Ti for things … like pedal axles.

[doctor-bond]

Great info on how your pedals fared and the relative environmental impact is interesting (isnt ti quite abundant but tricky to refine? )
Linky

It is wonderful though, and I’ve chased useful lightening with: stems, quill bolts, bbs, seatposts, bolts and even axles. But all of those add up to about the same as a couple of days fasting or a big piss before your ride. Weight saving off ‘the engine’ becomes much more critical with advancing years and slowing metabolisms!

 

[2manyoranges]

Er … that reference doesn’t give detail on environmental profile

https://redstonemanufacturing.com/aluminum-vs-titanium/

This next link shows that it is completely free of any environmental impact...Hurrah!!!!

https://keitheurope.com/en/blogs/nos-articles/the-positive-environmental-impact-of-titanium-products#:~:text=Titanium is an exceptionally environmentally,human health or the ecosystem.

....from a re-seller of ti. Hurrah and hurrah again!

Hmmmm.....

then read this:

Ti Oxide production for pigments eg paint and sunscreen:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195925523003785

Feng et al 2023
'the Kroll process used to commercially produce titanium sponge is inefficient, energy-intensive, and highly polluting to the environment...'
Research Progress of Titanium Sponge Production: A review - Metals 13(2) 2023

Production of primary Ti using the Becher & Kroll process has some nasty chemical-intensive and energy-intensive steps, see:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652606002320

Of course once produced as a primary metal, Ti, like Aluminium, is ready recycled. Ti has the problem of difficult machining, which itself produces environmental load.

Readily recycle my Stanton ti frames! No way....

 

[Twozaskars]

Yay - when someone puts together an anti-ti group they will demand that we all scrap our ti bikes and replace with greener steel or aluminium ones.

 

[benjabbi]

Yay - when someone puts together an anti-ti group they will demand that we all scrap our ti bikes and replace with greener steel or aluminium ones.

Yeah, completely ignoring the fact that the 'damage' is already done, in a lot of cases on here, thirty years ago and you can't take it back. Surely continued use of the already built frame/component is greener than scrapping it and buying new?
Edit: I have gone down the Ti route, I have really nice riding bikes made of steel, aluminium and carbon but, whether it's all in my head or not, the Ti one is exceptional.

 

[bikeworkshop]

I have really nice riding bikes made of steel, aluminium and carbon but, whether it's all in my head or not, the Ti one is exceptional.

The ride of top quality steel, with the weight of aluminium
And no paint or plastic to scratch

 

[FluffyChicken]

Thanks FC….Those are pretty darned worn...

Interestingly, while a bit of extra movement, it doesn't make them unusable. There's more movement in the cleats.

 

[Roasted]

Manufacturing ti maybe bad for the environment, but it's longevity may help balance the environmental scales.

If making an aluminium frame generates 500kg of Co2 and is replaced every 5 years, over 40 years you are responsible for 4000kg of Co2. But manufacturing a ti frame generates 3000kg of Co2 and lasts for 40 years there is an environmental saving of 1000kg of Co2.

Very simplistic figures that are not based on reality or take other byproducts into consideration, but shows how todays throwaway culture could be worse for the environment.

I think modern e-bikes could be a lot worse for the environment, especially as they're often carbon frames. And it could be worse than you think when you factor in the cycle industries reluctance to support anything over 8 years old, life expired Lithium batteries and the lack of recycling infrastructure for these parts.

 

[2manyoranges]

Spot on. Carbon fibre very horrible for environment and for the workers although the industry is working on mitigation
https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/mitigating-carbon-fiber-emissions-for-fabricators

...and toxicity in recycling:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389419307198

Aluminium is low in energy demand at recycling point in the product cycle, it's energy intensive initially making raw metal from ore, since Bauxite ore is an oxide. But whacking cans and old frames and old gearbox cases together to make recycled products is comparatively low in energy.

You're not bloody well melting down my old Ti frames even if the geometry is Old Skool.