Submitted by
Trevor Allen
a Recreational Rider
from
Date Reviewed: February 21, 2011
Strengths: Performance, value and the 'it' factor that will have you talking about your bike to other admirers.
Weaknesses: None. Unless you like blending in with the crowd....
Bottom Line:
I have owned steel, carbon and other titanium bikes in the past. Each frame had its particular strengths and weaknesses with respect to weight, stiffness, comfort, etc. So when I wanted a new bike near the end of 2009 I wanted to get the bike that combined the benefits of each material; the best of all worlds, so to speak. I read reviews of scores of frames from at least 20 manufacturers, picked a number of brains in the biz, and trusted my own judgement. Titanium was the way to go. My previous Ti frame was my overall favorite ride, and I was longing to go back to it. So I called Jim O'Brien at the Right Gear and told him I was thinking of getting a Lynskey. He replied that there was a "World of difference" between the Ti I had before and the Lynskey. Man, was he right! This bike is stunning in every way. Every bit as light as high-end carbon bikes (Okay, maybe world class racers might notice the few grams of difference, but 99% of riders won't). This bike, folks is stiff! I am not a small guy (6'1" and 190 lbs.), and there is simply NO flex in this frame. Energy put into pedaling transfers directly to the pavement in the form of forward motion. The R330 is a stable, confidence-inspiring bike - on descents, in turns or in any condition. My frame was shipped with an Alpha Q (GS-10) fork, which has proven to be a very suitable pairing. There is no flex in the fork, even in hard, out-of-the-saddle climbing or sprinting. Since I am a recreational rider, I wanted (most of all) a comfortable bike, one on which I would look forward to completing long rides. This is what makes this bike and this company really shine. Shortly after getting the Lynskey I did a 60+ mile ride and my 40-year old body felt great afterward. This bike is a joy to ride! Comfortable, stiff, light, and stunning good looks! And mine is a 'Houseblend' version. Lynskey offers an entire custom build-up as an option. Its hard to imagine it getting any better...
Similar Products Used: 2000 Lemond Victoire - Ultegra build and Rolf Vector Comp Wheelset
Bike Setup: Why buy the best Ti and NOT spec it with the best componentry? I had this frame built with a Campy Super Record 11 gruppo (crankset, shifters, brakes, derailleurs; Record headset); Deda Newton bar & stem, Deda Superzero seatpost; Selle Italia SLR saddle; Mavic Ksyrium ES wheelset; Look Keo pedals
Strengths: Extremely smooth welds and generally high build quality.
Stiff and responsive during aggressive acceleration but comfortable enough while you're rumbling over long gravel sections at a race pace.
A good value considering I plan to take the frame to my grave.
Top notch customer service/representatives.
Weaknesses: Like another reviewer, I am not terribly happy about the decals but there are many nice ti frame builders who still use them rather than etching (Moots, for example).
I would really prefer a cast or machine headtube badge, though, even before laser etching of the logos. The current badge doesn't look like it will hold up to years of use nearly as well as something that is machined from a small block of titanium.
Bottom Line:
I purchased a Houseblend R330 frame and Alpha Q GS-10 fork in August 2009. A Cane Creek S3 headset was installed by my favorite LBS and I put on the rest of the components, which were all identical from the previous bike. The Lynskey purchase was intended to eliminate my bike lust. I had become very tired with always wanting the latest carbon that Contador, Boonen, or whoever was riding to their success. I wanted a bike made of metal, made in America, and made to last. My personal build is a climber-type but I also savor bad weather riding and anything on gravel. The bike I wanted needed to be light enough to not get in the way when I (attempt to) attack my buddies on climbs but also needed to be durable enough to take beatings over washboard gravel.
So, those were my requirements. Honestly, I no longer remember what pointed me in the direction of Lynskey. I was considering something in this $2k price range and spent several months doing online research. I expected titanium would be the best metal since I wasn't concerned with lugwork or beautiful paint schemes. Frankly, I had always loved my friend's titanium bikes decked out in nothing but some etching or minor decals. Hand-brushed titanium is just stellar. And somehow I discovered Lynskey.
The previous bike I was coming from was a 2009 Specialized Tarmac SL, at the time one of their top-tier carbon bikes. Since I built the Lynskey using the same components from the Tarmac, I was able to, from one day to the next, determine how well the Lynskey rode in comparison.
The first impression was that I truly was not sacrificing any comfort by going back to a metal bike. Titanium is not aluminum (from my Cannondale CAAD experience) and the Lynskey is just as comfortably responsive as the Tarmac. But it clearly is a bit "firmer" in terms of putting the power down. It hops out of tight corners just like the best of bikes and allows me to step on the pedals on a climb and get instant acceleration.
After 18 months with the Lynskey, my main objective is complete: I no longer have bike lust. Yes, they also make that beautiful Helix frame, but I think I'm quite happy with the R330; the no-nonsense design really appeals to me. This frame will leave my stable only by force.
I've raced all sorts of events, done informal racing centuries, group rides, weekly hammerfests, countless repeats of my favorite local 22% gradient... this bike does everything extremely well and I've never had any suspicion that I'm missing out by having given the cold shoulder to a carbon frame.
On another front, without ridiculous oversized tubing, cleaning the frame down is a piece of cake since a cloth can easily make it around all of the tubes. It genuinely saves time to clean a frame when you aren't trying to weasel a cloth around clunky carbon shapes.
The bike is truly an all-arounder but is probably stiff and race-like enough to turn-off those only interested in casual riding (or those considering a bike in the "plush" category). When you hit a bump, you'll feel it but only about equally with almost any top-shelf carbon racing bike nowadays. For racing situations, that stiffness is important for accelerating and steering precision. Perhaps it can be said that the Lynskey balances comfort and stiffness admirably.
So, I highly recommend Lynskey for those of you wishing to ditch the carbon craze. For better or worse, this may be the last bike you'll ever buy.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Tarmac SL, Cannondale CAAD9 and Six13, Trek Madone 2006 year
Bike Setup: Hand-brushed R330 frame
AlphaQ GS-10 fork
Cane Creek S3 headset
SRAM Rival 2009 year shifters (the aluminum levers)
SRAM Force derailleurs, brakes
Shimano Dura Ace 2008 crankset
Shimano Ultegra chain and cassette
Bontrager Race Lite handlebars
Bontrager Race X Lite stem, seatpost, saddle
Ambrosio 32 hole rims laced to Dura Ace 7700 hubs.
Listed bike build is 17.8 pounds but that's the price I pay for loving a nearly all-metal bike. With some lighter mid-grade aluminum clincher race-day wheels, the weight goes to 16.6 pounds.
Strengths: amazing ride quality.
price, got a good deal on 1yr old frame off ebay.
Weaknesses: if had to be critical of anything, just that i hate decals on a nice bike. wish they'd just etch'em all. i could have it done for around $300 i think but not worth the hassle.
Bottom Line:
i like another poster bought the R330 as a second bike to my Ti Tri Bike. After only 1st ride, i'm totally impressed. Bike is light (considering frame weight at around 2.8 lbs), 15 lbs by my home scale, making it very responsive on climbs and out of the saddle, power goes straight to the road. i'm 175lbs and i feel no flex, bike feels plenty stiff and amazingly smooth over various surfaces, best ride i think i've experienced (past bikes include, specialized, cervelo, other ti bike). anyway, still getting used to it but must say all the reviews i read before making this purchase were "on the money".
This is for a 09 R330 frame that I got last October. After debating the pros and cons of different materials I settled on titanium. I'm a 58 yr old rider that prefers the label enthusiastic rider rather than recreational rider. Having owned several nice steel bikes (Colnago and Fuso) in the 1980's I was looking for a new bike to replace my Specialized S-works Aluminum frame. I wanted something handcrafted and made in the USA. There are a number of titanium bikes made in the USA. I did my homework, reading reviews posted here, on Pez as well as several others. The price of the Lynskey was definitely the deal breaker. I finally gathered up enough cash to get all my components and was able to get the bike assembled last week. I choose a Ritchey super carbon logic seat post, Ritchey wcs carbon 4-axis stem, FSA compact bar, Fizak Arione seat, Look keo max 2 pedals paired with the 2010 Sram force group, Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels, and Continental Grand Prix 4000 tires. I couldn’t be more pleased with the finished product. The bike is super smooth, crisp and sharp and just feels more responsive and lively than my Aluminum S- works. Even though I have yet to be professionally fitted, I brought my S-works to my local bike shop to compare the measurements and geometry between it and the Lynskey and the fit seems to be dialed in perfectly. No, my average speed hasn’t magically increased 2 mph, but the level of comfort I am experiencing has increased exponentially. My 5 day, 120 miles per week of riding will most definitely edge closer to 180 – 200 miles a week. The reward was well worth the wait.
Submitted by
mylynskey09
a Recreational Rider
from
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2010
Strengths: Stiff, Light, Well Finished. Longlasting & Comfort
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Was Looking At Baum Ti Frame made locally & found Lynskey on The Web. Did some reaserch & found that the Lynskey was comparable to the Baum, but thousands odf dollars cheaper. Got my R330 frame direct from the factory. being A taller rider, I have had problems in the past with fitting with non custom made frames. I can say this was not the case with the R330. It is beautifully made, with a simplicity that belies the quality. It rides like a dream, soaking up anything my local roads can serve up. It fits like a glove & I have had little adjustment to make it comfortable. Climbs superbly, but descends almost perfectly balanced with hardly a wobble. Finished with Chris King Headset & Campagnolo Record, I could not wish for a more complete package
Been riding it through the month of May - more than 1000 km's - love it.
Sram Red (2009) with Dura Ace (7900) cassette (11-28) and chain
Dura Ace 7850 C 24 CL
Edge 1.0 road f Read More »
