Any engineer types here know whether a titanium bike frame will encounter structural issues over time?
Whereas my tri bike gets swapped out every few years. My everyday road bike is a titanium litespeed and nearly 20 years old. Has over 50,000 miles on it. Been through multiple wheel sets and a few group sets but the frame appears bullet proof. Looks as good as new but would hate to have it fall apart on some downhill at 45 mph. I love the bike so don’t want to retire it unless I really should.
I have a 2004 or is it 2005 Litespeed Firenza road bike that I still ride. Been on some rough rides. Aside from changing saddle, etc, it has held up well. No complaints.
I’d be more concerned with the fork than the frame.
Although, I do have a friend who had some cracking start to appear on the head tube welds of his old litespeed. He sent it to either litespeed or lynskey and they repaired it.
A well built Ti bike should have a virtually infinite life under normal riding conditions.*
There is a level of strain (i.e. bending/elongation) under which Ti can undergo a infinite number of cycles without failure (infinite fatigue life). Good bikes are designed to fall below that limit under normal use. For loads above that limit, there is some impact to the metal, and failure will happen after enough cycles (think bending a paperclip). In contrast, Aluminum will undergo some damage from even low load cycles and has, by definition, a finite lifespan. Steel can also have infinite fatigue life under low loads, but frames are typically not designed this way (for weight reasons), and environmental degradation (ex. rust) may eventually compromise the frame.
*Applies to the frame. Things like the carbon fork, etc. will have their own lifespan.
That’s very helpful. Thanks. I did swap out the fork the last time I switched out the group set. If the frame gets to 100,000 miles I will chrome it and hang it in the garage, but have a while to go.
Hi, I have a Quintana roo titanium framed bike I use as my everyday training bike it was manufactured by them in 2004 time frame thousands of miles and it is still like new, in fact I still have the carbon fork it came with, no issues. I also installed a FSA titanium bottom bracket in the bike around 2006 time frame without any issues either. Think you should be good to go. I still have my old pair of racing Kestrels KM40 one from 1992 and the other I got around 2002 both look new although they certainly don’t have anywhere near the miles the QR has. Cheers LA Rob
If the frame were to have any issues they would probably be at the welds (typically the BB and rear dropouts) or where the tubing has been cold-worked (bent/crimped/shaped), since that’s where human error comes into play. That being said, most of the key brands have top notch welders on staff, and I say that having worked for the world’s largest arc welding company. The quality of welds on frames like Seven, etc. are artful. Just to be extra safe, you should have your shop visually inspect the welds for cracks when they service the bike.
Even if there is a crack that starts to propagate, it can be easily repaired. It also tends to fail “gracefully” (vs. carbon which fails catastrophically). I had an Aluminum frame that developed a crack in the BB. I only noticed it when I found the crank was shifting under load due to the extra flex.
A frame might develop some cracking in the welds over time but you will notice that. It’s not just going to fall apart while you’re riding down the road I wouldn’t worry about it for one second. That bike was well built in its time and should last you for a good long time. I ride a 20-year-old Eddie Merckx steel bike and have no hesitation about using it.
A well built Ti bike should have a virtually infinite life under normal riding conditions.*
Steel can also have infinite fatigue life under low loads, but frames are typically not designed this way (for weight reasons), and environmental degradation (ex. rust) may eventually compromise the frame.
*Applies to the frame. Things like the carbon fork, etc. will have their own lifespan.
I was in the Bay Area back in the early 90s and rode with some guy who worked for Rickey. Their MTB race team was on these very light (for the day) steel frames. He was saying they weren’t lasting more than a couple months before they started to fatigue and crack so all the riders were going through multiple frames a season. I think they used Tange tubing and that stuff never seemed to have the longevity of Reynolds or Columbus tubing.
A well built Ti bike should have a virtually infinite life under normal riding conditions.*
There is a level of strain (i.e. bending/elongation) under which Ti can undergo a infinite number of cycles without failure (infinite fatigue life).
Sort of. The endurance limit proves out great if you test a uniform metal bar in a laboratory, but bicycle frames are complicated pretzels of cuts, drillings, welds, brazes, crimps, etc. The theory still works, but the practical question is what the distribution of manufacturing defects or design errors looks like. It seems uncommon for failures in a metal bicycle frame to start propagating out from some spot in the middle of a tube with nothing around it.
and environmental degradation (ex. rust) may eventually compromise the frame.
Rarely from outdoor use though, even if the bike gets used in the rain. The thing to watch out for is sticking a steel bike on an indoor trainer.
Any engineer types here know whether a titanium bike frame will encounter structural issues over time?
Whereas my tri bike gets swapped out every few years. My everyday road bike is a titanium litespeed and nearly 20 years old. Has over 50,000 miles on it. Been through multiple wheel sets and a few group sets but the frame appears bullet proof. Looks as good as new but would hate to have it fall apart on some downhill at 45 mph. I love the bike so don’t want to retire it unless I really should.
My 1994 Serotta Ti is going fine. As someone else said, I’m more concerned about the Kestrel EMS (carbon) fork that is original to the frame.
Engineering type here (mechanical) I agree with the others that say ride it! I had a Litespeed Tuscany 2000, still one of the best bikes I ever had! I have only ridden ti for the past 20+ years. If it’s still going, just keep riding it. If the frame does crack, it more than likely won’t collapse under you while riding. Clean and inspect regularly.
Happy Trails
Ha. It’s the same rig, a 2000 Tuscany. I Bought it over a custom Serotta when it was clear that I have a rather stock body frame and a 54 tuscany was perfect. No need to go custom when off the peg with a 1cm swap on the stem was all I ever needed. Love that bike.
Any engineer types here know whether a titanium bike frame will encounter structural issues over time?
Whereas my tri bike gets swapped out every few years. My everyday road bike is a titanium litespeed and nearly 20 years old. Has over 50,000 miles on it. Been through multiple wheel sets and a few group sets but the frame appears bullet proof. Looks as good as new but would hate to have it fall apart on some downhill at 45 mph. I love the bike so don’t want to retire it unless I really should.
My 1994 Serotta Ti is going fine. As someone else said, I’m more concerned about the Kestrel EMS (carbon) fork that is original to the frame.
Anyone got the number for BUA? Bike Upgrades is a sickness I tell you. I’ve upgraded the water bottle bolts to titanium already on mine. I’ve been looking for titanium seat posts and titanium forks in local bike shops and online, and have seem titanium bottle cages and even titanium SPD pedals in a shop or two.
That’s very helpful. Thanks. I did swap out the fork the last time I switched out the group set. If the frame gets to 100,000 miles I will chrome it and hang it in the garage, but have a while to go.
Why would you want to chrome it??? Let it hang in it’s natural glory!!
2010 Motobecane Ti Cross bike that’s been modified for long distance rides. About 22000 miles on it, incl a few 1200K rides and many 200-600K rides. Lots of abuse (rough roads, rain, intl travel). Still going, frame is as good as it was on day 1 (knock on wood).
That’s very helpful. Thanks. I did swap out the fork the last time I switched out the group set. If the frame gets to 100,000 miles I will chrome it and hang it in the garage, but have a while to go.
Why would you want to chrome it??? Let it hang in it’s natural glory!!
Riding a 2002 Lemond titanium
Agreed.
Titianium polishes up to be as good as chrome and takes very little to keep that way.
Of all my bike the Ti is the one I’ll never sell.
DH
I have a 2008 titanium mountain bike (a Cove), and just can’t get rid of it. Seems to be solid. Changed the fork twice but the frame seems bombproof.
Ha… although 26" is kind of “old” tech now, I still have a 2001 RM Blizzard (steel) that I’ve always said i want to get replicated in Ti, with disc mounts added to the rear. Love that bike.