Why Serious Cyclists Are Paying More for Titanium Bikes
Bespoke titanium bike frames combine all the best qualities of other materials. But convincing one of the world’s top designers to custom-build yours can be an art unto itself
THOUGH STEEL, aluminum, wood, bamboo and magnesium alloy have all been used to craft stylish bike frames, carbon fiber is today the go-to for serious cyclists with lots of cash. Glued and reinforced by epoxy resin, it can now be mass-produced and shaped to achieve an optimum balance between weight, comfort, aerodynamic performance and a mystic quality known in cycling jargon as “stiffness” that efficiently transfers power from your legs to the wheels.
Lately, however, a carbon-fiber alternative—first used to shape posh frames...