I can get individual TI bolts locally for about $8, from an expensive motorcycle-tuning parts shop.
Since I can buy TI-railed saddles for less than $50 from velo in asia, I can only assume that brooks is being silly in the way that they source their small parts. They probably have some 60-year old welding up frames somewhere in England.
Yes, it's true, titanium needs to be welded in an environment with inert gas. I can get an entire friggin' TI BIKE FRAME from asia for less than the cost of the limited-edition brooks saddle ...
I can only assume that Brooks is being lazy by charging a $100+ markup for their titanium-frame saddles.
- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA