First Ti bike - What should I know?

[Spaceman Spiff]

Originally Posted by Tickdoc

First thing you'll need to do is post pictures. That is a neat looking frame, but I have yet to see one built up yet.

Congrats!

There doesn't seem to be a lot out there about them right now. Kona has shown a couple on their blog: http://cog.konaworld.com/ti-tuesday-matts-ti-esatto/

[zank]

I use a 4.2 mm, 11/64", or #18 bit in case I need to tap it out to M5 for a cable guide at a later date. So keep that in mind for location as well.

[tumbler]

Originally Posted by Spaceman Spiff

I understand I should use anti-seize instead of regular grease for the BB and seat post. Any brand recommendations?

There are lots of opinions out there on this, but many of us use regular grease on our Ti frames without issues. There are some upsides and downsides with anti-seize, but in my opinion, regular grease is more than adequate assuming you take reasonable care of your bike. There are several good posts here on this topic.

Originally Posted by Spaceman Spiff

And I know I should be able to buff out any scratches with a Scotch brite pad. But I'm looking forward to not worrying about my bike's paint!

This is a really nice benefit to Ti. When I bomb down a gravel path and hear rocks bouncing off my downtube, or a little chainslap over rough surfaces, it's nice not to worry what the paint will look like afterwards. Even the Scotch Brite is generally unnecessary unless you are going for a picture perfect finish, but it's nice to know you can always clean it up if you want to.

[kingpin75s]

Originally Posted by tumbler

There are lots of opinions out there on this, but many of us use regular grease on our Ti frames without issues. There are some upsides and downsides with anti-seize, but in my opinion, regular grease is more than adequate assuming you take reasonable care of your bike. There are several good posts here on this topic.

+1

Regular maintenance is generally more important than whether you used grease or anti-seize.

With that said, sometimes anti-seize helps with other things as well. If you used grease on your seatpost and it creaks, anti-seize instead of grease may rectify as it has in my experience.

I run a lot of Ti bikes and Ti posts and have gravitated towards anti-seize more in recent years but have never had any corrosion or galling issues with ones that were greased for years, but I have always maintained them occasionally.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I finally had the time and parts to finish building up my Kona Esatto Ti over the holidays. I've only got about 1.5 h of riding so far, but I'm very happy with it - it feels smoother and more sprightly than the steel Salsa Colossal frame it replaced.

Also, it came with a BB drain hole already, no need to drill a new one!

[RC.]

Originally Posted by chiasticon

if your bike lacks a drain hole under the BB - and I know this may be difficult to stomach doing - DRILL ONE. seriously. this should be part of all bikes but very seldom is. I had to drill two Moots and an Indy Fab Ti, out of my fleet. they're cx bikes and I ride them in crap conditions and through the winter, having water sit in the BB area with an aluminum BB in a Ti shell is asking for galvanic corrosion and a trashed BB.

but yes, you're bang-on about the anti-seize. I have a tin of Finish Line. cost $10 or so, comes with a brush integrated into the lid. it's lasted years and will last several more. pull the seat post and BB every now and then, wipe everything down and re-apply anti-seize.

otherwise, enjoy it! Ti bikes are incredible rides and in general very low maintenance related to keeping the frame happy and looking terrific. you just have these few gotchas you gotta watch out for. but hey, better than applying frame saver or having to pull your seat post and turn the bike upside-down every time you get caught in the rain!

You're a good dude. Dude.

[Mike V]

Lemon Pledge

Use it to clean your frame. It makes it smell nice also.

[cadence90]

Nice bike.

For me, as recommended by Jim Kish and seconded by Eriksen, the Ti Holy Trinity cleaning/maintenance kit is:

Dawn detergent
Lemon Pledge polish
Grease

Anti-seize to be used very sparingly.

Do not make the (apparently common) mistake of thinking, "Cool, a ti frame, I don't really need to worry about it!" Ti frames are tough, but they need regular care and love too, just like any other bicycle.

[eric01]

Know why they recommended that anti-seize should only be used sparingly?

Seems to imply that grease is preferred over anti-seize.

[cadence90]

Originally Posted by eric01

Know why they recommended that anti-seize should only be used sparingly?

Seems to imply that grease is preferred over anti-seize.

Yes, both Jim (Kish, who has done all assembly for many years, being a one-man shop) and Ed (head mechanic/assembler at Eriksen) prefer grease, and I trust their experience.

Jim will use anti-seize (Loctite silver or copper, doesn't really matter) on small ti/ti bolts; while Ed absolutely despises a-s in any application, it seems. He doesn't like how it tends to migrate everywhere, which it certainly does. It's really insidious that way.

I have been on the grease-only diet for the past couple of years, with no issues. It has been excellent on my ti post to ti frame: no creaking, no mess, easy adjustments.

Now, neither of those guys are "set and it forget it" guys, and neither am I, so obviously periodic inspection/re-lube is prudent and recommended.

[Geeheeb]

Also never ever feed it after midnight

[bewheels]

Originally Posted by eric01

Know why they recommended that anti-seize should only be used sparingly?

Seems to imply that grease is preferred over anti-seize.

Once you (anyone...not necessarily 'you') use anti-seize, you will understand why you would want to only use a little
Once a little is out of the bottle/tube it finds its way all over the place and is hard to remove.
When using it, I would recommend using about 1/3 as much as you might with grease.
If you feel the need to cake on a layer of something, don't use anti-seize...

[victoryfactory]

nm

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by bewheels

Once you (anyone...not necessarily 'you') use anti-seize, you will understand why you would want to only use a little
Once a little is out of the bottle/tube it finds its way all over the place and is hard to remove.
When using it, I would recommend using about 1/3 as much as you might with grease.
If you feel the need to cake on a layer of something, don't use anti-seize...

Bolts, like bottle bosses, rear der mounting bolt(particularly for ti or aluminum bolts), seat post..not anyplace where there are bearings in the vicinity, like BB or headset. BUT the key to ti isn't necessarily grease or anti-seze, it's taking the seat post and BB cups out regularly, clean and relube.

[mcteague]

Originally Posted by donevwil

Out of curiosity what's a builder's reasoning for not adding one initially?

I didn't originally have one in my Potts and during a stop in the middle of a 6 hr. rain ride noticed water streaming out of a rear chainstay vent hole. Removed the screw holding the under BB derailleur cable guide and had to wait quite a while for the stream to stop. Pulled the BB when I got home.

My 14 year old Seven Axiom has no hole but the 3 year old 622 SLX does. Guess they caught on at some point. The hole in the newer bike is pretty small though.

Tim