I have to say that I'm pretty excited about this frameset. I am going to build it up with a SRAM Red Compact Group, Mavic Ksyrium SL Premium Wheels with Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX Tires, Selle SMP Glider Saddle and Deda Bar and Stem. I am just waiting for my parts to come in. I will post a picture of the complete build shortly.
Anyone riding one of these? What's your take on the frame and how it handles?
I'm not terribly concerned. If Lynskey wants to clear out inventory by selling to Sierra Trading Post, that's its business decision, and you can get a great bike for a nice price! My bike is awesome, and it rides great. That's what counts. Bikes are tools!
Here's mine which came on aug. Really love the paint wark and the frame welding seam...
After fixing it up and rode it for the 1st time, it is a sweeeetttt ride and get good respond wen u are peddaling it hard. Loving every min i spend on "her"...:thumbsup:
The flash on the camera really makes the bead-blasted cosmetic stand out. I like the fact that it is really subtle and the graphic/logos don't stand out too much unless you are very close to the bike. I have no need to ride a rolling billboard, and I prefer naked ti to paint. This was a nice alternative, and there is no paint to chip. or decals to peel off, and I can clean the thing with Fantastic.
Lynskey did a fantastic job, and the construction of the bike is top notch. The bike is a joy to ride. If you want a Ti bike, don't even think twice. There may be some manufacturers that make bikes that are equally nice, but (and contrary to the views of some here), you will not find anything that is better.
I have a 2005 Litespeed that i like very much. One of the first things i did was to remove the decals. Some of the reasons i bought Ti is because of how easy it is to clean and maintian, ride qualities and long term durability - esp good for traveling. I use a good quality soft case and don't worry about damage. Although, as you can see in photos below i do protect the frame.
It was a 2003 Vortex. The Lynskey is much stiffer in the Bottom Bracket, probably because mine was built with a biaxial downtube that is horizontally flared at the BB, and vertically flared at the headtube.
I loved my Vortex, and intially was going to go that route out of brand loyalty. However, I was going custom, and the drawing I got back from Litespeed was less than confidence-inspiring. When I heard that David Lynskey (who designed my Vortex) was out on his own, it didn't take much thought! The Lynkskey rides better, perhaps due to the stiffer BB and front end, and the different fork. It's also a touch longer so I can use a shorter stem, which stiffens the front end up a touch more.
BTW, I totalled the car that got me too!
And, Litespeed did a really nice job on repairing the Vortex and restoring it to new condition by replacing the main triangle at a reasonable price, and it is now being ridden somewhere in California. I was going to keep it, but I already own a beautiful steel bike, and didn't see myself riding the Vortex with the Lynskey in my garage.
With regard to Pics, I can take some if there is something you're curious about. I'm not much of a shutterbug though. Let me know what you'd like to see.
The driver was an old man (note disabled WWII Vet plate). He was coming in the opposite direction, and tried to bear left at a fork -- apparently without slowing -- while I was in the intersection. He essentially hit me head on. Of course, he claimed he was only going 5 mph and I hit him. There were witnesses who told another story. That hole in the windshield was from my face.
I broke my skull, all of my facial bones and some vertebral processes. I now have titanium mesh under both eyes, and a bunch of other hi-tech hardware in my head. I match my bike!
I also destroyed my shoulder pretty good and had to have that repaired.
My Giro helmet clearly saved my life, and the police on the scene were stunned, both that I lived, and that didn't suffer significant brain injury. Most of the residual stuff is relatively minor -- I have a catarach starting to form in the eye that suffered the more significant trauma, I have to wear braces for a few years as a result of the broken maxilla (incredibly, I didn't loose a single tooth), and at some point, I'll get a cheek implant and have the scars to my face lightened. I've been putting the cosmetic stuff off because the flattened cheek and scars aren't too noticeable.
All in all, I think myself pretty fortunate. There are some things I can no longer due -- like swim for exercise, and whitewater kayak -- but in the larger scheme, those things are relatively minor.
Thanks for asking.
Back on point, it may be heresy to some, but in my opinion, there is no better material for a bike frame than Ti. I predict there will be a resurgence in Ti bikes in a couple of years when the carbon fiber frames start breaking as they age.
I rode a Merlin Hardtail MTB for over 15 years, and I am hard on equipment. I finally parted with it because I couldn't find a quality shock witha 1" steerer. That bike frame was indestructible, and was great to ride. I'll be curious to see what carbon frames are rideable after 15 years of abuse.
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