Litespeed natchez tapered butted tubing

[Hilltopperny]

I am new to the forum but have been a longtime lurker. I have lynskey built litespeed natchez which has a tapered and butted 3/2.5 sticker on it. As far as I can find the natchez was a straight guage bike. Is it possible that the tubes are tapered and butted for some model years and straight guage for others?

[oliver1850]

I've been looking for the Natchez in old Colorado Cyclist catalogs but have yet to find it - am pretty sure they sold it at one point. According to bikepedia, the Natchez 105 retail price increased from $1695 in 1997 to $2100 in 1998. The fork and cockpit parts were upgraded, but in 1998 it was still an 8 speed 105SC bike with the same Mavic rims. Seems possible that they may have gone to butted tubing given the 24% price hike.

[Mikej]

Straight gage, it was the lowest level, bead blasted.

[Hilltopperny]

Thanks for the responses. Mine is campy mirage with veloce derailleurs and is 8spd. The stickers says it's butted, tapered and custom tubing? It's definitely an earlier model from the decals and is bead bead blasted. I guess I'm just wondering why it states that it is butted and tapered with custom tubing on the sticker? Would it be possible that this natchez was somehow custom tubed because the original owner wanted natchez geometry with upgraded tubing?

[Black Dog]

maybe the past owner just put on the sticker.

[David Kirk]

One can't see the butting but you should be able to see if the tubes are tapered - are they the same diameter end to end?

dave

[Hilltopperny]

I will have to check it out Dave. It seems that they may be tapered. I have a concours ti and can clearly see the tapering but not entirely sure if that's the case with the litespeed. It is possible that it is just a sticker but all the others look to be correct. I will definitely check when I get home this evening.
Thanks,

Adam

[warren128]

Pictures? :)

[Hilltopperny]

I am new to the forum so I'm not too sure if I can post pics yet. They will be cell phone pics if I can. I will snap some when I get home this evening and post them up.

[Hilltopperny]

A picture of the sticker and the bike. Sorry for all the clutter.

[gasman]

My '96 Litespeed catalog says that they were straight gauge. The frame was also painted yellow in '96 rather then left nude like your photos.So they must have changed the frame over the years.

[Hilltopperny]

What era were these frames made by lynskey? I am assuming it's around a 96 or 97. Everything I have found says straight guage. I am assuming that the wrong sticker has been put on?

[Ken Robb]

I had one and I thought it was straight gauge tubing. I think it was very similar to the Blue Ridge frame except for the canti brakes on the latter. Mine was moderately flexy in size 60cm.

[oliver1850]

What era were these frames made by lynskey? I am assuming it's around a 96 or 97. Everything I have found says straight guage. I am assuming that the wrong sticker has been put on?

1996-1999 I think. As noted above, yellow in 1996.

[dave thompson]

I looked at the 97 & 98 Litespeed catalogs, they did change the Natchez substantially in 98 but it was geometry changes and the introduction of what they called 'radially shaped seat stays', which meant curved instead of straight. In neither catalog do they mention butted or tapered tubing for the Natchez.

The Natchez wasn't on the 2000 catalog.

I suspect that the decal was mistakenly or purposefully applied, depending on who did it.

[Hilltopperny]

Yes after measuring the tubes last night. I have come to the conclusion that it must be the wrong sticker. Its collecting dust at the moment and I am considering throwing it on ebay. When I bought it I wanted to convert it to a gravel bike but the current fork doesn't have much clearance and neither do the seat stays. I have since picked up a 1985 cannondale st500 that I have found suitable with its 27" tires until I clear out some bikes and raise some funds for a newer adventure/gravel bike. Have any of you converted any of your roadies to a gravel/adventure bike?

[oliver1850]

I think the Cannondale touring frames make nice gravel bikes. I have one with the original 600EX build; I added 7 speed bar end shifters and Ambrosio/Vittoria CX tubular wheels/tires. The only thing I'd like to change is to swap out the 130 BCD crank for a 110 with smaller rings. I also have a Nishiki road bike with Mirage 3 x 10 set up for gravel. Previous to the Cannondale, a Trek 400 with SRAM 10 was my main gravel bike. You might have a look at this thread for others:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=125867&highlight=show+gravel+bikes

[Hilltopperny]

Thanks Oliver! I will check out the thread and possibly do something over the winter. I appreciate the help from everyone.