TITANIUM
TUBE JOINING METHODS
When
building a bicycle frame, designers have many options concerning
how to join the tubes.Tubes can be welded, bonded, or lugged. The method of joining depends on the desired outcome as well as
the material being joined.
For
our titanium frames, we choose to weld the tubes together. After obsessively precise mitering of the tubes to be welded,
a master welder joins the tubes together in an environment free
of oxygen. Welding titanium
enables us to customize the flex of the bicycle without compromising
strength since tube diameter is not constrained.
Some
other manufacturers bond titanium tubes. This process involves gluing titanium tubes onto aluminum
lugs. One advantage of bonding is that it is MUCH less expensive than welding,
especially with Titanium. The problems with bonding (done properly)
involve limited geometry and diameter constraints and a loss of
the wonderful titanium ride and feel. Where Spectrum and others
like Merlin can vary tube diameters both between models and between
sizes of the same model due to the freedom offered by welding,
bonded frames are much more limited. With our custom frames this is a real issues
since we need to vary all parameters of frame design. With bonded
frames, such variation becomes practically impractical.
For
our steel frames we use lugs for several important reasons. First, when finished correctly they are stronger
than other steel-tube joining methods. Secondly, they enable us
to better customize the ride characteristics of our custom steel
frames, and finally, they look beautiful. The drawbacks to lugs are few. They weigh a bit
more than welds or bonded joints and the cost much more...but
quality is worth the price.
1190
Dorney Road, Breinigsville, PA 18031-1123 phone:1-610-398-1986
