Entry-level carbon from Tennessee’s house of titanium
27 November 2015
Few 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.
Bike Test
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 seat stays would better help mitigate some
of the high-frequency road chatter brought up to the saddle if they didn’t terminate in a robust mono stay 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 eyeball- ing 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 endurance- minded riders
• Parts offer good—not great—value
