Ignoring lame-ness of beam bikes…anyone ridden/seen both?
What about stiffness? Ride Quality? Profile of the frame (I can’t find good enough pics)? Any wind tunnel testing that anyone’s seen? (I searched the posts and found that cobb said the titanflex would be as fast as the soft-ride with an aero seatpost, but that post is all the proof I have of that). I also hear that the zipp is a few lbs heavier.
I’m sure there are some other beam bike losers that have tried both…
The Titanflex is a fine bike with aerodynamics at least as good as any conventional tri/TT bike out there, at considerably less cost. Before you diss beam bikes, consider that Scott Martin, winner of last years SCNCA TT championship and occasional ST poster, rides one
http://redbikephoto.com/2006tt/image161.html
– jens
I aint dissin 'em, I want one!
(just trying to prevent the ‘who cares beam bikes are lame’ responses)
The down-tube on a Zipp looks like a piece of 2x4. Go with TitanFlex!
Anyone got pics of either downtube?
I found one here. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/245760018.html
I hope this helps!
Hilarious…I just emailed that guy about two hours ago (and I don’t even live in san fran…)
I was looking for a frontal pic of the downtube…
thanks for the link tho!
Apart from that down-tube… I forgot to tell you other reasons why I was disappointed with my Zipp 2001. It lacked adjustability. I ended up going from a large frame and large beam to having to find a medium beam to go with my large frame so I could get the right fit. After that I was compromising because the headtube was too long. Another thing I hated about Zipp was how heavy mine was. You can’t feel fast if you have the heaviest bike in the transition area.
Messing with elastometers and complicated beam mechanisms was not fun either. Now it’s true that the Zipp frame doesn’t have a set of seat-stays and I appreciate that from an aerodynamic perspective but with that said I must also add that no seat-stays today is a curse. Why? Because getting a Zipp now days will require you to find one used and without those seat-stays (if it been put on a bike trainer) it may be ruined!
Now let’s turun our attention to the TitanFlex. It is adjustable, light and thin through the downtube and you can email the inventor (Tom) with any questions or issues! There is no mechanical complexity or structural issues to worry about. You will be able to put it on the trainer and even get a polished and clear anodized finish (so that it is shiny like the last generation of softrides). This also saves weight.
I suppose it really depends on your goals. If you collect bikes then buy a Zipp because it represents an era and time-period but if you want to ride it fast (as I did) know that you will be disappointed in the down-tube thickness, weight, poor position and mechanical complexity.
If you aren’t dissapointed with the Zipp (for the reasons I listed above) then I think you will always wonder if your Zipp frame was abused over the past 10 years and if that abuse will be resulting in any kind of structural failure during your use of the frame. Remember that it is carbon fiber and you have to respect it. Obviously not everyone respects their bikes.
If you can find one unused and still in the bubble wrap then that’s different but I bet you will still hate the frame for other reasons that I listed above. I wish you look in your quest.
NYSLIM is pretty figgin’ funny : ) Just remember that there are 2 sides to every story. I have to go serve breakfast as I type this so a more detailed response will be posted later today.
BUT - I’ve owned 4 Zipp bikes. The first two were used and the current 2sitting next to me as I write this were purchased brand new still in the original boxes about 18 months ago. You WILL not find a more aero bike. They do require a tad more work then a regular bike, but its worth the comfort and speed. The damn things fit like a glove!!! I find them VERY adjustable with the flippable seat post bracket and beam. The dampening is also adjustable. I find them very easy to work on.
More later…I have guests waiting for breakfast!! : )
Well…I will be checking both out (riding both) in the coming weeks so hopefully I’ll be able to say which one I like best.
I’ll snap some profile pics just in case theres anyone else out there who’s deciding between beam bikes.
I have no experience of either model other than studying them and I have to say that (it may well be a great riding machine but) I can’t get past the aesthetics of the Titanflex at the junction of the beam and the seat post. That is just plain fugly! It looks like something Heath Robinson would have thrown together at the start of the last century, surely something more pleasing could be fashioned.
Good luck on your search.
Zipp,
I apologize if you found my post insulting to your choice of bikes. I’m just passionate about my opinions based on racing for the past 15 years and owning about 30 bikes. I’ve been around the block (as I’m sure you have too) and have spent nearly 30-50 thousand dollars trying to figure this stuff out.
With the Zipp 2001 (that I had) was a good design but it had fatal flaws.
Aero? Yes I agree with you but you can’t say that you won’t find a more aero bike. For that you will have to go to wind tunnel and test it against the superbikes by Lotus, Brusford, Aussie, FASTT and even the TitanFlex (with a bladded seatpost). What world records were set of a Zipp? I don’t know I’m just asking.
These are not the types of bikes I would feel comfortable beating on and one of the best things about a TitanFlex is that you can train and race on it and don’t have to do anything out of the ordinary when it comes to maintainance or adjustments. It’s not fine china!
I would be interested in hearing your “other side” of the Zipp story in the folowing areas:
Weight
Availablitiy
Stiffness
Durability
Aerodynamics of such a THICK down-tube
Stiffness (standing sprints up a hill)
Climbing
Thanks for your reply. I hope you do not take insult to anything I wrote. I will be the first to admit that the Zipp is a really beautiful bike and I am (in fact) wishing that we would see Zipp make a third generation Zipp bike that addresses the issues I covered. I think this can be done with newer carbon technology. Calfee and TitanFlex take note. You should combine for a Barachi type design. 
Stal,
What pics exactly do you want. I have a Titanflex, recently posted tons of pics. Just found out my camera does have macro so I can now post better close ups.
Tell me what you want and I can take the pics.
Awesome, I’m just looking for pics of the downtube…trying to get an idea of the width/shape of it.
For one: Imagine you’re the front wheel looking backwards and up at a 45 degree angle.
Maybe a pic of the trailing edge of the downtube too…
thanks
Somewhere on ST is the dimensions. If you go to tinypics, there are more search daveh1, daveh2, daveh3 (most are on daveh2).
From the other THREAD
NYSLIM – Just for you. Let me know if this is what you want, or if you want others.
Down tube surprisingly does not measure uniformly. The Headtube is 1.41" (11.75" long), the downtube, narrows to 1.35" and then widens out at the BB it is about 1.45 (I think, I forgot). at its narrowest its 4.52" if you measure on the horizontal its 5.55"
Another surprise, I can find no serial number or any kind of markings on this bike, that surprised me.
Thanks I found the pics. I wish titanflex had pics like these on their website, it gives a much better idea of the actual build of the bike. Can’t wait to try it out…
Stal,
I have a TitanFlex that I have been riding for 2 seasons now. No pictures (may get a camera for Christmas), so I can’t help you there. The frame is no thicker than the front wheel and the back wheel sets in a nice deep cutout. The welds aren’t the most aesthetic, but I don’t think they have any real effect on the aerodynamics. However, the ride is fantastic. I had a Trek Hilo 1000 and at 150 # it beat the snot out of me on long rides. The TitanFlex is a smooth as they come even on the Michigan chip coated roads. My buddies will complain about a sore butt about 2-3 hr into a ride, but I never have that issue and I can run well off of the bike, too. There are no moving parts or adjustments other than the boom length.
With Softride and Zipp no longer being made, is TitanFlex the only beam type bike available?
Did Softride close shop?? I’ve got a Rocket and been going through about a beam a year. Nice bike, POS beam design.