Titanium Shortage?

[Jeff N.]

Been hearing/reading about a domestic...and even worldwide...shortage of titanium that'll result in a marked increase in the price of available Ti. That'd sure explain the increased use of carbon fiber in bike frames, huh? Anyone else heard/read anything? Jeff N.

[JasonF]

Titanium, along with other capital goods/commodities, is enjoying a monumental run for a couple of reasons: first, demand from China/India is gobbling up a lot of the available metal already milled. Second, investors have been rotating into gold, silver, copper, and ti as a hedge against ever-increasing U.S. budget deficits that will continue to weaken the dollar. That coupled with higher interest rates/inflation mean that metals are an attractive investment of late. My fund has been long gold, and notably silver, for several years now. I'm sure vendors who actually buy the metal, like Tom Kellog or Ben Serotta, can speak about rising prices more directly than I can. I'm just long the stuff and enjoying the ride.

[Smiley]

I sell alot of Titaium plate and Frame heat exchangers for industry and we've been short now for over 9 months with no let up in site on demand and trying to get this stuff . Its gold

[97CSI]

Ti is the major ingredient in WMDs. As so many are in production in Utah for shipment to Iraq (where they will be "found") with a deadline of the end of this year, there is very little left for bicycle production. A country must have its priorities.

[ti_boi]

GOOD LORD PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!! WE NEED TO HOARD BICYCLES!!!! GET ME 10 FRAMES STAT!!!!! :rolleyes:

[jpw]

Buy, plant, and harvest. No?