I see the usual suspects are back at it as usual. I'm going to ask you fellas nicely to cease and desist with the juvenile squabbling in this thread. This thread has been around a long time and it has never previously been misused as a battleground and it will not be used so now. I hope I'm clear. If you can't get along, move along . . . it's that simple. Trust me, I have zero tolerance for you usual suspects.

I have a T-Lab X3 and the tube shaping always gets comments along the lines of "That almost looks like carbon shaping" Which isn't wrong. If it weren't for my desire to have wider tires & disc brakes I could very well still be riding my 2003 Airborne Valkyrie. There are plenty of pictures of Ti (and carbon, and steel, and aluminum) frames that have failed, but if it makes it past the first 5 years/15k mi, there's a very good chance that it's going to last an exceptionally long time. Long enough that future components won't be compatible.

Please forgive me, as I know I'll get in trouble for this. I'm more of a lurker than a contributor, but I truly love Bike Forums and have enjoyed it for 3 or 4 years. Frankly, I find entertainment in their bloviating. Sorry Billy, just sayin'. And if I'm being honest, the moderators here do a tremendous job and I'm grateful for all of you. Thanks for your volunteering and your hard work and long hours.

My Ti
 

My Serotta Ottrot, bought as a used frameset from Pro's Closet about 8 years ago, came named as OCHO. Built up with parts from my, Bianchi Infineto and added Ultegra Di2. Bontrager Carbon Iso-zone handlebars with Fizik Gel inserts have taken away all the hand fatigue for me.
I call this bike a magic carpet ride, going over little bumps that I used to feel just disappeared. I'll ride this road bike as long as I can, but make no mistake, I am the limiting factor to this bikes abilities. Andy
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f50c00c68d.jpg

Serotta was my dream bike growing up in the '80s. I really wanted the bright yellow Davis Phinney. Yours is quite the looker too!

cormacf this is the Road Bike Forum, so the post on your bike, while a cool bike, is a bit OT here and may generate more useful responses in the Mountain Biking forum.

Lynskey Premier
 

Any thought on this frame info. One came up for sale in my area, and frame size ? Thanks

Why don't you bump this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...questions.html

If you quote someone, they'll probably notice it.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4be722a0a3.jpg
No. 22 Bicycle Great Divide

Finally finished and ready for some dirt work!


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...479f89cbd.jpeg
‘19 T-Lab X3

Beautiful bike! Love the anodized bottle cages. Not a fan of the saddle bag I must say!

David

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5de714fb7.jpeg
Lynskey R300 SRAM Force 1x, Absolute Black 42T Internal cable routing

Bought last year. Has a bit over 2k miles. Very smooth and comfortable. 18.5 lb as equipped without the bags.

Moots Vamoots 61.5 cm
My first metal road bike.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dff0feee7d.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...24dba2733c.jpg

It can easily outlast a lifetime of riding if you take care of it.
My 2001 Litespeed has over 73k mi. on it, still the same magic carpet ride as the first day I sat on it.

Just got my second bike delivered yesterday. A Litespeed T5 with Shimano 105 group. Guy delivered the bike assembled, attached my pedals, and fit the seat and bar height before he left. Great ride this morning. They said 4 to 6 weeks and it made it here in 4 weeks and a couple days.

https://i.imgur.com/DBXuLcf.jpg

Wow! Amazing thread!

I've had my Specialized Hybrid bike for about 4-5 months now & have become a cycling fan! I'm about to upgrade to a titanium bike & have all my specs in order, about to place my order with litespeed but just can't decide on which anodized color for the tubes! Blue is my favorite color but I really like the gold lettering as well!

Any recommendations from you all?

Litespeed T3.

https://i.imgur.com/NjWbTaR.jpg?1

My Litespeed built 1996 Eddy Merckx EX ti with 20 speed Campagnolo Chorus groupset, and recently fitted Columbus Max fork and 28c tyres.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b5bb4a2049.jpg

Looking for feedback from current T-Lab owners, how are you all liking your bikes at this point?

Im at the end of season 3 on mine and have nothing but good things to say about it. Solid bike. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have specific questions.

Thanks for the reaponse! Cross-shopping T-Lab with litespeed at the moment!

Interesting cross-shopping brand choices. T-Lab and Litespeed seem to have quite different bike and brand appeal to me, particularly when the cost of a range topping Litespeed Ultimate G is more than $1.2k less for the frameset than a similarly finished T-Lab X3. I guess if you’re indifferent to cost and unaware of, or unconcerened with, some of the issues around features, detailing, and brand appreciation, I can understand the comparison, but I’m more the kind of guy who’d compare, say, a J. Guillem Atalaya to an X3 on the basis of the small brand/boutique builder thing or the Atalaya with the Ultimate G on the basis of price similarity. But this is about you, not me, so let me do my best to answer your question…

I really like my X3 as a gravel bike, and very impressed with how composed on dirt it is. T-Lab has struck a balance of liveliness and responsiveness with stability and comfort, so for me, the bike just does whatever I ask/expect of it with ease. It doesn’t get out of shape ever that I’ve experienced, but my dirt road riding is mostly non-technical, so I certainly cannot speak for all conditions. I do very little trail riding on it, mostly just rolling gravel roads, and it’s very fast and encouraging over that kind of terrain.

It’s gravel composure does come at the expense of sharp pavement manners, I think. I run 35c file tread tires because I probably do about 25% tarmac on my gravel rides, and I’m just kinda a roadie at heart and practice, so I like and appreciate pavement performance. The X3 is fine on pavement, to be sure, but it’s not as slice-n-dice crisp on it as a true road race bike is; I usually feel there’s a bit of wallow in the handling, or maybe it’s an unexpected unresponsiveness to the tiny inputs I’m used to giving a road bike, and I notice it. I’m adapted to it at this point, and I understand that this is designed as a gravel bike and not just a road bike with wider rubber, so I get it and it’s ok. Were I looking for a do-it-all rig or an all-road rig, though, I’d probably go with T-Lab’s R3 Omnium, but I’ve got three other drop bar road bikes each with a specialized role, so it’s all good having a dedicated gravel bike. Plus, the X3 has rack mounts, so it creates the possibility of doing some cool touring or bikepacking stuff which none of the other bikes offer.

So in all, yeah, I’m stoked on the X3 and think it’s great! I have the bead blasted finish with matte paint up front, which is something new for me, but I’ve grown to appreciate it; folks are often uncertain what the material is, thinking at first it may be carbon fiber.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...793a92c09.jpeg

Thanks for the reply!

After speaking with T-Lab's CS I agree with the R3 Omni recommendation.

I'm definitely not indifferent on cost & was all set on Litespeed until I came across this thread, the T-Labs I saw in this thread caught my eyes (I'm a big fan of design/esthetics).

Would love to hear your thoughts on the above in bold, I'm new to the bike world!

Chaadster,
I am digging your TLab gravel machine. The purple accents work especially well. I particularly like the bottle cages sort of pulling the color theme down into the blackest/grayest region of the bike. Kudos. Vous etes artiste!

Oh, wow…thank you so much!