I did a back to back comparison between my steel bike and the new Litespeed using the same wheel/tire combo on both bikes. My first impression is that the two ride very similar, however the titanium lessens the road buzz better than the steel bike. I know this is what everyone says about titanium and I was skeptical about it at first, but after feeling it first hand I can tell the difference. I will say though that the Litespeed is not as stiff as my carbon bikes, particularly in the bottom bracket area. When riding up hills with low cadence, I sometimes noticed that the frame would flex and the chain could slightly rub on the front derailleur. I’m a lighter rider who doesn’t push out huge watts, but I was still able to get some flex in the frame; something I’ve not experienced with my carbon bikes.
The bike is begging to be upgraded as it came with pretty low end components: full 105 5800 groupset, Shimano RS wheelset, alloy seat post, alloy bars, and a heavy carbon fork. It was not used much at all since the previous owner purchased it as his first bike and never really got into the sport. He only rode the bike on a trainer so the tires had never touched pavement before. All the components looked brand new, but the frame sadly had some marks from being in storage for a number of years.
Some pictures before the bike goes under the knife:
