Chris Brown at the 2014 Scenic City Half-Marathon

Last Saturday, February 22, Litespeed employee and Litespeed-BMW rider Chris Brown made his half-marathon debut at the Scenic City Half Marathon. His time of 1:24:52, 6:29 pace for 13.1 miles, earned him an age-group victory and placed him 11th overall.

The race, which started and ended at the 50 yard line on Davenport Field at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, had been designated as the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) State Championship Event for Tennessee, and was put on by the Chattanooga Track Club.

A Litespeed C3 road bike, offered as a raffle prize, was won by Laura Pitman.

Get To Know Astellas Cycling Team... Clay Murfet

New for 2014, we are proud to sponsor Astellas Cycling in the team's first year as domestic professionals. Get to know the team: 

Name:  Clay Murfet

Age: 25

Hometown:  Launceston, Tasmania

When and why did you start cycling?  

2001, my brother was racing on the velodrome and I loved the look of it so I jumped on and had a try.

What do you like about cycling? 

I love the adrenaline of racing and training aspect of it. Training so hard and pushing your body to its limits and reaping the rewards.  Cycling rewards those who work the hardest.

What do you not like? 

Crashing. 

What do you do outside of cycling? Jobs, hobbies, family?   

I spend a lot of my time with my friends at the beach. Fishing, camping and hunting. Also as much time with my 5 year old nephew. I am his favorite Uncle! (and his only)

When did you start riding with Astellas? 

2014

How do you feel about becoming a Professional domestic team this year?  

It is going to be a great year for the team. This will be my 5th year as a pro and every year it gets more exciting.

What type of racing is your “specialty?”  

I would consider myself an All Arounder.  The harder the race the better.  Races of attrition.

What races are you excited for this year?  

Redlands, Joe Martin, Gila, Philly, Beauce and our European stint.

What bike will you be riding this year? 

Litespeed L1R

Anything else? Tips, tricks, advice?  

Advice to youngsters would be to just enjoy it and have fun until you get to about 18-19 and then decide if you love it enough to make a career out of it.  I see it too many times, really talented juniors get too serious too early and get burnt out and give up before they reach their 20s.

Be sure to follow @astellascycling and @ClayMurfet on Twitter

2014 Litespeed T1

Many consider the T1, formerly the Archon, the most technologically advanced metal bike ever created. We made the frame with a proprietary blend of 6/4 and 3/2.5 titanium and included features such as a PF30 bottom bracket and an oversized head tube for increased fork-tuning capabilities and precise handling. Our craftsman formed the elegant and functional top tube from a sheet of titanium into a 6-sided tube. We used oversized, shape-specific tube designs that result in a stiffer, yet more compliant, ride. Last but not least, our triple-butted chain stays are the pinnacle of thoughtful design. Our ingenious design and careful craft have resulted in a ride quality and responsiveness worthy of the prestigious Eurobike Design Award.

The T1 features:

A premium 6Al/4V radically shaped top tube shaped for maximum stiffness and our proprietary WRAP Technology at head tube/top tube junction for increased stiffness.

An oversized 44mm head tube and PF30 BB technology.

An asymmetric, triple-butted chain stay

And is handmade in the USA with T1 technology

Get To Know Astellas Cycling Team... Brandon Feehery

New for 2014, we are proud to sponsor Astellas Cycling in the team's first year as domestic professionals. Get to know the team: 


Name: Brandon Feehery


Age: 21

Hometown: Homewood, IL


When/Why did you start cycling? 

When I was 10 years old. Growing up I always went to my dad’s races and I wanted to be like him so when I turned 10 I got a road bike and started racing.


What do you like about cycling?

Traveling to new places to ride and race my bike and being able to push my body further then it has ever gone before.


What do you not like?


Crashing, but that comes with the sport whether you like it or not.


What do you do outside of cycling? Jobs, hobbies, family?

I like to play ice hockey and hang out with family and friends.


When did you start riding with Astellas?

2012


How do you feel about becoming a Professional domestic team this year?

This is a new opportunity for me and I am extremely excited to be racing for Astellas again this year.


What type of racing is your “specialty?”

Criterium racing.



What races are you excited for this year?

All the races, especially USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships and U23 Nationals.


What bike will you be riding this year?

LITESPEED L1R

A Look Inside Litespeed

2014 Litespeed Pisgah

Superior to top models from other manufacturers, our value-added Pisgah comes fully equipped with larger diameter, subtly shaped tubing — without the usual titanium price tag. The 2014 Pisgah is ready to defy gravity when climbing, manage XC adventures with ease, and knock your socks off on both the bike store floor and trail alike.

In-the-know cyclists consider us to be industry experts in titanium craftsmanship for a reason: continuous improvement, two simple words that summarize our design philosophy. For us, it is hard to not think about the next improvement on our frames. What is the next design for a tube and how can we make the next frame better? From the Ooltewah production floor to the road and trail, we obsess about “What next?”

We designed the Pisgah using 3AL-2.5V titanium tubing for the ultimate in combined value, dependability, and performance. For 2014 the new 44mm head tube and the larger diameter PressFit 30 bottom bracket are the heart and soul of the Pisgah mountain frame allowing us to incorporate a larger diameter top tube and down tube which offer increased strength and performance on the trail, while continuing to offer the magical, unmistakable ride qualities for which titanium is renowned.

Close inspection of the seemingly round tubes shows a carefully incorporated, subtle shaping of the 3Al/2.5V seamless cold-worked titanium tubing to add stiffness into the frame where necessary and compliance where it’s appreciated. As a part of our Shape Specific Design (SSD), we started by choosing tubing with exacting uniform wall thickness and then refining to achieve precision tolerances. Because of its 80 to 100mm of fork travel, the Pisgah allows proper suspension without compromising rider control. In short, the Pisgah’s simple, yet meticulous design offers a sweet ride at a sweet price.

We built the Pisgah for the challenges of steep grades and rough and tuff terrain like that found in the North Carolina forest it was named after. Added front end stiffness of the tubing combined with added stiffness offered by running a 1.5” tapered steerer fork maximizes both the frame and the components. The 44mm head tube allows use of either Ø1.125 straight or Ø1.125 x 1.5 tapered steerer forks and is also External Cup (EC) and Zero Stack (ZS) headset compatible. Asymmetrical chain stays deliver maximum drivetrain stiffness and power transfer so riders get the most for their muscle while PressFit 30 bottom bracket design means more ankle clearance, greater bearing durability, and simple installation.

With performance-inspired geometry identical to that of the Citico, the Pisgah puts our legendary performance into service for any cross-country, single-speed, or urban MTB build.  New frame design boasts MultiWheel Compatible (MWC) design-optimized for 27.5 inch wheels, yet still compatible with 26 inch wheels via an eccentric BB.  Hand-crafted in the USA, the Pisgah offers true, masterful titanium fabrication, a shot at single-track nirvana, and our heralded Litespeed badge at a level sure to attract a new crowd of titanium enthusiasts. 

Michael Royse: Riding To Live

For many of us, a bicycle is much more than just a machine. It is a way of life, a ritual that helps ground us and center ourselves as we go about our daily lives. For some people, though, a bicycle is what saves their life, giving them the strength to fight back and reclaim themselves, while at the same time becoming happier and healthier human beings. Michael Royse is one of those people. 

My name is Michael Royse.  I'm 39 years old and was diagnosed with Diabetes about 4 years ago.  I retired from cycling after marriage, kid and house came for over 10 years.  It was during this retirement that I was diagnosed with type 1.5 Diabetes.

So after awhile of feeling sad, I decided to dust off my old bikes. 10 years and 25 pounds heavier I slowly started to ride again.  Fast forward a few years, I've done several local bike events and feeling great.  Even though Diabetes is always right over my shoulder, I feel that with every pedal stroke I'm winning this race.

      I started building my "dream bike"(2005 Tuscany) a few years ago.  It took me about 18 months to slowly accumulate all the parts (dura ace 7700).  With the bike completed I truly love Litespeed bikes.  I'm a big fan of Ti but if I ever went with carbon fiber, I would definately go with Litespeed.   Thanks again for creating a great product and remember, limitations do not apply to everyone.

Sincerely,
Michael Royse
Diabetic 1.5 and riding to live. 

Get To Know Astellas Cycling Team... Ryan Aitcheson

New for 2014, we are proud to sponsor Astellas Cycling in the team's first year as domestic professionals. Get to know the team: 

Name: Ryan Aitcheson

Age: 23

Hometown: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

When/Why did you start cycling? 
Tried out many summer sports and didn’t enjoy them as much as mountain biking. Joined a local club at the age of 13 and rode with them.

What do you like about cycling? 
Started out mountain biking and loved being outdoors in the woods on trails that would always change. The speed also helps.

What do you not like? 
The long hours training, but it's worth it when you win.

What do you do outside of cycling? Jobs, hobbies, family? 
Work at a bike shop and train year around, so not much outside that. I pick up the guitar when I'm home and like to go out with my girlfriend.

When did you start riding with Astellas? 
2013 season. It was their second season around.

How do you feel about becoming a Professional domestic team this year? 
The many years of training have paid off. Being able to call myself a pro after years working up the ladder is a huge step that not many get to take.

What type of racing is your “specialty?” 
Crits and one day races.

What races are you excited for this year? 
Canadian Nationals is my most important race and also Joe Martin, since I have done well in the past.

What bike will you be riding this year? 
One of the C-Series frames. Excited to get it as it looks fast and very unique to the company.

You can follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanAit, and be sure to follow @astellascycling this year.

2014 Litespeed C1R

Cutting-edge.  Smart design. AeroLogic. The aerodynamic design of our C-series flagship, the C1R, was fine-tuned and tested in Charlotte's A2 wind tunnel. We carefully constructed it with aerodynamics in mind at every turn- aero seat post, shrouded water bottle mount, and aero tuned tube cross-sections-so that the C1R reduces average aero wattage by almost 30 watts, a 16% advantage across all yaw angles compared to a traditional road bike.  It is not unlike adding an expensive pair of race wheels to a non-aero bike... minus the expense.

To round out this ground-breaking frame design, we incorporated features such as full internal cable routing for all cables/wires, 60T carbon, Di2 compatibility and BB30 for one loaded bike. The C1R is available as a frameset or completely decked out bike with Shimano Di2 components as shown.

Refined carbon construction for 13% increase in stiffness of front end, thanks to our Reactive Pressure Molding (RPM) carbon fiber construction method.

Unique Aero shrouded water bottle mounting, which makes such necessary cargo almost invisible to the wind.

Morphed seat stay design to increase aero performance, stiffness and ride comfort, while saving weight at the same time.

Get To Know Astellas Cycling Team... Jake Rytlewski

New for 2014, we are proud to sponsor Astellas Cycling in the team's first year as domestic professionals. Get to know the team: 

Name: Jake Rytlewski

Age: 31

Hometown: Bay City, MI  

Current: Boulder, CO

When/Why did you start cycling? 

I started in cycling at the age of 14. My dad got involved in the sport and then so did my brothers and myself. 

What do you like about cycling?

Being able to go out and ride any where you want and on any road. Every ride can be an adventure. Also exploring and riding in new areas. 

What do you not like? 

Drivers who don't understand cyclist have rights and cyclist who don't understand they have to follow laws as well. 

What do you do outside of cycling? Jobs, hobbies, family? 

I work full time now as a cycling coach with FasCat Coaching out of Boulder Colorado. I will be married 7 years this September, have 1 daughter who is 4 and one on the way in May. I also enjoy drumming but don't have much time. 

When did you start riding with Astellas? 

I started with Astellas in 2012, the first year it was a team. 

How do you feel about becoming a Professional domestic team this year? 

I've done it for 7 previous years. I'm excited to get back to it and it is always great to be racing at the top level in the US. I'm also looking forward to sharing my experiences and knowledge with the younger guys on the team and to help them out. I've done almost all the same races for years now. 

What type of racing is your “specialty?” 

Hilly road races and stage races. 

What races are you excited for this year? 

USPRO Road Championships 

What bike will you be riding this year? 

T1. My best year as a domestic pro was on a titanium bike. I'm excited about getting back on one. Especially from a company who is known for their great titanium bikes. 

Anything else? Tips, tricks, advice? 

Love what you do and do what you love. It's not easy and sacrifices will have to be made, but you have to be willing to make them to succeed. Of course I've never could have made it to where I am now without the help of others, especially my parents and wife. 

Be sure to check out his blog "The Breeze Journal" and follow him on Twitter @jakerytlweski. Don't forget to follow @astellascycling either.

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.