Independent Fabrication Ti Factory Lightweight

[steveo]

Just saw this on the IF homepage. Anyone know anything about this? Need to start saving my pennies. 6/4 Ti? Ti Dropouts? What do ya think?
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/4136/screenshot20100715at113v.png

[indyrider]

Me likey.....but I still think I'll take my good ol steel IF any day.
For me, my next ti will come in Moots or Eriksen. Drool.........

[Peter P.]

One concern I've heard about titanium dropouts is the material is so hard that quick release levers can't get a bite on them so the wheel tends to skew out of position under heavy efforts.

I can't verify this, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

[Brian Smith]

I don't know about the rest of the project, but that dropout seems to head toward adornment rather than low mass. Alas, such is what the marketplace seems to reward. It's basically a plate dropout. Not very high, in contemporary terms, regarding strength to weight ratio, but strong enough and fancy enough to draw some interest. Probably a good move by the company in an atmosphere where lower quality carbon bikes are of suspect strength but perceived as having better weight characteristics. I hope they have good luck and success with it.

[happycampyer]

One concern I've heard about titanium dropouts is the material is so hard that quick release levers can't get a bite on them so the wheel tends to skew out of position under heavy efforts.

I can't verify this, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.I have several bikes with ti dropouts and have never had an issue with wheels going out of position, but then again my efforts may not be heavy enough... :)

[Dave B]

I know a little about this project and Tyler is going to try some interesting things. Stuff IF hasn't done yet and I would imagine once they find the right pieces to the puzzle folks will dig it. FWIW, spending a few moments with Tyler and Joe as a few of us recently did you get a sense of how passionate they are for IF and for the entire industry. Anyone I have ever spoken with at IF has the greatest respect for other builders/companies. They are very humble, but generate so much enthusiasm when you get them going on what they do. I didn't know Tyler very well until I got a chance to hang with him for a bit, but he has mad skills and doesn't get the accolades he has earned. He and Joe are my boys and the rest of the folks there really have a cool vision and fun things happening in the future.

I think this bike will make folks smile and I bet they sell well.

anyway, just one guy's perspective. Give em a call and chat for a bit, I bet you wouldn't be disappointed in what they have to say.

[soulspinner]

BB30, integrated headset, shaped and enlarged dt, a real race bike. Also, different stays and more butting and machining than ticj. Priced between Corvid and ticj. Sounds like Serotta has been doing most of this with their Legend for some time.

[weiwentg]

I have several bikes with ti dropouts and have never had an issue with wheels going out of position, but then again my efforts may not be heavy enough... :)

I'd heard that was an issue with 6/4 Ti droupouts. Regular ti is ok.

[SEABREEZE]

I do love my IF Crown Jewel Ti SEC...

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BsxClt3TmzM/Sza_w7uDkyI/AAAAAAAAADc/jGmTtAfKH-c/s720/IMG_0367.JPG

[steveo]

So, I'm guessing this will be a Moots RSL competitor? If it's priced between the Corvid and a TiCJ, that will put it right around $4,750 for the frameset. :crap: ouch.

[zap]

I'd heard that was an issue with 6/4 Ti droupouts. Regular ti is ok.

My understanding is that all ti frames built in the USA use 6/4 dropouts.

[buck-50]

One concern I've heard about titanium dropouts is the material is so hard that quick release levers can't get a bite on them so the wheel tends to skew out of position under heavy efforts.

I can't verify this, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but as long as you have vertical dropouts, how is the wheel going to move?

I know vintage bikes with chromed horizontal dropouts usually require old-school closed cam quick releases...

[dana_e]

Yeah, got an Eddy with chrome drop outs. Wheel slip, there goes the paint, classic. At least it is chrome underneath

Litespeed with Ti dropouts, vertical styled rop outs, never moves

[oldpotatoe]

One concern I've heard about titanium dropouts is the material is so hard that quick release levers can't get a bite on them so the wheel tends to skew out of position under heavy efforts.

I can't verify this, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Vertical dropouts..they won't slip.

[quattro]

The Parlee Z1 uses 6/4 Ti drop outs, never had an issue with any slipping on mine, going on 6 years now. That's good enough for me.

quattro

[pbjbike]

BITD at Merlin, the only bikes that didn't have 6/4 dropouts were for sponsored riders: Custom private label road and a few track bikes; those who requested horizontal drops: Steve Hegg, Mike McCarthy and other top track racers. CP was used for those horizontal drops to allow better QR clamping, and chain adjustment. Never worry about the quality of an IF product. :)