Are there any of you left, like me the old man, who still dig the old Litespeeds? I had the original Tachyon with the curved seat tube I wish I had never sold. Some guy at the Deer Point Lake Tri back in 1995 offered me $4 grand for a bike I had ridden hard for 2 years and only paid 2,500 for…as a college kid I had to take it.
I have been trying desperately to find any used 58 roadie frames…Ultimate, Classic, Vortex…that are all ti, not the newer with carbon stays.
Does anyone know by chance a dealer who might have some old stock? I had a beautiful 57 Ultimate, 1994, which was stolen…so badly want to get on one of those again.
Guess I might just have to peruse the CraigsList sites and eBay and hope to run across one, but I can’t be the only one who still drools over those babies can I?
If a 2006 59cm Blade that has never been used would interest you check the classifieds. You would have to email me at gwms@bellsouth.net For some reason I’m not getting emails from posts or messages.
If a 2006 59cm Blade that has never been used would interest you check the classifieds. You would have to email me at gwms@bellsouth.net For some reason I’m not getting emails from posts or messages.
I really appreciate the offer, but I’m a roadie dork…old school slack angles work well for this guy. Thanks for the offer though…the Blades were sweet rides…very sexy.
I still have/love my 1998 Obed MTB. Can’t afford another new (to me) frame/bike these days, but I regularly scavenge componenets off eBay and I do occasionally see older Litespeeds and original Merlins come and go while browsing around. Not super common, but not what I’d call rare, either.
I don’t know if it qualifies as ‘old school’ yet, but I ride a 2005 Teramo. Solid Ti, best fitting bike I’ve ever had, I don’t plan on getting rid of it ever.
I have 3 Litespeeds. The 2000 Ultimate was put away for quite a while but is now functional again with full Chorus 10sp. The 2000 Blade isn’t much different than when I first built it other than new aerobars and 10sp shifters replacing the 9sp. The '97 Tellico will always be my favorite though as it was my first high end bike and also the first that I built from scratch. Eventually I will replace some components on it including the 1st Gen SID race fork but I’m really in no hurry at this point.
95 Ultimate? Isn’t that a sexy ride? If you see a 57 with the old green and yellow Kestrel fork, no decals and a Look Ergostem, please knock the guy down and email me so I can come reclaim my steed!
I am of the mind set that bike thieves should receive the same treatment as horse thieves did in the old west.
I got a Tachyon in 1996 - 650c in a 57cm frame. I still ride it and love it. Fits like a glove. Got it retrofitted with S&S couplers last year so I can travel easier with it.
I lusted after the Ultimate and Tuscany back in my younger days as well. I finally got a Tuscany back in 2005 - still all Ti, but not the rounded tubes. I like round tubes, even if they aren’t aero and they aren’t directionally stronger. The clean classic styles are the best, in my opinion. But my '05 Tuscany (Chorus 10sp) rides like a dream, so I’m not complaining.
i have a litespeed catalyst that was a hand me down from my father (he is now 70 and still rocks a litespeed ghisallo) that is all titanium with a carbon fork that must be from the early 90’s. I recently through on some compact cranks and plan on using it for trips to the mountains…classic ride.
I picked up a '99 Tachyon early this year. This replaced a 1 year old bike and I couldn’t be happier about it. I’d love to pick up an Appalachian for commuting and light trail riding, but those really get good $$.
Speaking of older Litespeeds, what do you all think about converting an '05 Tuscany into a cross bike? I know you would need new fork but any way to retrofit rear canti brakes on that bike? Seems like there is enough clearance back there for big tires.
Yeah, the '95 is considered by some to be the pinnacle of Litespeed frames. Before they went crazy with marketing hype and started creating bladed tubes and curved seatstays.
I specified straight seatstays on my Lynskey as opposed to the stock curved stays when I ordered it.
That is why I’m searching desperately for ‘old Litespeed’ builds. I know two people who have had the new Ultimates with carbon seat stays, both cracked. One on the drive side seat stay and the other, oddly enough, at the down tube water bottle fastener. FWIW, both warranties were handled atrociously. My pal in South Bend was without his bike for nearly 3 months.
Methinks I will take an old Lynskey welded all ti frame.
Anyone have a 58cm Litespeed or Merlin they wan’t to disown?
A few weeks ago, Performance was selling a Lynskey-built frame for $700. While the old Litespeeds are nice, they often have 1" headtubes which are also on the short side because threadless headsets/steerers weren’t popular yet.
Yup, I have a 97 Catalyst (pretty much same as the classic). 1" headtube, swapped the litespeed fork with a threadless Bianchi fork. Ultegra 9spd. Wonderful ride, but alas, I just built up a Van Dessel frame (from ST classifieds) with all my best stuff. Getting the new bike dialed in, and considering selling the Litespeed, as I have way too many bikes. I have an old Merlin "Mountain" from around that time too, that I'll never sell, currently set up as my path bike (with 700c wheels), but incredibly sweet in any form I've built it.
