# New Tuscany!



## violto (Oct 29, 2005)

Hi everyone,

I thought I'd share my new machine. Bought the frame, fork and headset through Colorado Cyclist about a month ago and couldn't have been happier with the service. Ordered, packed and shipped within three days to the other side of the globe (Australia). We don't see many litespeeds down here but strangely enough, we now have FIVE in our regular sunday bunch ride. We are HOOKED on them!

I love the ride - it absorbs the bumps a LOT better than my aluminum bianchi that it replaced. Lighter, and faster up the hills too. I mainly ride and race road events so it's perfect for 7 hours in the saddle (although I haven't had it long enough to be on it for that sort of ride yet). I'm more of a fan of the hills and while the frame isn't designed to be a mountain goat, it sure feels faster up them. Worth every penny! Hope the pics are OK!

Cheers,

Tim


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## Juanmoretime (Nov 24, 2001)

Tim, very nice built. Nothing makes a bike look like a winner to me when it's wearing Campy!

Enjoy the kilometers!


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## TiDreaming (Jul 20, 2007)

Tim if you don't mind me asking, I live in Melbourne what were the taxes involved in getting the frame??. How much did it all end up costing. I have seriously thought about about getting everything OS as it seems prices locally are outrageous.

Do you mind listing the build spec of your bike.

Cheers.


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## violto (Oct 29, 2005)

Taxes were surprisingly low. Customs used to charge an extra 5% for frames from the US but with the Free Trade Agreement, that has been abolished and there is a flat 10% GST on everything over a $1000 coming into the country. Mind you, the $1000 limit is a bit 'fuzzy'. I bought the bike with a mate who purchased an identical bike and a set of Ksyriums from PBK for about $1100 and he missed customs.

I can't remember exactly how much the bike cost - it was about $3800 for the frame, fork and headset. The chorus groupset was about $1400 from PBK. The wheels I had hand-built locally with parts sourced from australa for $1100 - but you can get the parts cheaper OS.

so in total about $6518.90 including $100 and a sixpack for my wrench to build her up. Although it is insured for the replacement cost in australia!!! Was a bit of a stress getting it sorted out through Colorado Cyclist, they have this strange policy of validating credit cards with the bank to prevent fraud - must have been 'bitten' in the past. We got around this as my mate works for a major bank and we paid for it all on his CC.

Despite this, Colorado provivded EXCEPTIONAL service, even pressing the headset and giving us a free upgrade to the easton slx from the sl that we ordered. I'd happily order from them again. bikes were orderd, paid for and shiped within 5 days to australia which is amazingly quick.

Going to post some new pictures of the ol girl with all the running gear on soonish (cages, lights etc). Just clocked over the 5000 mark last week! Loving every minute of it.

Cheers,

Tim


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## ibhim (Oct 28, 2002)

At $6518, I assume you are quoting in AU$ not US$ where the exchange rate is $0.8543


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## violto (Oct 29, 2005)

yep, sorry, that was in AUD.

equals about 5500 us i suppose.


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## david00214 (Jul 15, 2007)

Did you install the frame and fork? I just got an LS frame. I have a Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork on the way. Now I need to pick out a headset. Kinda torn between Chris King and the new Hope headsets, which have some kind of built in device to keep the stem secure.


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## violto (Oct 29, 2005)

Hi David,

No, sorry I didn't install the headset myself. If colorado hadn't given me such a good deal on the complete bike, I don't think I'd have bought the CK despite the glowing reviews of them. Sure they might last forever but I think people try to justify the cost to themselves by extoling the benefits.

Mind you, it still get the occasional 'ooh and ahh' from the coffee shop racers!

Cheers,

Tim


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## david00214 (Jul 15, 2007)

violto said:


> Hi David,
> 
> No, sorry I didn't install the headset myself. If colorado hadn't given me such a good deal on the complete bike, I don't think I'd have bought the CK despite the glowing reviews of them. Sure they might last forever but I think people try to justify the cost to themselves by extoling the benefits.
> 
> ...


I think I ended up going the route you mentioned.


I ended up getting a deal on an FSA Orbit X on Ebay. Came with a bunch of spacers and a "compressor pro"... Highly rated on this site too...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220135045506&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=012

So far I'm in this bike purchase for 1800. Vortex frame, Real Design carbon seatpost, Reynols Ouzo Pro fork, and FSA Orbit X headset. I've got a set of Mavic SSC SL2 wheels and Dura Ace group from my current ride that I plan on moving over to this bike. This will be my first Ti bike, so pretty excited about putting it together. 

I'm also a little wary about some of the reviews I have read on this site for the Vortex concerning it having a wobble at speed. It seems to me though that as highly engineered as LS frames are this wobble is more than likely due to riders putting their weight in the wrong place on a descent, or the bike was built up to be unstable. I hope I don't make that mistake:thumbsup:

Oh, here's the frame pics. More to come once it is built up.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=100679


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## violto (Oct 29, 2005)

Beautiful frame! I was thinking of going for the vortex but at a $1000 premium over the Tuscany, I think it would have been too much bike for my abilities. The Ouzo Pro apparently is the fork of choice for titanium frames due to it's lateral stiffness - can't comment on that one personally but I know for a fact that the Easton slx isn't exactly in the same league as the Ouzo Pro. It's very flexible but light and compliant. I've got a good stiff wheel on the front so it still corners like it's on rails, no break rub either.

I've never heard of high-speed wobbles occurring on the vortex, only the ghisallo. I've had my Tuscany up to 75km/h and it's rock solid. Wobble can be attributed to many many factors, one of which is rider position so don't worry about it.

When you get it built up, find a good wrench if you can't do it yourself. Make sure they put Ti-prep on the BB cups. Also, I've heard of aluminium posts getting stuck in Ti frames due to corrosion build-up on the inside of the seat tube. Keep an eye out for this if you have an alu post, I think it can be minimised by applying a thin layer of grease.

Cheers,

Tim


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## CoLiKe20 (Jan 30, 2006)

nice bike


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## Peter_Klim (Oct 7, 2007)

WOW! Looking good!

Got one question: Is the frame painted or is that the natural color of the metal?


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## violto (Oct 29, 2005)

The frame is bare titanium although I've been toying with the idea of a half-painted titanium frame. Saw a custom Ultimate (2005) a few months ago on the road and it looked stunning with the front triangle glossy black and the rear naked metal.

The down-side is that the finish won't be as durable as the brushed look. Ideally, I'd love a LS frame with a 'Mootsified' bead blasted finish, half painted in either black, white or deep crimson.

Sex on wheels.

Have a good one.

Tim

Edit: 8500 km's on it in 7 months and it hasn't missed a beat in the whole time. LOVE THAT BIKE! Just did a 230km ride last weekend without any back, shoulder, hand or arm aches. Only my arse was sore from all those flat sections.


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## CoLiKe20 (Jan 30, 2006)

nice. reminds me of the first month I had the Ghisallo (upgrade from a Cannondale). I keep thinking that I have a flat every time I went over a bump.


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## RJHarary (Nov 8, 2007)

I have a Lightspeed Tuscany 06 (same as pictured) mine has a cane creek headset though and full record except the cranks which are FSA k-force. It has a nice Specialized Toupe Red and Black Saddle and a Thomson seatpost. The bike has about 100 miles on it (except for the old Campy Atlanta wheels which probably have many thousands of miles but still look like youd want to sell your house for them)! anyyhow... I would sell it for 3600 because I just bought a Merlin Extralight also with Record! If there is any real interest let me know and i'll send whatever pics you want. BY real interest i Mean $3,000 and over, as stated above the bike is worth about 5500 new (though mine has older wheels and no king headset so...) I also have a set of Mavic Ksyrium ES that i'd throw in for an extra $400 (instead of the Atlantas). PM me if you are interested.


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