Check out the great photos and review for the Litespeed Archon C3 which appear in the June 2010 issue of Road Bike Action. Expect to read things like “The C3 really shined on descents, and when we pointed it in a direction, it tracked a line without a hitch. It was stable enough when out of the saddle sprints became necessary, and most test riders found it to be comfortable on long rides..."
The Litespeed-BMW Cycling team based in Atlanta is riding and racing the all-new Archon C1 in 2010. Initially, Litespeed sought evaluations from the team for suggestions on improving the design, ride-ability, looks, etc of the Archon C1. So, big and small, sprinter and climber, Cat 1 and Cat 5, we got all the racers' opinions.
A couple of months have passed for some of the guys, and the rave reviews are still coming. In addition to hearing the comments of racers on competitors' bikes about the eye-catching graphics (let's call it Pack Envy), the C1 is performing as well as it looks.
After a weekend of racing in Alabama, racer Christian Leask states, "One thing we can say for sure is that there is nothing on the market right now that rails a criterium corner like the LITESPEED Archon C1, and just the same, nothing the can handle a full-on uphill sprint like that bike can. Simply amazing."
Another racer praises the C1 after a grueling 6 hour ride at the Cheaha Challenge, saying, "This bike breaks all the rules. I don't know if it's better at racing or touring, or just the best at both!"
The photo is taken along California's stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), just outside of Solana Beach. On any sunny Saturday in Southern California, over 1000 bikes per hour will pass a given point along a scenic stretch of road just like this. This stretch of the PCH is just one of the many beautiful miles of road which extends from Alaska to Chile.
Litespeed continues as a primary sponsor for the new Litespeed-BMW Cycling team, an elite amateur road team based out of Atlanta, GA for 2010. Formerly Pacesetter Steel Presented by Litespeed in 2009, Litespeed has sponsored the team since 2004.
Around the time of the launch of the Litespeed Archon C1 framset back in August 2009, we decided to run a competition on the (in)famous Weightweenies forum for a regular to receive a loan of a Litespeed C1 frame for 3 months, on the basis that they built the bike up to a very high level using their own components and provided a complete review to be seen by all on the forum. This generated a huge amount of interest/hits at the time. The original post received well over 5,000 views.
"Whatever you make of it, the workmanship and care brought to this new generation of frames is a complete success. The range looks promising and, on the road, the ARCHON C3 offers serious advantages."
The Litespeed C2 made it into the recommended 3000 - 5000 dollar category in the Road Bike Action Magazine 2010 Buyer's Guide, while the C3 was a top pick for the 2000 - 3000 dollar range.
"Two Years: Thats how long Litespeed took to hone the ride and performance of the C series, a three-bike line based on aerodynamic innovation and the recent aero-road trend."
"If you're after an addictively aggressive, precise and agile bike thats still underlined with the unmistakable silk sheen of titanium, the Archon is utterly sublime."
The Litespeed Archon is featured in the latest issue of RoadBIKE magazine.