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Ti frame longevity? (Warnign, bike related content!)

JohnE

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,452
1,980
Front Range, dude...
Contemplating the purchase of a "gently used" Moots YBB frame. Its an '03 or so, guy has had it laying around for awhile...not beaten or mistreated at all. I kow has a great customer serivce reputation, but 10 years old? I am a bigger fella (5'8", 195, alright 200 lbs...) and like the idea of a touch of travel on my ride, but in the area I live in full sus is overkill.

I guess what I am asking is what is the estimated service life of titanium? Would build it up w/ some XT stuff I have laying about...old Terra Logic that has been PUSHed, carbon bits here and there...
 
Wumpus

Wumpus

makes avatars better
Dec 25, 2003
8,161
153
Six Shooter Junction
What is a refinish/refurbish job? Can Moots add disk brake mounts to my frame?

Yes and Yes.

One of the finest aspects of owning a Moots is that it’s a lifetime frame. So, after you have owned your Moots and put many miles on it, you can send it back to us for a refinish job that will make the frame appear nearly like new. Once the frame reaches Moots we will do the following:

-remove all old decals

-remove shock unit and inspect (all YBB’s and Full-Suspension bikes)

-check frame alignment

-add disc mounts, in necessary, to your Moots mountain frame or cross frame

-we will add hydro guides to the seat stay kit for hydraulic lines

-we will add 3 hydro guides to the top tube at the 7 O’clock position under the top tube to guide the hydro lines

-re-finish the entire frame with our signature satin bead-blast finish

-install new YBB slider if needed (extra charge for parts)

-apply new decals (current design only)

Is there a rider weight limit on you frames?

Yes. On our Ybb SL model we want to have a rider that is 170 pounds or less, not a strength issue but a ride quality issue. The Ybb SL is built for the lighter end of the rider spectrum. A heavier rider will feel less desirable ride characteristics vs. a lighter one.
 
JohnE

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,452
1,980
Front Range, dude...
Good stuff Wumpus...searched their web site and never saw that, particularly the bit about the 170 lbs or less. Either I gotta lose some weight or find another frame I guess...
 
Wumpus

Wumpus

makes avatars better
Dec 25, 2003
8,161
153
Six Shooter Junction
That is only the SL(superlight) model and it has to do with the shock. It also said 18" or smaller. Though, I seem to remember that they all had some weight limit back in the day. Always wanted one but that was the hangup.
 
JohnE

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,452
1,980
Front Range, dude...
I was just reading that about the SL. I like the part about being a lifetime frame, and being refurbisheable no matter the age. Still working on the deal, trying to get some peices/parts and such thrown in...need a newer fork.
 
AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

Business is good, thanks for asking
Jun 4, 2006
21,239
10,159
I have no idea where I am
I've lusted after ti hardtails since the '90s. But being that they cost as much as a DH frame, probably never gonna happen.

The Cove Hummer has a fairly slack HA and is built by Lynsky :

 
buildyourown

buildyourown

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2004
4,832
0
South Seattle
One of the best things about a Ti bike is how easy it is to repair. Probably the easiest material for shops who know what they are doing. No heat treatment, and usually no paint to mess with.
So yes, Moots or another competent builder can add disc tabs and the frame should last a lifetime. Literally.
 
ire

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
I have a Ti cross bike and really like it. Moots makes great bikes and they stand behind them. One of their frames will last forever.
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,502
20,300
Sleazattle
A friend of mine rides a Moots 29er. He won the Granny Gear 24 hour solo championships on it a few years ago and completed the Tour Divide last year. He ain't a small guy and produces disturbing amounts of power. His bike has lived several normal lifetimes of abuse with no problems.
 
golgiaparatus

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
I did. But after a month of trying to iron out the twitchiness of the ride I started thinking something was wrong with it, so I remeasured everything. All the numbers matched up until I measured the headtube angle... 73+ degrees with no sag. So I called Dean and they told me to send it back and refunded my money... I had the Moots 3 days later, and I couldn't be happier.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,082
24,611
media blackout
golgiaparatus said:
I did. But after a month of trying to iron out the twitchiness of the ride I started thinking something was wrong with it, so I remeasured everything. All the numbers matched up until I measured the headtube angle... 73+ degrees with no sag. So I called Dean and they told me to send it back and refunded my money... I had the Moots 3 days later, and I couldn't be happier.
Click to expand...
well derp. i must've missed that part of the story.
 
6thElement

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
16,018
13,269
Westy said:
A friend of mine rides a Moots 29er. He won the Granny Gear 24 hour solo championships on it a few years ago and completed the Tour Divide last year. He ain't a small guy and produces disturbing amounts of power. His bike has lived several normal lifetimes of abuse with no problems.
Click to expand...
Is his name Derek?
 
golgiaparatus

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
JohnE said:
Alright, I pulled the trigger on it...will advise when it gets here and is built up.
Click to expand...

Nice. Remember you can tune the ride a little. They offer 2 spring rates, and they can cut the elastomer/bumper to different lengths to fine tune it a bit further.

Also, I've found the best way to keep the YBB smooth is with Dumonde Tech's Liquid Grease instead of TriFlow (which is what Moots recommends). The Liquid grease lasts a lot longer.
 
6thElement

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
16,018
13,269
Westy said:
Actually just Bob, but Bob doesn't have enough letters for a reply.
Click to expand...
Not the guy I was thinking of, I did race with a Bob (Anderson I think) for a brief period though, but can't remember what he was riding.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,094
6,031
borcester rhymes
Hey I have a question...

My road frame is Ti. It's a low end model. Has no lawyer tabs or anything of the ilk on the rear dropout. When I stand up to hammer, say starting from a stop light, my rear wheel sometimes pops out of the dropout. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? I have to cinch the QR down pretty tight. I don't know if maybe the QR is just worn out, or if there's anything I can do to the frame to give it a little more grip. It's pretty annoying, but I don't want to start roughing up the ti dropout if it's not going to do anything.
 
jdcamb

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,849
8,453
Nowhere Man!
Sandwich said:
Hey I have a question...

My road frame is Ti. It's a low end model. Has no lawyer tabs or anything of the ilk on the rear dropout. When I stand up to hammer, say starting from a stop light, my rear wheel sometimes pops out of the dropout. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? I have to cinch the QR down pretty tight. I don't know if maybe the QR is just worn out, or if there's anything I can do to the frame to give it a little more grip. It's pretty annoying, but I don't want to start roughing up the ti dropout if it's not going to do anything.
Click to expand...
If possible try to find a solid axel for the rear hub.
 
golgiaparatus

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
@ IH8RICE: Actually my road bike is a bit slacker than that bike was.

But yeah... he did. When he drew up the bike in cad he built it around 50% sag on the rear shock... (which is too much IMO), and Zero sag on the 100mm fork. So with the bike all sagged out in the rear and fully extended in the front, all the numbers come out pretty close. Of course no one rides their bike like that, and in the real world it just made for a super sketchy ride.

Anyway, It was pretty much a screw up. They tried to justify it and tried to offer various fixes that most likely would have ruined the fit, so I just got my money back. And they were cool about it.

FYI: It should have had a 70.5 HA. The moots is at 71.25 (sagged). A little more aggressive than my original goal... but It's such a long, stable feeling bike that you cant tell it in the ride.
 
w00dy

w00dy

In heaven there is no beer
Jun 18, 2004
3,417
51
that's why we drink it here
Sandwich said:
Hey I have a question...

My road frame is Ti. It's a low end model. Has no lawyer tabs or anything of the ilk on the rear dropout. When I stand up to hammer, say starting from a stop light, my rear wheel sometimes pops out of the dropout. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? I have to cinch the QR down pretty tight. I don't know if maybe the QR is just worn out, or if there's anything I can do to the frame to give it a little more grip. It's pretty annoying, but I don't want to start roughing up the ti dropout if it's not going to do anything.
Click to expand...
If it has the stock QRs, switch to an internal cam, like a shimano. You can get much greater force with one of those.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,094
6,031
borcester rhymes
I don't think so, I think they're just steel, but they came with the wheelset and they look nice. I'd rather not have to worry about my non-drive side popping out due to the massive torque I put on the bike (ha) but looking the part is OK too.
 
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