the titanium workhorse... Litespeed

[C a s r a n]

I wanted a descent daily ride, in a highly practical and careless material. Thus I opted for titanium.

This is supposed to be my "workhorse". All the training in winter and bad weather. Titanium is a perfect material for it, since it won't be affected by corrosion from salt on the roads. It's very easy to clean as well.


The component choice has a direct aim to be super reliable, strong and careless. And still sub 7kg!


Find out soon.

[jay cee]

teasing son of a ...........
can't wait to see it

[TheFatGuy]

That looks like a sienna in the background.

[C a s r a n]

That looks like a sienna in the background.

It is!


A Siena... and even the name of that frame couldn't be better for me. Since I first went, I really fell in love with Tuscany and the town of Siena in particular. I guess I spent about 7 holidays in Siena. It's an amazing region, with it's particular landscapes, culture, people, wines (fiew... if I could only drin a Brunello every night!), the palio. For about 5 years 2 big posters of Siena's Piazza del Campo (main square) hang in the middle of my appartment (next to a Lightweight mirror and some pro rider's jersey's now). Having "Siena" on my bike is awesome in that perspective.

A few great impression pictures a found:
http://www.vub.ac.be/RG/socrates/images/sienastijnhouben2004/siena3.jpg
http://www.vub.ac.be/RG/socrates/images/sienastijnhouben2004/scan0003.jpg
And: http://www.terragalleria.com/europe/italy/sienna/sienna.html



That not being the main argument of course, but since I have good experiences on my Litespeed Blade TT bike I decided to opt for a titanium frame for a great training bike.














Of course SRM on this one. And all the bomb proof equipment you'd wish.


This is the current build list:

frame: Litespeed Siena ML
fork: Easton EC90 SLX
headset: Chris King
top cap: Fairwheelbikes Ltd. Ed. (thx to RichW and Madcow)
expander: FSA
stem: Deda Newton 31
bars: Deda Newton Shallow 42cm
bar tape: black cork no-name
shifters: Campagnolo Record Ergopowers
crankset: SRM Professional 172.5mm
bottom bracket: Campagnolo Record BSA
chainrings: FSA & TA 53-39
chain: KMC X10
brakes: Campagnolo Record Skeleton
brake pad holders: Campagnolo Record
brake pads: Campagnolo carbon
seat post: AX-Lightness Daedalus
saddle: Fi'zi:k Arione Mg
bottle cages: Elite Patao carbon
front derailleur: Campagnolo Chorus
rear derailleur: Campagnolo Record
pedals: Time RXS Carbon
cables brake + derailleur: Campagnolo
wheels: Lightweight Obermayer 16/20
quick releases: CarbonTi Red
tubulars: Dugast Strada
cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace

Weight: 6.95 kg















Btw: number of spacers will go down.

[jay cee]

lightweights and dugasts for training/winter use. C a s r a n, will you adopt me please. I promise to tidy my room.

[C a s r a n]

lightweights and dugasts for training/winter use. C a s r a n, will you adopt me please. I promise to tidy my room.

Well, that's a lie... Lightweights for training, yes of course. Dugasts no.

I took the picture with the Obies; I've lended my "training" LWs (LW Standards 20/20) to a friend.



Isn't it cool to have Heinz Obermayer's name on your hub flanges?





And of course, thx to:

[jay cee]

love the top cap. oooh matron!

[IBrokeYourSpoke]

Dura-Ace Cassette whaaa?!?!

[micky]

What a bad workhorse ride!
I feel so sorry for you, Casran.

If you wanna drop it to Italy,..just lemme know!

[jalapeno]

life is hard eh?!

[maxxevv]

AX-Lightness Daedalus for a training/beater bike ?

Pieter, want to trade with my super dependable Ti seatpost ? Promise its brand new!

[butted spoke]

Great bike Casran, good practical ride.

Did you weigh the frame? I've read that the Sienas are coming out quite a bit heavier than advertised eg 1375g for a M/L which is given as 1215 by Litespeed

[KB]

Pietro - Stupendo!!! For you Siena, for me Roma, Verona, Venezia. So, Litespeed Italia!

[Rich_W]

hey... the cap is upside down? Her ass goes in the Air!!!!

And put some real training wheels on that thing already!

[C a s r a n]

AX-Lightness Daedalus for a training/beater bike ?

Pieter, want to trade with my super dependable Ti seatpost ? Promise its brand new!

Yes... It was the only 31.7mm seatpost I had here, and looks nice on it.

Casran, I always love to see a Litespeed. Any detailed ride report? I would love to have a Siena although I might go custom. I would have about the stack of spacers you do and that limits the selection of forks. Not that there is anything wrong with an Easton. Excellent job on the component selection!

The bike is just build up. Ride reports will follow.

I will take away some of the spacers; my mechanic always mounts too much of them. I do not need as many.