Titanium Brompton has always been respectably light in relation to their toughness and carrying capacity, but at around 25 lb for a well-geared model not otherwise stripped down, that's more than most can carry comfortably past a short while. The cheapest way to save weight is to jettison valuable features like speeds, lighting systems, tough tires, Brooks leather saddles, etc. We think this is most often false economy. Some people even leave off the fenders! In Portland especially, this is nuts.
Titanium being costly, this comes at a price: $900 extra takes away less than 2 pounds. Still with me? Brompton's lightweight offering is a good start, but it stops far short of all the titanium upgrade parts we now offer, to take more than another pound off, while significantly improving function, looks, and corrosion resistance. If you're already sold on a Superlight, these upgrades finish the job at similar cost per gram saved.
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Titanium (Ti). The word just sounds strong and badass, especially if you say it using the Thor deep voice. No doubt Titanium Scooter is strong and low density (lightweight). Named after the Titans of Greek mythology...bet you didn't know that.
So why all the hype and hoopla about titanium bars for pro scooters? Over the last 3-4 years the industry has seen a massive increase in the number of riders running Ti bars, and just about every manufacturer is now producing them.
Aluminium is around a third the density of steel and half the density of titanium, meaning you can build bikes with bigger-diameter tubes from aluminium without a weight penalty, as compared to titanium and steel. To build a steel bike of acceptable weight, the tubes must be narrower. A wider-diameter tube is stiffer than a narrower tube, so an aluminium bike will often feel stiffer and much harsher than a steel bike, whose narrower tubes flex more easily. Titanium sits in a sweet spot between the two.
‘Because the density is lower in titanium than steel you can use a larger-diameter tube for the same weight,’ says Noronha. ‘So if a designer wanted Titanium Full Bike at its best, they’d use a combination of large-diameter tubes for the main triangle and small-diameter tubes for the rest. You’re building in compliance with narrow tubes, and you can do this to a greater extent with titanium compared to aluminium because titanium is very strong and has a very high fatigue life, so you can use it like a spring.’
The Titanium Bike Headsets are often overlooked and neglected, but it is an essential component to your bike. Your bike’s headset is the bearing assembly that keeps your fork attached to your bicycle, and it’s what allows you to turn your fork and handlebars to steer your bicycle. All bicycle headsets work in a similar way – there are two bearings, one for the top and one for the bottom of the headtube, and your fork’s steerer tube passes through the headtube with lower and upper bearings. The steerer tube protrudes out past the upper head tube and is clamped down and held in place by the handlebar stem. Before you clamp the handlebar stem to the steerer tube, the system must be preloaded / compressed together in order for the headset to work and withstand loads and abuse.
Handlebars. All bikes whether mountain bikes, road bikes or singlespeed fixed-gear bikes use a trusty handlebar. There are so many types out there. Each has its own unique advantages and disadvantages that can make or break your biking experience. Titanium Bike Handlebars greatly influence the overall handling, stability and reliability of your bike, so picking the right type for your biking style is essential.
A bike should be able to rest firmly against a bike rack – two points of contact are ideal. The frame and front wheel, which can swivel, need to rest fully supported against the rack and be able to lock to the bike rack with a U-style or similarly secure lock. This provides security and stability – the essentials of good bike parking. Custom bike racks can be fanciful and help identify stores, neighborhoods, districts, and cities. The key to a successful custom Titanium Bike Rack is that it must be functional as well. Bike Pittsburgh started in part with a public art bike rack called the Three Rivers rack (check out the video to the right). It caught the public’s attention in a way that helped garner almost immediate recognition and support. Subsequently, we quickly learned the power of the bike rack. It is not only a place to park a bike, but it is a symbol that marks bike friendly places and encourages more people to ride.
When choosing bike pedals, first think about the type of riding you’ll be doing. Will you be road biking or mountain biking? Are you looking for the pedaling power and efficiency of clipless pedals (where cleats on the bottom of the shoes secure your feet to the pedals) or the ease and maneuverability you get with flat platform pedals? Perhaps you want the benefits of both.
