to describe, for me it was worth trying as I had different problems with lower back and knees. the seat took me a long time to get used to but was worth it. ''

i use a Moots post and Brooks B17 Ti saddle set up on it.


----------



## VegasSingleSpeed (May 5, 2005)

nuck_chorris said:


> id go with a carbon fiber bike if you want to shell out the kind of money for a Ti bike












Older OCLVs are drilled at the drop-outs; wouldn't be too hard to adapt a rack. Could be a cheap experiment vs. buying new Ti.


----------



## joeadnan (Oct 21, 2003)

yangpei said:


> My Spaceframe is set up 1x6 for off-road / trail use, but Jeff can easily build one up for commuting with fenders and / or pannier racks. This pic is a sample of such a bike from Jeff's blog.


Nice bikes, although you fail to mention the 10-year wait list...


----------



## yangpei (Apr 18, 2004)

joeadnan said:


> Nice bikes, although you fail to mention the 10-year wait list...


When ordered my Spaceframe from Jeff in 2009, I had my frame in 2 weeks. Several years ago, the wait list did get pretty long. But, once he started having Merlin make the frames, the wait times were more reasonable. I don't know what the wait times are now that Merlin is not making frames for Jeff anymore - I hope it's not 10 years.


----------



## pushinpixels (Jul 4, 2007)

This would be an awesome Ti commuter frame. On sale too. If my Karate Monkey ever died, this would be the replacement.

http://mtb.unrealcycles.com/catalog/item470.htm


----------



## Sizzler (Sep 24, 2009)

Titanium would make for a very nice commuter. It will never rust, it's lighter and stiffer than steel, and it's much more comfortable to ride than aluminum. Considering that I ride my commuter bike more than any other bike I own, I'm thinking seriously about finding a titanium frame to build and I think the cost is entirely justified. Also, if you have a safe place to park it during the day, there really isn't any security issues to worry about.


----------



## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Pre stainless steel tubing:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-materials.html

Moots uses the greater compliance of Titanium in their YBB frames for a rear suspension system.

The new stainless steels are stronger than titanium but heavier, so when thinned enough to be stiffer but as strong as titanium the frames tend to weigh about the same. Designers work their frames around the materials strengths and weaknesses so a stiff or compliant frame can be built of Al, Ti, or steel. Thin walled large diameter tubes, ovals, etc.

Ti's been used since about 1990, SS about 3 years. We are unlikely to see mass produced Ti or SS frames, as both are harder (pun intended) to work with than Al or the old classic 531 Reynolds alloy. Both Ti and SS are definitely worth watching for used. Or saving for.

Carbon, is only as good as the resin holding the mats together provided that the frame design has properly accounted for the stresses. I have seeen too much plastic deteriorate with time to want to sink that kind of money into a carbon frame or fork. I'd rather try the Renovo Bamboo frame than carbon.


----------



## kiwisimon (Oct 31, 2006)

here is mine, http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=144970 fenders were later adjusted to better follow the tire contours.


----------



## metrotuned (Dec 29, 2006)

pushinpixels: I talked with Unreal. i almost became the owner of the 21" On One ti, very sweet bike, I am diggin the geometry (like an XXIX first generation rust red colored steel 20" taiwan frame I used to own), the kinked seattube and the Lynskey construction. The price is unreal! Pull the trigger!


----------



## byknuts (Aug 9, 2008)

everytime I hit back on this thread the ti frame and the eno hub call out to me again...


----------



## metrotuned (Dec 29, 2006)

pushinpixels: forgot to add. the track ends on the ti onone are super awesome!!!!!


----------

