No paint scuffs - since there is no paint. Any scratches can be gently polished out. Cleans up like new every time! Smooth ride - the ti frame, coupled with the twisted rear seatstays ensures maximum soak of roadbuzz. Yet, feels as stiff as my steel frame racer with short seatstays. the frame is so versatile. Only thing stopping me from having my sks guards on is the front forks. Touring, sportive, commuting, club riding. NOT a frame to 'pop' to town on though.. Ultra stable - the frame is well balanced and feels secure even at 40 with panniers. This is key for those Spanish mountain tours.
After the sale of Litespeed, the company the Lynskey family nurtured to such great heights, they decided to get back into the bike business. Their newest addition to an already well-represented stable is the titanium Sportive.
With tube surfaces treated with what Lynskey call an industrial mill finish – a rough, wire-brushed effect that gives a subdued sheen – the Sportive strikes a handsome note and provides a solid and reliable platform for anything from a quick 45-minute training loop to an audax brevet.
Ride & handling: Immediately likeable. quick responses combined with comfort
Made of cold-worked 3AL 2.5V titanium, the frame features a fine balance of sophisticated tube manipulation and more straightforward sections, with welded cable guides in all the right places and riveted bottle cage bosses. The rear triangle is comprised of gently curved, constant diameter round seatstays, below which lies a graceful set of oval-round chainstays.
Anchoring the rear wheel are some very thick and burly dropouts, decorated with a three-leaf clover cutaway design for a little aesthetic enhancement. A standard head tube with reinforced zones for traditional headset cups finishes off the front of the bike. Single eyelets on the rear allow you to join in with traditional audax crowds if required, with plenty of clearance for a decent-sized tyre and mudguard.
Complementing the well-proven Shimano Ultegra drivetrain on our test bike was a nicely homogenous finishing kit and wheels by Pro-Lite, which were robust yet light.