Lynskey Ti Gravel Bikes

cd_davis · #1 07-25-2019, 07:21 AM

Hi Forum - anyone have experience with a Lynskey Ti Gravel Bike?
Own Serotta Ti Legend and trying to decide between carbon and Ti frame.
Thanks for your advice.
Chris

biker72 · #2 07-25-2019, 07:28 AM

No gravel but I own a Helix Sport Disc Road Bike with 105 hydro disc. Currently running Conti 5000 700x28 tires. The 700x32 will fit with no rub but a little too tight for me. Overall a nice bike at a crazy low price.

AngryScientist · #3 07-25-2019, 07:39 AM

i've seen a few in person and they always look nice, and well made.

in my mind titanium makes for a better material than carbon for a gravel bike, but there are lots of carbon gravel bikes out there that people love. the OPEN is a clear winner that gets excellent reviews, but the price is much higher than something from lynskey.

i like that they are made in US and offer a lifetime warranty. for a bike you're going to beat up on dirt roads, they seem like an excellent value.

commonguy001 · #4 07-25-2019, 07:49 AM

I’ve had an Urbano (procross/cooper cx geometry with standard road cable routing) for close to two years and really enjoy the ride, it does everything well IMO. With the steeper angles (72.8 HTA / 73.3 STA and higher BB 65.6mm drop)compared to all the new stuff coming out it’s a nice and snappy ride which is what I wanted.
Construction quality is quite good, no issues and the welds look proper.

What I love - the ride, the rack and fender mounts, ability to run either QR and 12mm axles with modular dropout, the brushed ti finish.

What I don’t love - the alloy seat tube insert was very tight and scratched a carbon post up pretty bad. Also replaced the seat post binder with a Thomson as the stock binder wasn’t good and looked extremely cheap.
Lastly I should have just got the Cooper CX version as mine doesn’t have full cable housing routing so it’s more susceptible to contamination, not a deal breaker but something I don’t love.

If I were buying a new gravel bike, I’d likely try and find a deal directly from Them on a new GR. I only paid 800 for my Urbano direct which I was really happy with.

marciero · #5 07-25-2019, 07:51 AM

I have an Lynskey Urbano that I built 650b wheels for. It fits Compass 48mm tires tubeless on i27 rims. They plump out to a little over 50mm. Frame was cheap. Has been an ideal non-bling/no nonsense gravel and camping bike. Of course the fork (a Rodeo Labs Spork) was almost what the frame cost.

alancw3 · #6 07-25-2019, 07:51 AM

slowly but surely lynskey is becoming the household name for titanium bikes. why wouldn't it? the lynskey family did the same thing with litespeed all those years ago. great quality at great prices! they seem to know and understand titanium and somehow get get welders.

marciero · #7 07-25-2019, 07:54 AM

I'll also throw out Carver as a Ti option here. They are local to me, and in fact Lynskey makes some of their models.

Lanternrouge · #8 07-25-2019, 08:06 AM

I have a Lynskey road bike and would recommend one. They are not quite as pretty as some of the other Ti bikes and are notably heavier than the carbon options, but they cost way less than a Moots, Firefly, etc. and most of us carry the extra weight on our bodies anyway. Whenever I get a gravel bike, the odds are pretty decent it will be a Lynskey. They also offer more sizing options than Open, etc. and I find the geometry is better for me than a size that's close enough.

Likes2ridefar · #9 07-25-2019, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

i've seen a few in person and they always look nice, and well made.

in my mind titanium makes for a better material than carbon for a gravel bike, but there are lots of carbon gravel bikes out there that people love. the OPEN is a clear winner that gets excellent reviews, but the price is much higher than something from lynskey.

i like that they are made in US and offer a lifetime warranty. for a bike you're going to beat up on dirt roads, they seem like an excellent value.

I’m starting to think they’d be better too. Perhaps I’m taking my carbon Roubaix too far out of bounds, but rock strikes are wreaking havoc on my down tube. I think one big impact has cracked the carbon above the BB. Perhaps more specific designs like the Open fix that with some protection built in. I recently saw a loaded Open in the shop near me (7300 retail) and it sure was nice...

nalax · #10 07-25-2019, 08:56 AM

And yet another Urbano owner here. I have mine set up with Potenza 11 and 650b Byways. I have Switchback Hills coming tomorrow and am looking forward to those.

m_moses · #11 07-25-2019, 08:59 AM

I’ve got a buddy who rides a Cooper CX and he likes it a lot.

You might want to check out the Gravel Cyclist on YouTube for his long term review: https://youtu.be/GzrOUoY7PYo

-Mick

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

JLQ · #12 07-25-2019, 10:03 AM

I have an Urbanskey that couldn't love more.

biker72 · #13 07-25-2019, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

i've seen a few in person and they always look nice, and well made.

in my mind titanium makes for a better material than carbon for a gravel bike, but there are lots of carbon gravel bikes out there that people love. the OPEN is a clear winner that gets excellent reviews, but the price is much higher than something from lynskey.

i like that they are made in US and offer a lifetime warranty. for a bike you're going to beat up on dirt roads, they seem like an excellent value.

I have a co-worker that switched from a carbon Diverge to a titanium Seven. He was always concerned about chipping the carbon on gravel roads.

dbnm · #14 07-25-2019, 10:32 AM

Is Lynskey still dumping bikes on ebay? If so, they will never reach "top shelf" status while selling highly discounted bikes on ebay.

berserk87 · #15 07-25-2019, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbnm

Is Lynskey still dumping bikes on ebay? If so, they will never reach "top shelf" status while selling highly discounted bikes on ebay.

I'm not sure what that means, or if it's even relevant. I don't think that Lynskey pretends to be anything other than it is. It's not Moots, or Firefly, or No.22. That's not a bad thing at all. There is a place for them in the market.

I bought a Helix because it fit my parameters for a bike:

1. Wanted something durable (Titanium fit the bill)

2. Wanted to buy at a local shop

3. Wanted something made in the USA

4. Wanted something that fit my budget ($2k or less)

5. Wanted to go with a new frame

6. Not concerned about resale value (I ride 'em until they break)

I don't know if it's the best Ti bike on the planet. I don't care - it fit what I wanted. It's a solid, Ti frame.

I'm not concerned about how clean the welds look, or if I get a foot rub and a fancy cup of coffee with my initial build consultation. Some folks want that. Fair enough. There's a place for both in this world.