It seems that Lynskey are the build of a great many brands Ti frames.

I am not aware that Litespeed build for other companies 😕

Does one build significantly better frames than the other?

BITD Litespeed were better known, or more widely publicized, than they seem today.

Interested as there are similar frames in both camps that I have an eye on*

Any thoughts on the matter?

*long term future build!

If its ‘long term’ I’d not bother with litespeed 😉

Rorschach – Member

If its ‘long term’ I’d not bother with litespeed

Pourquoi?

Just to add the lifetime warranty is an attraction to both companies.

I had a Litespeed Occoee before my soda, which was amazingly complexly worked – box section stays, flared diamond profiles etc – but had pretty old school geometry and less compliance than the Lynskey soda.

Soda currently on eBay incidentally Mark 😉

They had a well publicized and embarrassing episode with frames failing when they became part of the american bicycle group.
http://forums.mtbr.com/litespeed-merlin/beware-litespeed%92s-lifetime-warranty-claim-599636.html

I would hesitate to recommend Litespeed. I had one of their 2007 built Hummer’s. It had an alu insert in the headtube which came away from the frame when I was removing a King headset using the proper Park tools. It later transpired that there was a crack in the frame which I never even knew was there. The frame had a 5 year warranty from Cove but Litespeed offered only three. Cue several months of Silverfish going to bat for me before finally getting me a brand new Lynskey made Hummer.

So two big thumbs up for the guys at Silverfish for knowing how to look after their customers (thanks guys!) but a thumbs down for Litespeed.

Litespeed use to build the Cove Hummers till 2009.

have no trouble with my AMG/Litespeed Merlin.

Though they were a real pain with my AMG Tomac.

They seem to be going down the road of the souless carbon road bike now.

Can’t beat Lynskey for passion about there product. People have failures noe and again, it’s how they deal with it that matters (mostley).

bol – Member

I had a Litespeed Occoee before my soda, which was amazingly complexly worked – box section stays, flared diamond profiles etc – but had pretty old school geometry and less compliance than the Lynskey soda.

Soda currently on eBay incidentally Mark

I know 🙁

Been pulling in favors/chasing debtors left right and centre – still a way off the £950 …. could even collect too!

Wrong time of year 🙁

Dave Lynskey founded Litespeed then sold it and it went downhill as a manufacturer, its since mean’t to have sorted out these issues. Titanium by its very nature is prone to fatigue failures, so both manufacturers are going to have issues which get published on internet forums now and then, its how they deal with them that matters.

How about an Enigma?

I’ve just put down a deposit on a custom ti Enigma AM build today, can’t wait.

Lots of (comparatively) stories of broken lynskeys with a fairly hefty turnaround time to get anything sorted which put me off.

Not sure I see how Ti is prone to fatigue failures though? As I understand it it’s like steel in that if not stressed beyond a certain point it doesn’t fatigue at all?

Lots of (comparatively) stories of broken lynskeys with a fairly hefty turnaround time to get anything sorted which put me off.

I managed to break mine (On One), and entirely my fault.

Lynskey fixed it, but took over 4 months – as (probably quite rightly) they didn’t want to interfere with their production schedules.

If I was looking for another one I’d probably look UK based first, and if I break it again I’d also try UK first for a ‘fix’.

have no trouble with my AMG/Litespeed Merlin

Nor here until April this year where (on it’s 10K mile celebratory ride) i noticed a crack from the top tube through the seat tube to the chain stay, directly below the sleeve in the seat tube. ABG/Merlin considered it to be caused by wear & tear & not warranty. I didn’t take up the offer of a slightly below list Litespeed replacement. (I went to Indy Fab for the replacement).

Shame. I loved riding that bike.

Blimey, wished I hadn’t read this thread. 😯

(Litespeed Occoee owner since 2008 and have been very happy with it).

I’ve just got a Potts titanium frame from USA, but I bought it as I wanted a frame made by that particular builder.

If I was just after a nice titanium frame, I would go to a Enigma; purely as you can literally turn up at their front door should there be any problems.

I had a friend send back a frame from a large USA frame builder a couple of years ago and it was gone for months.

The only other USA builder I would deal with would be Moots as I got very good customer service from them via Mosquito Cycles. I ordered a frame from Moots and they then changed the geometry specs on their website; the frame that arrived was too big. Moots however got a new frame to me within 3 weeks. Moots though are big ££££’s now and dearer than my Potts.

Wrong time of year

Sorry Mark, I had intended to wait until the spring, but my purchasing has caught up with me and I need to balance the books.

Both my Litespeed built Hummer and Lynskey built hummer cracked, both around the 1 year old mark.

To balance that, a friend’s Litespeed built Hummer purchased at the same time is still going strong.

I preferred the ride of the Lynskey model.

I think any Ti frame is going to be a bit of a lottery (I have two Ti 29ers) so a lifetime warranty is essential. I’d beware of older geo 29ers with a steep head angle. My Pegasus is the best hardtail I have ridden so in the absence of pestering Sam to make some more I’d look at taking a Swift to Burls and get them to make a copy from Russian ti (as long as it has a lifetime warranty).

(My only reservation with the Pegasus is the 1/2 size EBB as this doesn’t allow me to run a dingle on the back for flat/hilly)