Transcript
BIKETEST BIKE TEST
LITESPEED
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THE FRAME
D M1 Entry-level carbon from Tennessee’s house of titanium ew names in the cycling industry are as synonymous with titanium as Litespeed, and the Tennessee-based brand still offers several titanium road bike models. But over the years Litespeed has also been making carbon fiber frames, and we’ve tested both the aero-road C1R and the stiffness-to-weight-minded L1. Now we’re taking a look at the latest edition of Litespeed’s M1, the flagship model from their entry-level M-Series carbon line.
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The M1 frame is crafted from 24-ton carbon fiber and sports some very stout tube shapes, made all the more visually robust by its matte white paint job. Highlights include a tapered head tube, PF30 bottom bracket, tall chainstays and a rear monostay at the seat tube junction. The shifter cables are run internally, while the rear brake cable is housed outside of the top tube. The M1 runs with a 31.6mm seatpost standard as well.
THE PARTS FSA supplies the M1 with a Gossamer crankset (with 50/34 chainrings), while Shimano makes up the rest of the moving parts with 105 shifters and derailleurs. Interestingly, the Shimano 105 rear derailleur on our test bike came with a long cage installed, something most commonly seen paired with cassettes with at least a 30-tooth largest cog; yet, our test bike only came with a 12-25 Shimano cassette. We think this is a nice value-added feature for a future upgrade to a wider-range cassette, but it seems a bit out of place on a bike with a maximum 25-tooth big cog out of the box. Litespeed opted for a set of Tektro rim brakes for the M1, while the handlebar, stem, seatpost and saddle are all Litespeed’s own parts without any branding. The M1 rolls on a set of Shimano RS-11 aluminum clincher wheels wrapped in 23mm Vittoria Rubino tires.
THE RIDE Put a tapered head tube, a massive downtube, and a huge bottom bracket shell together and you’re more likely than not to get a stiff frame, which is what we found with the M1. The high level of stiffness in both the bottom bracket and front end were apparent from the get-go, and we enjoyed the bike’s subsequent ability to maintain an efficient pace with solid, predictable handling. The ability to quickly accelerate from slower speeds and out of corners, however, was a bit lacking, which we largely attribute to the standard box aluminum wheelset. While the overall parts selection proved highly functional, we also came away somewhat underwhelmed. We’ve seen several bikes in the M1’s price range with name-brand, lighter and/or more aesthetically pleasing components. The Tektro brakes for one were a bit underpowered. And while most test riders enjoyed the www.roadbikeaction.com
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BIKETEST BIKE M1’s stiff chassis, others found the level of road feedback to be on the harsher side, particularly during long days in the saddle. We suspect that the M1’s relatively thin seatstays would better help mitigate some of the high-frequency road chatter brought up to the saddle if they didn’t terminate in a robust monostay shape at the seat tube junction.
THE VERDICT A $2000 price tag is the sweet spot for most bike companies, meaning that it’s the amount that the greatest number of consumers will be eyeballing when it comes time to purchasing a new bike. The M1 is unique enough to set it apart from many of its competitors, doing so with a stiff chassis that would be appreciated by racers and strong riders looking to put down some power, as well as a parts package that should prove durable for quite some time. The flip side to this stiffness is lack of vertical compliance seen on quite a few price-point competitors. ■
PUNCH LINES • Stiff ride, plenty of road feedback • Compliance lacking for enduranceminded riders • Parts offer good—not great—value
STATS Price: $2000 Weight: 18.6 pounds Sizes: S (tested), M, ML, L, XL www.litespeed.com
While the M1’s shifter cables are run internally, the rear brake cable is left exposed along the outside of the top tube. 74
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Tall, straight chainstays and a massive bottom bracket shell give the M1 plenty of pedaling stiffness. And the M1’s unique build, which includes Shimano 105 parts and a crankset from FSA, give it plenty of value.
