So here's the update as of 1/26/06

Let me start out by saying University Bicycle Center (UBC) in Tampa has been GREAT considering I bought the Litespeed bike through Competitive Cyclist. Don't flame me about LBS stuff becuase I bought a bike from these guys too in the past few months! They are a Litespeed dealer, so that's who Litespeed asked me to send the frame too. Back to the main story:

UBC called me this week and said Litespeed checked the frame and there was nothing wrong. They put wheels on it, and said the tollerence was just fine. I found out from UBC that Litespeed only had some Rubio (sp?) tires so they neglected to test with my current tire which is a Vredestein (sp?). Litespeed said with their tire it was OK. UBC made clear that was not the tire I had. That did not apparently matter to Litespeed. This is all per UBC.

Now is where the plot thickens. I paid my wrench friend to do the build up that we aborted. I am out $100 for his labor. UBC built my Caad8 back up. They now have to break down the Caad8 and build up the Ultimate. He said it looks like he needs to charge me for the build on the Ultimate. I understand, although I am not happy with the math. Furthermore, it sounds like he is concerend about what Litespeed is going to do on his end, since he was a big help (and he was) for a bike he did not sell. Sounds like Litespeed is going to give him a credit.

So now I need to take my Caad8 back to UBC, break it down, and have them build up the Ultimate, and I probabaly need to buy new tires so that they fit. Oh BTW the clearance is only 2mm unlike the 10mm (1 centimeter) the above guy mentioned according to UBC and Litespeed. Litespeed, according to my wrench friend, told him the spec was 4mm. Sounds like 2 is the new 4.

My gut says this is not looking good. So now I need to go after Litespeed about the $100 I paid my wrench, after they said the bike was wrong. Otherwise none of this would have started. And yes, it just doesn't look right. Could someone explain how I can load a photo on here so I can show everyone how uncomfortably close this looks?

Any thoughts? Again, I know the measurment is going to be close, but 2mm? Hell, at my weight (now 210) I could hit a bump and knock the wheel out of true and have a MAJOR issue trying to get home.

Oh, and can tires really vary that much in diameter?

Should I just give up, and ride steel for the rest of my life? I was hopping this Ti thing would work out, becuse I loved the ride.

Maybe I should take up sychronized swimming?

Your thoughts, fellow BF members?