Litespeed 2000 Palmares

Price Paid:  $0.00

Favorite Ride:
21 mile loop around Coralville Lake

Bike Setup:
Dura Ace 9 speed. PD-7810 (dura ace) pedals. Mavic Open Pro rims. Michelin Pro 3 tires.

Summary:
Bought this with full dura ace 9 setup. Mavic Open Pro rims. Sold a '04 Litespeed Firenze. Upgraded to the best from Litespeed for nothing.

Strengths:
This is the nicest bike I have ever owned. Fast, stable, sprints, climbs. I did over 8k on this bike this season and it still cleans up as nice as the day it was new. I've never owned carbon, and all the guys I ride with seem to show up with new bikes every other year- many due to frame warranties. I bought this bike to last as long as I care to ride her.

Weaknesses:
None. Best. Period. If you can find one of these used, you'd be wise to ditch that carbon crap and step up!

Similar Products Used:
'04 Firenze. '05 Tuscany (with S&S couplers- my travel bike)

Price Paid:  $0.00 at eBay

Favorite Ride:
Any sunny day in Zurich

Bike Setup:
Full Campy Record 10 speed, Mavic Ksyrium SLs with Conti 4000s. Eastom carbon post and Reynolds Ouzo pro fork.

Summary:
I came across a used Palmares in 2004. After reading the reviews here I sold my Merlin and bought the Palmares. As a large rider (6'2" and 240 lbs) i did flex the Merlin some and thought that the Palmares would provide the extra stiffness. I was right! The Palmares is a flat out incredible ride. No flex at the BB in or out of the saddle. Tracks absolutely perfect. I went on a 2 year assignment to Switzerland and brought it with me. Many of the towns I have ridden in have cobblestones and the mix of a carbon fork and seatpost and 6/4 Ti frame soaks them up. It is also nice to have a Ti bike in bad weather. Cleans up perfectly. Overall one of the finest bikes I have ever ridden. It is a shame Litespeed discontinued. Heard it was very expensive to make with all of the various shaped tubes. Regardless, this bike will be in my stable for a long time. Thank you Litespeed!

Strengths:
Quality of construction, road feel, and overall comfort. The paint did get a chip but Litespeed sent me a free bottle of touch-up paint.

Weaknesses:
None whatsoever.

Similar Products Used:
Merlin XLC, Merlin Extralight

Price Paid:  $3200.00 at River City Bikes, Ch

Favorite Ride:
Litespeed Palmares

Bike Setup:
2000 61cm Palmares, Campy Chorus 10, Mavic Ksyrium Elite.

Summary:
This bicycle rocks.

Strengths:
Very solid feel, very comfortable. Masterpiece construction.
I've wanted a Litespeed forever but was concerned about the flex of Ti. I am 6'3, 215, and like to climb. I knew it would take an Ultimate or Palmares to provide enough lateral stiffness to satisfy. I came from the stiffest bike on the planet (`94 3.0 Cannondale 63cm), ouch!
Needless to say, the Palmares was everything I hoped it would be. It corners amazingly, it's plenty stiff when out of the saddle, yet very compliant when seated. As stated earlier, I've wanted a Litespeed forever, and beleive me, it didn't dissapoint.

Weaknesses:
With 300mi on the ODO, I have yet to find any weaknesses. Honestly I don't anticipate any either.

Similar Products Used:
Cannondale 3.0, (although not really that similar huh)!

Price Paid:  $5400.00 at The Skirack

Bike Setup:
57cm, British Racing Green (or is it LandRover green?) paint, ITM stem, Easton Carbon bars, Dura-Ace

Summary:
Changing from my 1993 Classic to the 2000 Palmares was an incredible experience. The Palmares was so much more lively and solid and tracked like it was on rails. I was very happy with this frame, and with Litespeed until I started having paint issues (and this prevented me giving this a 5 rating).

I've heard about how difficult it is to paint titanium, but I thought that Litespeed had it worked out.

Six months after I purchased the Palmares, I was taking a frame number off (it was after a Stage Race). I had the number taped on with black electical tape. As I pulled the tape off from the frame, some paint came up.

I took it to my local dealer and they contacted Litespeed. Unfortunately, I didn't have the piece of tape, and Litespeed told my friend at the bikeshop that I was out of luck. I was kicking myself over loosing the tape!

After some more chatting (and a few emails to Litespeed) they took my frame back to look at it. After inspection they said that I scraped it. I said that I did not. It did look a little like a scrape, but I tried to reassure them that it was not a scrape and that I wasn't lying.

They said that they'd give me some touch up paint for free. I said no way, I paid too much money for this frame to have the paint come up like it did. In addition, the paint seemed to chip easily. There were some chips on the lower part of the frame. I know that they can be caused by normal use, but I haven't had a bike chip like this.

After some more messages and bickering, they decided to repaint the frame. I got the frame back and it was repainted, but it wasn't the greatest job and I could see pitting in the paint (it looked like it was repainted when looking closely at it).

But I was happy to have it taken care of. However, later in 2000 I was polishing my frame and much to my dismay, some paint came off in between letters in the Palmares decal on the top tube.

Go figure...

I will keep my Palmares, and it's a great frame, but I'm not buying a Litespeed again. If I had that piece of tape, it probably would have made things easier, but it sure was difficult dealing with them. They made it clear that they thought that I was lying.

I was tempted by the new Litespeed Ghisallo, but I opted for a Colnago C40 instead. That has a wonderful paint job.

Strengths:
Ride quality. Appearence. Apart from the paint issues, I think my bike looks like a work of art. This frame really is a sweet ride.

Weaknesses:
Paint. Maybe I just have a "problem" bike, but I hope that Litespeed has improved their painting process. It's a little expensive, too, but worth it.

Similar Products Used:
Litespeed Classic vintage 1993

Price Paid:  $3300.00 at ColoradoCyclist

Favorite Ride:
All of 'em

Bike Setup:
54cm, Dura Ace 9s build kit, Mavic Cosmos, Axial Pros, Sella Ti, King HS, 3ttt bar and stem, Look HSC3,

Summary:
This review is of the 2001 Palmares. I purchased this bike from ColoradoCyclist as a pre-built bike. The components on the bike are all top line Dura Ace and equivalent, which don't need additional comment or review by me. (Do look at my review of the American Classic seat post - unfavorable.) The construction work on the frame is impeccable; the welds are true and border on being artistic. Yes, the decals are cheesy and not well applied, and I don't like riveted bottle bosses, but I love the detail work on the dropouts and head badge.

I've now put about 300 mi. on the bike, including some long uphill efforts and very fast downhill runs. Having ridden custom built steel frames by Serotta, Masi, Eisentraut and Colnago I have a reasonable understanding of what a quality built steel frame feels like. I was concerned that at 215 lbs. I might experience an unacceptable amount of flex in the bottom bracket during out of saddle efforts. To the contrary, other than purpose built track frames, I have never ridden a bike this stiff. I had expected the ride to be a bit less harsh than my steel bikes, but I was totally unprepared for how comfortable this frame would be. The Palmares is an absolute pleasure to ride. The back end of this bike feels like it has a 47 in. wheelbase in terms of comfort but tracks like a criterium bike! On the front end, the Look HSC 3 fork completely dampens out any harshness caused by the radial front wheel.

Bottom line: this is a great bicycle frame that is equivalent to or superior to the best steel frames in the world. I really feel that this bike is perfect for a big rider who wants the benefits of titanium in a frame that affords adequate stiffness and a comfortable ride. I am greatly disappointed to learn that Litespeed has discontinued the Palmares and it will not be offered in their 2002 line. For anyone who's interested, my frame will be available for repurchase in about fifteen years.

Strengths:
Superb workmanship, ultra-stiff and still comfortable.

Weaknesses:
Decals

Similar Products Used:
Serotta, Masi, Colnago, Eisentraut