Best Titanium Road Bike

TMD · #1 11-01-2018, 11:32 PM

I am currently riding a steel Serotta from 10 years ago. I'm in the market for a new road bike and am seriously considering titanium over a run on the mill carbon one. I'm looking for a bit more performance over comfort. What brands/models could hold their own against a carbon road bike on a fast group ride?

joosttx · #2 11-01-2018, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMD

I am currently riding a steel Serotta from 10 years ago. I'm in the market for a new road bike and am seriously considering titanium over a run on the mill carbon one. I'm looking for a bit more performance over comfort. What brands/models could hold their own against a carbon road bike on a fast group ride?

From what I hear from several folks I trust Spectrum Cycles is awesome. Tom knows what he is doing. If you want perfection in welds and finish Bingham Built or Baum Cycles is the way to go.

Mosaic (which I own), Seven, Firefly are great. As well as Moots..

But seriously, out all those and probably a few other, the best Titanium bike is the one you are riding. All of these brands make rad bikes it is up to you to find what personality, wait time, and style you want,

It I were to get a new titanium road bike (money no object) I would get a Spectrum or a Baum disc bike.

Clean39T · #3 11-02-2018, 12:03 AM

When you say performance over comfort, what does that mean to you?

What do you want out of a new bike that your old one doesn't offer?

What roads do you ride and in what weather?

How tall/heavy are you?

Any biomechanical issues?

Unlimited budget?

Do you need it next week, or willing to wait a year?

We need a lot more to go on... otherwise it's just poking in the dark...and while it's hard to go wrong with any of the ones Joostx mentioned, there is nuance in there...

What about titanium do you prefer over steel or carbon?

How do you feel about creaking BBs?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

enr1co · #4 11-02-2018, 12:11 AM

A bunch of "best" Ti bikes here

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...highlight=Show

Hilltopperny · #5 11-02-2018, 04:11 AM

I have two No22 bicycles in my current stable. They are former Serotta titanium build crew and make very nice titanium bikes! That said a Moots RSL is a very nice, light go fast option. Firefly makes a hell of a nice bike, but the wait list is well over a year at this point. Lots of great titanium bikes and builders out there!

GonaSovereign · #6 11-02-2018, 04:21 AM

Right before Serotta imploded, the people there had started to build what I consider their best bike, the Pronto. It biases to performance over comfort. My impression is it's not the bike for someone who wants classic Serotta steel or ti feeling.

Some of the Pronto DNA made it into the No22 bikes, as No22 hired a few of Serotta's builders. The N022 is not a Serotta; it's objectively more modern and subjectively better.

I have a No.22 CX bike (here) and for race performance it gives up nothing to the top end carbon cx bike it replaced.

In the end, you can't go wrong if you get the bike tht calls to you. Plenty of nice bikes referenced here, but if I was looking for modern ti that competes well with high-end carbon, I'd look at Mosaic, No.22, Firefly (if I could wait) , Eriksen, Litespeed T2 (if I'm light) or Triton (if I want custom performance on a bit of a budget) .

jberenyi · #7 11-02-2018, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMD

I am currently riding a steel Serotta from 10 years ago. I'm in the market for a new road bike and am seriously considering titanium over a run on the mill carbon one. I'm looking for a bit more performance over comfort. What brands/models could hold their own against a carbon road bike on a fast group ride?

I have a Lynskey Level 3 Custom and have owned it since 2007. These guys are a class act and the frame they built me is like a rocket up the mountains of Utah.

Elefantino · #8 11-02-2018, 04:59 AM

This may sound a bit retro but if you could pick up a Legend or an Ottrott your size you'd have more than enough bike to hang with the plastic boys.

weisan · #9 11-02-2018, 05:19 AM

TMD pal, if you can keep up at your current fast group rides with your 10-year-old steel Serotta, you can choose any bike you want whether it's made out of titanium or steel or aluminum or carbon or wood....it doesn't matter.

YOU are the Best Titanium Road Bike, and unfortunately we can't purchase you on the market.

jr59 · #10 11-02-2018, 05:19 AM

I’m somewhat sure all of the above listed, can do that.

Personally, I had Tom Kellogg build me 2 of them. Both came out very nice and did what I wanted them to do.

If you were looking for off the shelf type stuff, Moots would be on top of the list there. Lynskey for a lesser cost one.

All of the custom guys can and will tune their ti bikes into whatever you wish. Don’t ask me how, I just know they can do it.

Email them and give them your thoughts, then you can cut the list down, and pick up the phone and call them. Won’t be long and you will get an idea of who’s bike sings to you. Which builder gets you and who you would like to build one for you.

Have fun with this, many choices and none are wrong. Good luck and happy hunting

soulspinner · #11 11-02-2018, 05:37 AM

All the above...plus Mike Desalvo, Carl Strong( I have a steel bike he made for me and its 15 years..... old awesome bike) Davidson, the list goes on .

oldpotatoe · #12 11-02-2018, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMD

I am currently riding a steel Serotta from 10 years ago. I'm in the market for a new road bike and am seriously considering titanium over a run on the mill carbon one. I'm looking for a bit more performance over comfort. What brands/models could hold their own against a carbon road bike on a fast group ride?

No real answer..Many fine titanium brands now offered..Some via dealers(7, Moots) and some consumer direct...I have a preference for Moots..have a dealer local?

Ralph · #13 11-02-2018, 05:56 AM

Frankly... I don't see anything wrong with the Ti frame and fork deal from bikesdirect.com. $1089 with free shipping. Frame, Fork, and headset. Made by Ora Engineering in Taiwan. Motobecane brand. 2.5 double butted tubes. Saw one the other day.....looked fine to me. Kinda like a Litespeed Ti frame. Reading reviews, don't see any cracked tubes problems. 31.8 seat tube would let me use Campy Triple with 111 axle. Can't do that with fat seat tube of some others. Ora has a good reputation. Sure...volume production. Geo (sorta tall head tube) is made for riding over crit racing. Their size 53 has a 55 CM effective TT. Perfect for me. Your money....so buy the one that calls to you.

peanutgallery · #14 11-02-2018, 06:04 AM

I beg to differ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph

Frankly... I don't see anything wrong with the Ti frame and fork deal from bikesdirect.com. $1089 with free shipping. Frame, Fork, and headset. Made by Ora Engineering in Taiwan. Motobecane brand. 2.5 double butted tubes. Saw one the other day.....looked fine to me. Kinda like a Litespeed Ti frame. Reading reviews, don't see any cracked tubes problems. Ora has a good reputation. Sure...volume production. Geo (sorta tall head tube) is made for riding over crit racing. Their size 53 has a 55 CM effective TT. Perfect for me. Your money....so buy the one that calls to you.

chiasticon · #15 11-02-2018, 06:21 AM

one thing I'll add is that if you're after a non-custom bike (don't want to wait several months/years for it, don't have an odd fit), I'd suggest Moots, No 22 or Independent Fabrication. all should be able to get you a race-worthy frameset/complete bike in under two months. you can customize the geometry of these as well, but it could be a longer wait.

otherwise, if you're going full custom, there's been a lot of good suggestions already.