History of titanium bikes.

[Rampage]

Just seen this on FatCOGS.

When year do you think Merlin built the first titanium MTB frame?


http://budnitzbicycles.com/pdfs/Budnitz ... cycles.pdf

 

[greencat]

Re:

Thanks very much for posting that. Really interesting.

 

[M-Power]

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I asked Gary Helf on FB when he made the first ones and he confirmed he made Ti ATB frames at home in his basement in the very early 80s. Such a cool dude. Gary and later on Scotty B are a big reason why Fat City Cycles are so revered even today. As an aside, Gary Klein was also in the neighbourhood at that time and by some accounts, he did not honour early warranty claims on his frames

 

[sinnerman]

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A good read. I did chuckle and the early prowess of Chis Chance though.

 

[24pouces]

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a very precise article about the Merlin history !
But nothing about Sandvik (Kona, Dean, McMahon…) the third big maker of early titanium frames with Merlin and Litespeed…

 

[M-Power]

Re: Re:

a very precise article about the Merlin history !
But nothing about Sandvik (Kona, Dean, McMahon…) the third big maker of early titanium frames with Merlin and Litespeed…

Good point ! I'd argue the early Sandviks rode better.

 

[Woz]

Re: Re:

a very precise article about the Merlin history !
But nothing about Sandvik (Kona, Dean, McMahon…) the third big maker of early titanium frames with Merlin and Litespeed…

(and DBR)

 

[mkozaczek]

Here's that 86ish Fat Chance Ti build by Gary, basically the same as one of the first 50 Merlins

 

[REKIBorter]

There was a similar article in (can't recall the name of the magazine - Tim Manley, Andy Waterman et al) that went along similar lines with more details about Litespeeds involvement with ti frame developments. They started building frames to other manufacturers specification learning as they went what made a great ti frame. Borrowing all the best bits of the designs and ideas to eventually build frames with their own name on them.

 

[M-Power]

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http://merlintitanium.com/fat_chance_ti ... mbwti.html

Pics of one of the Proto Fat Ti frames with a mix of plain gauge and externally milled butted Ti tubing. Merlin experimented with chemical butting techniques later on. External milling was time consuming and the welding required the best artist FCC had, mostly to avoid costly failures. These Fat Tis are so light but much stiffer in the BB and rear triangle than most of that era.