Info required on Raleigh ti.

[Deveron53]

I had 3 of the Raleigh titanium frames!

First one, somewhere around 1994, the original welded titanium with blue metallic paintjob. Apparently painted cos the frame tubes were rolled and seam welded and looked messy in the buff. Rode it very hard for about 18 months until the dreaded cracks around the seattube/toptube/seatstays junction.

This was replaced immediately by Raleigh and I got a polished bare titanium frame which cracked (very light riding!) at bottom bracket 3 years later.

This was replaced with a bare titanium frame with a sandblasted effect. This had disc mounts as well. I sold it on very quickly!

I have happy memories of the first frame but the constant cracking spoiled the subsequent models...

 

[Chris]

Were any of them timet made UK frames?

Chris.

 

[Deveron53]

I'm positive the first one was, maybe the second one as well. Both were replaced in very short time by Raleigh so I reckon they were expecting a few!

 

[bikemeister2000]

I had thought that all Ti Raleighs were made in Russia. But I may have recalled wrong and that they just used Russian tube stock.

No frame EVER sold by Raleigh was made in Russia.

Total Urban Myth

 

[cadence01]

I had thought that all Ti Raleighs were made in Russia. But I may have recalled wrong and that they just used Russian tube stock.

No frame EVER sold by Raleigh was made in Russia.

Total Urban Myth

That's true, I talked to X-Lite when my 94 welded Ti frame cracked. They where in conference with DYNA-TEC about it. I have always found that you can see cracks even i painted if you look hard enough. I suppose its just a matter of looking hard. Only place you cant see is the fork crown to steerer joint. I had one fail but I think it was a bit out of line so I should have been more cautious ( at 13) cos it hurt. I ignored cracks in paint on a 531C frame that parted big style. you learn.

 

[chaser]

Yes that is the same type of frame as the RSP Ti Team frame.

Would be great to see it restored to look like BC's team bike.

They were made in Nottingham... if fact an ex employee of Raleigh who I bought my first Dyna from told me that Raleigh actually used to make Ti frames for a number of different brand around the world!

Here is what else he told me.....

The tubes were supplied by Reynolds Ti and were plain guage rolled / welded seam. They were not drawn on the earlier Dynas... this is why they had to paint them, to cover the seam. This would suggest maybe the naked ti versions are drawn, not rolled.

Aluminium Lugs were made in China and were VERY expensive to get produced.

With regards cracking frames, I've seen cracked frames of all brands too inc a few Marin Ti's... [around BB]

The earlier [1990] Dynas came un-bonded at times due to the tolerance between tubes and lugs... this was sorted out very quickly with Reynolds and the lug supplier.

If you have an 'all one colour' 1990ish Dyna with 'art deco' style lugs, the chances are that this is one that had this problem and was rectified by the factory and then sold as frame only through the dealerships.. my first Dyna was one of these and no probs at all.

Apparently a few frames cracked on the downtube were due to [fashion at the time] owners drilling the frame to attach crud catchers!

I do love Dyna Tech's - How can a frame made with 3 or 4 different materials [Ti, Cromo, Alu' MMC] possibly be un-cool?

So if you have one of these marvels, look after it. You should have to show your National Trust membership card just to be in the same room as Dyna

Hope this was useful.

Chaser.

 

[bikemeister2000]

The lugs for Dyna-Tech bonded frames were very expensive and were maufactures in Japan and not China.

The ones with the fins on were later replace with one-piece bulge formed alloy lugs also from Japan.

 

[chaser]

Thanks for clarification on lugs Bikemeister
I hope rest of info is ok?
Cheers,
Chaser.

 

[bikemeister2000]

Titanium was bought from IMI
Ma-Mo and Cr-Mo steels were bought from Reynolds
Tubsets were created specifically for bonding to Raieigh's requirements. That usually was from existing tubestock. As it was bonded, there was no loss in the usual high heat areas at the joints. Consequently the performance of the frameset was improved, hence the need to badge the tubesets differently such as 2060, 2070 etc and 2125 for titanium.

 

[dyna-ti]

Cant we have our own Dyna Tech section
and all others of that ilk M-trax,RSP titanium,torus etc


Question to cadence01
the crack on your frame is at the top of the seat tube where is welds th the top tube
Could supporting it in a bike stand by the seatpost have anything to do with it cracking??
Its just its not that a high stressed area,and as most ti frames get put in a mechanics stand supported by the seat post, then i wondered it that was a possible explanation :?