Titanium - how long will it last
 

What is the life expectancy of a titanium frame... Any thoughts on what to look for in terms of wear signs or potential integrity issues?

obviously cannot be answered independent of certain conditions (who built it, how was it treated, etc).

but given that a qualified builder built it (there are a number), and you ride it as a bike is meant to be ridden, then the answer is: a titanium bike will in all likelihood last longer than you will ride it.

It will last after our lifetime. It's a good gift for our great grandchildren :)

It can scratch but all you need is a 7447 or 7448 Scotch Bright to remove the scratches if your frame is satin finished. If it is shot peened or anodized, you may have to take it back to the shop. This is all cosmetics.

Integrity issues includes susceptibility to dent on some frames where they were designed to be thin to very thin (butted) to reduce weight but ti is very strong so it takes a lot of force to create that. I have read several bad crashes and the frame came out ok that all it took is a Scotch Bright to bring it back to new condition!

Look for ti that is cold-worked-stress-relieved (CWSR) material because it can be 3x more fatigue resistant than some low quality Chinese aerospace grade titanium and 50% more fatigue resistant than annealed material. With the right ti material, cracked joints that you see from several manufacturers, as a result of fatigue and extreme use, can be avoided.

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll tootsie pop. :help:


So many variables here. You're not going to get the answer you're seeking. Its a great material...that in the hands of the right builder will give you tears and years of riding satisfaction.

any good write ups on TI vs ALU vs Carbon??

This is a joke right?

You left steel off the list - might as well throw that in there too.

It will last long enough that you feel you got value for the money you spent on it.

Tears and years ....This is a VERY good saying! And I also agree!

And I hate to agree with a Gator. :butt:

Approximately 18 years, 6 days and 4 hours for typical 3-2.5 straight gauge, give or take a few minutes.

This has been discussed here and virtually everywhere across the globe. It mostly boils down to not one material vs another but how the bike is designed and constructed for its intended use. There is no one correct answer.

I have a few Mountian bike Ti frames from the early 90's I still ride. In fact it's the only mtn bikes I ride and I ride them pretty hard... A couple years ago I found a crack in my 94 Dean top tube just behind the headtube. The Dean was my exclusive race bike in the 90's (expert class) and was used 3-4 times a week plus weekend racing year round, I used it for cyclocross every season as well. Point is, it took 16 years of hard abuse before it cracked! Everything fails eventually but I'd put my money on Ti for outlasting other materials.

As a side note, Dean stood by their lifetime warranty! I didn't have my receipt and they still fixed the frame, refinished it, restickered it and added a disc brake mount on it before they mailed it back to me! Those guys ROCK!

Good to know. I'm going to put a countdown timer above where I store my Ti bikes. It will look very Sci-Fi but damn it's going to get expensive in my bike room 12-15 years from now.

Titanium is a great frame material for it's durability, strength to weight and other characteristics mentioned here by others. It sounds like you are evaluating a used frame purchase. The ti tubes themselves are not often an issue but inspect the welds carefully. Over time, any imperfections caused by over/under heating, contamination or too many passes can cause cracks in the welds.
Every framebuilder I know has a lifetime guaranty for their workmanship but this only applies to the original owner so look closely when buying second hand. Have fun!

Rusty Lion mentioned a Ti Legend that had 150,000 miles on it. Can't remember if it was at Saratoga Springs for a repair or refinish. Incredible mileage.

How's this?

Yeah; there are too many variables to consider to predict the lifespan of a titanium frame. It has some qualities that make it more durable than steel (it's rustproof), carbon and aluminum (titanium has a higher elasticity) and in some respects it's problematic (it must be welded in an inert atmosphere (the are under welding is flooded with argon gas) and if the tubing is underbuilt for the riding stresses it sees, it could still fail.

I think you could argue that it is the "least delicate" material in that in daily use, it can take abrasion, impact, and sweat better than the other frame material choices.