Litespeed T5

[EA120711]

Anyone have any experience with these frames ? I'm having trouble finding decent reviews about it, but it seems like a good deal to get onto a Ti frame . Thanks !

[damocles]

I owned a Xicon for about a year that I recently sold. It was my first and only Ti frame, that I enjoyed, but ultimately decided I didn't care for the geometry. I found the head tube just too tall and the overall fit very "relaxed". For me the head tube on my ML Xicon at 16.0 was just too tall. My primary road bike is now a Speedvagen Road and for me I really enjoy the fit much more.

I actually still have the review from Competitive Cyclist where I bought my Xicon. Posted below. Hope that helps ya.


Yes, Litespeed still works in titanium and the Xicon, which is hand-made in their Tennessee factory, shows that titanium construction has evolved and improved over the years as well, and the result is a lighter, better riding bike that Litespeed’s titanium of old, and at a price that still pretty competitive.

The traditional rap on titanium is that it is “responsive”. This used to mean flexy. With over twenty years experience in titanium, Litespeed has figured out how to take away the flex, but still make the ride feel exciting. They’ve done it with better shaping techniques and some oversized tubes and have forgone the expensive, complicated seamed tubing of days past.

The folks at Litespeed, for all their love of how carbon-fiber can be manipulated, still love a traditional road bike, one that you can ride and almost forget that it’s under you, so easily it handles. They were looking for both stability and agility, without being twitchy, what some used to refer to as a “stage race bike”. Compare Litespeed titanium to their carbon-fiber brothers and you’ll see slightly more relaxed angles and a slightly lower bottom bracket shell. Call this a result of working with some of the most traditional European builders, folks like Eddy Merckx, DeRosa, Bianchi, and the like. It’s a ride that grows and grows on you, not one that screams at you the first moment you stand on the pedals.

The Xicon looks at first blush, very similar to their Archon Titanium. It is. Many of the features are shared. They share a geometry, with one critical difference. The Xicon has a slightly taller head tube, that allows a more relaxed, upright position, should you want it. The Xicon uses only 3AI-2.5V titanium tubes as opposed to having some 6/4 in the mix. The tubes are tapered, shaped and oversized, with more subtle shapes contrasting especially with the extreme shaping that goes on with the Archon top tube.

The most critical feature of the Xicon is the bi-axially ovalized down tube. It might no look so oversized to you, but compared to earlier titanium frames, it is. The down tube is most oval in the vertical plane where it joins the head tube, rounds a bit for most of its length, and then transitions to being oval in the horizontal plane as it joins the bottom bracket shell. Besides adding stiffness as a result of the shape, the ovalizing also maximizes contact for the welds at the tub junctions on either end, at the head tube and the bottom bracket. The seat tube is 34.9mm in diameter and round at the top, where a standard 31.6mm seat post inserts, and it ovalizes at the bottom bracket shell to minimize torsional flex and again maximize the surface area for welding. The top tube is oversized as well, though generally round. And there’s nothing wrong with a straight, round tube – it resists torsional deflection better than any other shape. The seat stays are round and straight, with the chain stays being ovalized where the tire passes through for better clearance. They’re also curved in a bit where your heels pass for a little more clearance.

The Litespeed Xicon comes with micro-sized titanium dropouts, with replaceable stainless steel derailleur hanger. The bottom bracket shell is threaded to accept 68mm English bottom brackets, and the head tube takes a traditional 1-1/8 headset. The seat tube accepts 31.6mm seat posts and a clamp on style 34.9mm front derailleur. Litespeed recommends installing a fork with 43mm of rake. The Xicon is brushed titanium with screen-printed decals.

Litespeed offers a limited lifetime warranty on their frames that will cover manufacturing defects. They also have a crash replacement policy.

[EA120711]

Thanks for the input! Their site mentions that it has a relaxed geo and i had the same thoughts exactly. I didn't want to run a super slammed stem to achieve the fit i want...although it might look super pro!!!

[damocles]

Sounds like you're on the right track then, assuming the geometry is the same as the Xicon in the T5...

Here's a pic of mine before I sold it. It was a ML or about a 56cm TT.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-uOSYDzqDBw4/Udra5Lv6FII/AAAAAAAAI8Q/LC5onDDD8yY/s800/photo.JPG

[soulspinner]

Sounds like you're on the right track then, assuming the geometry is the same as the Xicon in the T5...

Here's a pic of mine before I sold it. It was a ML or about a 56cm TT.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-uOSYDzqDBw4/Udra5Lv6FII/AAAAAAAAI8Q/LC5onDDD8yY/s800/photo.JPG

You are either single or your wife is away-no way my wife would let me wrench there(I see the Park work stand):bike:

[EA120711]

Sounds like you're on the right track then, assuming the geometry is the same as the Xicon in the T5...

Here's a pic of mine before I sold it. It was a ML or about a 56cm TT.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-uOSYDzqDBw4/Udra5Lv6FII/AAAAAAAAI8Q/LC5onDDD8yY/s800/photo.JPG

Looks like a nice build..BUT the SV is what really caught my eye!! Hope to be able to own one someday.

[damocles]

Definitely single and loving it! Good eye though... A picture is worth a thousand words here I guess? :banana:

You are either single or your wife is away-no way my wife would let me wrench there(I see the Park work stand):bike:

[soulspinner]

Definitely single and loving it! Good eye though... A picture is worth a thousand words here I guess? :banana:

I do it the same way when my wife is away. The plastic bike sits in front of the dining room sayin " you know you want me skinflint":bike: Yes Im a coward:p