Titanium vs. Carbon Gravel Bikes: What Should You Ride?

In selecting the appropriate bike frame for your gravel rides, checking out the frame material is essential in deciding which one would suit your needs. The best frame component would always depend on the kind of riding you perform.

Titanium and carbon elements have been among the most sought-after bike frame materials in the modern age. This article will outline the primary features of the two and discuss their properties, functions, rideability, durability, strength to weight, tubing, and its pros and cons.

Credits to: @asoggetti

Titanium Gravel Bikes

Titanium is a premium and highly regarded bike frame material popular among gravel riders recently. It is a kind of metal usually found and used in aerospace. Additionally, it is a coveted frame choice simply because of its capacity and potential to last a lifetime due to its lightweight, strong, and durable trademark.

Primarily, titanium would fit a wide variety of riding arsenals, including high-performance racing and mountain bikes. It is fancied for its ability to provide a quality ride with comfortability and longevity.

Properties

To set it straight, a titanium bike frame does not consist of pure titanium but instead is made with a titanium alloy. The substance used to manufacture bicycle frames is customarily alloyed with aluminum and vanadium. This alloying process on titanium helps the strength and resistance of the structure. With that, most producers of titanium tubing market their creation as ‘aerospace-grade.’

The modern process among frame builders molds titanium bikes through hydroforming procedure, which features the placement of the frame tubes in the mold before injecting it with fluid using an insane amount of pressure. This process serves an integral role in optimizing the pipes for improved stiffness, weight, and aerodynamics.

Function

Many gravel riders consider titanium frames the finest ride attributes among various bike frame materials. The superb compromise between compliance and rigor makes this material an excellent frame element.

Titanium frames also provide the stiffness of aluminum or carbon fiber but with a better riding ability. With its extremely hard, flexible, and corrosion-resistant characteristics, titanium is definitely a frame that could endure numerous beatings compared to other bike frame materials.

Rideability

Titanium frames have a better potential in providing ride comfortability than a carbon-made frame. The material performs better in absorbing shocks and vibrations on the road and is less rigid.

In addition, titanium’s reputation has always been distinguished for its excellent ride quality aspects. A well-built titanium frameset warrants a comfortable road experience on various road surfaces.

Durability

Naturally, a titanium frame can absorb more severe impacts than carbon fiber without sustaining any damage. If you’re prone to crash your bike more often, it would be best to settle with a titanium-made bike. And while a crash may result in some minor and external damage like dents and scratches, chances are high that it would still remain functional.

For the record, more and more cyclists who are into fields where crashing has been a common occurrence, including mountain and gravel biking, are opting for a titanium-made bike. It also creates a cost-efficient escapade for riders. It allows them to save money since they don’t have to routinely restore and replace damaged frames. 

Strength to Weight

Titanium gravel bike frames usually weigh around 1475-1700 grams. At its lightest, a titanium frame could weigh 1150 grams or 2.5 lbs, closely relative to a modern-day steel frame. Moreover, titanium carries a density of about 4.5 grams per cm3. Since titanium framesets weigh generally lighter, it makes a convenient partner for gravel riders on the road. 

Tubing

An ideal titanium frame provides a more excellent fit than a carbon made. It’s also a big reason why most gravel riders opt to customize their frame when buying a titanium bike. In a custom frame setup, the titanium frame builder can have the ability to measure the rider first then cut and mold the titanium tubes to the specified length that would be suited for the rider. Hence, if you’re looking for a gravel bike perfect for your body type, you should strongly consider customizing titanium tubes to your comfort.

Titanium Gravel Bikes: Pros

  • Offers exceptional durability that could endure hard bumps and impacts
  • Ensured comfortable rides due to the ability to absorb vibrations and shocks
  • It can last a lifetime
  • Superb ride quality with a smooth and lively pedal on the road
  • Environmental friendly since titanium is recyclable
  • Gives warning signs before it fails
  • Aesthetically pleasing

Titanium Gravel Bikes: Cons

  • Titanium materials are complex to weld
  • Denser and weaker
  • Weighs heavy, which may result in an inefficient ride

Carbon Gravel Bikes

Carbon fiber is also among the most popular frameset material in manufacturing a premium, highly performing gravel bike. Nowadays, the majority of professional racing bikes are made of carbon fiber. To a greater extent, competitive riders also have carbon fiber on top of their list for their road expedition.

The material was first developed to serve its purpose in the aerospace industry. Carbon is fundamentally created from plastic support with powerful fibers. It is also the lightest material used to produce bicycle frames.

Properties

Carbon fiber is an alloy material produced from robust fibers that underwent weaving to create sheets and bound with resin or epoxy. Single carbon fiber is made by filtering a polymer into filaments of carbon atoms that go at around 5-10 microns in diameter.

The higher-end carbon fibers are manufactured by molding the tubing in a solid piece to integrate the material into bike frames. The material would then be layered and formed into bicycle frames through the molds and heat.

Function

In terms of excellent riding attributes, carbon fiber bikes are also top-notch. The composition of a carbon frame allows frame producers to pound a perfect compromise between the frame’s tension and comfort. A carbon gravel bike’s handling has also been known for being responsive and predictable. It could also provide outstanding vibration resistance qualities for having a lower density.

Besides, carbon fiber frames would give you an improved riding efficiency compared to a titanium material. This efficiency also enables gravel riders to go further in their road travels even with the same energy produced when using a titanium frame. For that reason, maintaining a faster pace and average speed won’t be an issue.

Rideability

More and more gravel riders find that the carbon fiber element performs better when absorbing shocks and vibrations off the road. A big reason for this is that carbon components are less dense. Good shock and vibration absorption mean reduced hand and arm fatigue, making every outdoor ride efficient and enjoyable.

Durability

Carbon fiber frames are exceptionally durable and sturdy, considering the standard riding conditions. Having one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios among any bike frame material, carbon fiber is proven to be stronger than steel. In fact, it also won’t fatigue, and it can endure corrosion, similar to titanium.

As long as you take good care of your carbon bike and rarely crash, it will last longer. However, experts pointed out the reasonably brittle tendency of carbon fiber, which is a significant issue as it may cause problems in the future.

Strength to Weight

Suppose you’re looking for a lightweight bike frame for your gravel riding. In that case, carbon fiber material will suit your need as it is much lighter than a titanium frame. The lighter your bike is, the more it could accelerate faster and maneuver with ease since you carry much less mass as you move around.

For the most part, a carbon-made frame would weigh at around 680 grams (1.5 lbs), fewer than a proportionate titanium frame. A high-end carbon fiber material could weigh as low as 450 grams (1 lb) less than a similarly built titanium frame.

Tubing

In terms of tubing, carbon fiber bikes are usually purchased off the shelf. It comes in various sizes where you can select which one suits you the most. It’s the typical case in buying the material. Each bike size would need a bladder mold, which could be expensive and difficult to manufacture.

On the other hand, carbon fiber bikes are typically sold off the shelf. The bike comes in a range of sizes, and you choose the one that fits best. This is the case because each bike size requires a bladder mold. Furthermore, bikes that are too bulky may make you feel unwieldy in rides, while those that are too small may make you feel cramped and unbearable. Hence, it emphasizes having the right bike tube size for your gravel road trip.

Carbon Gravel Bikes: Pros

  • Lightweight, rigid, and aerodynamic
  • More efficient ride on the road
  • Quiet frame as it is less creaky
  • Superb handles as the frame are proven stiff and responsive
  • Easy to repair
  • Comfortable because of high-quality vibration absorption

Carbon Gravel Bikes: Cons

  • More brittle than titanium
  • It may fail in an instant without a warning
  • Shorter lifespan
  • Not cost-efficient as it would require you to replace the frame quite often