Titanium pedal spindles



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Michael Cerda

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I need new pedals and am interested in the Time Impact pedals. Two options are steel or titanium
spindles. A web search showed a concern for safety. Most of these articles were posted pre-1999.
What the current thinking on titanium spindles?

-Michael Cerda
 
> I need new pedals and am interested in the Time Impact pedals. Two options are steel or titanium
> spindles. A web search showed a concern for safety. Most of these articles were
posted
> pre-1999. What the current thinking on titanium spindles?

If you're light enough, you might be able to get away with them. However, I think it's a bad place
to save weight. I bent three Time Ti spindles (road type) before I finally got a clue and switched
to steel ones. Bending isn't as bad as breaking, but once you experience a bent spindle, you start
imagining straight ones are bent too.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Michael Cerda" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need new pedals and am interested in the Time Impact pedals. Two options are steel or titanium
> spindles. A web search showed a concern for safety. Most of these articles were
posted
> pre-1999. What the current thinking on titanium spindles?
>
> -Michael Cerda
 
I've noticed that Ti is becoming the all-purpose yuppie metal of choice whether or not it's
appropriate. What other things shouldn't be made with titanium? I can think of a few: rims, nipples,
spindles- what else?

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:

> > I need new pedals and am interested in the Time Impact pedals. Two options are steel or titanium
> > spindles. A web search showed a concern for safety. Most of these articles were
> posted
> > pre-1999. What the current thinking on titanium spindles?
>
> If you're light enough, you might be able to get away with them. However, I think it's a bad place
> to save weight. I bent three Time Ti spindles (road type) before I finally got a clue and switched
> to steel ones. Bending isn't as bad as breaking, but once you experience a bent spindle, you start
> imagining straight ones are bent too.
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
>
> "Michael Cerda" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I need new pedals and am interested in the Time Impact pedals. Two options are steel or titanium
> > spindles. A web search showed a concern for safety. Most of these articles were
> posted
> > pre-1999. What the current thinking on titanium spindles?
> >
> > -Michael Cerda
> >
 
Michael Cerda writes:

> I need new pedals and am interested in the Time Impact pedals. Two options are steel or titanium
> spindles.

What impact do you expect Time Impact pedals to have on your bicycling? It seems the impact of
impacting the ground on pedal spindle failure might impact your health, in effect, have an impact.

> A web search showed a concern for safety. Most of these articles were posted pre-1999. What the
> current thinking on titanium spindles?

Titanium, like aluminum, is lighter than steel but both have less strength and need to be designed
commensurately. That is why durable aluminum frames have large diameter tubes. Titanium parts should
likewise be dimensioned larger but are often not. The problem hire is that pedal, wheel, and BB
spindles are at a diameter where boring a hole doesn't reduce weight by the same amount that the
appropriate larger diameter would increase weight.

Titanium parts are often made merely by replacing steel on a one-to-one basis. This is where the
hazard lies, not in the use of titanium per se. If the steel and titanium part are interchangeable,
there is reason to doubt its durability.

Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA
 
Gary Smiley writes:

> I've noticed that Ti is becoming the all-purpose yuppie metal of choice whether or not it's
> appropriate.

High-tech, aerospace, carbon, carbon fiber, titanium, scandium and all sorts of esoteric sounding
materials are promising more speed and power. Gotta have it. On that line, what does a carbon fiber
fork do for bicycling?

Forget it and just get a bigger (black) SUV with blackened windows, jacked up chassis, rumble pipes,
and spotlights. That way it doesn't martter what mateial the bicycle in the back is made of. Oh yes,
fashion changes. Today winches and bush deflecting grilles over the front end are passé.

Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA
 
In article <[email protected]>, Gary Smiley
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I've noticed that Ti is becoming the all-purpose yuppie metal of choice whether or not it's
>appropriate. What other things shouldn't be made with titanium? I can think of a few: rims,
>nipples, spindles- what else?

Spokes!!
 
In article <[email protected]>, <[email protected]> wrote:
>Gary Smiley writes:
>
>> I've noticed that Ti is becoming the all-purpose yuppie metal of choice whether or not it's
>> appropriate.
>
>High-tech, aerospace, carbon, carbon fiber, titanium, scandium and all sorts of esoteric sounding
>materials are promising more speed and power. Gotta have it. On that line, what does a carbon fiber
>fork do for bicycling?

Reduce bicycle weight.

--Paul
 
"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> wrote:

>> I need new pedals and am interested in the Time Impact pedals. Two options are steel or titanium
>> spindles. A web search showed a concern for safety. Most of these articles were
>posted
>> pre-1999. What the current thinking on titanium spindles?
>
>If you're light enough, you might be able to get away with them. However, I think it's a bad place
>to save weight. I bent three Time Ti spindles (road type) before I finally got a clue and switched
>to steel ones. Bending isn't as bad as breaking, but once you experience a bent spindle, you start
>imagining straight ones are bent too.

I'm a whopping 150-155 pounds (~70kg) and managed to break a ti pedal spindle. It was an
"interesting experience" that involved hitting the curb no less than three times, and nearly falling
in front of moving traffic.

That is to say, I don't ride ti spindles any more, nor do I recommend them.

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame
 
Gary Smiley <[email protected]> wrote:
: I've noticed that Ti is becoming the all-purpose yuppie metal of choice whether or not it's
: appropriate. What other things shouldn't be made with titanium? I can think of a few: rims,
: nipples, spindles- what else?

: Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:

:> > I need new pedals and am interested in the Time Impact pedals. Two options are steel or
:> > titanium spindles. A web search showed a concern for safety. Most of these articles were
:> posted
:> > pre-1999. What the current thinking on titanium spindles?
:>

Swing on over to www.bebop.com and take a read of 'metallurgy 101 (titanium vs. steel spindles)' in
their 'bebop university' section.

Cheerz, Lynzz
 
Gary Smiley <[email protected]> wrote:

> I've noticed that Ti is becoming the all-purpose yuppie metal of choice whether or not it's
> appropriate. What other things shouldn't be made with titanium? I can think of a few: rims,
> nipples, spindles- what else?

--Components usually made of steel, where for fit reasons they can't be enlarged dimensionally:

Fork steerer tubes Threaded axles Crank bolts Canti brake bosses Saddle rails Rear sprockets Chains
QR skewers Spokes, of course

--Components for which aluminum does the job (while weighing less):

Headset cups Stems

There are only a few places IMO where the use of titanium can be of benefit or at least of no harm:

Frame tubing Fork blades Handlebars Seatposts Springs Non-critical bolts and pivot pins, where the
mating part is not Ti

Chalo Colina
 
On 1 Mar 2003 20:37:39 -0800, [email protected] (Bluto) wrote:

>Gary Smiley <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I've noticed that Ti is becoming the all-purpose yuppie metal of choice whether or not it's
>> appropriate. What other things shouldn't be made with titanium? I can think of a few: rims,
>> nipples, spindles- what else?
>
>--Components usually made of steel, where for fit reasons they can't be enlarged dimensionally:
>
>Fork steerer tubes

If fork blades are an acceptable use of titanium, it may be necessary to use a Ti steerer tube too,
to avoid complexity at the crown. It might be necessary to make it heavier than a steel one of the
same stiffness and outside diameter, possibly negating any advantage from using Ti blades

>Threaded axles Crank bolts

Conventional ones can actually be acceptably replaced with aluminium after using the original steel
one to seat the crank on the taper. Octalink/ISIS seem to work OK with titanium for both setting
and holding.

>Canti brake bosses Saddle rails

Thousands of satisfied Flite users, in my case with the same saddle on my road bike for 10 years,
might disagree

>Rear sprockets

This is just a matter of how much you want to spend to reduce the weight; Ti sprockets are much
lighter than steel, and much more expensive. I haven't seen any test results indicating faster wear
on Ti, though the fact that we all happily use Al chainrings where steel would be cheaper and more
durable indicates that it would be a rice many people would be happy to pay.

>Chains QR skewers

Ti skewers are plenty strong enough for road bikes, and they don't suffer from the corrosion which
can afflict steel ones. If your ATB suspension design relies on skewer stiffness to keep everything
in shape, it's probably time to switch to a 20mm thru' axle design.

>Spokes, of course
>
>--Components for which aluminum does the job (while weighing less):
>
>Headset cups Stems

Steel, aluminium and titanium can all be fashioned into handlebar stems combining low weight and
adequate stiffness and strength. I've got all three materials on different bikes, and none of them
has given me cause to choose a stem based on material choice alone.

>
>There are only a few places IMO where the use of titanium can be of benefit or at least of no harm:
>
>Frame tubing Fork blades Handlebars Seatposts Springs Non-critical bolts and pivot pins, where the
>mating part is not Ti
>
>
>Chalo Colina

Kinky Cowboy

*Your milage may vary Batteries not included May contain traces of nuts.
 
cerda-<< Time Impact pedals. Two options are steel or titanium spindles. A web search showed a
concern for safety. Most of these articles were posted pre-1999. What the current thinking on
titanium spindles?

Big guy, lots of power?stay away...

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"
 
> Big guy, lots of power?stay away...
>
> Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria http://www.vecchios.com

Thanks to everyone. I'm a big guy, lots of power, so I'll go with the steel spindles. My local bike
shop said that saving 40 grams by using Ti pedal spindles wasn't what they recommended. Oh, boy -
new pedals! Time to retire my old 1986 Time Mags. I'm looking forward to a better cleat design.

-Michael Cerda
 
On Sat, 01 Mar 2003 19:15:55 GMT, [email protected] wrote:

>Gary Smiley writes:
>
>> I've noticed that Ti is becoming the all-purpose yuppie metal of choice whether or not it's
>> appropriate.
>
>High-tech, aerospace, carbon, carbon fiber, titanium, scandium and all sorts of esoteric sounding
>materials are promising more speed and power. Gotta have it. On that line, what does a carbon fiber
>fork do for bicycling?

A friend of mine replaced the original fork on his Cannondale with a carbon fiber fork. He said it
absolutely transformed the bike. He liked the results so much he joked about replacing the other
bits with carbon fiber equivalents.

>Forget it and just get a bigger (black) SUV with blackened windows, jacked up chassis, rumble
>pipes, and spotlights. That way it doesn't martter what mateial the bicycle in the back is made of.
>Oh yes, fashion changes. Today winches and bush deflecting grilles over the front end are passé.

My white SUV has blackened windows so that no one can see that I ride mostly aluminum bikes. :)

Now that I think of it that's not strictly true. I have two aluminum bikes, three steel, and one
carbon fiber; but I mostly ride the aluminum.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3
 
I have a pair of Campy Super Record pedals with titanium spindles on a vintage Dawes bike. I
weigh around 220 and almost never stand to pedal. I'm 61 years old and quite a bit less powerful
than I once was.

Should I be concerned about the safety of using these pedals?

Thanks,
Bob
 
"Robert Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a pair of Campy Super Record pedals with titanium spindles on a vintage Dawes bike. I weigh
> around 220 and almost never stand to pedal. I'm 61 years old and quite a bit less powerful than I
> once was.
>
> Should I be concerned about the safety of using these pedals?

Campagnolo are as nice as any.

But the track record of titanium spindles is horrible. If/when it fails, it will be suddenly and
without warning. In my opinion the risk of rider injury is too high to justify selling any titanium
spindle ( pedal or BB).

Other people have a more cavalier attitude about _your_ face and front teeth.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971
 
[email protected] (Robert Taylor) wrote:

>I have a pair of Campy Super Record pedals with titanium spindles on a vintage Dawes bike. I weigh
>around 220 and almost never stand to pedal. I'm 61 years old and quite a bit less powerful than I
>once was.
>
>Should I be concerned about the safety of using these pedals?

Listen to Andrew and sell those pedals to someone much lighter than you. I snapped off a ti spindle,
very nearly resulting in an inglorious end wedged under some poor driver's front bumper - and I
weigh 2/3 what you do.

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame
 
Steel Survives, Titanium Crumbles

Pedals are a place for The Feel of Steel.

Okay, okay, I'll stick with just designing the ads.....

Bruce

"Mark Hickey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] (Robert Taylor) wrote:
>
> >I have a pair of Campy Super Record pedals with titanium spindles on a vintage Dawes bike. I
> >weigh around 220 and almost never stand to pedal. I'm 61 years old and quite a bit less powerful
> >than I once was.
> >
> >Should I be concerned about the safety of using these pedals?
>
> Listen to Andrew and sell those pedals to someone much lighter than you. I snapped off a ti
> spindle, very nearly resulting in an inglorious end wedged under some poor driver's front bumper -
> and I weigh 2/3 what you do.
>
> Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame
 
Mark Hickey <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> [email protected] (Robert Taylor) wrote:
>
> >I have a pair of Campy Super Record pedals with titanium spindles on a vintage Dawes bike. I
> >weigh around 220 and almost never stand to pedal. I'm 61 years old and quite a bit less powerful
> >than I once was.
> >
> >Should I be concerned about the safety of using these pedals?
>
> Listen to Andrew and sell those pedals to someone much lighter than you. I snapped off a ti
> spindle, very nearly resulting in an inglorious end wedged under some poor driver's front bumper -
> and I weigh 2/3 what you do.
>
> Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame

The only difference between SR and NR in circa 1980 Campy pedals is the titanimum spindle in the SR.
Perhaps you could look for a pair of NR with beat-up outsides and try a spindle swap. Alternatively,
you could look for a better pair of vintage NR. It would preserve the look and authenticity, but
they tend to be expensive. You could be riding safely on steel spindled Campy look-alike pedals for
short money.

Steve Shapiro
 
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