Paul - glad your Jersey trip was fun and thanks for your blog.
Please can you point towards a site or resource which explains the difference in 'properties of material' terms which make titanium a superior metal/alloy (to steel and aluminium) for making cycle frames out of?
I can cope (within reason) with a scientific approach (ie articles). This cannot be an original question but I have looked unsuccessfully for insights.
I'll get another bike some day (for randonneuring and lightly loaded touring) and can see the reputational attraction of Ti, but I'd like to understand/examine why Ti is better, in particular from a vibration point of view. Clearly different frame geometries will make a difference but if one took two frames with the same geometry, will the Ti one transmit less road irregularity-induced vibration?
Why don't Ti framed bikes have Ti forks? (I note your fork is carbon.) Is a seatpost made of titanium superior from a 'ride' PoV to one of Al alloy or carbon? Are Ti bars more 'comfortable' (ie less transmitted road irregularity-induced vibration)?
Or is it just cosmetics/aesthetics, lack of corrosion and weight differences?
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There has been a few I've seen that give data referencing the difference between frame materials,
Sheldon Brown being one although that is a bit out of date now, most frames have larger diameter tubes for example. The problem with data in relation to the riding experience comes down to perception. For example, I don't play tennis, give me Andy Murray's tennis racket and one half the price and it will probably feel the same. In reality the perception and personal conclusions will vary from one rider to another, 'no difference' to one maybe a 'deal breaking difference' to another.
In my case I went from a Reynolds 531 Dave Yates well built Pearson Audax frame to my Titanium Yukon, most of the equipment transferred across from the steel bike. To me it felt smoother, as if the road had been resurfaced, I'm 54, I've been a club rider for 40 years and in the cycle trade over 30, so you'd expect that I have the experience to notice; which I did. But, the appeal was not only down to the riding experience, I was more than happy with my old steel frames, but they are of an age where I would not like to take them on a tour, when I service the BB rust tumbles out at a rate and quantity that I know sooner or later they will fail. A big part of the appeal was having no paint to damage or tubes to rust, plus I both desired and wanted one!
As you can see I use an alloy seat pin, although I have Ti on my
Chinook , the latter was more that I was treating myself to be honest. Titanium is good for frames, less so for forks, the blades would have to be too large in a bid to reduce flex plus the fork crown is quite a hard shape to make in Ti. You will often see a new titanium brand introduce them; but they soon discontinue them.
. This is a bit of-topic, but it is for this:
