RAL

I'm looking at a Litespeed Tuscany. What similar road bikes should I test ride?

KevinG

Guru Veloci Ti.

TimB

Litespeed Tuscany and Iwould suggest a Litespeed Tuscany. Then whenyou'e finished with those try a Litespeed Tuscany.

No contest here. Tuscany wins handds down

Snowblower

Get a Moots or Seven...for quality either of these bikes will leave that Tuscany in the dust. You can get them for about the same price if you shop around. Why buy hamburger when you can get prime rib for the same price???

Snowblower

Rippin

Look at this thread:
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/16320-titanium-buy.html

stewartp

Airborne

Their Zeppelin was procycling mag bike of the year a few years ago.
The Manhattan Project has had excellent reviews, and their latest roadie has got bike of the year too.

And all MUCH MUCH cheaper than litespeed

Stew

(Ive got the "Carpe Diem" - a cyclocross Ti frame)

dexmax

beautiful bike....

Feltup

A guy I work with just bought a Seven. It is the nicest bike I have ever seen. High, high quality. He rides about 8000k miles a year and loves it. He now uses his Merlin for rain rides.

a2psyklnut

LeMond is also making a very nice high quality Ti bike. Two or three versions, same frame different components.

L8R

RonH

Get the Litespeed Tuscany.

B1105

Yea its a nice bike, that doesnt use 6Al/4V titanium right? I think only the ghisallo and vortex use that. But its a sweet bike.

TimB

OOOoh thats Nice. If only i had a pic of my baby to share...........share did I say share. I'LL NEVER SHARE MY TUSCANY!!!!!

late

Airborne doesn't seem to get much repsect, but their bikes are nice. I have one. No idea what the Tuscany is like, but I would bet they have their take on
that category. The only bad thing I have to say about them is that their prices are going up. Btw, they are independent now, having severed the relationship with Huffy.

RAL

thanks for all the words and pics. a good starting point. now time to try them.

khuon

I believe the Ultimate also uses 6Al/4V.

Waldo

Ultimate uses a mix of 6/4 and 3/2.5 and LiteTec seatstays. Ghisallo uses some new alloy Litespeed doesn't want to discuss.
There is a large difference between the Ti processing Litespeed uses and those of other companies. The cold working they do does wonders for strength, and no one else does that. Though the Tuscany doesn't make much use of shaped tubing, there is a bit of that in order to optimize directional stiffness. Again, this is something no one else does. They're great bikes-we've got dozens of customers on them and still have yet to warranty a Litespeed in 8 years of selling them.

TimB

6AL 4V cold worked, butted throughout. Just how they butt it is what they don't want to discuss and there are a few other stiffening features too. Still teh most flexy of the Litespeed range though.

Quote:

There is a large difference between the Ti processing Litespeed uses and those of other companies. The cold working they do does wonders for strength, and no one else does that.

Reynolds cold draws their tubes to achieve double butted 6AL4V. hether this gives their tubes more strength is hard to say.

Quote:

Though the Tuscany doesn't make much use of shaped tubing, there is a bit of that in order to optimize directional stiffness. Again, this is something no one else does. They're great bikes-we've got dozens of customers on them and still have yet to warranty a Litespeed in 8 years of selling them.

Every tube on the Tusacany has been shape optimised hence the G.E.T. tubing used for it. Geometrically enhanced tubing. I know, I have one and it's standing right next to me.

The head tube is slightly triangular at the throat so moves from lage diamter for th integrated headset to triangular to large diameter for lower race.
Top tube is triangular at the headtube gradually getting circular at the seat tube junction.
Don tube is aero profilealthoughnot as much as Ultimate an oter bikes. Think of it in cross section as a triangle with a hemispherical base.
The chain stays are start oval at the bb and then gradualy curve outward to meet the dropout with a circular crosssection.
The seta stays are a thing of beauty. they have a concave shape and curve outward to meet the drop out.

Each on every tube on the Tusacany is shaped in such a way as to prevent excessive internal stress in the tubes.

A really well engineered bicycle and you can feel it everyt time you push the pedals

TimB

PS: The Ghisallo is full 6AL4V as is the Vortex.
The Utimate is mix of 6AL4V (downtube) 3AL2.5V all other tubes and carbon fibre (forks and seat stays.
The Tuscany is full 3AL2.5V but has the best ride for the price in the range.


The Ghisallo is too flexy but super light

The Vortex rides like a Tuscany but quicker on turn in and lighter. more harsh as well.

The Ultimate is very fast handling and feels too skittish on fast decents for my liking. You'll need good medical insurance with this one

Classic has a traditional feel to it. Slight flex quick acceleration,not super fast, easy, predictable handling, Great all round bike and traditional looks.

The Tuscany rides like a dream. not as quick in tha handling as the Vortex but accelerates and climbs like one. You'll be hard pressed to tell the iference between if you could ride them blindfolded. This one was the best in the range for my needs and did'nt break the bank either.

The sienna isvery similar to the Tusacany in many ways except it has compact geometry. I don't ike the way it climbs 'in the saddle' though but it's a roket ship in sprints and out of saddle acceleration especially on hils aand mountain passes.

To each his own.
Don't view the itesped range as a tiered structure form best to worst. They're all really gret abikes and have been designed with different needs in mind. yes it will be more exclusive to own a Vortex due to cost but I could'nt justify the additional cost when the bigger performance gain would come from my legs.

and Remember;
If it's Titanium,.......... it has to be Litespeed