First Ride: Titan Cycles Titanium Belt Drive Fixed Gear

[MaraudingWalrus]

Greetings people of thepaceline!

I've just put down a deposit on another frame. And another china-sourced custom titanium frame, at that. I really like my waltly

This one is going to be from

It'll be a fixed gear frame (120mm rear spacing horizontal dropouts) with a belt drive split. English threaded BB. Straight 1 1/8 head tube for external cup headset. I've also elected to go with a fork from them, also, set up for standard rim brake (I have a spare Paul Racer M I'll run).

I have no issue with my waltly frame and would happily order from them again. I am going with Titan for this for two reasons:

• Titan offers a few more accessories that I'm considering grabbing (they have titanium headsets for $80, so I may grab one of those)
• they offer PVD coating, which Waltly does not. I plan to go with the rainbow PVD coating for maximum silliness

If you go to the "showcase" section of the titan website, you can see (in the bottom left two images called "titanium black" and "titanium gold and rainbow" what the PVD coatings look like)

You can see some of the other things titan offers on their aliexpress page, which has some interesting stuff, particularly their tandems and triples!
Amusingly enough, one of the best riding bikes I've ever had was my Raleigh Rush hour (a basic basic fixed gear frame) from a few years back when it was still a cromoly frame not hi-ten like it was the last couple years; I've taken geometry close to that in my size, and added some head tube height. Because of the headtube height I've gone for, it will be a sloping top tube, not a perfectly horizonal tube like many of us love aesthetics of.


I likely will track down eventually a titanium stem to go with it, although I'll play around with stems from my pile-o stems before ordering a couple of those for some bikes.

Build details:
I'll eventually grab a ti stem, as stated above
I will run Profile Racing Cranks
Paul Racer M Brake
Ritchey WCS Evocurve bars
Gates CDX belt system 55/19 gear ratio, I suspect
Either my archetype to Phil Woold or my ENVE 4.5 to Paul wheelset
Ti-seatpost
Probably a ti headset from these folks also


Will update you all as things progress.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by MaraudingWalrus

Greetings people of thepaceline!

I've just put down a deposit on another frame. And another china-sourced custom titanium frame, at that. I really like my waltly

This one is going to be from

It'll be a fixed gear frame (120mm rear spacing horizontal dropouts) with a belt drive split. English threaded BB. Straight 1 1/8 head tube for external cup headset. I've also elected to go with a fork from them, also, set up for standard rim brake (I have a spare Paul Racer M I'll run).

I have no issue with my waltly frame and would happily order from them again. I am going with Titan for this for two reasons:

• Titan offers a few more accessories that I'm considering grabbing (they have titanium headsets for $80, so I may grab one of those)
• they offer PVD coating, which Waltly does not. I plan to go with the rainbow PVD coating for maximum silliness

If you go to the "showcase" section of the titan website, you can see (in the bottom left two images called "titanium black" and "titanium gold and rainbow" what the PVD coatings look like)

You can see some of the other things titan offers on their aliexpress page, which has some interesting stuff, particularly their tandems and triples!
Amusingly enough, one of the best riding bikes I've ever had was my Raleigh Rush hour (a basic basic fixed gear frame) from a few years back when it was still a cromoly frame not hi-ten like it was the last couple years; I've taken geometry close to that in my size, and added some head tube height. Because of the headtube height I've gone for, it will be a sloping top tube, not a perfectly horizonal tube like many of us love aesthetics of.


I likely will track down eventually a titanium stem to go with it, although I'll play around with stems from my pile-o stems before ordering a couple of those for some bikes.

Build details:
I'll eventually grab a ti stem, as stated above
I will run Profile Racing Cranks
Paul Racer M Brake
Ritchey WCS Evocurve bars
Gates CDX belt system 55/19 gear ratio, I suspect
Either my archetype to Phil Woold or my ENVE 4.5 to Paul wheelset
Ti-seatpost
Probably a ti headset from these folks also


Will update you all as things progress.

Sounds like a sweet rig...wet weather bike? Fenders and all or just a 'fun bike'? Make sure you get a belt adjust system, either a hand held one or the 'ap'..yup, there's an ap for that..uses 'tone'.

[MaraudingWalrus]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Sounds like a sweet rig...wet weather bike? Fenders and all or just a 'fun bike'? Make sure you get a belt adjust system, either a hand held one or the 'ap'..yup, there's an ap for that..uses 'tone'.

Over the last three or so years the majority of my miles have been on fixed gear bikes, mostly on my Raleigh Macaframa, which is certainly more traditional track geometry, so not always the most comfortable ride.

I plan to have fender mounts, although I don't really ride in the rain.


Oh yes, familiar with both the gates app and the little cricket tool....for what it's worth, Barnett indicates that the app is more accurate than the clicky tool, but that's predicated on having a pretty darn quiet space.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by MaraudingWalrus

Over the last three or so years the majority of my miles have been on fixed gear bikes, mostly on my Raleigh Macaframa, which is certainly more traditional track geometry, so not always the most comfortable ride.

I plan to have fender mounts, although I don't really ride in the rain.


Oh yes, familiar with both the gates app and the little cricket tool....for what it's worth, Barnett indicates that the app is more accurate than the clicky tool, but that's predicated on having a pretty darn quiet space.

We used both in the shop and kinda took average. The thing we noticed tho was how farging tight the belt was when it was proper. Guide doohickys on more modern belt cogs and rings helped a lot.

[MaraudingWalrus]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Guide doohickys.

are you referring to the CDX system with the center ridge on the cogs and rings and the corresponding channel on the belt? It makes a huge difference with belt retention/not walking its way off to the side!

[Burnette]

I looked for Titan's site and missed it by typing Titan Bicycles, that was a different company. Typed in Titan Cycles and got it. Impressive web site, I like the way the pages unfold, well done. People wonder why we gave Ben a hard time about his site, he should look at this one, kinda awesome>
http://www.titancycles.com/#

So I see you're keen on belt drive. How do they perform in wet and grit conditions? Do they require more cleaning? I have never seen a belt set up before except online and don't know much about them.

[MaraudingWalrus]

Originally Posted by Burnette

I looked for Titan's site and missed it by typing Titan Bicycles, that was a different company. Typed in Titan Cycles and got it. Impressive web site, I like the way the pages unfold, well done. People wonder why we gave Ben a hard time about his site, he should look at this one, kinda awesome>

http://www.titancycles.com/#



So I see you're keen on belt drive. How do they perform in wet and grit conditions? Do they require more cleaning? I have never seen a belt set up before except online and don't know much about them.

I really quite like belt drive. It is theoretically less maintenance than a chain system (no lubrication needed, just wash off any accumulated stuff). Also the belt will last longer, provided alignment - ie chain line (belt line I suppose) is dead on.

The quietness of a belt drive bike is incredible.

Also they're funky and different, which I'm all about.

[Burnette]

I went to their "Showcase" and that folding bike is rad, I like it. They do some really great looking stuff.

And, there is just something about titanium.

I went back and see that they are in China. That would explain the low prices for a frame. I check out your future post with much interest. Hope all goes well and if they can deliver that level of quality on time and for that money, they make the list.

Keep us updated.

[MaraudingWalrus]

Originally Posted by Burnette

I went to their "Showcase" and that folding bike is rad, I like it. They do some really great looking stuff.

And, there is just something about titanium.

I went back and see that they are in China. That would explain the low prices for a frame. I check out your future post with much interest. Hope all goes well and if they can deliver that level of quality on time and for that money, they make the list.

Keep us updated.

Definitely. There's some crazy stuff on there and on their Aliexpress page I linked above. Totally silly, some of it.

I was (and continue to be) totally jazzed with the quality of my waltly, and don't expect anything to be different here. It's not quite as nice, probably, as a Kish or whatnot custom builder here stateside, but also it's a fraction of the price of many of those.

The downsides being the lack of person in the timezone to contact should a problem arise (say geometry showing up not as specified, or some issue down the line), also you don't necessarily get the same guidance you would from someone here in the states if you send them geometry that will ride silly.

Process sort of goes like:

Walrus: This is what I want _____
Frame Builder in China: Roger, confirm drawings of ____ are as requested.
Walrus: Looks good - that's what I asked for!
Frame Builder In China: Great, we'll make it.


Whereas with say Indyfab you'd likely have more back and forth

Walrus: I'd like ____
Indyfab: Sure, but have you considered that if you do __X___ that you'll have catastrophic toe overlap and kittens will die?
Walrus: No that sounds horrible, what about __Y___
Indy: Yes that's better, we'll do that.
Indy: also have you considered Z amount of trail? People find that's better because Reasons
Walrus: No I don't even know what trail is, but Reasons are scary!


**** not actual conversations, purely theorized *****


I also could see a situation where someone who was interested in a frame from Ron English or someone else with a million year lead time and a crazy high wait time, could order one of these to have in six-seven weeks and try their geometry and make sure they're totally jazzed before the final deal. This theoretical person would likely have to have all the money to have proof of concept frame made before their actual dream frame, but still, could see that situation. And build the dream frame up with nicer bits at the end, but have two identical geo bikes with different parts on them?

[Burnette]

[QUOTE=MaraudingWalrus;2296171]Definitely. There's some crazy stuff on there and on their Aliexpress page I linked above. Totally silly, some of it.

I was (and continue to be) totally jazzed with the quality of my waltly, and don't expect anything to be different here. It's not quite as nice, probably, as a Kish or whatnot custom builder here stateside, but also it's a fraction of the price of many of those.

The downsides being the lack of person in the timezone to contact should a problem arise (say geometry showing up not as specified, or some issue down the line), also you don't necessarily get the same guidance you would from someone here in the states if you send them geometry that will ride silly.

Process sort of goes like:

Walrus: This is what I want _____
Frame Builder in China: Roger, confirm drawings of ____ are as requested.
Walrus: Looks good - that's what I asked for!
Frame Builder In China: Great, we'll make it.


Whereas with say Indyfab you'd likely have more back and forth

Walrus: I'd like ____
Indyfab: Sure, but have you considered that if you do __X___ that you'll have catastrophic toe overlap and kittens will die?
Walrus: No that sounds horrible, what about __Y___
Indy: Yes that's better, we'll do that.
Indy: also have you considered Z amount of trail? People find that's better because Reasons
Walrus: No I don't even know what trail is, but Reasons are scary!


**** not actual conversations, purely theorized *****


I also could see a situation where someone who was interested in a frame from Ron English or someone else with a million year lead time and a crazy high wait time, could order one of these to have in six-seven weeks and try their geometry and make sure they're totally jazzed before the final deal. This theoretical person would likely have to have all the money to have proof of concept frame made before their actual dream frame, but still, could see that situation. And build the dream frame up with nicer bits at the end, but have two identical geo bikes with different parts on them?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I'm in that boat. This is a cool way to see for cheap if the geo jives. To have to ride something for awhile to know. The prices are crazy low.
Keep us posted on how it all goes. I'm looking for a low budget project. I'll look at this thread with much interest!

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by MaraudingWalrus

are you referring to the CDX system with the center ridge on the cogs and rings and the corresponding channel on the belt? It makes a huge difference with belt retention/not walking its way off to the side!

Yup, guide doohickeys..I like technical terms.

[Mikej]

Where do they source their ti from?

[MaraudingWalrus]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Yup, guide doohickeys..I like technical terms.

Technical language is the best language! I have a bin at the shop labeled "shifty bits" with random shifters etc in it.

[MaraudingWalrus]

Frame should be done soon. Chinese new year means the factory is closed for a couple more days.

I did get these pictures from Jen Green at Revolution Cycle Jewelry today, however....

[donevwil]

Look forward to the build. I have one of their setback seatposts bought more as a novelty than for need. It's quality and aesthetics are excellent and the clamp function rivals my Moots.

I'm also a belt drive fan. My wife's Alfine 11, belt, BB7 commuter is the most reliable, maintenance free bike we've owned. The only thing that would make it better is if it were a few pounds lighter (Ti).