Author Topic: Titanium disc tourers? (Read 3033 times)

ravenbait · « **on:** 26 March, 2021, 01:16:40 pm »

Fingal the Orbit Harrier is in bits, has been for ages, and every time I think about what needs to happen to rebuild him I come out in a rash (even though I have a full Campag Centaur transmission sitting in a box waiting for me to get around to it). What I'd really like is a titanium (so I can stop thinking about rust) tourer with disc brakes, but I'm struggling to find something that includes front fork rack mounts. The closest I've seen in the Spa, but it doesn't have disc brakes, and there's no option for disc brakes. I've had a look at a bunch of adventure bikes, but they all seem to come with carbon forks to which one cannot mount a rack.

Am I wasting my time looking for such a beast, or am I looking in the wrong place? I had my eye on a Tour de Fer 30 for a while, but the weight put me off, and then I became fixated on titanium.

Sam

rogerzilla · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 March, 2021, 01:59:06 pm »

Hi, RB. Long time no see.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/237169698099869/?ref=search&referral_code=marketplace_search&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A67a8b84a-23ea-47a6-957a-6d1cbf8606c2

Looks your size. It's near me and the guy is a CTC type. Those look like rack mounts. I don't believe the 32" standover height.

Edit: Spa say 31.5" with 32mm tyres, so maybe a little big.

ravenbait · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 March, 2021, 02:27:28 pm »

Hello Roger! Yeah, that's the model I looked at and said, "My new bike," until I realised the lack of disc brakes. I've just spotted that they'll put a steel fork on an Elan Ti, which might be the answer. I need to check if that still has discs, though.

Sam

sg37409 · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 March, 2021, 02:30:55 pm »

I highly rate my croix de fer ti. I got as a frame only from De Verr cycles at a good price.
I'd say its a bit overbuilt compared to my ti Van Nic, but they probably beefed it up to call it a gravel bike.

ravenbait · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 March, 2021, 03:03:28 pm »

Hello! Yes, I looked at that, but it doesn't have front rack mounts. If I were going to go down that route, I could get something along the lines of the Planet-X Tempest. We have a few One One/Planet X bikes already. I really wanted something very similar to the Orbit Harrier in terms of use and spec, but made of titanium (and without the offset rear triangle, which seemed like a good idea at the time).

Sam

mike · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 March, 2021, 03:13:48 pm »

When we couldn't find a Ti frame the right size for ex mrs we got a custom one made by Burls for not much more than an off-the-peg. Worth an email to him at least (justin@burls.co.uk)? He did a beautiful job for us.

Pricing is on his website - looks like 1400-1600 for the frame. I think we paid a grand 9 years ago so that's probably about right?

ravenbait · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 March, 2021, 03:29:13 pm »

It's not the size that's the issue. I have relatively short legs for my torso length, for a woman, so I'm happy on gents bikes, and I've never had a problem getting a bike to fit. My problem is that I want a titanium frame with mechanical discs and full braze-ons for bottle cages, mudguards, and front and rear racks. I had a look at the Burls Audax disc a while back, but that's approaching the same level of effort as it would be to get Fingal back on the road (he needs stripping, respraying, and rebuilding from the ground up, assuming there are no cracks). I do intend to get Fingal back on the road, but he's a bit of a project.

Maybe I'll eventually go down the Burls route, but I was hoping there might be someone who did the whole bike.

Sam

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 March, 2021, 03:34:35 pm »

Could you get an otherwise suitable frame and then take it to Burls to get the desired braze-ons added? It should at least be quicker than a whole custom frame.

TimC · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 March, 2021, 03:44:55 pm »

The Kinesis Tripster ATR Ti V3 is titanium, disc-compatible and has a load-carrying carbon fork. The frame is £2200 from Kinesis, but Merlin will do it for £1985. I don't think it can be bought as a fully-built-up bike, but I'm sure someone local would do the build for you if necessary.

https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Models/Adventure/Tripster-ATR-V3

ravenbait · « **Reply #9 on:** 26 March, 2021, 04:01:14 pm »

Quote from: TimC on 26 March, 2021, 03:44:55 pm

The Kinesis Tripster ATR Ti V3 is titanium, disc-compatible and has a load-carrying carbon fork. The frame is £2200 from Kinesis, but Merlin will do it for £1985. I don't think it can be bought as a fully-built-up bike, but I'm sure someone local would do the build for you if necessary.

https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Models/Adventure/Tripster-ATR-V3

Interesting. It says three holes on each fork, but would they take a rack? Or are they for bike packing bags, I wonder.

Sam

ravenbait · « **Reply #10 on:** 26 March, 2021, 04:03:15 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 26 March, 2021, 03:34:35 pm

Could you get an otherwise suitable frame and then take it to Burls to get the desired braze-ons added? It should at least be quicker than a whole custom frame.

Can you do that with titanium? I mean, if that's possible, there's the option of seeing if the Spa Ti tourer could have disc braze-ons added.

Sam

salar55 · « **Reply #11 on:** 26 March, 2021, 04:09:04 pm »

Quote from: mike on 26 March, 2021, 03:13:48 pm

When we couldn't find a Ti frame the right size for ex mrs we got a custom one made by Burls for not much more than an off-the-peg. Worth an email to him at least (justin@burls.co.uk)? He did a beautiful job for us.

Pricing is on his website - looks like 1400-1600 for the frame. I think we paid a grand 9 years ago so that's probably about right?

Burls made me a Ti fork with bosses for a low rider rack to suit an Van Nicholas Aeolus. I think he said that he sends a drawing out to Russia because they are good , ex military factory welders.

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #12 on:** 26 March, 2021, 04:10:34 pm »

Usually the middle hole of triple bolt forks are at the right height for lowrider front racks.

ravenbait · « **Reply #13 on:** 26 March, 2021, 05:18:55 pm »

Quote from: LittleWheelsandBig on 26 March, 2021, 04:10:34 pm

Usually the middle hole of triple bolt forks are at the right height for lowrider front racks.

Thanks! I did not know that. And thanks, Salar, that's great to know.

Luckily I tend to go slightly big for my height (my comfiest bike is my 510mm Pompino, and I just scrape 5'6 (168cm), so I don't normally have a problem getting the right size bike. My Pinarello is a 48cm and feels too small. I think the Harrier is 50cm.

Sam

TimC · « **Reply #14 on:** 26 March, 2021, 05:41:54 pm »

Quote from: ravenbait on 26 March, 2021, 04:01:14 pm

Quote from: TimC on 26 March, 2021, 03:44:55 pm
The Kinesis Tripster ATR Ti V3 is titanium, disc-compatible and has a load-carrying carbon fork. The frame is £2200 from Kinesis, but Merlin will do it for £1985. I don't think it can be bought as a fully-built-up bike, but I'm sure someone local would do the build for you if necessary.

https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Models/Adventure/Tripster-ATR-V3

Interesting. It says three holes on each fork, but would they take a rack? Or are they for bike packing bags, I wonder.

Sam

Yes, it'll take low-rider racks - as this test refers:

https://road.cc/content/review/kinesis-tripster-atr-v3-frameset-2021-279589

This is an image of the forks:

https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/imagecache/8d422d21-4da6-4f15-a79a-aadc011e73da_4000x1375.jpg

Aha - found someone who does ready-built versions (however, note that it says they can't do anything other than 56 or 58 until August - I assume that's this year):

https://epic-cycles.co.uk/kinesis-tripster-atr

Paul H · « **Reply #15 on:** 26 March, 2021, 07:14:07 pm »

Quote from: ravenbait on 26 March, 2021, 02:27:28 pm

I've just spotted that they'll put a steel fork on an Elan Ti, which might be the answer. I need to check if that still has discs, though.

Sam

It does, they even offer it separately
https://spacycles.co.uk/m21b0s29p4095/SPA-CYCLES-Elan-Steel-Fork

ravenbait · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 March, 2021, 07:23:12 pm »

Thanks all. The Kinesis looks absolutely brilliant, but I don't think my budget can stretch to that full build. The Spa Elan with steel forks might be my solution, though.

Really appreciate the advice.

Sam

hatler · « **Reply #17 on:** 26 March, 2021, 10:38:47 pm »

How have you survived without us all this time ?

robgul · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 March, 2021, 07:01:10 am »

A couple of years ago I built a Ti tourer for a friend who wanted front racks, and discs (cable operated) - the only solution I could find was to get a decent steel fork which obviously gave the strength for the disc mounts and the likely weight on the racks. I just can't recall where it came from - I know I bought the brakes from Spa, may also have got the fork there?

ravenbait · « **Reply #19 on:** 27 March, 2021, 01:38:45 pm »

Quote from: hatler on 26 March, 2021, 10:38:47 pm

How have you survived without us all this time ?

The only bike I've bought in the last 10 years is Emily, my Whyte 905, and that was a perfectly straightforward case of walking into FLBS and saying, "That one." We've otherwise been managing fine with our stable of a dozen or so

.

Quote from: robgul

A couple of years ago I built a Ti tourer for a friend who wanted front racks, and discs (cable operated) - the only solution I could find was to get a decent steel fork which obviously gave the strength for the disc mounts and the likely weight on the racks. I just can't recall where it came from - I know I bought the brakes from Spa, may also have got the fork there?

Aye, thanks! Looks like Spa Cycles might be my answer.

Sam

morbihan · « **Reply #20 on:** 27 March, 2021, 02:09:51 pm »

Hey up.
we had a couple of Ti bikes built up for touring fully loaded.
I was leery of a steel fork because its so salty and humid where we live.
We ended up using carbon Rodeo spork forks. They work great. They are set up with lowrider pannier/or bottle cage mounts and a front rack.
My partner is smaller frame but but issues with 650b set up.

This link may be useful.
https://bikepacking.com/index/forks-with-bottle-cage-mounts/

ravenbait · « **Reply #21 on:** 27 March, 2021, 02:32:17 pm »

Ooooh! Thanks for that! There's a UK company selling just the thing to upgrade a Tempest. That gives me options, which is ace, thank you! And, weirdly, they are based in a small town in West Sussex where I recently sent some of my players in my ongoing Monster of the Week TTRPG campaign...

Sam

TimC · « **Reply #22 on:** 27 March, 2021, 03:46:24 pm »

The forks for that Kinesis ATR are available separately - £400 from Kinesis. They are through-axle, though, which might limit your wheel choice.

https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Forks/Adventure/RANGE

ravenbait · « **Reply #23 on:** 27 March, 2021, 03:55:48 pm »

The one from Cairn is also Thru axle, but that's okay. I can work with that. It's about 200 of your ailing molluscs cheaper than the Kinesis one.

Sam

sojournermike · « **Reply #24 on:** 27 March, 2021, 04:57:24 pm »

I understand that Spa have the Ti Elan back in stock with through axles and flat mount discs. Presume you can spec a different, non-carbon fork if you want, although I didn’t think to ask today.