# Just completed, '05 Litespeed Tuscany build



## carb850

Just completed this morning. Took her out for a quick spin. Bare in mind that the only other road bike I have to compare to is my '03 Giant OCR3.


Initial impressions:

* I'm blown away by how smoothness of the Campy Chorus drive train. I cannot stress how much of a difference it is compared to my old Sora. I expected a difference, but not like this.

* Shifting is very precise. Still needs a little adjustment but I'm 95% there.

* Breaks are fantastic.

* Wheels felt great. Much faster spin up than what I'm used to.

* Bump absorbsion is similar to my Giant. I expected the Ti to be a little more forgiving but I think the tire and wheel combo is the difference here. I went from 25mm on the Giant to 23mm on the Tuscany. This is not a problem, just something I did not expect.

* Compact drive train is going to take a little while to get used to, compared to my old triple. In the rolling flats were I used to ride my middle ring, I could not figure out if I should now be in my big or small chainring. I was getting excessive crossing in both. Perhaps a little fine tuning on the derailleur will give me a little more overlap. I had a little reservations about my low end gearing but the 34/26T combo is going to work out great.


Overall, I'm extremely impressed with my new ride. If I could do it over, I would change nothing. Hopefully, the next 25K miles will be as nice as the first 15 were


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## HazemBata

Hay, nice ride. I am still trying to decide between ti and carbon. The Tuscany is on my list. Give us another review after you log more miles. And how about more pics....


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## Juanmoretime

*Nice bike.*

Enjoy your many miles on it as they will only get better. Your quick release on your right shifter is open.


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## tuscanybill

*Cool*

Congrats, on a very nice bike, I hope that you are as happy with your bike as I am with mine. (05 tuscany D/A) I think you will like the frame stiffness over time, I think if was too buttery power transfer would suffer. I have did two centurys last year and the comfort level was better than my 631 steel framed bike!! All the very best. -- Bill


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## Mattbikeboy

I have to do it. I've been on my '04 Tuscany now for 2.5 years and I still love it. I upgraded the wheels to Rolf Prima Echelons last year before a trip to Europe. This year I'm going to redo her completely. I'm going up to new DuraAce 9 speed shifters and deraillers and new DuraAce 10 Crankset and brakes. Yee Haw!

I'm excited for the next few years with her.

mbb


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## mbakercad

Sweet Tuscany! Since this post I have had mine out a few times and loving every second of it.


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## szkaitec

*me too*

just completed.


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## HazemBata

*szkaitec....*

...having two nice bikes like that side by side without giving us an indepth comparison is wrong. Just wrong man. So speak up.


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## szkaitec

Gees,my dear. u really gave me hard time.
i m a Taiwanese. English not good enough. Let me po in Mandarin ??

Actually i do not know bicycle well. just a toy or exercise tool to me.
If for the car. i can do that cause with 20 years experience.
For bike,i m in rookie class


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## HazemBata

*szkaitec...*

Didnt mean to rub you the wrong way. I was just kidding...although I really would like a comparison


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## szkaitec

I got Cannondale R5000 on 31 Dec,04' year. Whole the 05' year,total distance 700km only.
Anyway,let me use its feel to compare with the other 2.
01 the 2 new ones are more heavier than R5000.
02 the 2, frames feel are more active than R5000. No matter how much power i ues.
R5000 no feedback at all. But the 2 make me feel like they equipped with turbocharged.
That's why i will never buy alu.frame again. But,my Old prince feel good.
03 while downhill. Paris feel most fast & agile,Tuscany second. R5000 feel flat.
04 i just ride the 2 one time,and riding time only 1 hour.
Next time,i will try 4 hours riding. i guess there will be another feeling.......


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## lorenzo

Congrats on what looks like a sweet ride, Carb, all the more considering that you put it together yourself!!

Much like you did, I've been hunting for a good deal on a Ti frame and the Tuscany has been at the top of my list. Living in Europe, litessped bikes are hard to find and quite expensive when one does, so I've been thinking of buying a clearance '05 frame in the US sight unseen. Since, as many in this thread have remarked, fit is everything, I might as well get some advice from this forum. I am 5'11" with an 85cm (33.46") inseam. An online fit-calculator resource suggested an 57cm frame and a top-tube length of about 56cm. That's about 1/2 cm shorter than the actual top tube length of the 57cm Tusc. 

What do you guys think? is is worth the try to buy sight unseen considering the price (about 1500 $ for the frame and fork). Of those who ride Tuscanies, which size do you ride? what are your meaurements?


I would appreciate the input,

Lorenzo.


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## szkaitec

01 i m in Hongkong. Got Litespeed from Colorado is real bargain.
02 i suggest that care more about cc (or ct).
Cause seatpost height,if too low is ungly. Top tube length,if for 10 or 11mm.
u can simply adjust saddle or stem length to meet.
i m 5'9. mine Paris carbon:53cm/cc53
Tuscany 53cm/ct53
hopefully help


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## tuscanybill

Lorenzo, Hi I'm pretty close to your messuerments 5'11" and 33.3" inseam. Our tops could be real differant but I ride a 53cm frame and 3cm of spacers with a 10deg in the neg position. You have to ride what you like, I have troulble if i'm too streched out. All the best.
Bill


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## lorenzo

tuscanybill said:


> Lorenzo, Hi I'm pretty close to your messuerments 5'11" and 33.3" inseam. Our tops could be real differant but I ride a 53cm frame and 3cm of spacers with a 10deg in the neg position. You have to ride what you like, I have troulble if i'm too streched out. All the best.
> Bill



Thanks a lot for your inpput, Tuscanybill.
Based on what I got from the web-based fit calculator, I am a bit surprised to read that a 53cm Tuscany fits you alright, since a 57cm sized frame was suggested in my case and our measurements are quite similar. I get it that you don't like to ride too stretched out, but there's still quite a difference between a 53 and a 57. This is what I meant with the difficulties of buying a bike or frame sight unseen...

Has anyone else anything more to offer on the issue?

Lorenzo.


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## tuscanybill

Lorenzo, I should have mentioned that I went through a on-line calculator and that suggested a lot larger frame, (the 57cm if I remember correctly) I have a great shop here local and they have the "Fit-kit" system I did that with the shop and thats where I made my decistion, that came up with a lenth of seat center to handlebar, that came up within 1cm of my current ride. Then we had to pick betwean the 53 and 55 frame in my case the 55 would have had a 9cm stem the 53 a 11cm I went with the 53 and am very happy. It may pay to get a "fitting" local and pay for it. In the states here its ablout 50 dollars us. Again all the best. Sorry for the lack of detail on the first post. -- Bill


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## lorenzo

Hi Tuscanybill,
Thanks again for your input. I agree that a bike fit at your LBS does indeed make sense, all the more given the size of frame that you ended up getting and how well it fits you. I guess that you chose the smaller frame/longer stem combination to improve handling?
Myabe I should get a fit myself before purchasing anything....

Happy ride,


Lorenzo


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## stinkydub

*Fit is good*

I purchased a Litespeed Tuscany last November. Took advantage of end of year sale on frames and my local LBS built it up for me with ultegra and basic but good components. I paid $125 for the fitting but since i purchased the bike from them, i received that in return as credit towards the purchase of the bike. Good deal, good fitting and I made some good friends at my local LBS who i now ride with and continue to spend money at their store - in this case i think a win-win situation. So, maybe your local LBS does something similar.


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## Juanmoretime

lorenzo said:


> Thanks a lot for your inpput, Tuscanybill.
> Based on what I got from the web-based fit calculator, I am a bit surprised to read that a 53cm Tuscany fits you alright, since a 57cm sized frame was suggested in my case and our measurements are quite similar. I get it that you don't like to ride too stretched out, but there's still quite a difference between a 53 and a 57. This is what I meant with the difficulties of buying a bike or frame sight unseen...
> 
> Has anyone else anything more to offer on the issue?
> 
> Lorenzo.


I'm 6'2" on a size 59 Litespeed although I have a short torso and 57.5 or 58 is the ongest top tube I can use with a 110mm stem. If you fit a bike with the same geometry and top tube length I would go for it. What are the measurements of your current bike?


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## lorenzo

Juanmoretime said:


> I'm 6'2" on a size 59 Litespeed although I have a short torso and 57.5 or 58 is the ongest top tube I can use with a 110mm stem. If you fit a bike with the same geometry and top tube length I would go for it. What are the measurements of your current bike?


Hi Juan,
Thanks for the info. I am currently riding a Bianchi aluminum compact geometry , size M road bike. I have not measured the top tube length on that one, so I cannot really say how close it is to the specs on the 57 Tuscany. When I get back home (I am on hiolidays now) I will measure the (efective)TT length and will see how close it is.

How do you know how long a TT length you can use? Were you fitted at your LBS? Or did you use an on-line fit calculator? After what Carb told me (on-line fit = 57cm, LBS fit =55 or 53cm), I am starting to have second thoughts about web-based fit methods. I guess there is simply no substitute for a real bike fit!

Lorenzo.


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## Mattbikeboy

As mentioned above, I have now nearly completed my upgrade to Dura-Ace. I'm still waiting for my new front derailleur to arrive at my LBS. I ordered the rest of the upgrades from Excel Sports and some from a bikeshop that lists on Ebay (I got the mail order parts in less than two working days-- amazing). I'm not sure what the weight is now (it was 18.5 lbs with ultegra and the 3t stem).

My changes:
Dura-Ace 7700 9 Speed Shifters, 12-27 cassette
Dura-Ace 7800 Brakes, Cranks, BB, Rear Derailleur & front derailleur (soon)
Thompson X2 120mm stem
Continental GP4000 Copper Metallic tires (got a great deal from LBS)
Silver Fizik bar tape ( I'm looking for copper tape to match the tires)
I took off my Barbieri Carbon pump (I carry CO2 in the seat bag)

She is ready for the next 6,000 miles -- and me too!


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## mbakercad

Thanks! The more I ride this bike the more I like it. The campy drivetrain is just too smooth. I too purchased this site unseen. My choices were very limited if I wanted to buy local. I did my research and cannot be happier with the purchase.

I'm 6'-0" and have a 33.5" inseam. I went with the 57cm and it fit me perfectly. I was riding a Medium Giant but it was a little too small. I had way too much of a seat to bar difference. The picture above was at somewhat of a wierd angle. I'm running an 82 degree stem that is 110mm long.


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## culdeus

lorenzo said:


> Hi Juan,
> Thanks for the info. I am currently riding a Bianchi aluminum compact geometry , size M road bike. I have not measured the top tube length on that one, so I cannot really say how close it is to the specs on the 57 Tuscany. When I get back home (I am on hiolidays now) I will measure the (efective)TT length and will see how close it is.
> 
> How do you know how long a TT length you can use? Were you fitted at your LBS? Or did you use an on-line fit calculator? After what Carb told me (on-line fit = 57cm, LBS fit =55 or 53cm), I am starting to have second thoughts about web-based fit methods. I guess there is simply no substitute for a real bike fit!
> 
> Lorenzo.


I just don't trust anyone to tell me what size bike to ride. Not exactly news, but whatever.

5-11 with 89cm inseam which puts me right in a 57. I ride a 58 in fuji so I'm not sure what the difference is here. Depending on age/weight going smaller might help some. It all depends on your goals. 

Life is a series of compromises.


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## carb850

(only photo showing the color change)

I just recently ran across my old thread. It is just a few day past 10 year anniversary of this thread and the completion of my Litespeed Tuscany. It was and still is my only roadie in the stable. I do not keep logs so I do not know how many miles I have put on it but a crazy guess would be about 15K (2 kids under the age of 5 has limited my riding). Over the life of this bike, I put on several sets of tires, replaced the chain, upgraded the fork, and a color change with new decals & bar tap. I had a high side wreck which cracked my helmet and put a small divot in the frame from the brake caliper blaming into the down tube. Another occasion I rammed it into the roof of my garage forgetting the bike was on the roof rack. The bike still functions fantastically.

I have to admit I have started eyeing new bikes. Maybe in a few years I may replace or compliment the Litespeed for but for now I look forward to another upcoming riding season. 

The only changes I'm considering is another sticker & bar tape swap and try some 25mm tires, otherwise I'm leaving her alone. I cannot be more happy with the decisions I made 10 years ago with the Titanium bike and Campagnolo components.


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## pmf

Give it a face lift with some new components. Campy groups are at all time lows due to the strong dollar on those UK bike shops. Ribble has a complete Chorus group for $899. 

I've had a Litespeed Ultimate for almost 16 years now. I upgraded everything on it two years ago and it's like a new bike. It's not my only road bike, but I ride it about 50% of the time. 

I hear you about the kids. It takes a toll.


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## carb850

pmf said:


> Give it a face lift with some new components. Campy groups are at all time lows due to the strong dollar on those UK bike shops. Ribble has a complete Chorus group for $899.
> 
> I've had a Litespeed Ultimate for almost 16 years now. I upgraded everything on it two years ago and it's like a new bike. It's not my only road bike, but I ride it about 50% of the time.
> 
> I hear you about the kids. It takes a toll.


I kept thinking about building a different set of wheels but really the bike is in such good condition I think I will just save my pennies for my next rides. I want my next road bike to have disc brakes, capable of wider tires, and likely go with electric shifting. I'm still debating to stick with metal or take my first step into carbon.


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## Scar

Nice bike and I'm glad you have enjoyed it for 10 years.

I bought a Litespeed Tuscany in September of 2003 and have ridden it ever since. I have a couple of other bikes also but the Tuscany just has a special feel. It makes me feel young and fast although I neither any more. So far I have 108 miles on it this week and it is just plain fun to ride. It was designed after the classic Italian style road racing bike, hence the name, so it does ride a bit stiffer than my two other Ti Lynskeys.

When I bought mine Litespeed only sold bare frames and forks so I had it built with 9-speed Dura Ace and Mavic Ksyrium SSC SL wheels. All are going strong after 16,000+ miles.

Campy Chorus is a great group. I bought a Lynskey Helix frame in 2012 and had it built up with Chorus 11-speed. I like my Shimano running gear very much, but the Campy is my favorite.

Stay safe and keep on enjoying your ride.


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