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  1. #1
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    Recommend a Used Full Suspension Titanium MTB

    Ride infrequently. Still rocking a Cannondale F700 from time-to-time. That's the model Cannondale loaded with as much '90s tech as was available: Headshok, Grip Shift X-Ray shifters, Onza pedals with the rubber inserts, and a subpar proprietary cable pivot for the cantilever brakes that was dropped for a Tri-Dangle which wasn't exactly an improvement.

    Haven't looked at bikes in 20 years. What are the options for used, full suspension, titanium mountain bikes? Something I can find on Craigslist around a grand. Found a few hard tails in what appeared to be decent shape for less so am assuming that's a reasonable target.

    Litespeed used to be good. Dean used to be good but more boutique. XC/all-around suspension rear suspension meaning it doesn't need to have huge travel (but more than a Unicoi). A good rear suspension design would be nice. Horst link? Something better than the unified rear triangles that were new 20 years ago. Titanium for no other reason than the cool factor.

  2. #2
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    Modern suspension design, full-squish, disc-equipped TI bike for 1K? Seems unlikely, but I wish you the best of luck in the hunt. Not a whole lot of reasonably-mass-produced TI full-susp bikes anymore to my knowledge. Moots? Everyone has given it up for Carbon or Alum.

    For reference, I paid $450 for a TI hardtail, XT/XTR, non-disc, 26er" with an need-to-upgrade fork 2 summers back. And that is well below the class of bike it sounds like you're looking for.

    If you leave out the need for TI, you can have a lot more bike for your 1K.

  3. #3
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    V-brakes would be a significant upgrade. Doesn't need the best component set out there. I may be totally off base with the price. If that's the case I'll explore other options.

  4. #4
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    Don't pigeonhole yourself with Ti. Not many options exist with modern suspension designs or geometries. Also, if you're looking in that price, used, you don't know what you're going to get in terms of life of the bike. TI fatigues, i've seen a few TI FS bikes that passed their fatigue life walking back down the trail. Get a newer TI hardtail, or try to find an aluminum FS bike, you'll get a longer lasting bike.
    "If we can't bring the mountain to the party, let's bring the PARTY to the MOUNTAIN!"

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mazderati View Post
    What are the options for used, full suspension, titanium mountain bikes?
    Virtually none, you're chasing a unicorn. Go with aluminum. Even the latest and greatest carbon frames only save a pound at most over the same frame in hydroformed Al. If you're on a tight budget your money is better spent on components than a fancy frame.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mazderati View Post
    Ride infrequently. Still rocking a Cannondale F700 from time-to-time. That's the model Cannondale loaded with as much '90s tech as was available: Headshok, Grip Shift X-Ray shifters, Onza pedals with the rubber inserts, and a subpar proprietary cable pivot for the cantilever brakes that was dropped for a Tri-Dangle which wasn't exactly an improvement.

    Haven't looked at bikes in 20 years. What are the options for used, full suspension, titanium mountain bikes? Something I can find on Craigslist around a grand. Found a few hard tails in what appeared to be decent shape for less so am assuming that's a reasonable target.

    Litespeed used to be good. Dean used to be good but more boutique. XC/all-around suspension rear suspension meaning it doesn't need to have huge travel (but more than a Unicoi). A good rear suspension design would be nice. Horst link? Something better than the unified rear triangles that were new 20 years ago. Titanium for no other reason than the cool factor.
    I thought most fs bikes abandoned ti for the reason they abandoned steel. Flexy seat and chain stays. If you're dead set on ti, you won't find many fs options.

    It is very easy to find a nicely-priced 26" aluminum or carbon fs bike with a modern design and modern parts. The industry has been pushing 27" and 29" wheels lately, so 26" bikes can often be had for cheap. I would aim for something 3 or 4 years old with 2x10 xt or x9 parts on it. You're obviously okay with older tech, so I doubt the wheel size will bug you.

    If you really love the idea of a ti bike, find a 26" hard tail in good shape. Those can be had for very cheap now.

  7. #7
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    I think titanium isn't used in f/s bikes because of the flex, expense of the material, and difficulty in working with it -- compared to those same attributes in aluminum or carbon. The only companies that come to mind as still doing ti f/s bikes are Moots and Dean.

    IMHO the flex issue is the same reason that you don't see any steel f/s frames, along with the issue of weight. The smooth ride of a steel or ti hardtail isn't necessary with f/s, where the suspension is doing the work, rather than the rigid (but absorptive) frame.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  8. #8
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    Knowing just enough to be dead wrong... on-paper expertise. So hip, so happening.

    This is what you want and need. George Will and former Illinois congressman Paul Simon approve.

    Titanium tubes made rigid enough to work in a FS setting usually end up very heavy compared to their CrMo or Alu equivalents in rigidity, plus Ti is a very hard metal thus expensive and time consuming to work with the cutting tools required to make the mitres, etc, as El Chup suggests. So you'd end up with a heavier frame that doesn't yield any performance benefit. It would, however, be Ti and thus possibly the source of parking lot envy -- if that's your goal.

  9. #9
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    There is nothing cool about a titanium full suspension bike. Same for steel. Cons outweigh the pros. If you want a boutique race bike, sure get a Erikson or Funk

  10. #10
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    My LBS always gives me shit about my flexy DEAN FS. Yet in 15? years I've replaced the bolt where the strut comes together at the shock twice. (It's on it's 3rd Fox fork.) I kinda wanna sell it though, but I'll never get what I think it's worth. I wanna sell it because new and shiny stuff, because otherwise it rides great. Also, meanwhile my DEAN soft tail hangs in the garage.
    Still looks pretty good though.
    Last edited by plugboots; 01-21-2016 at 04:12 PM.
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
    I'm not a part of a redneck agenda

  11. #11
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    Get the red one.

  12. #12
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    Alright. How about quality bikes in the aluminum space? Hard tails won't work but just about any color will.

  13. #13
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    Good looking bike, plug.

    I like Ti because it's a cool metal, but it sounds like full suspension models never took off which could make finding one hard. Doubt I'll push a bike hard enough to notice any rigidity differences. Will still keep an eye out.

  14. #14
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    Just get a full rigid fatbike. Thank me later

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mazderati View Post
    Alright. How about quality bikes in the aluminum space?
    There is fairly broad consensus that pretty much all bikes made since 2010 or so kick ass. There are plenty of differences in fit and finish, but that's all pretty personal stuff that you just need to get on some bikes to figure out. Anything you get is going to be so much better than your current bike.

    Shopping used with a $1k budget it doesn't pay to be too picky. I'd be open to anything in the travel range you're considering that fits, has decent components and hasn't been thrashed. Post up links to the ads for anything you're considering and we can tell you if they're worth looking at.

  16. #16
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    How about Scott bikes? Any good?

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mazderati View Post
    How about Scott bikes? Any good?
    They're fine, but like any company, some models were better than others.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mazderati View Post
    V-brakes would be a significant upgrade.
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  19. #19
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    Unfortunately real.

    https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...Brakes-Related


    Bike shopping kind of sucks.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mazderati View Post
    Unfortunately real.

    https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...Brakes-Related


    Bike shopping kind of sucks.
    Goodness.

    So with your budget, look for a 7+ year old aluminum full suspension.

    Then the issue you're going to run into is that everything on it is likely to be clapped out. Suspension bearings, fork, shock, brakes... all of it.

    Your point stands, though - bike shopping does kind of suck.

  21. #21
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    Right this moment, it's a goddamn buyers market. I see sweet deals popping up every day that I wish I had a need for.
    However many are in a shit ton.

  22. #22
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    Examples?

  23. #23
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    May 2007
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    i have a moots mootaineer all ti, full suspension (5") that i might be to convinced to sell.

  24. #24
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    That has to be like, what, $500?

  25. #25
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    May 2007
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    705
    we're talking ALL ti, including the cranks

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