Best Titanium Road Bike

[weisan]

Originally Posted by TMD

I'm 5'10" currently riding a 54cm, not very flexible due to being a distance runner as well. I could probably get on a 55 if the geometry was right. The bike would be for next season, so I don't need it tomorrow. I've been looking at No. 22, Seven and Moots as options, Firefly is a bit out of budget and from what I hear a verrry long wait. I don't have 5 figures to spend on it either so it will be built up with ultegra or force and average wheels. I'm not really into discs so id probably stick to rim brakes. I would be interested in a newer used full ti Serotta, Moots, No. 22 if anyone has one they're looking to part with?
Thanks for everyone's input, much appreciated.

Can we help TMD pal find a nice Ti bike?

[froze]

Originally Posted by PaMtbRider

I think what hurts Lynskey's perceived value is there marketing and distribution. You are not going to see new Moots, Seven, IF... at performance or Ebay at 50% off. Even through their own website the pricing is always an inflated number that is than offered at some high discount. This does not affect the ability of Lynskey to make a custom frame equal to any other, it just presents them as a discount brand.

I think, and I could be thinking wrongly, but Lynskey is extremely upset with what the new owners did with Litespeed, which is why he started Lynskey to be in direct competition with Litespeed, he actually said that. I think in that process Lynskey has stooped to doing anything to take sales from Litespeed. I know when Lynskey offered the low priced Peloton that I own Litespeed came out with a similarly priced TI bike to compete against the Peloton, and the same thing happened again when Lynskey came out with the R140 which replaced the Peloton, so Lynskey is in a price war with Litespeed, I think he wants to chop them down to size to where either Litespeed goes out of business or substantially cuts back production due to lack of sales. Again I'm second guessing this, but I do know that Lynskey started his new business due to Litespeed and the ABG company doing something that pissed Lynskey off, I just don't know what that something was. Since these are privately held companies I can't get financial reports on either of them to see who is doing better. But I think Lynskey needs to be careful he doesn't sell his bikes with too little profit which will hurt him in the long run. If Lynskey is making decent profit by going to discount shops to sell his bikes, then who cares? as long as the bikes are made well. I'm sure once sales get pumping and people get use to hearing about Lynskey more he may back off on the discount places, or only sell his lowest end models through those outlets.

Also I didn't see any Lynskey bikes being sold either at Nashbar or Performance now, so he may have already decided to leave that scene.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by weisan

Can we help TMD pal find a nice Ti bike?

sell him your merlin, 'pal'...

[William]

But I'd go...






W.

[Blue Jays]

Originally Posted by William

...But I'd go...

I guess that means you would go with a fashionably “popped” polo collar?

[William]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

I guess that means you would go with a fashionably “popped” polo collar?

That's the beauty of it...it's optional.





William

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by Heisenberg;2452110[img

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1234/3118/files/butting3.jpg?6806984952367419006[/img]

Pardon the thread drift, but, in that pic, are they butting the tube from the outside!?!?! (I.e., shaving down the thickness by removing material from the outside.)

Is that how it's typically done?

[nmrt]

yeah, some companies, Mosaic comes to mind, butt their tubes externally. They might do internal butting too, but speaking to one of their dealers (Pro Peloton), I was informed that they butt externally.

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

Pardon the thread drift, but, in that pic, are they butting the tube from the outside!?!?! (I.e., shaving down the thickness by removing material from the outside.)

Is that how it's typically done?

[Heisenberg]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

Pardon the thread drift, but, in that pic, are they butting the tube from the outside!?!?! (I.e., shaving down the thickness by removing material from the outside.)

Is that how it's typically done?

Correct. If you look closer you can see the printout displaying prebutting/postbutting weights and profiles for each frame tube.

Mosaic also butts their front triangle externally, along with a few other builders (Seven, Firefly now, Moots, etc) - though I don't think anyone save Baum butts the chain/seatstays themselves. They're quite aggressive with it, too - their painted frames are usually a good 100-200g lighter than the raw competition.

I'm fairly sure a manuf can buy internally pre-butted Ti stock, but that reduces control over the finished butting profile.

I hate sounding like a fanboy - I'm not. If it's any consolation to the general public, my next metal bike will likely be a Mosaic (or an English/Demon if I happen upon a very large pile of money). But, after witnessing a lot from the inside of the niche handbuilt corner of a very niche industry, I feel confident in saying Baum is one of the most meticulous and technically advanced Ti builders in the business today.

[sfo1]

I know two Baum owners and guess what; they both live in rent controlled apartments (neither are traders or attorney).

I suppose the $ spent on their bikes should have gone to their landlords (or, they should than their landlords for subsidized living so they can afford sweet bikes).

Originally Posted by m4rk540

If you spend 10K on a Baum frame and believe it to be measurably better than a 3K Lynskey then you probably made your money in Texas on energy futures and not within 1000 miles of San Francisco or Palo Alto. Now if you buy the Baum for the look and white glove treatment, you're probably a patent attorney in the City. And more power to you.

OP, no titanium frame is light or aero. Don't spend over $1500 and save the rest for good tires and comfortably stiff road shoes.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by sfo1

I know two Baum owners and guess what; they both live in rent controlled apartments (neither are traders or attorney).

I suppose the $ spent on their bikes should have gone to their landlords (or, they should than their landlords for subsidized living so they can afford sweet bikes).

The two Baum owners I know are expro bike racers.... I never rode one but I have ridden a lynksey and it is not even on the same planet in terms of handling/ride quality of my Mosiac gravel bike.

The myth that lynsky are good bikes because they are titanium is just not true. But Lynsky bikes do serve a purpose and they fill that niche well.

[m4rk540]

Originally Posted by sfo1

I know two Baum owners and guess what; they both live in rent controlled apartments (neither are traders or attorney).

I suppose the $ spent on their bikes should have gone to their landlords (or, they should than their landlords for subsidized living so they can afford sweet bikes).

It sounds like those guys can easily ride conversational pace at 25mph. I'd bet my retirement on the fact that most Baum owners would struggle at a 20mph pace. And that's the bottom line, the average attorney or bond trader will gain no qualitative (ride quality) or quantitative (performance) improvement in one premium frame over another. They're all good. But if you're a 375 pound once a month rider, it's possible Mosaic can build you the right bike. Conversely, if you're a 40000km per year, 135 pound former pro and you want the best performance from Ti, well, spend 18 grand on that Baum (to gain that microscopic marginal gain).

[froze]

Originally Posted by sfo1

I know two Baum owners and guess what; they both live in rent controlled apartments (neither are traders or attorney).

I suppose the $ spent on their bikes should have gone to their landlords (or, they should than their landlords for subsidized living so they can afford sweet bikes).

I propose a question to all of you because I'm a bit perplexed by this statement. How is it that two people who live in rent controlled apartments that are tax subsidized by taxpayers who are suppose to be people who can't afford regular rent can afford to buy Baum bikes? Walmart bike? yes, Cannondale bike? perhaps, Baum? no. Am I the only one here who sees something wrong with that picture? I wonder if they also collect welfare, or better yet they're on disability but can ride bikes all day and expensive bikes at that. Or did sfo1 make that story up in an attempt to argue? These are questions and thoughts not statements. Next I'll probably hear they bought them used, or maybe some very charitable person gave them those bikes.

[m4rk540]

Originally Posted by froze

I propose a question to all of you because I'm a bit perplexed by this statement. How is it that two people who live in rent controlled apartments that are tax subsidized by taxpayers who are suppose to be people who can't afford regular rent can afford to buy Baum bikes? Walmart bike? yes, Cannondale bike? perhaps, Baum? no. Am I the only one here who sees something wrong with that picture? I wonder if they also collect welfare, or better yet they're on disability but can ride bikes all day and expensive bikes at that. Or did sfo1 make that story up in an attempt to argue? These are questions and thoughts not statements. Next I'll probably hear they bought them used, or maybe some very charitable person gave them those bikes.

San Francisco, West Hollywood and to some degree Santa Monica are unique cities.

[Tony T]

Originally Posted by sfo1

I know two Baum owners and guess what; they both live in rent controlled apartments (neither are traders or attorney).

I suppose the $ spent on their bikes should have gone to their landlords (or, they should than their landlords for subsidized living so they can afford sweet bikes).

Originally Posted by froze

I propose a question to all of you because I'm a bit perplexed by this statement. How is it that two people who live in rent controlled apartments that are tax subsidized by taxpayers who are suppose to be people who can't afford regular rent can afford to buy Baum bikes? Walmart bike? yes, Cannondale bike? perhaps, Baum? no. Am I the only one here who sees something wrong with that picture? I wonder if they also collect welfare, or better yet they're on disability but can ride bikes all day and expensive bikes at that. Or did sfo1 make that story up in an attempt to argue? These are questions and thoughts not statements. Next I'll probably hear they bought them used, or maybe some very charitable person gave them those bikes.

Rent control is not based on a persons ability to pay.
If someone gets an apt in a rent controlled apt when in college, then through hard work get a good paying job, would you expect that they should now move before they are ready to?
Also not sure why they should pay more to their landlord.