Titanium Bikes - SA market

[Wayne pudding Mol]

One day I'd love to have a calculus bike - local, titanium and custom built. What's not to love? Drop bars, 29er wide gravel wheels and 1x12 when they do a more budget friendly drop bar mechanical version.

For now I can just dream

[PhilipV]

I love my Ti bike, but as a wedding ring that's just a bad idea, especially if you do any tool work. If you have a gold or platinum ring they will cut the ring off you in an accident. if you have a Ti ring they have to cut off your finger. The ring will still look nice though.

Hospitals have the tools necessary to cut Ti. They use Ti to put bodies back together and this hardware needs to be removed later.

 

The paramedics by the side of the road won't be able to cut your ring off with a side cutter though, neither will the river guide on a river trip. That being said, my Ti ring has saved my fingers when a stack of pallets slipped out of my other hand and dropped onto my left hand, with the wedding band keeping it off the floor.

 

Back on topic, I'd love a Ti hardtail with adjustable sliding (replaceable) dropouts that enables me to run gears or singlespeed,

has bosses for racks and panniers on the frame for bikepacking trips and geo for a slack ride with a 120-130mm fork.

Hmmmm yes please.

[Cippo]

Hospitals have the tools necessary to cut Ti. They use Ti to put bodies back together and this hardware needs to be removed later.

 

The paramedics by the side of the road won't be able to cut your ring off with a side cutter though, neither will the river guide on a river trip. That being said, my Ti ring has saved my fingers when a stack of pallets slipped out of my other hand and dropped onto my left hand, with the wedding band keeping it off the floor.

 

Back on topic, I'd love a Ti hardtail with adjustable sliding (replaceable) dropouts that enables me to run gears or singlespeed,

has bosses for racks and panniers on the frame for bikepacking trips and geo for a slack ride with a 120-130mm fork.

Hmmmm yes please.

Emergency rooms in the private and public sector generally have a standard ring cutter which cannot cut titanium rings. The provincial rescue service however has a Dremel that is called upon by public hospitals to do just that. In the private sector they would take you to theatre to remove such rings.

[markmad]

Problem is that generally speaking the cycling market are misinformed with BS thinking carbon frames must be light , aluminum frames are more compliant etc .

[m-squared]

One day I'd love to have a calculus bike - local, titanium and custom built. What's not to love? Drop bars, 29er wide gravel wheels and 1x12 when they do a more budget friendly drop bar mechanical version.

For now I can just dream

 

I stand to be corrected but the frame is still built in China?  

[Long Wheel Base]

I stand to be corrected but the frame is still built in China?  

From their social media accounts it definitely looks like they build them here. But I could be wrong.

[m-squared]

From their social media accounts it definitely looks like they build them here. But I could be wrong.

Ok, when I spoke to the Calculus guys at the CTCT expo in 2017, they were built overseas. Maybe it's all been moved here. Good for them.

[hansolo]

I also spoke to them and last time frames was made oversees (in China if I recall correctly). Social media might be a little misleading.

 

Still, I would love a nice Ti 29er (or 29+) hardtail.

 

 

I stand to be corrected but the frame is still built in China?  

[Long Wheel Base]

Ok, when I spoke to the Calculus guys at the CTCT expo in 2017, they were built overseas. Maybe it's all been moved here. Good for them.

 

I also spoke to them and last time frames was made oversees (in China if I recall correctly). Social media might be a little misleading.

 

Still, I would love a nice Ti 29er (or 29+) hardtail.

 

 

 

Yeah look it is social media after all. Have you checked their IG account? That's where I see the pictures and see all the local is lekker etc hash tags. I have just looked at their feed and they don't mention made in china anywhere. They have a bike hub profile I think?

[m-squared]

I'm still looking for that Ti hardtail.  Have the road bike and the dual sus (yes, yes... what's the benefit of Ti on a dual sus blah blah blah but it looks awesome!).

[Wayne pudding Mol]

I stand to be corrected but the frame is still built in China?  

Bikehub is the only social media presence I have - I chatted to them and China was not mentioned - whilst I am sure it makes no difference to the product, I'd be a bit disappointed to find out they were not locally made.  Not much is these days

It seems all the "local" cycling companies are really just marketing companies.  Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with their products and designs, just takes the shine off a bit.

[m-squared]

Bikehub is the only social media presence I have - I chatted to them and China was not mentioned - whilst I am sure it makes no difference to the product, I'd be a bit disappointed to find out they were not locally made.  Not much is these days

It seems all the "local" cycling companies are really just marketing companies.  Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with their products and designs, just takes the shine off a bit.

 

Agreed, nothing wrong with it.  It does take that little bit of shine off as you say.  Based on what I saw at the expo, quality frame.