Custom MTB Advice

[chiasticon]

Originally Posted by kingpin75s

How so? Some of the advantages of Ti may be lost with FS, but for rigid and hardtails, decreased weight, along with excellent elongation, tensile strength and fatigue strength characteristics make for comfortable and long lasting ride. Titanium is generally a great material for a MTB frame.

yeah all my off road bikes are Ti and I love 'em. two CX bikes and a hardtail MTB. would buy a gravel frame made of it as well, if I rode gravel enough. I think it's great for off road purposes.

to the OP: I don't know that I would invest the money that a custom full-suspension Ti MTB will cost, if I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted and that I would ride it often enough to justify the cost. if you don't end up riding it and want to sell, you're going to take a bigger hit on resale than if you'd gone another route; because MTB's change so fast and are so specific, but also because bikes just don't return a whole lot on the investment, custom especially. maybe better to get a road bike or replace your gravel bike, or sell your place in the queue perhaps? fwiw, I paid half price or less for all three of my Ti frames, because they were used.

[HenryA]

Originally Posted by macaroon

Go for a road bike instead. Titanium is a stupid material for an MTB frame.

Trolling much?

I’ll throw in with the group that says Ti is a great material for MTBs.

[pdmtong]

FS designs are really advanced and the layout possibilities that carbon provides to optimize linkage placement cannot be replicated with metal tubes.

As others have noted, I too don't think a custom ti FS is the best place to put your hard earned dollars. The forgiving sizing of modern mtbs allows sizes to fit more people, and while there are so many design options, any of the major players will deliver a really fun ride, and probably more cheaply than your custom builder.

[Jaybee]

Ti is a fantastic choice for a hardtail. Unless I misunderstand the OP, we're talking full sus here. Much of what makes Ti awesome in a hardtail becomes less awesome or maybe just muted under 4+" of travel front and rear. Also, you want to be sure your builder really understands suspension kinematics. Add in the amount of time and money that Trek/Speshy/Santa Cruz/Ibis/Transition/whoever have spent refining their suspension platforms, and I think modern production carbon is the sweet spot here. Not that you can't get a great Ti FS trail bike, just that I think your bang for the buck, even if you're spending up near $10k or more, is in carbon.

[Dave B]

Originally Posted by HenryA

Trolling much?

I’ll throw in with the group that says Ti is a great material for MTBs.

Agreed

Seems that: Moots, IF, SEVEN, Kent E/Brad B, Strong, etc seem to make ok bikes out of Ti.

Regardless, I have had Ti hard tails, softails, and full sussers all great bikes.

But I am just one guy.

[colker]

Originally Posted by HenryA

Trolling much?

I’ll throw in with the group that says Ti is a great material for MTBs.

Hmmm... titanium is an everlasting material. MTBs otoh change their tech and standards(hubs, brakes, BB, angles, geo) so fast a bike is obsolete before decals are even scratched.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by colker

Hmmm... titanium is an everlasting material. MTBs otoh change their tech and standards(hubs, brakes, BB, angles, geo) so fast a bike is obsolete before decals are even scratched.

Standards will change regardless frame material. Not sure why A titanium frame would be more apt for obsolescence than another frame material.

[colker]

Originally Posted by joosttx

Standards will change regardless frame material. Not sure why A titanium frame would be more apt for obsolescence than another frame material.

On mtbs standards have changed faster so a bike that lasts longer make less sense as an mtb. Mtbs also have big rubber, fat wheels and the subtleties of titanium are less perceived than on a road bike.

[colker]

Originally Posted by joosttx

Standards will change regardless frame material. Not sure why A titanium frame would be more apt for obsolescence than another frame material.

I would like a serotta legend but don´t care much for a serotta 26in ti max hardtail.. even though the mtb may be the best 26in hardtail ever made.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by colker

I would like a serotta legend but don´t care much for a serotta 26in ti max hardtail.. even though the mtb may be the best 26in hardtail ever made.

Huh? I know this will not help you understand your logic is flawed but...., a 26er steel bike is just as obsolete as a 26er carbon bike as obsolete as a 26er titanium bike. It’s not the material that made it obsolete.

[colker]

Originally Posted by joosttx

Huh? I know this will not help you understand your logic is flawed but...., a 26er steel bike is just as obsolete as a 26er carbon bike as obsolete as a 26er titanium bike. It’s not the material that made it obsolete.

It´s you who could not understand a very simple math which i have carefully explained : titanium is not worth the extra cost for an mtb.
It´s a material made to last immune to corrosion. An mtb is fleeting tech that makes any frame obsolete quick time.
Otoh ti have subtle ride qualities best perceived on a road bike which does not have susp forks and fat heavy rubber.
It´s crystal clear what i am saying.
If i am building an mtb i will use steel, aluminum or carbon.

[kiwisimon]

OP, trust the builder. If you can't do that, move on and don't waste your money on something you won't smile about when you ride it.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by colker

It´s you who could not understand a very simple math which i have carefully explained : titanium is not worth the extra cost for an mtb.
It´s a material made to last immune to corrosion. An mtb is fleeting tech that makes any frame obsolete quick time.
Otoh ti have subtle ride qualities best perceived on a road bike which does not have susp forks and fat heavy rubber.
It´s crystal clear what i am saying.
If i am building an mtb i will use steel, aluminum or carbon.

Crystal meth clear

[colker]

Originally Posted by joosttx

Crystal meth clear

You are better and won the internet.

[Mikej]

Originally Posted by HenryA

Trolling much?

I’ll throw in with the group that says Ti is a great material for MTBs.

I’m with this group as well.