Litespeed Returns to the Pro Peloton

Legendary Brand Builds on Sponsorship Heritage with Astellas UCI Pro Team

Chattanooga, Tennessee - January 30, 2014 - Veteran bicycle manufacturer Litespeed has announced that they will sponsor the Astellas Pro Cycling Team for the next three seasons. The Astellas Cycling team was recently appointed to the Pro ranks by USA Cycling as a Continental road team and will be making their professional debut in the 2014 season.

"We're thrilled to be involved with the Astellas team and be part of the excitement surrounding professional American cycling for the future," said Peter Hurley, CEO of American Bicycle Group, parent company of Litespeed. "Our hometown will again host the USA Cycling Pro National Championships with our sponsorship support, and this year we will have the Astellas team representing our brand in that race and dozens of others on the national level."

The Astellas Cycling 2014 lineup will consist of 15 riders riding several different titanium and carbon Litespeed models based on their needs. The roster includes: Ryan Aitcheson (CAN), Andrew Baker (Greenville, S.C.), Cortlan Brown (West Bountiful, UT), Thomas Brown (Athens, GA), Brecht Dhaene (BEL), Brandon Feehery (Homewood, IL), Matthew Green (GBR), Stephen Hyde (Easthampton, MA), Max Korus (Elkins Park, PA), Clay Murfet (AUS), Michael Pincus (Pearland, TX), Jacob Rytlewski (Brownsburg, IN), Hogan Sills (West Lafayette, IN), Chris Uberti (Greenville, SC), Justin Williams (Tustin, CA).

"We are really excited that Litespeed has chosen to partner with Astellas for the next three years,” said Andrew Frey, team owner and director sportif. “Litespeed has a storied history in bike racing – particularly for a U.S. brand that designs and manufactures bikes in this country. We look forward to a long and successful relationship.”

Litespeed has previously sponsored notable pro teams such as Lotto-Adecco, Calyon/Litespeed, DFL/Cyclingnews/Litespeed, Ofoto-Lombardi and the LA Sheriff Pro Cycling teams throughout its history. Additionally, Litespeed bikes have been ridden to stage victories at the Tour de France and pro-level races worldwide.

About Litespeed Founded in 1986 and based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Litespeed is the industry leader in the design and manufacture of elite titanium and carbon bicycles. Litespeed offers a wide array of racing bikes for road, mountain and cyclocross, available through its domestic and worldwide dealer network. For more information on Litespeed, please visit Litespeed.com or @Litespeed_Bike.

Masters of Titanium: An Interview with Steve Dunn

Litespeed CX 2014

How do you become a cyclocross fanatic? Likely by accident. How do you put an entirely new cyclocross bike underneath an industry filled with wannabes but still starving for the real thing? Deliberately. Just add Litespeed ingenuity and know-how to titanium durability. The sport of cyclocross has come a long way from the days of bikes cobbled together from the abandoned parts bin and the old touring frames. The competition and courses are more demanding, the available components more thoughtful and selection more robust. Expectations are, indeed, higher and we won't disappoint with our 2014 CX offering, the ultimate upgrade for any serious CX athlete. 

To begin, we built the CX with a cross-specific titanium tube-set for the absolute best in combined value, dependability, and pro-grade performance rather than re-purposing tubes developed for mountain bikes as might be found in bikes from other manufacturers.  

 The 44mm head tube and the larger diameter PressFit 30 bottom bracket provide a foundation of increased strength and performance on the course with the flexibility to run your rig as a single speed using an eccentric bottom bracket. And, no doubt about it, the CX is designed with a geometry to race: this is no sport utility bike or touring bike with additional wheelbase tacked on.  

Still handcrafted in the USA by the best titanium craftsmen in the world, the CX was designed and engineered with direct feedback by elite athletes and survived a punishing maiden test drive on the Tour de Afrique, covering over 7,500 miles from Egypt to South Africa. Design features include 135mm spacing to accommodate the array of cross-specific wheels offered by Reynolds, Zipp, and Sram, and post-mount compatibility alongside built-in legendary Litespeed quality and durability.

We built the CX with the future of cyclocross in mind, so if you're ready to finally make the leap from a cantilever bike to a full disc set-up, this could be your big chance. Our engineering team took direct athlete feedback and trending industry component choices into consideration when designing and committing to the post-mount disc set-up. The result? The perfect bike to build to your exact specifications to achieve a ride like you'll never find in any off-the-shelf offering. And, durable? We wouldn't have it any other way. Our CX stands ready to resist kicks, bangs, and cleat punches like no other bike on the market and won't wilt or scar at a power wash blast every two laps. 

Looking Back to Move Forward

2014 is here, but as we move forward into the new year we cannot forget to take a moment and look back on the year that has ended; we would not have 2014 without everything that happened in 2013. 

In 2013, we: 

• sponsored the Volkswagen USA Cycling Professional Road & Time Trial National Championships in Chattanooga

• re-affirmed our commitment to Titanium bikes with the launch of the T7

• sponsored the Litespeed-BMW cycling team

• sponsored Team Sixcycle-RK&O

• became the official bike sponsor of the USAT Olympic development program

• returned to the professional peloton as the official sponsor of Astellas, a new UCI continental Pro teamOur teams and athletes won races and took podium spots, racking up hundreds of thousands of miles on our bikes in training and races. As 2014 begins, we want to reaffirm our dedication to the athlete, providing the tools that will help you to enjoy life and be the best you can be, no matter what level you are on and no matter what your goals are. We want to be a part of your 2014. At Litespeed, every working day is dedicated to making your ride on our bikes an incredible experience. We guarantee it. 

Litespeed partners with USA Triathlon

USA Triathlon Welcomes Quintana Roo and Litespeed as Exclusive Bike Partners

Annual members to receive rebate through new Gold-Level partnership

Chattanooga, Tennessee (December 18, 2013). — USA Triathlon today announced a new Gold-Level partnership with Quintana Roo (QR) and Litespeed, who will serve as the Exclusive Bike Partner for the National Governing Body through 2016.

American Bicycle Group (ABG), the parent company of Quintana Roo and Litespeed, will provide USA Triathlon annual members with an exclusive discount bundle that includes a cash rebate and free hat or shirt with purchase of Quintana Roo or Litespeed bicycles sold at any QR or Litespeed retailer. The program will launch January 1, and will apply to all 2014 bikes. Details will be listed on the respective websites the last week of December. Two Quintana Roo frames will also be awarded through a special promotion at the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships for each year of the agreement.

Additionally, ABG will support elite athletes in the Olympic pipeline as the Official Bike Partner of the USA Triathlon National Team Program leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Select USA Triathlon high performance teams, including up-and-coming athletes in the Elite Triathlon Academy (ETA) and Collegiate Recruitment Program (CRP), will be supported through this official partnership.

"Our new relationship with USA Triathlon is the perfect step for Quintana Roo and Litespeed." said Peter Hurley, President & CEO of American Bicycle Group. "Formally establishing ties with USA Triathlon will give us the opportunity to support and grow non-draft and draft-legal triathlons here in the United States. We are also excited that the USA Triathlon National Team Program will be training and racing on Litespeed road bikes for their draft-legal requirements."

“We are thrilled that American Bicycle Group is joining our family of sponsors to serve as USA Triathlon’s official bike partner,” said Chuck Menke, USA Triathlon Marketing & Communications Director. “Quintana Roo and Litespeed are part of an established, forward-thinking U.S.-based company in the endurance community, and we look forward to sharing that knowledge and technology with our age-group and elite athletes in the years to come.”

Two-time ITU World Cup champion and CRP athlete Katie Hursey is one of the athletes who benefits from the ABG-USA Triathlon relationship. “I am so grateful to have been provided with such a high-quality Litespeed bike through USA Triathlon’s new partnership. The opportunity to ride a well-designed piece of equipment is a huge step toward helping me and other athletes reach our goals at the highest levels of the sport.”

About USA Triathlon

Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon – the fastest growing sport in the U.S. Olympic Movement – as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with more than 550,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

About American Bicycle Group

American Bicycle Group, owners of Quintana Roo and Litespeed, produces high-performance bicycles that enable athletes to gain an advantage. Litespeed and Quintana Roo are global lifestyle and race brands. As a leader in titanium and composite technology worldwide, Litespeed continues a heritage of unparalleled technology coupled with unique, wind-tunnel tested designs. Quintana Roo invented both the triathlon-specific bicycle and wetsuit. The same creative juices that created the innovative fit and features that first made triathletes go faster are flowing still today.

Georiga State Games Road Race-Litespeed BMW Report

The Beginning of a GREAT Weekend!

By LITESPEED-BMW, on July 9th, 2013

 

This past weekend was a staple on the Georgia race calendar – The Georgia Games.  Saturday was the road race followed by the time trial and criterium on Sunday.  Being part of the Georgia Championship Series, LITESPEED-BMW knew this would be a good opportunity to score some points as we had several riders in the top 5 in both the Category 1 and Category 2 overall standings.

Waking up on Saturday, the weather looked a little iffy, but it ended up being perfect for racing – overcast skies with a chance of rain later in the race, with temps in the mid-70′s.  The field was small, and LITESPEED-BMW had the biggest showing with 4 guys in the race.  The race was cut from 5 laps to 4, making it about 72 miles instead of the planned 90 miles.

Chad Madan kicked things off on the first lap with an attack.  He stayed away with one other guy for most of the first lap, with the chase being mostly made by Tim Gotsick from Lupus and 5-Hour Energy.  Shortly after Chad got brought back, Nick Van Winkle created a gap on a short roller right before the end of the first lap and brought two guys with him.  A few minutes later, Dave Gearhart covered an attack that ended up bridging to the break.  There were now 5 guys up the road right at the start of the second lap, and two of them were LITESPEED-BMW.  PERFECT!

Chad and Garey sat in as Lupus and 5-Hour Energy continued to do most of the chasing, with a little help from Round Here and Beck. Finally, after almost a full lap the break was caught a few miles from the end of the second lap.  Chad whispered in Garey’s ear to start attacking.  We were approaching the climb toward the start/finish, so it was the perfect time to take his advice.  And so he went.

Nobody responded.  Garey rolled to the top of the climb, through the feed, and settled into a nice tempo.  Jon Atkins from Beck bridged up to him alone about a mile later, and they started working together.  The beginning of the lap had quite a lot of climbing, and a brutal headwind.  The two worked well together to increase their gap.  They never got a time split from the officials until much later, but the field was completely out of sight, so they knew they were in pretty good shape.  Jon and Garey finished a complete lap, taking equal turns.  But at the beginning of the 4th and final lap, Jon began to unravel. After the first few miles of that last lap, Jon stopped taking pulls and began to suffer from some cramping.  Shortly thereafter they got their first time split – 2 mins and 30 secs, and the race official added that there was nobody chasing.  Garey was beginning to question the success of our break once his partner stopped working, but that was all he needed to hear to bring some new life into his legs.  Jon was only able to take two short pulls in the last 10 mies, but that was just enough rest for Garey to keep on trucking, and it all worked out.  Garey came through the finish for the WIN with Jon about 30 seconds behind, and the field a few minutes back.

It was great experience all around.  We were aggressive from the first minute of the race, which put the other contenders in the difficult position of having to chase.  And after all the chasing was done for two laps, they couldn’t be bothered to chase for yet another two laps.  It was perfectly played by the team!  AWESOME teamwork all around by LITESPEED-BMW!

This was only the beginning of what turned out to be a fantastic weekend for the team!  Stay tuned for a report on how the time trial and criterium went down…

Garey on the top step of the podium!

Timex Athlete Erin Kummer Climbs to the Top.

I’m back racing!!!

Posted in Racing by Erin Kummer

Erin Kummer on her Litespeed

That’s right…first official bicycle race since July 2012 was the CU Short Track this past Wednesday night. Even though it’s only 25min long, I lined up, had a number plate on the bike, and got placed! I had already done a workout in the morning so I wasn’t super fresh but put out a good effort and most importantly didn’t feel like I was going to die!

3rd place at CU Short Track

The second race of the season was the Winter Park Hill Climb on Saturday morning. I placed 3rd in the Pro class and 5th overall but it definitely wasn’t pretty. I dropped my chain at the start which was a big hassle and overall I just didn’t feel great. My time was much slower than last year and my HR average was about 15 beats lower. Not really sure what that means but I’m just going to stick with my plan of racing for fun throughout this series. I’m going to do everything in my nature to not worry on how I place until CX season starts in September but rather focus on staying healthy and getting to the start line in September.

Love hearing/reading about everyone’s racing and all the great stuff you’re doing! Keep it up :)