In The Shop: Litespeed Ti
Seeing this old Litespeed in a shop invoked memories, with its geometrically enhanced tubing. Ti-3Al-2.5V was borrowed from aerospace, where strength, weight, and malleability are critical factors for hydraulic systems. Shaping tubes into triangles and then welding them at the joints, takes a skilled welder, and when done right, Ti is superior material for bike frames. Later carbon overtook the demand for Ti, but it’s still our all-around fav. That’s because of the springy ride and durability. Good titanium frames happen when high quality tubing is joined by expert welders, who join the tubes cleanly without ruining the raw materials.