Introductions - Looks like this is the right place.

Well I just have to say that this seems like a great cycling community forum. I just found this site and already I feel comfortable here. I’ve been riding recreationally for about seven years now (roadie exclusively) although I had lost interest about nine months ago. During that time the weight was starting to add up, so, I decided to buy myself a Litespeed Classic to see if that would re-spark my interest in cycling again. It has only been a couple weeks but things are looking up. Thanks guys for maintaining a great site like this.

Welcome bobsled! Always nice to hear a new voice. What part of LA? I have friends in Irvine, Monterey Park and Pasadena. One of them has a CLASSIC also. Hope you'll become a regular poster and share your thoughts and ideas with us.

The Downey area and yes I plan to. Thanks again.

You're welcome. What kind of Engineer? AeroSpace?

Well I just have to say that this seems like a great cycling community forum. I just found this site and already I feel comfortable here.

Welcome to the forums - we're a pretty friendly bunch in the main :D

Richard

Welcome Bobsled! Classic huh? When you go, you go all out don't you! I wonder if I layed off cycling for 9 months and then told my wife I was going to go get a Litespeed, I bet I'd probably be shot, after she finished laughing. J/k, congrats on the new bike and coming back from your hiatus!

BTW, you can't just say you bought a Litespeed Classic and leave it at that at this forum. We all want more details, fork, components, wheels...etc. Oh yeah, we need a picture too! That way we can all drool and share in your excitement! Kinda like moms when a new baby arrives!

L8R G8R

Yeah... a Classic would spark my interest again... Maybe if I buy myself a de Rosa Merak [I'm on a de Rosa thing right now], I'll get really passionate about cycling...


Wait! I am really passionate about cycling. Damn! I wanted that de Rosa!

Welcome to the Forums. Lots of roadies here, and the dirtbags are a pretty nice bunch, too.

Dammit man....Well, they can't be mountain bikers all the time. We have to have SOMEONE to make fun of!! HA HA HA! Just Kidding.. Welcome to the forums!!

BTW, you can't just say you bought a Litespeed Classic and leave it at that at this forum. We all want more details, fork, components, wheels...etc. Oh yeah, we need a picture too! That way we can all drool and share in your excitement! Kinda like moms when a new baby arrives!

I'll see what I can do at the risk of seeming like I'm showing off.:)

Don't worry, everyone likes to show off their babies here'!:D

Welcome to the forums!

Hey, welcome to the forums. I hope you stay on that bike this time!

velo

Yeh welcome , from across the pond in not so sunny U.K.

Great set of folk here , hang around , put in your 2 pennyworth and im sure you will have some fun.

God bless
Willi`c

Well here are the specs. I couldn’t get a picture of it since I don’t own a digital camera. The camera is still on my wish list and since I blew my wad on the bike it may remain there for a good while. I’ll write a brief assessment of the bike’s ride and feel after tomorrow if someone requests it. Keep in mind that my old bike was a Campy Chorus equipped Bottecchia about nine years old (although retrofitted with ergo shifters) so things will feel a little strange at first.

Frame - 2001 55 cm brushed Litespeed Classic

Fork - 1 1/8 inch threadless Litespeed Carbon Fiber

Headset - Black threadless Chris King

Handle Bar - Black 44cm Deda Magic

Stem - Black 110mm Deda Magic

Tape - Black Profile

Crank Set - 170mm with 39/53

Cassette - 12-23

Hubs - 32 spoke

Rims - Black Mavic Open Pro

Spokes - DT 14/15/14

Tires - Black 700x23 Michelin Axial Pro

Saddle - Black Selle Italia ProLink TransAm

Seat Post - American Classic

Pedals - Using existing Look pedals until early next year

*Unless otherwise specified all components are Shimano Ultegra.

"I’ll write a brief assessment of the bike’s ride and feel after tomorrow if someone requests it." - consider it requested.

How's a guy living in LA get a nickname like Bobsled?

blwyn,

It's all explained here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4271) .

Hi folks, sorry it’s taken me so long to post my response but here it is (keep in mind I’m not a professional bicycle reviewer): decided to go out for a short ride (30 miles) last weekend just to get a feel for the bike and to start to work some of the rusty buildup off my legs. The night before the ride I made some minor last minute sizing adjustments. Upon first getting on the bike and riding for a couple miles I still think I have not dialed it in just right. The seat position just didn’t feel right. Anyway, my first impression of the bike is that it’s fast and handles very well (it seems it was I who was holding it back). Takes corners well (those Michelin Axial Pros I hear are “sticky” on turns). One thing that bothered me though is that if I have my feet (on the pedals) at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock position and make a sharp turn the back of the front wheel will hit my toes (I know your feet should be in the 12 and 6 position on turns). This didn’t seem to occur on my Bottecchia (the Bottecchia is somewhat of a larger frame though). Oh well, just something I’ll have to watch for. The bike’s ride was smooth (not as smooth as I thought it would be but smooth none the less). When hitting a small pothole or imperfection in the concrete the bike would just roll right over it and keep going. It was nice and solid! It didn’t feel like something was going to fall off. It’s like going over a pothole in a Lexus vs. a Honda (I own a Honda). The Lexus isn’t going to make the pothole disappear but it does make it smoother (that’s probably the best analogy I can think of). A couple of nit picks though with fixes; the rear brake cable as it runs along the bottom side of the top tube would occasional on dips hit the top tube and make a noise. The fix of course is to get a couple of cable silencers. The other is the front derailleur needs adjusting to silence it. Overall I think the Classic is a great handling bike and I’m sure that the more I ride it the more I will be impressed with its capabilities. Since I rode naked (no computer nor heart rate monitor) I have no idea how fast I was going. Since it’s presently raining here in LA the plan is to ride again on Sunday when it clears up but only after I spend some quality time with my bike and make those necessary seat adjustments and install the ‘puter. Anybody try to mount a computer brace on a 31.7 mm diameter handlebar?

[i]. . .

BTW, you can't just say you bought a Litespeed Classic and leave it at that at this forum. We all want more details, fork, components, wheels...etc. Oh yeah, we need a picture too! That way we can all drool and share in your excitement! Kinda like moms when a new baby arrives!

L8R G8R [/B]

Woo Hoo! Photos coming soon!

Still waiting patiently for Bike Porn of that Litespeed!..........Still Waiting.................Still................C'mon....................

Finally some "bike porn". More to come.Classic.

I've been away for too long. Can someone reminded me how to include pix? TIA.

C:\Nikon Photo Xfer\mine\bike.ls.jpg

Welcome back Bobsled! Try attaching the file to a post, rather then use the IMG tag.

Well here are a couple to wet your appetite.

Wouldn't you know it! Files are too big.

One more time.

One more.

Again.

This enough?

Dont you just love the Trans Am Pro Link? I have one on both of my bikes!

Love the images, but shouldnt look at work, i may get in trouble! ;)

Originally posted by Joe Gardner
Dont you just love the Trans Am Pro Link? I have one on both of my bikes!

Love the images, but shouldnt look at work, i may get in trouble! ;)

Yeah, the Trans Am is wonderful. Still not broken in tho. Should only get better.

Thanks, pix were taken w/ a Nikon Coolpix 5000 (work camera) @ 1280x768. Had to resize many times in order to post.

Nice bike Bobsled! Thanks for the pics!

Glad you're enjoying it!

L8R