Frameforum - THE Bike Building Website! - Titanium

Frameforum is a site dedicated to the art and craft of the handmade bicycle. It’s about the people who make them; it’s about the people who ride them.
Frameforum is the place to be if you’re considering the 'custom alternative' – a bike that gives you everything 'off-the-shelf ' bikes don’t.

It’s about you - not Mr or Ms. Average.
A custom bike is more than just a paint job. A custom bike isn't about shaving grams for bragging rights either. It’s about you and your builder considering every aspect of the bike. The process starts with finding the best dimensions, followed by designing and building the frame, then deciding on each and every component part of the bike - your bike.

A bike that's been custom-built for you will fit you better than a stock bike ever could. It can be as individual as you are; it can suit your particular style of riding, your particular needs and be built from a material that suits you ... not the coffee stop crew.

Frameforum is also a great place those who build, or aspire to build, custom bikes.
In the forum section, you’ll find members embarking on their first steps in framebuilding as well as some of the greats of the framebuilding game; iconic builders making iconic bikes. If you want to ask questions and get answers on frame building from the folks who actually build them, this is the place.

In short; if handmade bicycles are your thing - whether rider, collector or creator - make Frameforum your first port of call!

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Titanium - a Fresh Start?

Masterful welds by De Rosa

A trend – in Europe at least – seems to be emerging amidst the custom framebuilding scene.

While steel is still the staple of most builders and carbon an emerging force, titanium is fast becoming the material of choice among both the established names and the 'new wave' of custom builders. While the mainstream industry is still fixated with carbon-this and carbon-that, it seems a customer-driven resurgence is on the cards for builders in titanium.

Legends De Rosa report a steady growth in orders for their Ti2 and Titanio XS models – each one individually built to order by Doriano De Rosa.

Still with Italian builders, newer names like Paduano and Nevi are experiencing renewed interest in their titanium offerings – interest on a par with the '90's 'boom years' for titanium. And while not at Eurobike, Italy-based Texas boy Darren Crisp of Crisp Titanium is working flat-out to satisfy demand for his services – the majority of orders to fashion-conscious Italians.

Meanwhile, Aussie Darren Baum was wowing them at Eurobike with the exquisite road and MTB Ti offerings from his range.

It's hard to pin down exactly the reasons for titanium's renaissance; perhaps many were converted to titanium's cushy ride in the '90's - when the trend was to build it stiff, stiff, stiff from alu and steel. Maybe its word of mouth driving demand. It could be many had chosen mass-production carbon or alu frames, only to be let down by the promises made by the marketing machines.

Whatever the reason, titanium is now where its at.

Here's the pick of the bunch....

Paduano Racing >>>

Nevi Titanium >>>

Baum Cycles >>>

Enjoy!