# 2006 Firenze - Comments Please



## Crash Test (Nov 14, 2005)

Litespeed has greatly improved the Firenze for 2006. They have upgraded the frame to last year's Teramo and upgraded the components to Ultegra-class. Of course it's an all titanium frame.

I might buy this bike soon but I wonder if there are any significant changes that I should make to the components, or any other "gotchas". I have heard that the price will be about $2500.


COMPONENT SET
Front Derailleur: Ultegra 6600 
Rear Derailleur: Dura Ace 6600 (this might be a typo, I think it is Ultegra)
Shifters: Ultegra 6600 
Cranks: FSA Gossamer Compact 
Bottom Bracket: MegaExo 
Cassette: Ultegra 6600 
Chain: Ultegra 6600 
Brakes: Shimano 105 Black 
Wheelset: FSA RD-88 
Tires Vittoria: Rubino Pro 
Headset: Cane Creek S-3 
Stem: ITM Forged Lite 31.8 
Grips / Bar Tape: Cork Black 
Saddle: fi'zi:k Aliante Sport Ti 
Seat Post: Thomson Aluminum 

http://img130.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lsfirenzess9nf.jpg


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

*Haven't seen the Firenze, but comp. cyclist's*

website says the 2006 Teramo frame just has some "slight cosmetic changes" (e.g., new graphics) relative to the 2005 Teramo frame, but that it's "structurally identical". Don't know where that leaves the Firenze.



Crash Test said:


> Litespeed has greatly improved the Firenze for 2006. They have upgraded the frame to last year's Teramo and upgraded the components to Ultegra-class. Of course it's an all titanium frame.
> 
> I might buy this bike soon but I wonder if there are any significant changes that I should make to the components, or any other "gotchas". I have heard that the price will be about $2500.
> 
> ...


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## stevers (Aug 10, 2005)

*re:2006 Firenze*



Crash Test said:


> Litespeed has greatly improved the Firenze for 2006. They have upgraded the frame to last year's Teramo and upgraded the components to Ultegra-class. Of course it's an all titanium frame.
> 
> I might buy this bike soon but I wonder if there are any significant changes that I should make to the components, or any other "gotchas". I have heard that the price will be about $2500.
> 
> ...


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## Crash Test (Nov 14, 2005)

stevers said:


> It's Dura Ace. My LBS has one in their shop for. It's a Teramo geometry with regular shaped tubing. Last year the Firenze was a the classic geometry, instead of the sloping seat tube geometry. List price at my LBS was $2450
> 
> I probably would have bought one, however said LBS in question had a great deal on an '05 Solano, that I couldn't pass up , and they told me the '06 models would go up in price d/t a materials shortage.
> 
> It looks like a great bike, so I'd go for it. Good Luck


Stevers: By regular do you mean round? The pics on the web site don't look like round tubes. It looks like they are diamond or trianglular shaped.


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

*On Litespeed's website it says*

"The Firenze is a traditional round-tube frame..."

http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2006/road/firenze_.aspx

IMO, the frame's appearance is much improved over the 2005 and it no longer looks like the ugly, unloved stepchild of the Litespeed line.



Crash Test said:


> Stevers: By regular do you mean round? The pics on the web site don't look like round tubes. It looks like they are diamond or trianglular shaped.


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## Crash Test (Nov 14, 2005)

jorgy said:


> "The Firenze is a traditional round-tube frame..."
> 
> http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2006/road/firenze_.aspx
> 
> IMO, the frame's appearance is much improved over the 2005 and it no longer looks like the ugly, unloved stepchild of the Litespeed line.


Agreed. I think the wording came from the 2005 site and they just forgot to update it for 2006.


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## stevers (Aug 10, 2005)

*re: 2006 Firenze*



Crash Test said:


> Agreed. I think the wording came from the 2005 site and they just forgot to update it for 2006.


From what I saw the tubes were round, and not some other shaped. Like I said, I would have bought a 2005 if available


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## lemond2001 (Nov 22, 2001)

2006 has a shape top tube, and down tube....


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## Juanmoretime (Nov 24, 2001)

*Another change besides the tube shapes.*



lemond2001 said:


> 2006 has a shape top tube, and down tube....


2006 also has it going from a standard frame to a compact.


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## Crash Test (Nov 14, 2005)

In this picture it says "oversized diamond shaped down tube" and "3-sided top tube". The image itself seems to support the text. Don't know what frame Stevers was looking at, maybe it was an '05.

http://img130.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lsfirenzess9nf.jpg


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

Crash Test said:


> Litespeed has greatly improved the Firenze for 2006. They have upgraded the frame to last year's Teramo and upgraded the components to Ultegra-class. Of course it's an all titanium frame.
> 
> I might buy this bike soon but I wonder if there are any significant changes that I should make to the components, or any other "gotchas". I have heard that the price will be about $2500.
> 
> ...


If the '06 Firenze is the '05 Teramo, why not buy the '05 Teramo, get yourself a 'better'
nameplate, and save a bundle of cash? Competitive cyclist has the '05 Teramo, same kit, for $1699. The only difference I can find is the 2005 model has an integrated headset, the '06 Firenze a traditional. Small difference for eight bills.


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## HerbertK (Sep 23, 2004)

Crash Test said:


> In this picture it says "oversized diamond shaped down tube" and "3-sided top tube". The image itself seems to support the text. Don't know what frame Stevers was looking at, maybe it was an '05.
> ]


Well, the website was still getting updated and that was a paragraph that was not finished. The Firenze is indeed made from shaped tubing with a 3-sided toptube and an oversized diamond shaped downtube and is an amazing bargain.

Sorry about the confusion.
Herbert

Litespeed


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## Crash Test (Nov 14, 2005)

HerbertK said:


> Well, the website was still getting updated and that was a paragraph that was not finished. The Firenze is indeed made from shaped tubing with a 3-sided toptube and an oversized diamond shaped downtube and is an amazing bargain.
> 
> Sorry about the confusion.
> Herbert
> ...


Herbert: what's the difference between an '05 Teramo and an '06 Firenze?


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## HerbertK (Sep 23, 2004)

An 05 Teramo and an 06 Firenze share the same frame, but feature different components and different graphics. We really jazzed up the 06 graphics throughout the line.
Hope this helps

Herbert
Litespeed


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## darthdiz (Mar 4, 2005)

*Differences???*

So if the Firenze 06 is the same as the Teramo 05...then what's the difference between the 2006 frames?


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## HerbertK (Sep 23, 2004)

darthdiz said:


> So if the Firenze 06 is the same as the Teramo 05...then what's the difference between the 2006 frames?


Both the 05 Firenze and the 05 Teramo had non integrated headtubes but the Teramo was compact and the Firenze traditional in terms of geometry, plus they varied in parts. 
For 06 both the Firenze and the Teramo are built around the same shaped titanium frame in a compact version with non integrated headtubes. These 2 bikes for 06 only vary in graphics and components.
Cheers,
Herbert

Litespeed


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## jazzbiker (Mar 26, 2006)

*'06 Firenze phase-out?*

I am hoping to buy a Firenze this fall, but heard that Litespeed might be phasing them out in favor of the Teramo. Anybody else heard this, and if so, will the Teramo be offered in different component packages and at what prices?


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## Crash Test (Nov 14, 2005)

jazzbiker said:


> I am hoping to buy a Firenze this fall, but heard that Litespeed might be phasing them out in favor of the Teramo. Anybody else heard this, and if so, will the Teramo be offered in different component packages and at what prices?


I don't know whether the Firenze will ne phased out, but the 2 bikes have the same frame so the only difference between the Firenze and Teramo are the components. Firenze is Ultegra-level and the Teramo is DuraAce.


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## bepe (Mar 2, 2006)

*I bought the 06 Firenze*

I bought the 06 Firenze in the beginning of March and have been able to put a few hundred miles on it. So far I love it. The ride is what you'd expect from a Ti frame -- very comfortable and smooth but extremely responsive. You can feel the bike accelerate when you step up your effort. Handling is great. This is my first compact crankset (previous bike had a triple). For me this gearing is perfect, with enough range to cover tough hills and sprints without the hassel of a third gear (which I found difficult to keep adjusted). I like the compact geometry, but that's a matter of personal preference. I upgraded my seat to a Fizik Aliante, but aside from that am happy with the stock components.

I had also looked at the Cannondale 6/13 and Trek 5200. I found this to be the best balance of performance and comfort. I stressed a lot about the decision, but all in all I'm extremely happy I got the Firenze. The only gripe I have is I find the graphics a bit much (fortunately if they really bug me I can peel them off). Best of luck on your decision


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## Crash Test (Nov 14, 2005)

I have put about 300km on my Firenze this spring. Not a lot but here are my impressions as compared to my previous bike, which was a Giant OCR2.

- much smoother ride but still provides a nice feel for the road
- handling is better: more linear and less twitchy even though the wheelbase on the Firenze is slightly shorter than the OCR2
- more stable at high speeds
- I like the compact double. I find that I use all 20 gears now. The OCR2 was a 9 speed triple but I found that I would rarely use the granny gear, and used only about 6 of the 9 gears on the middle and large sprocket. With the compact double on the Firenze there is less of a difference between each gear but I have more useable range
- the Ultegra 10 speed rear der is not any better than the 105 9 sp. This is a little disappointing since I was expecting faster and crisper shifting. Maybe it needs more adjustment
- the Ultregra front der is better than the Tiagra. Faster and less fussy. The Tiagra was fine but it had to be adjusted perfectly.
- the 105 brakes are ok. I might upgrade the pads to something with more grip
- the rear wheel (RealDesign SuperSphere) failed and is being replaced. While it worked it seemed ok although the ticking sound when coasting is very load (why?). This drives me crazy!
- the Fizik Aliante Sport saddle is ok. I'm only 140 lbs so don't put too much stress on it, but I'm still not sure whether I like it. I will start playing with the position to see if I can find something more comfortable
- compared the the OCR2 the Firenze doesn't seem to have any better acceleration. This was a surprise and a disappointment to be honest. The OCR2 seemed to have more jump when I hit the pedals. Considering that the Firenze should have a stiffer bottom bracket, stiffer frame, a better crankset and lighter wheels, I expected more.

Feedback or questions are welcome.


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## AMike (Nov 26, 2005)

I bought an '05 Teramo through Competitive Cyclist. It looks like the only difference are in the brakes and seatpost. I've put about 3k miles on this bike since December. Overall, it's fantastic. The wheels (FSA RD-80) were piles of junk, they flex all around and handle like pieces of poo. I only weigh less than 140 lbs, so I imagine heavier people are just downright scared of these things. I'm not sure what these are doing on an otherwise great bike. Luckily, I have some wheels laying around that work well as replacements. Otherwise, the handling is great, the ride is smooth but responsive and the parts spec is good, albeit heavy. I won my first road race on this ride, and it's my first year racing, so, it seems raceable to me. And yes, compact doubles are now my friends. I want a 11-21 cassette for crits, but otherwise, the climbing prowess of this setup is amazing. 

I found a huge difference between my old Ultegra 9spd and new Ultegra 10spd setups. Maybe my old setup is very worn, but the crisp shifts of the new Ultegra are amazing enough to inspire me to upgrade my mtb just to try to emulate it. The brakes are also a world better than the old Ultegra stuff. My only other gripe would be with the saddle, but that's a personal thing, and lots of people like the Aliante. I just have a strangely shaped butt I suppose.

Overall:
pros: 
-classy frame that handles well and will never go out of style
-good parts choice at this price point
-handling

cons:
-craptastic wheelset
-heavy parts


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## jazzbiker (Mar 26, 2006)

*Opinions?*

I am going to order the Firenze later in June - after reading a number of reviews I was thinking of asking to swap the Aliante Sport saddle for an Arione, and swapping the FSA wheels for Mavic Aksiums. Any opinions?


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## Crash Test (Nov 14, 2005)

Both changes would be very helpful in my opinion. But you might want to try out the stock saddle first before making this decision.


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## sungchang (Sep 20, 2005)

*Aliante Ti*



jazzbiker said:


> I was thinking of asking to swap the Aliante Sport saddle for an Arione, and swapping the FSA wheels for Mavic Aksiums. Any opinions?


i agree in general, but personally for me, moving to Aliante Ti has made all the difference.:thumbsup:


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## Crash Test (Nov 14, 2005)

After fiddling with the stock saddle for months I finally traded it in for a different brand. I found the Aliante saddle made my sit bones sore after about an hour.


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## kirkdig (Apr 7, 2006)

I tried to like the Aliante Sport that came on my '06 Teramo, but no matter what I tried I'd go numb. I just swapped it out for a Toupe and am still going through the adjustment period, but immediately could tell that it was a better fit.

I weigh 180-185 so I was concerned about the Real Design wheels, but after a 1000 miles and a couple pot holes they are still true so no complaint. My riding buddy hates the noise of the freewheel, but it doesn't bother me.


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## Crash Test (Nov 14, 2005)

Me too re the Aliante Sport. I gave it about 1000km but about a week ago swapped it for a Selle Italia Signo. So far so good with this new saddle.

Funny thing about the ticking noise of the freewheel. I hate it and my riding buddies hate it too. The only good thing is that it can be used like a bell to warn people up ahead that I'm coming through just by coasting for a second or too.


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## jazzbiker (Mar 26, 2006)

*Bearing cover issue*

I just purchased the 2006 Firenze from the LBS. I took the bike out for my first ride this morning, and although was very impressed overall with the performance - I did have one problem. In the course of a 30 mile ride, the bearing cover on the front wheel (stock FSA wheels) popped off 4 times, each time causing an annoying rattling noise. Checking on the Litespeed website, I read in an article posted there from Cycling Weekly that Litespeed was going to switch to Mavic Aksiums on the Firenze because of the exact same problem noted on the review in that magazine.

Two questions:

1) Has anyone else had a similar problem?

2) HerbertK - is it possible to swap out the wheels for the Mavics, and should I contact Litespeed directly or just go back to the shop?


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## seejoy (Aug 23, 2002)

Just picked up my 06 Firenze last night and have to say I am very pleased with this ride.
I tired Giant's OCR and TCR, and they were just wheels and handlebars compared to the Firenze.
I'm 5'5.5 133 lbs and am on a medium. Of all the bikes I test rode this fit the best.
The power transfer off my foot is all I could ask for, I love the way she handles!
I hadn't planned on getting a ti bike but this is what fit and rode the best to me.


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