Titanium Rim Brake Ultimatum (Litespeed Ultimate 1993) - 7.05kg

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gwhit
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:03 am

by gwhit

As someone once famously said, use it or lose it!

I have had this 1993 Litespeed Ultimate since the mid 2000s when it was a high school hand me down from my Dad. It’s basically been a commuter weapon for the last 10 years, playing second fiddle most recently to a full fat Canyon Ultimate.

I need a project so let’s go…
Plan is for me and the bike to lose some weight and get fast
Suggestions (for the bike) most welcome.

Some starting pics:
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gwhit
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:03 am

by gwhit

Marketplace deals #1
eebrake G4

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Jeez setting these up is a big palaver

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by Weenie


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Greeners
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2024 10:13 am

by Greeners

That's a good looking frame. Some ti stuff from the noughties are proper abominations. I hate the curvy rear stays some spawned.
If looking fast was a thing.......

Nixster
Posts: 293
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 3:30 pm

by Nixster

Biggest weight savings will be in the wheels, cranks and probably seat post. I see you've already replaced the saddle and those hideous ergo bars 😀

gwhit
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:03 am

by gwhit

Polished, tapered, straight, round tubes will never go out of style!

Here’s the original catalogue from 1993
http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHi ... d-1993.pdf

And here’s a review of the frame (that reads exactly like a modern comparison of frame materials :roll: )
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vint ... intro.html

Not a top priority, but I think current decals are from a 2000 model. They’re a bit scrappy so will get peeled back (I think acetone should do it?). Question will be to replace with: a) period correct, b) same as now, c) something different. Giving the frame a tidy up polish seems possibly too much effort…

gwhit
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:03 am

by gwhit

Nixster wrote:
Wed Sep 04, 2024 9:56 pm
Biggest weight savings will be in the wheels, cranks and probably seat post. I see you've already replaced the saddle and those hideous ergo bars 😀
Yeah the ergnovas were comfy but they looked awful. Swapped for ENVE compacts.
Saddle was a titanium Selle Italia Flite, that’s gone for a Bontrager Aeolus Elite largely for comfort reasons. I have a ‘Pro’ carbon one as well, but the seat post clamp is a bit funky and I don’t know if it’ll work.

Wheels are a key priority. Not going full weenie, I’m thinking 45m carbon clinchers.
The stays are very tight where they meet the BB so I need to go to the LBS and see what they have lying around to test. Current wheels (Rs81 C35) have 28mm GP5000s that measure out to 26ish inflated because the internal rim width is like 15mm. I THINK a modern rim width with a 25mm tyre will work but don’t want to blow the budget until I’m sure… Combing Marketplace and also considering Lightbicycle R45 with DTS240

gwhit
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:03 am

by gwhit

Well, I have been hard at work stripping the bike to clean up the graphics with some acetone. Image

Many marks and scratches from a life well loved. I don’t think I’ll tidy it up any further - the scars are part of it and the mirror finish is impossible to restore properly. Open minded on decal replacement if any.

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RIP personality (for now)
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That’s meant almost a full spread of weights for the bike as it currently stands: 7.75kg

Most parts have been measured directly, some are manufacturer reported, some are backsolves!

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Notably: frame + crankset + BB + headset =2.3kg
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Fork: 356g (would love advice on decal removal, considering getting it sprayed metallic black)
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Ugly:
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Seatpost - surprisingly svelte mystery titanium: 233g
Might replace with carbon for comfort reasons.
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Will get everything scrubbed up and rebuilt…


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slowerthanU
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2024 6:36 pm

by slowerthanU

I had the 1 1/8th version of that Easton fork on a 2007 Litespeed for a while. When riding it, the idea that my well being was determined by a 20 year-old used carbon lightweight fork of uncertain history keep coming to mind. I bought an ENVE 1.0 and don't think about it anymore.

gwhit
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:03 am

by gwhit

slowerthanU wrote:
Sat Sep 21, 2024 11:36 pm
I had the 1 1/8th version of that Easton fork on a 2007 Litespeed for a while. When riding it, the idea that my well being was determined by a 20 year-old used carbon lightweight fork of uncertain history keep coming to mind. I bought an ENVE 1.0 and don't think about it anymore.
Each to their own. I know exactly the history of the fork back to the mid 2000s.
In many respects the theme of this forum is safety hazards of various shapes.

MaccaSavesWatts
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Sep 09, 2024 11:52 am

by MaccaSavesWatts

Absolutely loving this built! although I actually quite liked the old Litespeed stickers! Loving the tasteful mods you've made already :) I actually thought you should keep the stickers on the frame and then remove the from the fork to create a slightly cleaner front end! Interested to see what wheels you go with as well! Should be a super fun build :)

gwhit
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:03 am

by gwhit

MaccaSavesWatts wrote:
Thu Sep 26, 2024 12:42 am
Absolutely loving this built! although I actually quite liked the old Litespeed stickers! Loving the tasteful mods you've made already :) I actually thought you should keep the stickers on the frame and then remove the from the fork to create a slightly cleaner front end! Interested to see what wheels you go with as well! Should be a super fun build :)
Thanks mate. I do have a fresh set of the same graphics so we shall see!
Unfortunately the fork would need to be fully sanded back and either re-cleared OR painted - don’t know what I want to do so just sitting on my hands for now.

Re wheels:
There are some bits and bobs in the post… 8)

gwhit
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:03 am

by gwhit

And so it is time for an update!
A few things have come in via post…

My original intention was to re-use the perfectly good Ultegra kit already on the Silver Surfer but after the cold realisation that Dura Ace 9100 is likely the peak of mechanical rim gruppos, and a bit of marketplace scouring… looks like we are levelling up.

The changes locked so far:
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That’s 483g, although some of those changes predate the thread by a month or two.

The difference between the shifters was surprisingly marginal:
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I had originally picked up some KCNC skewers, but after reaching out to the Tune distributor I couldn’t resist these beauties…
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KCNC have been returned:
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I think I mentioned previously, but I do have a carbon rail saddle lying around that might go on. The old Selle Italia was nice and won’t go in trash against the day this whole thing goes retro again
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Shoutout to Aliexpress for these ti cages. The finish is a bit dull so I might have a go at polishing them to match the frame. I’ve read jewellers rouge is the go? Curious to hear if anyone has any insight.
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Much lighter than the oldies:
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I have had a quote on the fork to get sanded back and recleared with no decals and it’s not usury, but will take a little while. Might be something that happens later.

Now a real question:
Does the brain’s trust know where I can source seals for an old Campagnolo 1” headset? I wouldn’t mind getting spare bearings too. A new bling CK headset would be nice but the current one is perfectly good (and I can’t find a silver one on marketplace ;) ).
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gwhit
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:03 am

by gwhit

Little while ago now but I also popped into the LBS to see how a more modern rim would fit… clearance fine, so some spicy meatballs are inbound. Not Mavics, they looked sweet but are insufficiently YOLO

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Attermann
Posts: 983
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2014 11:04 pm
Location: Denmark

by Attermann

the tyre is on backwards, the rear is to.

gwhit
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:03 am

by gwhit

Attermann wrote:
Sat Sep 28, 2024 6:16 am
the tyre is on backwards, the rear is to.
Yeah I’m aware, wasn’t paying attention when they got mounted up and neither set are the wheels ending up on the bike.

by Weenie


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