We love building bikes out of titanium because it is the most robust frame material on the planet. Titanium’s corrosion resistance and strength-to-density ratio are better than any other metallic element. It’s why people call our bikes “forever bikes” and you see so many riders out there still hammering on 20- to 30-year-old Litespeeds. Titanium frames are darn near indestructible.
Like anything, though, titanium bikes require a bit of upkeep to maintain their factory-fresh look and feel. Fortunately, titanium bike frames are incredibly easy to care for. We’ll cover the basics of titanium bike maintenance, so you can keep riding and loving your Litespeed for the next few decades (or more)!
Cleaning Your Titanium Bike Frame
Using Silca Ultimate Bike Wash. Photo: Silca
Of all the frame materials — carbon, steel, aluminum, etc. — titanium requires the least care. You can literally go out in the worst conditions, ride your bike hard, and put it away wet. Your titanium frame won’t suffer any ill effects. But if you love your bike, then it’s a good idea to keep it clean and wash it occasionally.
We recommend cleaning your titanium using a clean soft bristle brush, sponge, or wash mitt, and bike-specific wash solution mixed in a bucket. We prefer using bike-specific bike wash solutions because they tend to be extra gentle to prevent scratching or dulling the finish of your frame and components. If price and availability are concerns, good automotive wash solutions are similar. In a pinch, a gentle liquid dish soap like Blue Dawn can also work. However, a gentler bike-specific wash solution is the best option.
Fill your bucket with water and a small amount of wash solution. Dirt and grit will sink to the bottom of your bucket so you want to keep the bucket fairly full. This way, you don’t pick up grit with your brush, sponge, or mitt when dipping it back in the bucket and end up rubbing it back on your frame and scratching it.
When cleaning your frame, always start at the top and work your way down. This prevents dust, dirt, and mud from washing over parts of your bike that you’ve already cleaned. Regularly rinse your brush, sponge, or mitt, and swirl it in your wash solution to keep it clean, which will prevent scratches.
Rinse well, then dry. You can let your titanium frame air dry, but actively drying your frame with a microfiber cloth or chamois gives you a finish free from residue, spots, and streaks. It also sets you up to apply a protectant.
Maintaining Your Titanium Frame Finish with a Protectant
Spraying Silca Graphene Spray Wax onto a microfiber to buff into the frame. Photo: Silca
While not necessary, adding a protectant will enhance your frame’s finish and help repel dust, dirt, and grime to keep it looking fresh for longer. The classic protectant often recommended for titanium bikes is Lemon Pledge Furniture Polish. It cleans hard surfaces and provides a protective, glossy coating. Best of all, it’s affordable, easy to find, and smells great.
If you’re looking for something a bit more bike-specific, the products we like using are Silca Ultimate Graphene Spray Wax, Silca Ultimate Ceramic Waterless Wash, and Pedro's Bike Lust.
Whatever protectant you choose to use, we recommend spraying it onto a microfiber cloth, rather than spraying it directly onto your frame. You can then use the cloth to apply your protectant and buff it off. This prevents messy overspray from getting on your floor or contaminating important components like your brake pads and rotors.
Products like Pledge, Silca Ultimate Ceramic Waterless Wash, or Pedro's Bike Lust are also great for quick wipe down between washes. It’s a quick and easy way to keep your frame free of dust and fingerprints.
Grease vs. Anti-Seize for Titanium Bikes
Traditionally, with other frame materials, grease is used on any threaded, press fit, or friction fit components, but anti-seize is preferable for titanium frames. Grease is simply not thick or inert enough to fully prevent the corrosive chemical reactions that can occur when two types of metal come into contact with each other.
Install components like bottom brackets, headset cups, and bottle cage bolts with Finish Line Copper Based Anti-Seize or Park Tool ASC-1 Anti-Seize. Aluminum and titanium seatposts can receive a very small amount of anti-seize. Carbon seatposts should be installed with carbon assembly paste like Finish Line Fiber Grip or SAC-2 SuperGrip.
A common issue with some titanium frames is a stuck or seized seatpost due to a corrosive chemical reaction. Regardless of seatpost material, it’s a good idea to pull the seatpost and clean it every few months to ensure it doesn’t seize. Washing your bike is a great time to knock out this quick and easy task.
Removing Scratches or Discoloration
Polishing a tube with a maroon 7447 Scotch Brite pad.
Titanium is incredibly resistant to scratches and corrosion, but as with anything, regular use can create imperfections in your frame’s finish.
Many light scratches and spots of discoloration can be removed using a fine scouring pad. You may need to experiment (perhaps somewhere on the frame where it isn’t visible) with different grades to find the one that produces the finish you want. Finer is better for more polished finishes. Coarser grades will actually create more scratches (which also means you could produce your own matte “brushed” finish at home if you want).
Note: AVOID using a scouring pad on anodized areas. It will scratch away the protective oxide layer, damaging your anodized finish.
I use a maroon 7447 Scotch Brite pad for any scratches and discoloration. When using a scouring pad, be sure to only rub it “against the grain,” i.e., perpendicular to the frame tube and NOT longitudinally with the tube. Many suggest using a “shoe polishing” technique (see image above).
After polishing away scratches, clean the area and reapply any protectant. The polished area will look a bit lighter and shinier than the area around it for a few days until normal surface oxidation turns it to the same gray as the rest of the frame.
Occasionally Check for Dents and Cracks
Titanium is tough, but it’s not invincible. Whenever you’re washing your bike, it’s a good time to quickly check it over for any dents or cracks.
Dents in titanium frames are rare, and most titanium frames will remain safe to ride after getting dented, but that largely varies depending on the size, severity, and location of a dent. Cracks are also rare, but it’s a good idea to periodically check for them. Cracks can appear as hairline cracks at weld locations.
If you do discover a dent or crack, be sure to contact our support team with a photo so we can help determine if your frame is safe to ride.