tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36151678.post2715717435449594740..comments2024-03-26T04:02:22.355-07:00Comments on Waltworks Bicycles: Weekend rambling, steel and tiWalthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09156620599767391579noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36151678.post-20121568135269360702010-10-08T16:40:35.264-07:002010-10-08T16:40:35.264-07:00what if you live near the ocean? i could see that...what if you live near the ocean? i could see that making it worth it. Other than that, i would say i agree 100 percent.Roosterweight Cimmarienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11481318075350523078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36151678.post-41027934052851718422010-10-07T16:56:45.671-07:002010-10-07T16:56:45.671-07:00Depending on your creds as a staunch environmental...Depending on your creds as a staunch environmentalist, steel is a better choice than titanium due to the reduced need for MIG/TIG gas use. Specifically Helium and Argon are expensive and use a lot of energy to extract, so building Ti bikes has a higher environmental footprint than steel.<br /><br />In my opinion, it is also great to have someone working in steel who is not a retro-grouch. Walt has been at the forefront of 44mm head tubes, long travel 29er design, tubeless tire experimentation, and probably lots of other things I've never heard of. And he even uses disc brakes these days!<br /><br />Walt is an ambassador for custom bikes and getting them into the hands of more people. The "supply" of custom bike-builders is relatively small, so if all of them chose to work only / mostly in Ti, then at the margins fewer people could afford the pleasure of a custom bike.inthewoodshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17717029155504634032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36151678.post-55736658290305715492010-10-04T21:09:54.639-07:002010-10-04T21:09:54.639-07:00The arguments are well laid and hard to refute nev...The arguments are well laid and hard to refute nevertheless, I would submit my humble opinion that Ti feels different; it is more supple and takes the edge off the ride. For me it's worth the extra cost.<br /><br />You may counter it is possible to build a steel bike with the same exact ride characteristics, but I have never experienced that. Granted, I've only owed 3 steel bikes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36151678.post-73790494099890294562010-10-03T10:09:08.798-07:002010-10-03T10:09:08.798-07:00Walt, give the people what they want! From a pure...Walt, give the people what they want! From a purely rational standpoint, ($/g) steel is a great value, but when has buying a bike been a purely rational decision anyway? If that were the case we'd all be riding schwinns. You could make the same argument about carbon bikes, but those aren't going away. Ti has a precious metal quality that steel just doesn't have, and although they have similar ride quality, they're not the same. I'd bet you could DOUBLE your orders if you made Ti an option. I'd buy one.Nevada 29ernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36151678.post-66649458526932497872010-10-02T21:39:16.316-07:002010-10-02T21:39:16.316-07:00Well written - and yeah, makes a lot of sense.Well written - and yeah, makes a lot of sense.Dan Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609122101907983132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36151678.post-54541643893778454492010-10-02T20:47:30.447-07:002010-10-02T20:47:30.447-07:00Um, actually, Anon, I have all the stuff. Includin...Um, actually, Anon, I have all the stuff. Including probably $5k worth of ti tubing that I inherited a long time ago. Dual regulators, big fat ti tig cups, spiffy purge plugs, the whole deal. Still don't bother. I meant what I said. It's not worth it.Walthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09156620599767391579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36151678.post-74146563626557419512010-10-02T18:13:06.266-07:002010-10-02T18:13:06.266-07:00That and you don't have the setup to weld it p...That and you don't have the setup to weld it properly.<br /><br />But I'd suggest if customers really do want it, that's a way to fund the extra equipment/gases you need.<br /><br />I'd say go for it, Walt. You really should. You are dropping your economics on it, not your customers'. <br /><br />Steel is great, but so it Ti.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36151678.post-92201307327351462012010-10-02T15:00:17.525-07:002010-10-02T15:00:17.525-07:00Makes sense to me. Well said.Makes sense to me. Well said.Missionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04533618092957296698noreply@blogger.com