Litespeed Vortex Dura Ace 10 Speed

Price Paid:  $5000.00 at Bicycle showcase, AZ

Model Year:
2003

Favorite Ride:
too many to list

Bike Setup:
Dura Ace 10 with Ksyrium SCs

Summary:
This was my first Ti road bike and after riding every other frame material I really am a believer is this magic material. After reading many reviews I am suprised that many things that I thought were unique to me have happened to others with the Vortex. The speed wobble has about made me crap myself but has only happened on rare occasions. I have had many 45+mph descents with no problem but 4 months to repair (I have suggested replacement since this is the 2nd time and I really don't want to be without my bike 4 months out of each year). I could pay more money for a newer model but am torn since other than my rare issue of speeed wobble I absolutely love the bike. My rating does not include customer service issues.

Strengths:
magic ride especially on centuries, good looking, reasonably light

Weaknesses:
wobble and warranty

Similar Products Used:
Trek, Clark Kent, Kestrel, Wilier, Raleigh

Price Paid:  $6300.00 at Newbury Park Bicycle

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Saturday Morning Pasadena Hustle

Bike Setup:
59cm Frame, FSA K-Force Bar 44cm, 130 Stem and 0 degree Seatpost, Reynolds Ouzo Pro Fork, Dura-Ace 6800 Gruppo, Mavic ES Wheel set, Fi:zik Alante Seat

Summary:
I'm 6'2 and weigh 230 lbs. Pretty fit, ex racer. I'm baffled when I hear of others experiencing any kind of head shakes or wobbles? I wonder if this is happening with other '05's or if this other years?

On Paceline...
Tracks true and solid, holds a very solid line despite it's "ability to turn so sharp a doctor could use it to carve out your Kidney" geometry, delivers the goods up the River, on the flats, on the sprints and if Robo was riding it on the climbs, he'd be G-O-N-E like a goat!

On Climbing...
It climbs better that me, for sure. It tranfers power so efficiently that when I stomp on the peddles the nose of the seat tries to get intimate with me. Bottom bracket takes all my sprinters short lived yet considerable power and transfers it to the rear wheel. How can these lighter guys be having problems??? I wonder if it's the model year?

On Descending...
My '05 Vortex is drop dead solid. On descents such as from Glendora Mtn. Road at full tilt boogie through corners it has never given me anything but pure confidence inspiring feedback. What ever the road ahead can through at us, it will handle without as much as a yawn. Never a waver, and once in the corner it tracks like a MotoGP Ducati. The '05 frameset with the 10 sided seat tube, Curved Seatstay and the piece of art Head Tube offers a very compliant ride over the bumps but tells me when I'm on less that smooth pavement.

General Miles...
I've done sprints to Centurys and longer on this bike and it keeps on delivering. I have almost 10,000 miles on it in two years time and it perfoms flawlessly time and time again. It looks as good as it did the day I bought it and upkeep is SIMPLE! Scratch, what scratch? Hand me the ScotchBrite!

Like one reviwer said it looks fast just siting in the garage, he was right. Two years of ownership and I sit in my garage just starring at the Vortex with my back to the $17,000 Italian motorcycle that it shares space with...it moves me in more ways than one.

Strengths:
Great all around bike. Too bad they don't make this frameset any longer. Not to mention it is a piece of art. The Tube shapes, aero seat stays though not as teardrop pronounced as on some of the '06 bikes i.e. Tuscany, are gorgeous. Form really follows function here. The top and down tube are balanced and compliment the overall design. The Cornerstone of this framset has to be the Head tube. It's an integrated head tube and it's bullit proof. Round on the top and bottom yet aero in the center. Do you know how much leverage is required to cold work this tube into shape? Simply amazing artwork! All those who own the '05 frameset count your blessings. As Keith Bontrager, one very astute bicycle design Guru (who has no allegience to Litespeed) said to me "don't ever sell that bike, you'll be sorry". The internal Cups are massive. They're simply over designed and that's a good thing when it comes to head bearing races. Frame is stiff where it needs to be, yet compliant for my 230 lb. frame. (Thor Hushvold is tiny next to me...) All I can say is it rolls baby, and it rolls fast.

Weaknesses:
I can't say this is a weakness so much as a characteristic. The steering geometry is very quick and thus the Vortex can seem a little nervous. You better be paying attention at all times or it will go left and you will go right. Be very careful if you decide on sitting up to grab something from a pocket and you let go of the bars with your hands. It's stable enough to ride and peddle with no hands but is very susceptible to weight transfers. Those who get to know this bike will love it, those who instantly compare it to another or previous bike without getting to know it will be better suited to a Buick than a Porsche or Ferrari.

Similar Products Used:
Six Thirteen, System Six, Serotta Ottrot, Seven Odonata, Trek Madone 5.9, Merlin Extralight I tried 'em all...

Price Paid:  $3500.00 at Frame from Colorado

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Tunitas Creek

Bike Setup:
110mm stem, WCS Carbon Bars, HP 40mm fork, Ksyrium SL Wheels nad 404 Zipp Wheels, Dura Ace

Summary:
The bike it excellent, I've found that the responsive ride translates to a rough ride when things get bumpy. I'm led to believe that this has more to do with the HP Pro fork, wich is exceptoinally stiff, than it does the frame. I've read lots on negative feedback about decending... I regularly bomb down descents at 40+ MPH with no wobble. I've found that the frame is well matched to the Ksyrium SL wheelset.

I only weight 155 lbs and I typically spin rather than hammer past my competition in races so I haven't noticed any flexing problems.

After reading the 20 preceeding reviews I'm led to believe that the 2005 frame lacked the welding problems of the 2006 frames and the handling problems of the 2004 frames.

Love the Vortex.... too bad Litespeed discontinued this frame.

Strengths:
Responsive, agility and climbing prowess

Weaknesses:
You really feel the big bumps... a very active ride.

Similar Products Used:
Litespeed Classic

Price Paid:  $5300.00 at Murfreesboro Outdoor

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
3 state 3 mountain challenge, Chatanooga, TN

Bike Setup:
10sp Dura-Ace, Reynolds fork, FSA K-force seatpost, K-wing bar, stem, Easton Orion II wheels, WTB laser V stealth saddle, Conti GP-4000 tires.

Summary:
Warranty support is abysmal. Took over 2 months to get cracked head tube repaired. Before and after, I think my bike is awesome. Actually it is an 04. Shoots up hills, screams down them. Only wobbles when I take my hands off around 25 or so. I've had it up to 57mph straight down...solid as a rock, straight as an arrow. Smooth as can be on centuries. Lovin' it. Overall rating is not counting warranty misery.

Strengths:
Smooth ride, quick acceleration, great descender.

Weaknesses:
Horrible support. For a $3300 frame, warranty work shouldn't even happen.

Similar Products Used:
Trek 5200, Specialized Roubaix

Price Paid:  $6000.00 at Trek of Pittsburgh

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
40 miles through the Game Lands

Bike Setup:
Real Design Fork, Full Dura-Ace,Real Design Wheels, ITM Stem,Post, Profile Design "wing" bars, Specialized Alias seat

Summary:
I purchased this bike the end of April 2007 (2006 model) with a full Dura-Ace Group. While riding up a hill on November 4th, I experienced a loud crack and felt the bottom bracket area get extremely mushy. I stopped immediately looking at the crankarm, pedal spindle - trying to diagnose the problem. You can imagine my surprise to see a crank in the frame on the down tube. As I looked closer, the frame was cracked along the weld of the entire rear section of the seat tube, continued on the crank side, and across the down tube (not along the weld) to the center of the tube. So much for the durability of titanium. I got the bike home and called the shop. It would have to be stripped down & returned to Litespeed. I emailed photos (attached) to them and received a couple of emails "sorry to hear" etc. I am working on a replacement which is where it gets even more interesting. They are offering to replace my "traditional" geometry Vortex with a "Compact" only at no charge. If I want "traditional" geometry I can pay an additional $1200 for the Archon (with a fork, $1000 without-even though the rake is different on my old one). This is a 6 month old bike that costs about the same as the Archon (which is listed with a fork/ Vortex without). Litespeed says that it costs a lot more to make the Archon than the Vortex - why did they charge almost the same price? Over the last 30 years, I have ridden several Treks (no hassle warranty), Serotta (still have) and would definitely look elsewhere - there are better bikes for the same or less money & no hassle warranty - especially in the first year!

Strengths:
Looks Good

Weaknesses:
Weak frame - only lasts 6 months
Lack of customer service

Similar Products Used:
Serotta Custom
Trek Madone (s)
Trek 5500
Cannondale

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