2001 Litespeed Arenberg | Restored to perfection :)

[OCVeloMan]

Let's face it, I have really ridden one bike from nearly every manufacturer (see past bikes link in my signature.) Overall this Litespeed is the best all around bike I have ridden... Until this, the only two metal frames I had ridden were my first bike: Cadillac RLE 1.8 (Heavy and Harsh) and my Scott Speeder (Lighter but not as harsh), but both were aluminum frames that really made me loose faith in the world of metal frames once I got onto a carbon bike.

I needed a wet weather bike and something I could race in a crit and not worry about crashing it so I began looking at aluminum frames again. One of my buddies recommended I find a Ti frame but i knew the expense involved. I then found this Frameset in pretty rough shape with the look fork and Cane Creek Headset listed for 450 on eBay. I offered the guy 400 shipped and we made a deal. It literally took me 3 hours and 2 bottles of machining oil with about 10 maroon scotch brite pads before i was happy with the finish on the frame. For the money I bought it for, I tosses the other fork in my pile of spare parts and ordered the Easton and the chris King, a set of Easton Circuits, and an Ultegra 6700 Group.

Rather than tell you the story of acquiring the bike and the builds I went through I'll get right to the ride review. The Litespeed Frame is flexier than I'm used to but I love it for long rides or rough roads. It seems more vertically compliant than laterally flexy so I think it's a nice balance. Not to mention, nothing compares to the finish of a brushed Ti bike, I LOVE it! The front end was flexy to start with but has been stiffened up quite a bit with the addition of the OS-115 stem and EC90 SL fork so flex is minimal. COuldn't stand the Ultegra Group so I sold it in favor of Campy... Again. The wheels are something else that just make the bike. Dt had it right with the mon-chasserals for anyone under 180, but at 220, I added the deep-v rear and now they're stiff as nails!

Overall, this is one of the greatest bikes I have owned and it will be in my stable for years to come!

2001 Litespeed Arenberg Frame
-Easton EC90 SL (cut 33mm above top bearing race to accommodate 35mm stack height of Stem)
-Chris King Headset
-FSA OS-115 120mm White Stem: Set up +6
-BBB Fiber Race Ergo Handlebars: A bit flexy in the 44cm but for the $69.00 Shipped I paid, I'll live...
-Fizik Microtex white handlebar tape
-Campagnolo Record Shifters w/ 2nd generation White Soft-Grip HUDZ (Thx Lance!)
-Campagnolo Record 3-Piece Aluminum Crank in 175mm 53-39 w/ record carbon BB
-Campagnolo Record Carbon CT Front Dérailleur (Shifts better than Standard IMHO)
-Campagnolo Chorus Rear Dérailleur
-Campy Record Ti Brakes
-Ultra low friction cables
-Centaur Cassette: 12-25
-Wheels: DT Swiss Mon Chasseral 28h wheelset rebuilt in the rear with a velocity Deep-V and Black DT Competition Spokes with Red alloy nipples to match (Great Stiffness!)
-Selle SMP Pro White Saddle
-168gr. Full Titanium seat post (Post, hardware, and cradle are full Ti)
-Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX White 700x23 tires
-KMC DX10SC

Pictures:

[micky]

Clean!

[Roobay]

nice ride
well done
ti is the comfortable choice
jr

[RudeE]

Looks great!!! You were right, the Ti post is a perfect match.
Now you need some white Litespeed Stickers to finish it off....or maybe not.

[OCVeloMan]

Looks great!!! You were right, the Ti post is a perfect match.
Now you need some white Litespeed Stickers to finish it off....or maybe not.

Was thinking of getting some white ones made to match the scheme but I can't seem to talk myself into it... It's so pretty! lol

[RudeE]

Proabably cheaper and easier to buy a set from Litespeed, and see if they work.

http://www.shopatron.com/products/produ ... 32.0.0.0.0?

[OCVeloMan]

Proabably cheaper and easier to buy a set from Litespeed, and see if they work.

http://www.shopatron.com/products/produ ... 32.0.0.0.0?

Dang... Not bad but they wanted 12 to ship them too. I actually ordered a full set of almost identical decals for $20 including the race name for the TT. I'll post pictures when I throw them on.

Also @ RudeE:

I posted my review of the seat post:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=68099

[bigskyTi]

Love the classic Ti, but White tape for your rain bike?

[Powerful Pete]

That is a fine looking ride. I love it. A brethren Campagnolo soul too.

[Tinea Pedis]

Fab looking bike!

Agreed about the bar tape though. And I actually think black would still look pretty good.

[Segraves8]

Proabably cheaper and easier to buy a set from Litespeed, and see if they work.

http://www.shopatron.com/products/produ ... 32.0.0.0.0?

Dang... Not bad but they wanted 12 to ship them too. I actually ordered a full set of almost identical decals for $20 including the race name for the TT. I'll post pictures when I throw them on.

Also @ RudeE:

I posted my review of the seat post:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=68099

The ones from Shopatron are the ones we do, we've done them every year for Litespeed except the very first year of production, so they're the OEM ones (might be a little more expensive then knock-offs but you'll probably get what you pay for) Very beautiful bike though! I have a special place in my heart for Ti bikes

[OCVeloMan]

I ordered mine from some guy on eBay because I wanted them done in White/Black to match the accents on the bike. I'll post pictures once I throw them on!

[Adri]

What a very beautiful bike. I normally don't look twice at titanium roadbikes (I have 4 titanium mountainbikes) but since I'm thinking of getting one myself, I was coming across yours here and I like the color combo with the white and black accents.
Are you pleased with the Mon Chasseral wheels?
EDIT: read you changed the rims.
I want the bike light so I'm thinking of getting me a pair or perhaps the new Tricons at 1450g.

EDIT : I got a 2001 Vortex the other day. Any idea where I can get a 2001 Litespeed headbadge?

[50mission]

Awesome thread! I’m doing the same thing to my arenberg now. Did you use a 43 mm fork? How’d that work out? Know the axle to crown by any chance? Debating on what fork to use on it. The original was a 40 mm rake... hard to find that any more. Sorry to respond to a long dead thread. Just desperately trying to figure out this fork situation.