Titanium Gravel Bike

[Globalnaut]

Hi There,

I plan to build a titanium gravel Bike (with Fenders and mounting points for bike-packing) which is custom or well adjusted stock.

Any suggestion for a brand/shop in the aliexpress sphere? Is there a manufacturer which use 3d printed parts as custom stems and titanium forks (e.g. I like the falcon from quokkacycles fr).
 
Found TIRIS Ti-Bike Store, but has anybody experience with them/there frames. And what about shipping/customs to EU (Berlin, Germany)?

Best regards,

Michael

 

[FabianBe]

Hi Michael,

this might be better placed in the metal bike section but anyway. Waltly Ti is most commonly referred to. Custom geometry or stock options, quality is generally good and last I checked, prices for a frameset was around $1300!? They do 3D printed stuff too. Not on Ali but mostly good factory direct communications.
https://www.waltlyti.com/

[Globalnaut]

Hi Fabian,

that's true, but i did not find a metal frame section für Road/Gravel Bikes.

I will check out Waltly Ti, do you have any info how shipping and especially customs work for Germany?

Best!

[FabianBe]

Not having ordered one myself, I don't know. But there is a Waltly Ti subreddit where you might find some info and or in the metal frame section.

[Chiyou]

If you haven't come across Klein Concept's YouTube channel yet, he's from Berlin and ordered a Walty:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdq6o4PdRbIwU_0SLbW2jQxWgsN-jUsQV

[Globalnaut]

Hi Guys,

thank you, I found the subreddit and Michael Kleins channel ist a good hint - probably I will get in contact with him directly as he is Berlin based.

 I saw the Lightspeed Ghishallo just weights 871gr (M Size), are there any hints which chinese titanium gravel frames are the lightest?

Best!

[Samuel BMR]

How much is that 850g Ti frame though? 4500€ for the frame?

[meysow]

6000€+, not a gravel frame by any means, unless you are adventurous enough to take this 28mm clearance on anything else than tarmac!

[eeney]

Myself and a friend have bought from Waltly, both very happy.

I got them to create something similar to a frame I had seen, my friend paid a smallish fee to a bike fitter/builder to help him design and spec a very personalised design and fit.  The bike fitter/mechanic has built a few Waltly bikes, he gave them high praise.

[Globalnaut]

The Lightspeed Ghishallo is an extreme example.

The weight of Waltly gravel frames apparently ranges between 1.5 and 1.7 kg (size M), which is significantly heavier (0.5–0.7 kg) than carbon frames.

Are the 3D-printed titanium parts as light and durable as welded tubes? Is 3D printing technology mature enough in this regard?

Titanium seems to be the best material for frames in general; so far, the issue has been more about material processing.

Incidentally, Lightspeed's standard gravel frames weigh around 1.5 kg, so the difference to Waltly isn't that significant.

But who actually manufactures the lightest titanium gravel frames in China?

[CycOps]

Myself and a friend have bought from Waltly, both very happy.
I got them to create something similar to a frame I had seen, my friend paid a smallish fee to a bike fitter/builder to help him design and spec a very personalised design and fit.  The bike fitter/mechanic has built a few Waltly bikes, he gave them high praise.

If you went with custom geometry from Waltly, those frames are traditionally welded and don't use 3D-printed lugs, correct? Otherwise, they’d have to print custom lugs for every unique geometry. Waltly told me that they can do it, but it’s pretty pricey.