Better check that. My understanding is that Litespeed also got out of the frames-only business. The bike shop guys on this site will probably be able to explain the origins of such dastardly deeds.

actually Litespeed no longer sell frames only in the US, only in Europe but that said I know that several local stores are not above stripping the LS's if all you want is the frame so I am sure you could find a store to do the QR if you wanted.

Hey guys, Yup- you're right: ABG brands (Litespeed, QR, Merlin, Tomac) are sold as complete bikes. This was (I think...) a basic business decision to leverage the brand equity in the frames to get some component sales. Hey, no law against that. Good business move on the part of ABG. One thing many customers and dealers don't realize is that ABG will spec the component kits to order. If you order a Saber with a Thomson post, 172.5mm cranks, 90mm stem, etc, etc. they will spec that for you right out of the box. Also, at the dealer level, we (and pretty much all the other tri dealers that do a nice job) they should be willing to make swaps to get what you need. In my review of the Litespeed Saber that is going up on our site within the next week (I know, I've been saying that for a month...) I talk extensively about ABG parts kits, where they come from and how they are speced and their abilty to be customized. In general, for ABG I think it is a good move. It is also a good move for their customers if they use it correctly.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

The main reason is because of Shimano and their lack of "fair play." Meaning, some dealers who were purchasing their Shimano at substantially lower prices could effectively sell their Litespeed bikes at a lower price. Litespeed and many companies find this unfair in business and have since changed their policies. Good idea or bad, most companies will follow suit.

tom. how is less choice good for customers? not everybody that might want a abg frame wants or needs a bike. said person can go elsewhere, but how would that be better?

I agree t-t-n. I upgraded the drivetrain on my bike from 105 8-speed to Ultegra 9-speed a year and a half ago. If I were to purchase a new bike right now I would be more inclined to just buy a frame and move the components over. Litespeed and QR are missing out on the market for customers who only want or need to replace their frame. Maybe the number of bare frames they sold in the past was so small that they feel it is worth it to drop this market segment.