In Reply To:
I'm like you and like Ti. Ti has staying power. Excellent Ti frames are avail for around $1k USD now. I believe Litespeed has one out that weighs 770 grams. Not sure of its cost. But, I think when the dust settles, Ti will be the material of chose. Afterall, its been around since the 1950's. Maybe not for bike frames, but the material has proven itself over and over again in the aerolines and space industry.
Steel has the highest modulus to weight ratio of any of the major bike fabrication metals (not sure about carbon). It is also easier to weld than aluminum or or Ti, which reduces fabrication costs. Even high end Reynolds tubing is cheaper than Ti as far as materials costs go, so as long as price has some bearing, Ti will never be the material of choice.
The material of choice unfortunately seems to have more to do with marketing and public percpetion than facts. Such myths include that steel is flexy, Al stiff and that Ti is some super material (Most of its most exotic properties are not as useful in bikes as they are in aerospace, ie extremely high melting point).
This explains the unforutnate demise of the Cervelo Superprodigy. Great frame, great price, not as sexy as Carbon or Al, so no market.
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"When I first had the opportunity to compete in triathlon, it was the chicks and their skimpy race clothing that drew me in. Everyone was so welcoming and the lifestyle so obviously narcissistic. I fed off of that vain energy. To me it is what the sport is all about."