Pain Junkies: RAW (Race Across the WEST)

Don Oliveria and his biking partner, David Huckobey, are planning on racing the RAW (Race Across the WEST) next summer. Start time is June 13, 2012.

RAW is one of the most challenging bicycle races in the United States. Unlike other well-known road races, like the Tour de France, RAW is not a stage race. RAW is a single stage. Once the clock starts in Oceanside, California it doesn't stop until the racer reaches the finish line in Durango, Colorado. RAW is the second longest endurance cycling race in the United States. The race is essentially a time trial - a race against the clock, sometimes referred to as the race of truth. The route is about 860 miles, passing through 4 states and climbing over 40,000 feet.

Don and David are raising money for the Wounded Warriors Semper Fi Fund. They are both active Marines. Don is training overseas on a Quintana Roo CD0.1 and a Litespeed C3.



"Our goal is $10,000! Very ambitious we know, but through the power of networking and mass communication we hope to achieve our goal for our Wounded Warriors through the Semper Fi Fund. The Fund www.semperfifund.org is a non profit organization that helps America's true heroes recovering from catastrophic injury. 100% of the donations go to help injured Marines.
We respectfully request two simple things:

First, you pledge to donate to the Semper Fi Fund!The easiest way to contribute is to go to our campaign page and donate securely online.

Second, you pledge to tell five people about our fundraising campaign and ask them to do the same.Via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Blogger, etc.

Team Semper Fi (TSF) was established in 2006 by the Semper Fi Fund as an extension of the assistance that the Fund provides to those who are injured in combat and training. The idea for Team Semper Fi was inspired by those wounded Marines and Sailors who refused to let their challenges prevent them from competing in athletic events, and whose drive and determination was inspirational to us all"

Cohutta 29er is Across the Pond!

First Look – Litespeed Cohutta 29er

Posted by Albert Steward | Thu 17th November

With the wagon-wheeled world of 29ers looking set to take the UK mtb market by force in 2012 you’re likely to see most manufacturers frantically trying to jump on the bandwagon. North America has pretty much accepted the advantages the larger wheel size straight from the inception and with sales of 29er bikes now far outweighing those of conventional 26” wheeled bikes in the States the ‘switch’ looks to have been firmly made and set. Without doubt 29ers are here to stay and 2012 looks to be the breakthrough year for them here in the UK.

Tennessee based Titanium pioneers, Litespeed aren’t new the world of 29ers, and were in fact pioneers and early adopters of the new standard, having released the much acclaimed Obed hardtail in a 29er version way back in 2007. It was time when 29er’s were still very much considered a niche, flash-in-the-pan fad, let alone a 29er made from Titanium!

With knowledge and understanding of 29” wheel applications having moved on significantly since those early days Litespeed deemed it necessary to go back to the drawing board…

Litespeed are proud to present the brand new 2012 Cohutta 29er frameset. A highly adaptable and versatile 29er platform that’ll happily tackle both trail and XC race duties depending on the spec and flavour of the build.

Litespeed Titanium models are always given a Native American name as a nod to the heritage of the area in which they’re based (Chatanooga, Tennessee). The Cohutta, rather fittingly, shares its name with a grueling 100-mile endurance mtb race (http://www.newleafadventures.com/Cohutta.html/) and also a picturesque forest that spans nearby Georgia and Tennessee.

Stars’n’stripes – Litespeed Titanium frames always have and always will be handcrafted in their factory in Chatanooga, Tennessee.

The usual immaculate welds and attention to detail we’ve come to love and expect from Litespeed are ever present on the Cohutta.

The Pressfit 30 BB allows for either oversize 30mm crankarm axles, standard 24mm diameter (via the used of aftermarket adaptors) or even an aftermarket eccentric BB (to fit the 46mm ID) for single speed duties. The Press Fit 30 system is similar to the concept that Shimano is using – a nylon sleeve/cup holds the bearings and thus does away with the fiddly snap rings of the BB30 system. It gives you a nice big BB shell area for which to attach larger chainstays, downtube and seattube, no counter miters and lastly does not require a tolerance that is +/- .001" as the bearings don’t sit directly in the BB shell of the frame. Neat!

The heatube on the Cohutta is oversize too, but like the BB it’s not for looks and the reasons for speccing it are 100% functional. The headtube measures 1.5"/49mm ID which ultimately makes the Cohutta one extremely versatile bike (suitable for either 80/100/120mm forks); allowing for fine tuning of the headtube angle (if used with the recommended Cane Creek AngleSet ZS49/EC49), accommodation any steerer tube standard (1.5", traditional 1 1/8" or 1.5" - 1 1/8" tapered) and adjustment of stack height (whether you choose to run an internal/external bearings/headset cups).

In addition to increasing torsional stiffness of the entire front triangle, the 49mm ID headtube allows for total freedom with reagrds to headset and fork selection. The above chart should help with selection and setup for the intended use.

Such are demands on a 29er frameset so different from that of the smaller wheeled 26” cousin, the Litespeed engineers have pulled out all the stops and specced exclusive, specially selected and sized 29er-specific tubing for the Cohutta (TT, DT & HT) milled by Litespeed in Tennessee to give optimum ride and performance characteristics.

The mech hange is a non-replaceable but judging by the thickness of the dropouts we don’t think it’s going to be an issue!

With x4 sizes available there should be a Cohutta for everyone – big or small (above geometry chart based on sagged bike w/ 100mm fork).

Headtube Size: 1.5” internally butted (49.6mm internal diameter)
Seatpost Size: 31.6mm
Seatclamp Size: 34.9mm
Dropout: standard 9mm QR (non-replaceable mech hanger)
Front Derailleur Clamp: 34.9mm (top routed)
BB Size: Pressfit 30 (PF30) 73mm x 46mm internal diameter
Suitable Fork Size: 80mm / 100mm / 120mm

Frame Weights:
S – 2018 gr / 4.4 lbs
M – 2088 / 4.6lbs
L – 2160 / 4.7lbs
XL – 2182 / 4.8lbs

We’ll be building up a demo bike as soon as we’ve rounded up all the parts so keep your eyes peeled for reviews from the usual suspects over the coming months! To view/buy the Cohutta on the Evans website please click here.

For more images and details please visit the Litespeed website here.

The Cohutta is Under Review...

Interbike 2011: 29ers Worth Riding

Written by Brian O'Connor on 21 September 2011

With so many manufacturers offering 29er hardtail mountain bikes, it can be difficult to pick one that is right for you. Just as demo days that many companies host around the country for the public, the Interbike OutDoor Demo, that occurs each year before the Interbike tradeshow, allows individuals involved in the bike industry to test the newest and latest rides on the market. Not all manufactures are present, but most of the major players are there alongside the little guys offering a fleet of bikes to ride on the trails of Bootleg Canyon outside of Boulder City, Nevada. Having had a chance to test numerous bikes, 29er hardtails were this writer’s choice to put trough the loops of loose, dry and rocky trails of Bootleg Canyon. Before you lay down your hard earned cash on a hardtail 29er, give any of these bikes a spin.

Favorite Aluminum 29er HT: BMC Team Elite 29 XO (TE29)
Why: This bike rolled smooth and fast through the trails, yet the aluminum frame did not provide a harsh ride that is commonly found on other bikes made of the same material. The geometry, along with the relatively light weight of the bike, produced a ride that seem to glide over the small jumps through the rocks with ease. This quick geometry did not produce a bike that was unstable on the descents – not once on any of the short, steep drops did the TE29 feel unstable.

Product highlights: Triple butted frame with tapered head tube, some Sram XO parts and Fox F29 fork
MSRP: approx. $3600

Favorite Carbon Fiber 29er HT: Felt Nine Series (carbon)
Why: Just as the BMC had their geometry dialed, so does Felt with their carbon fiber 29er frames. Most modern carbon fiber frames look similar with the smooth lines and light weight, but just as the old saying goes with regards to a book and its cover, the same can be said with regards to carbon fiber. Having ridden a few other carbon fiber bikes earlier in the day and not being impressed, the same was to be expected from the Felt Nine, but that was not the case. After the first few turns in the trail, it was obvious that this bike was different. The bike felt lively and very accurate in the turns, but was not too flexible, just soft enough to absorb some of the bumps on the trail. Just as was true with the BMC, the geometry of the Felt was not so steep and quick to make it feel unstable on the short, steep descents.

Product highlights: Carbon fiber, lightness teamed with quick geometry
MSRP: $2399 (frame); $2799-$5999 (complete)

Favorite Titanium 29er HT: Litespeed Cohutta
Why: Litespeed has designed the 2012 Cohutta around a 29er specific tube set which features a BB30 bottom bracket, 49mm head tube, oversized tubes and a curved down tube to clear the adjusting knobs on suspension forks. The frame has been designed to be more compact to help minimize the flex that can often occur with titanium. With some materials might translate to a harsher ride – this is not the case with the Cohutta. This bike is nimble through the turns, yet does not feel like a noodle when the pedals are hammered. The quick descents were not an issue with the geometry and the steep climbs were no match for the Cohutta as no noticeable power was lost from the pedals to the wheels. If the Cohutta did feel to quick or sluggish, the 49mm headtube allows the fork angle to be adjusted to customize to ride to your liking.

Product highlights: BB30 and angle adjustable 49mm headtube
MSRP: tbd, but is being sold as ‘frame only’

Best of the Bunch: The 2012 Litespeed Cohutta
Why: Of all of the hardtail 29ers that I have thrown a leg over, which includes a list much longer that this, the Litespeed got it right with the 2012 Cohutta. The tube set being 29er specific is truly dialed and make a frame that is a treat to ride – I was a bit sad to have to turn the bike back over to Litespeed.

Check it out! Jason M's Litespeed Archon

Check out Jason M’s new ride, the Litespeed Archon! The Archon-the original, ultra-elite, high-performance, handmade titanium frame-does double duty as both a race and training bike. Jason clearly recognizes the importance of looking good doing both!

Jason praises the Archon for its stiffness while still maintaining its supple, characteristic titanium ride. The great looks of the bike are apparent at first glance.

Jason’s Archon is outfitted with Campagnolo Super Record 11, Thompson stem and seatpost, Adamo seat, and a Zipp 404 Clydesdale wheel set.

This is Jason’s first Litespeed, though he says it will not be his last!

Thanks to Mark Miller at Precision Bikes for superb service and advice for Jason.

Check out Jason’s blog entry about his new bike:
http://www.precisionbikes.com/2010/02/lynskey-out-litespeed-in.html



Jason's Litespeed Archon-Decked out




Custom graphics in memory of Jason's dad




Mark Miller-Master and Masterpiece