Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
The frame was repaired by this chap: https://www.facebook.com/TedJamesDesignLtd
I'd be intrigued to know if you had a particular highlight where his opinion was 'proved' wrong? Perhaps before my time.
Ti crack
- Thread starter Ian H
- Start date
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If you search his posts I am sure you will find example's.
I personally corrected him on the strength of spokes, he reluctantly admitted I was right.
Another example was he couldn't see that a blow to a wheel rim could tension spokes, he tried to belittle me with that one, I think it was when he realised I was right.
He didn't impress me with his engineering knowledge, having spent a lifetime at it, its easy to recognise a bullshitter.
The frame was repaired by this chap: https://www.facebook.com/TedJamesDesignLtd
Looks like a top bloke.
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I understand there is a separate welding setup for Ti and the person must be specially trained.
At that time even though British Ti bike was available none of their literature or promotional covered Ti welding as this was clearly the weak spot. None in the cycling media touched on Ti welding either.
So I leaned towards the Americans or Van Nicholas. As the the previous decades years rolled by the British Ti welding issue became apparent. I was astounded to find out that one of the well known British Ti bike senior employer with over 10 years had 2 Van Nicholas, something I mentioned previously.
It more of a sector that was selling things prematurely without the right skills and background. They have since matured.
I have had a Van Nicholas frame and it was very nice, but I think it was made in China as are all their frames now (I think) I don't know if they were ever made in The Netherlands.
I have also had an Airborne that became Van Nic, but I don't know where it was made, I sold it to a mate and he keeps it pristine, it looks like new every time see it.
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I'm not sure the person you are referring to worked for said company for over 10 years, more like 5 if it's the person I am thinking of. He owned both his Van Nicholas bikes before working for that company.
I bought my Van Nicholas Euros from him at his previous place of work.
I bought my Van Nicholas Euros from him at his previous place of work.
matticus
Guru
Thanks. I think I like him.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
Reagan or Gorbachev?
matticus
Guru
As the song says; you can't have one without the, uuuuuther.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
While we're getting all philosophical about titanium, I'll tell you my objection to it. But I have to warn you it is a bit stupid.
I object to the Kroll process for refining titanium. I think it's cruel.
With iron smelting you take the iron oxide in the ore and you steal its oxygen by sending in carbon monoxide. The oxygen is happier in a CO2 threesome with the carbon, and the iron goes off to make crystals with its mates - it was never that committed to the relationship with oxygen anyway. Titanium, on the other hand, really loves oxygen. Titanium oxide is a really happy marriage. So in the Kroll process we send in some floozie chlorine to turn the titanium's head and seduce it away. Pretty soon the titanium realises that this was a bad idea, but the chlorine has its hooks into it and it becomes a liquid, for god's sake. By now poor titanium is bitterly regretting its impulsiveness and dreaming of its former happy life with oxygen, rather than this false chlorine harpy. But that's not the end of it. Now we send in some magnesium pimps to whip the chlorine doxies away and poor heartbroken titanium is left on its lonesome with nothing but memories of its happy home life with its oxygen partner.
It's just cruel.
I object to the Kroll process for refining titanium. I think it's cruel.
With iron smelting you take the iron oxide in the ore and you steal its oxygen by sending in carbon monoxide. The oxygen is happier in a CO2 threesome with the carbon, and the iron goes off to make crystals with its mates - it was never that committed to the relationship with oxygen anyway. Titanium, on the other hand, really loves oxygen. Titanium oxide is a really happy marriage. So in the Kroll process we send in some floozie chlorine to turn the titanium's head and seduce it away. Pretty soon the titanium realises that this was a bad idea, but the chlorine has its hooks into it and it becomes a liquid, for god's sake. By now poor titanium is bitterly regretting its impulsiveness and dreaming of its former happy life with oxygen, rather than this false chlorine harpy. But that's not the end of it. Now we send in some magnesium pimps to whip the chlorine doxies away and poor heartbroken titanium is left on its lonesome with nothing but memories of its happy home life with its oxygen partner.
It's just cruel.
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You won't be disappointed
cougie uk
Guru
My Rolls Ti saddle broke. Twice.
I don't think Ti is good for saddle rails but I'm loving my PX Ti gravel bike.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
Yikes, I do have 2 steel railed ones if it goes...to be fair i got it used and it looks well run in with no breakages....
Same happened to a Ti-railed Brookes Swift I had on my supercommuter back in the day. It broke at the clamp, so my guess is that the repeated flexing as it supported my “powerful frame” had weakened it. Glad to see the back of it really - it was an awful saddle (your saddle experience may differ).
I‘ve still got a Ti 2006 Litespeed Tuscany that sees service as a winter bike, turbo bike and credit card tourer, including the odd bit of trailer lugging. The frame is a lovely looking thing and the welding is very tidy to my untrained eye, but their reputation had started to take a hit after the sale of the company by the Lynskey family around 1999.
Ti never really seemed to take off as a frame material for competitive road cycling at least, so I don’t buy the argument that Ti road frames crack because they’ve been stripped back to a weight where they’re no longer structurally sound. It’s much more likely to be a manufacturing or design fault. Back in the early 2000s Litespeed did have a frame called a Ghisallo that had crazy thin tubing and I think a rider weight limit of 75kg, but that was an exception. I knew someone who owned one. It cracked.
