Is Titanium worth it?

[vickster]

My Pave wasn't that costly compared to other carbon bikes at that time. Yes it would be considered so compared to PX or Ribble now but you are paying for some level of cache and tailored service and product

Cost per mile for me quite a lot, not ridden it this year!! Too many other bikes and the lack of cross lever brakes is less good for braking on my still recovering shoulder

The Touché was secondhand. Those seem to be depressingly cheap on eBay now!

It's the black writing I don't like on the Ti or indeed any Ti frames. The condor is all etching and swirls

 

[jowwy]

Enigma frames are around 1500.....

Book onto their frame builder course for 1200 plus 150 for mataerials and you can design and build whatever you like under their watchful guidance. You even get a full custom bike fit too

 

[Lee_M]

Enigma frames are around 1500.....

Book onto their frame builder course for 1200 plus 150 for mataerials and you can design and build whatever you like under their watchful guidance. You even get a full custom bike fit too

but only if you want a steel enigma. The frame building course isnt for titanium sadly

 

[velovoice]

It's the black writing I don't like on the Ti or indeed any Ti frames. The condor is all etching and swirls

Fortunately, many ti builders also offer contrasting finishes, rather than just black vinyl stickers. My Enigma frame is bright brush overall with the logos in mirror finish. And Enigma have done amazing things with anodized swirls. (I'll find a linky for you.)

ETA: Enigma's FB page has a few photos from when they first got their anodizing machine.

 

[rvw]

I've just got a new, custom-fit Enigma Etape - titanium, but painted (Aston Martin midnight blue - very stealth - with the logos left as bare metal) and it's utterly gorgeous to ride. However, like @velovoice that's probably as much to do with the fact that the geometry is right as the material. But I found their service great, especially on collecting the bike: lots of adjustments made so that I left the building with something which is a real joy to ride.

Mind you, the person who did the bike fit when I ordered - who also fitted @srw with his Van Nicholas - has now apparently moved on again.

 

[velovoice]

Mind you, the person who did the bike fit when I ordered - who also fitted @srw with his Van Nicholas - has now apparently moved on again.

I first visited Enigma on Paul Smith's (formerly of Corridori and arguably the reason Corridori has/had such a sterling reputation) very first week on the job - I was his first fitting there! Not too surprised he has left -- nothing to Engima's discredit -- but his heart is in retail and the long commute was a killer. But he transformed the way Enigma manages its order book and customer communications.

 

[Cycleops]

Really only if you're building the worlds fastest jet like the Lockheed SR71 Blackbird which used 85% of it.

 

[srw]

I've just got a new, custom-fit Enigma Etape - titanium, but painted (Aston Martin midnight blue - very stealth - with the logos left as bare metal) and it's utterly gorgeous to ride. However, like @velovoice that's probably as much to do with the fact that the geometry is right as the material. But I found their service great, especially on collecting the bike: lots of adjustments made so that I left the building with something which is a real joy to ride.

Mind you, the person who did the bike fit when I ordered - who also fitted @srw with his Van Nicholas - has now apparently moved on again.

He was on here for a while, and treated me extremely well when I dropped into Corridori completely on spec one Saturday morning - spending a couple of hours with me talking me through the range, and then letting me borrow a customer's bike for a test ride.

I was very impressed by the Enigma operation when we visited - a very clean shed, a clear love of the bikes by all the team and a lot of care taken in customer service.

I drooled over the mirror finish and the Esprit frame design.

What @rvw didn't say is that we also have a titanium tandem, bought second hand at a (relatively) bargain price. It's probably ten years old, but like steel will keep on going and last almost for ever. Despite 28mm tyres (the narrowest you'd ever want to put on a tandem) it's such a smooth, responsive ride - as smooth and forgiving as our steel Thorn on much wider tyres. And much, much faster.

 

[samsbike]

Hi Vickster, no deep pockets :-(

Just to mention that the chappy who designed the spa audax bikes reckoned the ti was just that little bit nicer than the steel one.

 

[Shadow]

It's the black writing I don't like on the Ti or indeed any Ti frames

Not compulsory when purchasing from Enigma. There is no black 'writing' on mine. It is difficult to discern it is an Enigma unless one looks very closely.

 

[Venod]

and a lot of care taken in customer service.

and then letting me borrow a customer's bike for a test ride.

Does anybody else find these statemants a contradiction ?

 

[srw]

Does anybody else find these statemants a contradiction ?

I know what you mean. But I got the feeling that he knew that the customer in question would be delighted. And it was great service to me!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Does anybody else find these statemants a contradiction ?

If it was anyone other than Paul Smith doing the loaning, yes.

 

[swansonj]

...Despite 28mm tyres (the narrowest you'd ever want to put on a tandem) it's such a smooth, responsive ride - as smooth and forgiving as our steel Thorn on much wider tyres. And much, much faster.

"Much much faster" because the smoothness allows you to fit narrower tyres, which absorb less energy? Or do you feel the frame itself is intrinsically faster?

 

[PK99]

Paul Smith? A shining example to all shop staff of how customer service should be done...

Oh bugger! Reg said something I agree with.