2014 Litespeed Citico

First, if you're going titanium, you need to go Litespeed for the simple fact that our metalworkers are the best in the industry. Second, if you want a meticulously designed and fabricated top-of-the-line, performance hardtail, look no further than our 2014 Citico.


Lightweight and strong, 6AL-4V tubing- featured on the Citico- is the ultimate workhorse of the titanium industry. Whereas 3AL-2.5V is 60 ksi (tensile strength), 6AL-4V is 130 ksi. That's one reason why we're so selective about where and how we incorporate 6/4 into a bicycle frame. In fact, the Citico's top tube actually started out as a single sheet of titanium. Our proprietary radial break sheet forming process enables the 6/4 sheet to become dimensional so the top tube becomes taller as it gets closer to the head tube. At the same time, at a precisley calculated sweet spot on the tube, it also gets wider from side to side, increasing stiffness and helping to provide incredible steering feedback, accuracy, and power transfer. The result? Lower weight and increased stiffness, the best of both worlds.

Additionally, our 2014 Citico features a 44mm head tube to provide a wider platform for incorporating
the larger shape-specific tubing.

The Citico is made with our T1 titanium technology. All T1 frames are butted and shaped, undergoing a radical degree of manipulation to emphasize stiffness, compliance, handling, and strength. T1 frames are the most technically advanced titanium frames in the world. By applying knowledge acquired through partnerships with NASA and other external research associations, our designers and fabricators have created tube specifications and characteristics that you won't find in any other brand.

Inspired by Tennessee’s Citico Creek Wilderness, in which elevations can reach 4,600 feet, and only a few of the rugged upper terrain’s slopes incline less than 30 degrees, you can bet the titanium Citico hardtail is a true featherweight climber.

Whether the competition is the trail itself or a pack of buddies still negotiating the singletrack below, the Citico arrives equipped with pure advantage: The hexagonal-shaped top tube, 44mm head tube, and massive down tube combine for seriously efficient power transfer on steep-grades. It also offers precise steering control and tracking on wicked, twisted switchbacks or wild descents. In addition, titanium always makes for a softer ride on the rear end, no matter the terrain.

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.