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Metal Frames / Titan Hardtail 2024
« on: February 05, 2024, 09:49:19 AM »
Hey guys.
I've done my research into getting a custom Ti hardtail frame made. Lots of choices in China and many more elsewhere but my budget doesn't allow for that.
In the end I have gone for a frame to be made by Titan. I intended to order a frame a few years back and didn't get round to it but paid my deposit yesterday and looking forward to updating you guys on how the frame comes out when I get it.
I have opted for an integrated seatpost this time. No real reason other than I like the look of it and never tried it before and thats a good enough reason for me.
The total price will end up being about $1200 which includes shipping to the UK which is about $260 - so in terms of cost, if the frame lives up to what I expect, then it will be great value. My rides are mostly tarmac and paths because the majority of my mileage is commuting 40 miles per day and I don't ride so frequently on my days off.
Spec wise:
Frame geometry is outdated but it is based off the Cannondale Flash from 2013. I have this bike right now and the fit is perfect for me, so i thought I'd better not mess with that.
I intend fitting the majority of the stuff onto the Ti frame. This includes a lefty fork and I also have a titanium lefty fork on order from Van Nicholas. Again, no purpose other than aesthetic.
I've opted for BB30 bottom bracket shell and external cable routing. I just doing like internal routing personally and I have lots of frames so changing stuff between bikes is a lot easier like this.
The lefty fork has a spacing of 135mm between clamps, so I asked for headtube to be 134mm and I have shims to remove any gaps. I just wanted that extra mm to account for any tolerance stacks. I didn't want a 1.5" heatube (upper and lower) like my Cannondale so opted for tapered instead and gonna use standard IS42 and IS52 bearings and then I will use a lefty adapter to fit that on.
Rear of the bike will have exchangeable dropouts for 135mm QR and 142mm TA.
Experience with Titan so far:
I have always heard back from Anita when emailing and she had been at Titan for over a decade, perhaps even from the start.
I like that the replies are helpful and fast. There is a time-zone difference of course but sometimes we have exchanged emails minutes which is great when finalizing details.
So that's it for now. I expect to get the frame probably in late-March but I am not in a rush.
I've done my research into getting a custom Ti hardtail frame made. Lots of choices in China and many more elsewhere but my budget doesn't allow for that.
In the end I have gone for a frame to be made by Titan. I intended to order a frame a few years back and didn't get round to it but paid my deposit yesterday and looking forward to updating you guys on how the frame comes out when I get it.
I have opted for an integrated seatpost this time. No real reason other than I like the look of it and never tried it before and thats a good enough reason for me.
The total price will end up being about $1200 which includes shipping to the UK which is about $260 - so in terms of cost, if the frame lives up to what I expect, then it will be great value. My rides are mostly tarmac and paths because the majority of my mileage is commuting 40 miles per day and I don't ride so frequently on my days off.
Spec wise:
Frame geometry is outdated but it is based off the Cannondale Flash from 2013. I have this bike right now and the fit is perfect for me, so i thought I'd better not mess with that.
I intend fitting the majority of the stuff onto the Ti frame. This includes a lefty fork and I also have a titanium lefty fork on order from Van Nicholas. Again, no purpose other than aesthetic.
I've opted for BB30 bottom bracket shell and external cable routing. I just doing like internal routing personally and I have lots of frames so changing stuff between bikes is a lot easier like this.
The lefty fork has a spacing of 135mm between clamps, so I asked for headtube to be 134mm and I have shims to remove any gaps. I just wanted that extra mm to account for any tolerance stacks. I didn't want a 1.5" heatube (upper and lower) like my Cannondale so opted for tapered instead and gonna use standard IS42 and IS52 bearings and then I will use a lefty adapter to fit that on.
Rear of the bike will have exchangeable dropouts for 135mm QR and 142mm TA.
Experience with Titan so far:
I have always heard back from Anita when emailing and she had been at Titan for over a decade, perhaps even from the start.
I like that the replies are helpful and fast. There is a time-zone difference of course but sometimes we have exchanged emails minutes which is great when finalizing details.
So that's it for now. I expect to get the frame probably in late-March but I am not in a rush.