Why dont bikes stock with TI springs?

joshrides

joshrides

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So as the title says, i was just wondering why manufacturerers(sp?) dont choose to put TI springs on their shocks, from what i have seen a lot of people choose to put them on their bike after purchase due to the loss of weight etc .. etc.. so what i was wondering is why dont they choose to put them on their bikes ? is there some mass downfall about them ?
 
Mass downfall, no, other than price. Many people are happy with their steel springs it seems, so they come stock. I like to use Ti because there is a noticeable improvement in performance, as anyone who has switched from a steel to a Ti spring knows.
 
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To answer your question, Steel springs cost bugger all and Ti Springs cost a motza.

Ti springs will make a difference in how your suspension feels. Do a search on the effects of unsprung weight.
 
Yes they cost alot but how many people buy a brand new bike and dont go and get new spring to suit there weight?So you would buy a bike with a ti spring then get rid of it stright away for something to suit you.
 
dhd said:
Ti springs will make a difference in how your suspension feels. Do a search on the effects of unsprung weight.
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This thread could get interesting. Adding a Ti spring may reduce overall weight but the 'unsprung weight' you really want to reduce is located at the end of the suspension swingarms.
 
Alot of people try or experiment with different springs when they get a new bike anyway once you find the right spring weight that works the best for you then you go titanium. Because there is only three sizes in a bike riders weight can vary a fair bit so the stock spring in most cases would not be ideal for the rider maybe this is why titanium springs are not a stock item.
 
simply i think comes down to cost, also some people aren't that made keen to upgrade a spring when they just have spent a few grand to get the bike.
 
bumpygreen said:
This thread could get interesting. Adding a Ti spring may reduce overall weight but the 'unsprung weight' you really want to reduce is located at the end of the suspension swingarms.
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yes. but TI springs have what we call a better "memory", the metal actually acts better as a spring than steel, and doesnt lose its perfromance over time like steel does, although its a fairly long time.


companys dont stock ti springs on bikes because someone when buying a bike will get a ti spring to suit they're weight. (*if they spend that money*) where if you stock a 500pd ti spring on a bike when its riders needs a 300pd its no good.
 
Ti springs are ~$250-300 to save just as many grams. Work it out - do you really want to spend $1 per gram you save? Manufacturers won't spec $300 springs because chances are you'll have to change it anyway.

For those claiming better suspension performance - sorry, all bullshit. The numbers do not back it up at all. "Better memory"? No. Lower unsprung weight? So insignificant it's not worth considering. Better life? hahah - sure, if you put your spring through like 100 billion cycles. Otherwise, no.

If you buy a Ti spring, don't try to kid yourself that there is any benefit whatsoever other than lower weight, cos it's just not true. If you really do want the lower weight then go nuts, but it won't make the suspension work any better no matter how badly you want it to.
 
Interesting reading but can I ask why people tend to jump the Ti spring route in an attempt to save weight when there are other ways of saving weight on a bike. Lighter pedals, seat post, bars, seat, wheelset etc would be a great way of saving weight and most of these items don't cost as much as a Ti spring. How much difference does a few hundred grams make anyway?
 
deniall said:
Lighter pedals, seat post, bars, seat, wheelset etc would be a great way of saving weight and most of these items don't cost as much as a Ti spring.
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... To get the same weight lose buying those things, than just getting a Ti spring, would cost way more.
 
elliotdhmcgeary said:
... To get the same weight lose buying those things, than just getting a Ti spring, would cost way more.
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I know but what i'm saying is you could probably get some nice light pedals and a seatpost for the same money as a Ti spring would cost. My DMR V12 Mag's are 100g lighter than standard V12's and 180g lighter if you use a Ti axle. So for around $200 you can save 180g and have some sick pedals with sealed bearings in any colour you like. Just seems to me if you want to start saving some weight then go with the cheaper options first which will also add some bling to your bike. My questions still remains though, how much difference would a few hundred grams of weight make?
 
deniall said:
Do downhill riders still lighten their bikes or is it more the uphill pedalers and guys doing crazy jumps that worry about weight?
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Pretty much all of the above. Light bikes seem to be the holy grail at the moment.
 
deniall said:
Do downhill riders still lighten their bikes or is it more the uphill pedalers and guys doing crazy jumps that worry about weight?
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As a downhiller, that doesn't race ... i don't really care about what the weight of my bike's at, i can have just as much fun with the extra kilogram of weight. And the fact that i'm poor and can't be bothered spending the money ;) Realistically, how much quicker is 1 or 2 kilograms of weight loss going to make you be?
 
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