"what ever" wrote in message

Who has a ride made with this wonder metal ? I intend it to be my next
ride
( 50 cm + - & compact geometry as I prefer a low standover height) I'd
love
to hear recommendations of brands models etc form anyone who has
currently
or previously owned a Ti bike. TIA

I went to Ti in '03. It's a Lemond Victoire, butted Ti. Probably not any
lighter then what it replaced, a '96 Klein Quantum, but then again it's a
size larger (56 vs. a 54) so who knows. It also gained a Brooks saddle,
but comfort at this point is paramount, not lightweight.

It's a better fit then the Klein, which was too small. Rides nice, but not
a huge difference, but as one replaced the other, direct comparison is hard
to come by. There's seemingly something about the Lemond geometry as the Ti
feels faster as a road bike. The Klein was a better fit though, with a
clip-on aero bar, the shorter TT the reason. The Klein accelerated faster,
stiffer B-bracket as well. The Lemond gave me fits for a year with rub on
the F derailleur from b-bracket/crank flex (who knows). I finally switched
to Ergo to gain some additional trim on the F derailleur to get rid of the
rub. Never had flex induced rub on the Klein. I'm a heavy rider (over 210)
so the Klein was a better choice probably, but the Lemond was a steal as a
factory replacement for a broken seat post clamp area on the Klein, probably
never would have gone to Ti otherwise.

All in all, I'm happy with the bike, now that it's dialed in. Can't see the
point in compact though, even though that's what the Victoire now comes in.
The Klein I wanted was also compact, hated the look, marketing gimmick all
the way. Went classic Ti instead.

Still, doesn't feel a whole lot different then my 22 lbs, lugged steel
Heron.

SB