Cycling Weekly Features the 2011 Archon C1R

The UK's Cycling Weekly featured the 2011 Litespeed Archon C1R in their May 19th issue. As the flagship model in Litespeed's Archon C-series, Cycling News praised the C1R for its improvements over the 2010 Archon C1 and its real world aerodynamic workings which are wind tunnel-proven.


Not the first time the Archon C1R has turned heads at Cycling Weekly, click here to see more photos.

UK cyclists should head to Evans Cycles to see the 2011 Archon C1R for themselves. In the US and everywhere else, find your local Litespeed dealer here.

Litespeed C1R in 3D Series: Field Notes with Bryce Walsh

Ultra cyclist Bryce Walsh just won the Calvin’s Challenge, a 12-hour race held each spring in Springfield, Ohio. Bryce—who is also a coach for Vision Quest in Chicago—trains and races exclusively on the new Litespeed Archon C1R. We caught up with Bryce after his win to see how the bike performed on the reportedly windy ride.

Litespeed: While the Calvin’s Challenge certainly isn’t the longest race you’ve completed, it’s been somewhat of a challenge for you. What has been the issue in previous years and what led you to victory this spring?

Bryce: I always do terrible at this race so that made it tense. In previous years I’ve either gotten a flat right away or have stopped to take a bathroom break at the wrong time. Also, the race is fairly flat; there are barely any climbs and that tends to favor the bigger guys who can just kind of power through it. But the C1R was great. I averaged about 21 mph for 12 hours in really harsh wind.

Litespeed: You’ve recently converted from two bikes—an Independent Fabrication built for comfort and a Cervelo P2 used for time trials and flat races—to using just one, the Litespeed C1R. How has your training and racing changed now that you exclusively use the C1R?

Bryce: This thing [the C1R] has been really comfortable, but it is also just as aero [as the Cervelo]. It feels like I’m not getting beat up as bad as I did on the Cervelo. I am pretty excited about my experience with the C1R so far and [as well as] at the Calvin’s Challenge and am looking forward to checking out how it will work on future flat races.

Litespeed: Bryce, you seem to have gotten into ultra cycling almost by accident. What’s the pull for you?

Bryce: I did start the whole thing backwards. I used to be a tourist. I’d pack up my bike, visit a country and ride across it. Then a friend mentioned brevets. From there I started getting a little faster, and I learned there were all of these really long races. I’ve always been an endurance athlete. Even as a runner, I’ve always preferred the longest race I could find. At the end of each year, I set a goal and if I hit that goal it triggers another thing that I’ll let myself do. It’s taken me all over the world!

Litespeed: So what has been your favorite race and destination so far?

Bryce: The Race Across Switzerland took me across something like 12 of the highest passes in Austria, Switzerland and Italy. That was really cool.

Litespeed: Where are you heading this year?

Bryce: I’ve got a 24-hour race in Michigan in June. And my goal race this year is the Race Across Oregon, which is about 530 miles. Then it’s the PBP [Paris-Brest-Paris], which is 750 miles, and the LOTOJA in Wyoming at about 207 miles, which in reality is a short race for me.

Litespeed: So this all begs the question: What are your goals for next year?

Bryce: I’d like to do the Tour d’Afrique. It begins in Cairo and ends in Cape Town and it’s spread out over four months. Then when I get back I’d have less than a month before the Ride the Divide [The Great Divide Mountain Bike Race]. The record is 17 days and 23 hours, but I have no idea how long it will take me. That will be a new adventure for me. I’ll have to carry everything I need. Nobody is going to be there to hand me a water bottle. I’ve also got the ultimate goal to go back to RAM [Race Across America], but I am not going to do it until I can do 500 miles in 24 hours. I’m inching my way up. My best one so far is 479.

Litespeed: Well Bryce, we’re confident your determination and hard work will get you there, and we’re all excited to watch you attack these races this season and the exciting ones on your docket for 2012. Thanks for taking time out of your training schedule to catch up with us.

Bryce: You’re welcome. I’ll keep you posted as to how things are going by sending frequent Field Note reports. It’s going to be a wild summer, but I’m excited to really see what the C1R can do!

Check back often for Bryce’s C1R in 3D Field Notes from his races around the country and across the globe. We’ll also be posting additional items for the C1R in 3D Series w/Bryce Walsh including video interviews with Bryce on training, bike design, race destinations, performance, comfort, nutrition, and the C1R’s unparalleled Aerologic technology. Happy riding! Learn more at Litespeed.com.

Trisports University Features the Litespeed Archon C3

Trisports University is a new, educational, editorial effort by Trisports.com to inform athletes about the products available in the marketplace. One of the first bikes reviewed is the 2010 Litespeed Archon C3. Readers will enjoy a finely dissected look at each feature of the Archon C3 frame, commentary on the rest of the Archon C-series (C1 and C2), and an education on carbon fiber.

Be sure to check out the full article titled The Old Dog’s New Trick by Tom Demerly at:
http://university.tri-sports.com/2010/07/20/the-old-dog%E2%80%99s-new-trick/

Enjoy the excerpt from the review below about the Archon C3 features, from tapered steerer front for stiffness to the cobble-comfort, ride-tuned rear. It is apparent that no detail was overlooked in the crafting of this bike. From The Old Dog’s New Trick:

The rear triangle on the Litespeed Archon C contributes significantly to the racy performance under acceleration and pave’-taming ride quality. The unique asymmetrical chainstays on the Archon C’s improve sprint and acceleration by moving material to the areas that need it most during a sprint or attack. The right (drive side) chainstay is significantly deeper at 51mm deep where it leaves the bottom bracket. On the rider’s left (non-drive side) the chainstay is only 36mm deep, providing lighter weight and less material where it is not needed. It also provides compliant ride quality. It’s a difference you can feel and, combined with a unique fork design, makes for a platform that is particularly responsive to hard pedal input. This is an attacker’s bike with adequate comfort to stay with the breakaway.

For more information about the Archon C3, please visit the Litespeed website at www.litespeed.com.

Litespeed-BMW on the Podium-Roswell Recap, 2/3 Race

Enjoy the race report from the Historic Roswell Criterium category 2/3 race. Loaded with racers and super-competitive, congratulations to Litespeed-BMW racer Benjy Coil for earning third place.

125 riders stood on the start line of a fasts, tight cornered course, and this being one of the largest races in the southeast, as well as one of the USA Crits Superweek races, it all seemed to add up to some palpable pre-race jitters.

Since the race is on the national calendar, there were many guys up from Florida, who are always notoriously strong in the Spring, yet not as accustomed to the rolling hills as we are, as well as everyone and anyone from all over the Southeast. Point being, the field was packed and ready.

From our team, Nick, Calvin and Benjy started the race. Most of the other guys opted to enter the Pro/1 race later in the evening. The 2/3 event, as always, was fast right from the start. Throughout the race there were small groups of 2 or 3 that kept shooting up the road only to be quickly caught. The most active were clearly the 3 Hincapie Development riders who constantly attacked and were always in the each of the good moves. Benjy was able to ride steady near the front of the pack, but really was not feeling very strong, kind of an off day. Also, there were numerous crashes and sketchy moments. With around 8 laps to go, three riders were looking smooth together and getting further up the road. No one in the front really wanted to give a big effort to chase. Benjy felt as if he only had one all out effort in the tank, thus he chose to wait for the field sprint. Maybe the group of 3 would be caught by then?

As the gap slowly came to a close, on the final lap, we caught a rider who had just been dropped from the break. Benjy came into the final turn, a bit too forward in second position, and could see the two riders ahead. Inexplicably, the guy ahead of in first position started to soft pedal and swivel his head around (that’s called “blowing up”)! At this point, Benjy’s hand had been dealt. He had to go around then and was able to hold a long sprint to take the field sprint for 3rd place. One on the Hincapie kids won finishing 5 seconds ahead of the field.

On the podium and takes the field sprint. Great work Benjy and great support from the guys!