Titanium Road Bikes

[Comedian]

Oh God help me... I'm up to page 24 of the Baum Flicker photo stream. Only another 50 to go....

[Kenzo]

Baum is mostly custom bikes? For a few hundred more... Get your bike totally custom, have a look at a BNE company: paintmybike.com.au

They even did a naughty copy of the Venge McLaren and I believe they received a letter from Specialized because of it.

[biker jk]

I sold my carbon fibre bike and bought a Lynskey R330. Very happy with the decision. I agree that ride quality is often a function of tyre pressures but found the titanium frame didn't beat me up like the carbon frame on rough roads. Frame weighs 1250 grams so you can still build a pretty light bike but one that will last a very long time.

[Le Velo]

Oh God help me... I'm up to page 24 of the Baum Flicker photo stream. Only another 50 to go....

Baum is what I call pure bike porn!
I actually getting one built from them right now and should be ready by mid march. They do have about 6 months minimum wait at the moment but happy to wait for a bike that is custom made to fit me with gears I want and colours scheme that I like. .... Comedian, let me know if you want their latest price list

[grasshopper]

Baum is mostly custom bikes? For a few hundred more... Get your bike totally custom, have a look at a BNE company: paintmybike.com.au

Baum is wholly custom - frame, paint, build.

[aeroslave]

Titanium Frames are all about welding craftmanship. The chinese, though world class leaders in all things carbon fibre, STILL has a lot to learn before they can master the difficult welding techniques of Titanium alloys.

MADE IN USA. So far thats what you should get in Ti frames.

[RonK]

Titanium Frames are all about welding craftmanship. The chinese, though world class leaders in all things carbon fibre, STILL has a lot to learn before they can master the difficult welding techniques of Titanium alloys.

MADE IN USA. So far thats what you should get in Ti frames.

Oh really? A friend of mine has had three MADE IN USA Lightspeed frames fail and had them replaced under warranty. Last time they refused to supply him with another Ti frame and gave him a CF replacement instead.

When I spoke to him recently he was considering a Van Nicholas and was very interested to look over mine.

Made in USA guarantees nothing...

[sumgy]

The real thing to understand is that you get what you pay for.
The quality of the end product will be dependent upon what you pay and who you source from.
I have seen some absolute junk come out of both the US and China.
I have also seen some ti frames from China that are the parallel of many US built ti frames.

Are Lightspeed still made in the US?
I thought that they are now sourced from China.

[Comedian]

Has anyone had any issues with Baum?

It would appear they are some of the lightest TI bikes around. Interestingly.. they taylor the amount of material dependant on the weight of the rider. Light riders get a bike that is a little lighter than heavy riders!

From what I can gather with a good group set and light wheels you're Baum is likely to weigh around 7.3 in a large frame with pedals. That's probably about half a kg lighter than a one of the lighter CF bikes... but I'd be ok with that.

[RonK]

Has anyone had any issues with Baum?

It would appear they are some of the lightest TI bikes around. Interestingly.. they taylor the amount of material dependant on the weight of the rider. Light riders get a bike that is a little lighter than heavy riders!

I'm only aware of two Ti Baums here in Brisbane, one a roadie, the other an MTB. Never heard anything other than praise said about them though.

[sumgy]

That is pretty standard with ti.
My Moots and Blacksheep are both like that.
Like everyone Baum has their lovers and haters.
I still reckon you need to talk to Shannon.
He is at Eatons Crossing so nice and local.

I will be amazed if a large Baum comes in that light.
My 58cm ETT Moots is only JUST under 8kg with 1,100g Mad Fiber's, SRAM Red groupset, ti post and stem and Speedplay Zero's.

You are also welcome to come over and look at my Moots and Blacksheep if you are interested.
I am at Albany Creek.

[grasshopper]

It would appear they are some of the lightest TI bikes around. Interestingly.. they taylor the amount of material dependant on the weight of the rider. Light riders get a bike that is a little lighter than heavy riders!

That's the difference between custom and production. Geo, tube selection etc all designed around your ride/handling specs and butting that varies with the model. They can build very light if you have the budget.

[chewsta]

Oh God help me... I'm up to page 24 of the Baum Flicker photo stream. Only another 50 to go....

Baum is what I call pure bike porn!
I actually getting one built from them right now and should be ready by mid march. They do have about 6 months minimum wait at the moment but happy to wait for a bike that is custom made to fit me with gears I want and colours scheme that I like. .... Comedian, let me know if you want their latest price list

Hi Le Velo
if possible could you pm me their price list? I'd like to know i) how much i need to save ii) how long for iii) if i need to sacrifice some body parts

cheers

[Le Velo]

Oh God help me... I'm up to page 24 of the Baum Flicker photo stream. Only another 50 to go....

Baum is what I call pure bike porn!
I actually getting one built from them right now and should be ready by mid march. They do have about 6 months minimum wait at the moment but happy to wait for a bike that is custom made to fit me with gears I want and colours scheme that I like. .... Comedian, let me know if you want their latest price list

Hi Le Velo
if possible could you pm me their price list? I'd like to know i) how much i need to save ii) how long for iii) if i need to sacrifice some body parts

cheers

Hi chewsta, welcome to the forum ..... First post and already buying a TI bike .... Pm me your email and I send it over ..... Kidneys do sell well those days

[chewsta]

Thanks Le Velo

been hankering for a new roadie for a bit, my Oppy Bol dOr requires an upgrade now me thinks

now if i could get that frame which will last me a life time i'll be set

although i really do like the look of those BMC Team machines however

[gabrielle260]

Hi Chewsta, I've had a Baum road bike for about 4 years now and have had no problems at all. Absolutely love it- every time I ride I get that "I love riding my bike" feeling!
I also have cracked the frame of my Lynskey 29er singlespeed and have had that repaired under warranty. Still love that bike too...
It's a fantastic experience, getting a custom frame and then working out the parts spec you want... Happy to help if you want it!

[Comedian]

I spoke to a guy at a bike shop yesterday and he said that TI bikes are crazy because they don't fit current parts????

Surely any new TI bike you buy now would take all the same components as the current off the shelf bikes?

[cpical]

I recently changed bike. Used to ride a generic CF with full record groupset.

I went to CyclingEdge, talked a while with PK, telling him I was looking for a new frame. I was interested in trying a Ti. I tried a Moots (not the top end), and a Parlee (Z5, first, then a Z3). The Moots felt great, with a distinct difference in the position feel, compared to my old bike and the Parlees, that I could not really explain. Super comfortable!!!
But when I next tried the Z5, I was immediately impressed. Easy to ride, comfortable, felt like riding on a rail compared to my generic CF (that felt like riding on sand when I took it back after testing the Z3). I did not try a more expensive Moots. I chose the Z3 (display model). Comes with lifetime garanty (you register on-line with Parlee). Also got Topolino wheels.
If you are going to spend that much money, go and try both. But if you absolutely want a Ti, try different models!

[gabrielle260]

Comedian, to put it politely, what the guy in the bike shop told you is balderdash and poppycock! The only glimmer of truth is that Ti frames last so long they outlive trends in components.

[Nobody]

I spoke to a guy at a bike shop yesterday and he said that TI bikes are crazy because they don't fit current parts????

Sounds like a sales pitch to me. Any bike is generally built to the parts available in the era it's made, custom of not, Ti or not. If you get a custom, you just need to be able to read the future as to which standards will be successful in sales volume. Not an easy task these day with all the headset and BB "standards" emerging.

[PawPaw]

Any bike is generally built to the parts available in the era it's made, custom of not, Ti or not. If you get a custom, you just need to be able to read the future as to which standards will be successful in sales volume. Not an easy task these day with all the headset and BB "standards" emerging.

Agree with this, which has swayed me away from paying a premium for a frame likely to endure for a decade or more. Groupsets are changing more rapidly than I've ever seen before.
- Bottom brackets? Will hollowtech II be around in 3-5 years? What will be the width and diameter of bottom brackets in 3 years?
- Headsets? will non tapered be available in 3-5 years?

Further, check out the used Ti frames on ebay with dents in them. And if you lay your Ti frame down and it needs repair, how much confidence are you going to have to ride it aggressively down hills etc?

My view is firming towards the commodification of bikes; so am more likely to buy cheaper Chinese generic carbon or Ti frame next. When sales volumes increase exponentially like they are now, commodification and competition driven change in standards are a given.
Sure, there'll always be a custom builds, but cost effective and improved groupset design will evolve.
Who knows...maybe even wheel diameter standards will change. Smaller wheels have less wind resistance, are stronger, less flexible, make bikes easier to transport and store, etc, etc.
The speed record for an upright bike was set on a bike with smaller wheels.

[sumgy]

I spoke to a guy at a bike shop yesterday and he said that TI bikes are crazy because they don't fit current parts????

Surely any new TI bike you buy now would take all the same components as the current off the shelf bikes?

That is the stupidest and funniest and saddest thing I have read for a long time.
Find a new bike shop that is not staffed by idiots.

[chewsta]

Hi Chewsta, I've had a Baum road bike for about 4 years now and have had no problems at all. Absolutely love it- every time I ride I get that "I love riding my bike" feeling!
I also have cracked the frame of my Lynskey 29er singlespeed and have had that repaired under warranty. Still love that bike too...
It's a fantastic experience, getting a custom frame and then working out the parts spec you want... Happy to help if you want it!

Thanks for the offer gabrielle260. I think the project of getting a Baum will be at least 1 year in the making for me, and considering the wait time of the process I won't be riding one within 6 months.

Just one question, what made you choose Baum over the others? and what made you choose Ti as a frame material (so over steel/alu/carbon)? ok that was 2 questions

I've only ever ridden carbon bikes, and test rode carbon bikes. Needless to say all those that I tested were much stiffer than my current ride (cervelo R3sl, 2011 Roubaix and Tarmac expert) with the roubaix having the smoothest ride of the three, has somewhat of muted feeling when on the road but stil also quite punchy similar to the other 2.

I also do agree with what others have said about future component standards, whilst dropping large wads of cash for a frame we all need to take this into careful consideration. But I have noticed an easier way to predict the 'future' for at least the next 2 years. One needs to look at the top level groupset being launched as from what I observe is that they last for at least 3 years before a whole new redesign. Sram Red would be a prime example, their BBs have not changed since they introduced their first road groupset. Whilst BB/headset standards are determined by frame manufacturers, with more and more going the internal press fit routes, aftermarket groupset are still offering the tried and true external bb cups standard, which I think for shimano is a 24mm diameter bearing with a 68mm length? I could be wrong, but at least for BBs we I reckon we still could be seeing the same BBs for the next 3-5years. Meaning current frame designs whether carbon or Ti will still be around...

[sumgy]

Hi Chewsta, I've had a Baum road bike for about 4 years now and have had no problems at all. Absolutely love it- every time I ride I get that "I love riding my bike" feeling!
I also have cracked the frame of my Lynskey 29er singlespeed and have had that repaired under warranty. Still love that bike too...
It's a fantastic experience, getting a custom frame and then working out the parts spec you want... Happy to help if you want it!

Thanks for the offer gabrielle260. I think the project of getting a Baum will be at least 1 year in the making for me, and considering the wait time of the process I won't be riding one within 6 months.

Just one question, what made you choose Baum over the others? and what made you choose Ti as a frame material (so over steel/alu/carbon)? ok that was 2 questions

I've only ever ridden carbon bikes, and test rode carbon bikes. Needless to say all those that I tested were much stiffer than my current ride (cervelo R3sl, 2011 Roubaix and Tarmac expert) with the roubaix having the smoothest ride of the three, has somewhat of muted feeling when on the road but stil also quite punchy similar to the other 2.

I also do agree with what others have said about future component standards, whilst dropping large wads of cash for a frame we all need to take this into careful consideration. But I have noticed an easier way to predict the 'future' for at least the next 2 years. One needs to look at the top level groupset being launched as from what I observe is that they last for at least 3 years before a whole new redesign. Sram Red would be a prime example, their BBs have not changed since they introduced their first road groupset. Whilst BB/headset standards are determined by frame manufacturers, with more and more going the internal press fit routes, aftermarket groupset are still offering the tried and true external bb cups standard, which I think for shimano is a 24mm diameter bearing with a 68mm length? I could be wrong, but at least for BBs we I reckon we still could be seeing the same BBs for the next 3-5years. Meaning current frame designs whether carbon or Ti will still be around...

I agree that the grouspets will change but at least with my Moots I can upgrade that groupset when I want.
My bike will still look and ride awesomely.
I personally could not imagine changing a groupset out on any of the latest CF bikes in say 5 years time.
Also with BB's, there are a lot of older steel bikes I have seen that are now upgraded to external BB.
I have also personally run 130mm spacing on a frame that was designed around 125(?) along with SRAM shifters on a bike that was designed around downtube shifters and a 1and1/8 stem and oversized bars on a fork that was designed for 1" quill.

Finally IMO a Ti frame is not necessarily that much more expensive than a high end CF frame. Especially when you consider the life expectancy (barring severe crashes).

[Le Velo]

I spoke to a guy at a bike shop yesterday and he said that TI bikes are crazy because they don't fit current parts????

Surely any new TI bike you buy now would take all the same components as the current off the shelf bikes?

Funniest thing all day !