Litespeed has an argument for being the best titanium manufacturer in the world, so they just stuck with what they are good at. They did briefly use carbon frames, but soon went back to leading the titanium industry. This also means that they can keep their manufacturing in the United States.
Litespeed Bike Buyer’s Guide
Written by: Nick Cowie | June 18, 2026 | Time to read: 5 min
Litespeed is one of the few brands that still manufactures its bikes by hand in the United States. Their frame material allows them to avoid outsourcing. Let’s take a closer look at what makes them special and some of their top bike models.
More about the Author: Nick Cowie
Nick is a writer with seven years of experience in the cycling industry. In his free time, he enjoys swimming, Jiu Jitsu, and spending time outdoors.
Litespeed road bikes are massive among titanium truthers in the cycling community. Litespeed is one of the few brands in the country that still hand-makes every one of their frames in their factory in the United States. While they are known for their lightweight titanium road bikes, they also go beyond the road. Be sure to check out Upway’s non-electric bikes section to see if you can find a great deal on a refurbished Litespeed bike.
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Table of Contents
Litespeed’s history
Founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1986, David Lynskey made a transition from manufacturing aerospace parts to making bikes. He worked in the family machine shop, using titanium to make these parts, and eventually used his experience to make one of the first titanium frames. The thought behind using titanium tubing for cycling was its low weight and high strength, making it race-ready and durable.
Titanium eventually became the standard in road cycling, and Litespeed started to manufacture road bikes for many of the world’s top riders and teams. In 1999, Lance Armstrong actually used a Trek-branded Litespeed titanium bike to win the Tour de France. Many riders did the same, but because of strict sponsorship rules in cycling, Litespeed never got the credit for their performance. As the sport progressed, Litespeed briefly started to make carbon frames, but today, they are back to their roots, manufacturing mostly titanium bikes in the United States.
| Model | Category | Key Specs |
|---|---|---|
| Litespeed Colls dels Reis | Climbing Road Bike | Titanium frame; sub-1,000g frame weight; disc brakes; tire clearance up to 35mm; optimized for climbing with vibration damping and compliance |
| Litespeed Spezia | Performance Road Bike | Titanium frame; flagship model; lightweight and highly stiff; designed for racing and all-around road performance; approximately 200g lighter than comparable titanium bikes |
| Litespeed Ultimate | Endurance Road Bike | Titanium frame; relaxed geometry; lightweight design; built for long rides and rougher roads; smooth ride quality and versatility |
| Litespeed Pinhoti III | Cross-Country Mountain Bike | Titanium hardtail frame; lightweight and compliant; designed for aggressive XC riding, climbing, and speed on trails |
| Litespeed Cherohala City | Urban / Commuter Bike | Titanium frame; upright and relaxed geometry; flat handlebars; vibration-damping design for city streets and mixed-terrain comfort |
| Litespeed Toscano | Gravel Bike | Titanium frame; marketed as the lightest titanium gravel bike; race-oriented geometry; lightweight, stiff, durable, and vibration-absorbing |
Litespeed road bikes
As a longtime secret leader at the highest level of cycling, Litespeed knows how to make some of the fastest road bikes in the world. Because they don’t really work with carbon frames, you won’t hear their name on Grand Tours, but for the average rider, they are still an elite brand.
- Litespeed Colls dels Reis: The Colls del Reis is simply the world’s lightest titanium disc brake road bike. It is designed for climbing enthusiasts to fly up hills with ease while benefiting from the compliance that titanium offers. The frame comes in below the 1,000-gram mark but still accommodates tires up to 35mm wide and dampens vibrations.
- Litespeed Spezia: The Spezia is the flagship bike of the Litespeed lineup. It is as lightweight as it is capable, designed for all areas of performance road riding and racing. It is also incredibly stiff, making it a great sprinter. The Litespeed Spezia is approximately 200 grams lighter than most comparable titanium models.
- Litespeed Ultimate: The Litespeed Ultimate is for the rider who wants to push their limits on the road. It is one of the longest-running bikes in their lineup and keeps the lightweight Litespeed way without sacrificing versatility. This endurance road bike features a more relaxed geometry for the rider who wants to put in long rides and take on less forgiving roads while maintaining smooth ride quality.
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Litespeed’s other bikes
While they are known for their road bike success, Litespeed’s titanium expertise extends off the road to mountain bikes, gravel bikes, and even urban city bikes. They are one of the best titanium manufacturers in the world, so riders should not hesitate to trust their non-road models to get the job done.
- Litespeed Pinhoti III: Serving as the only mountain bike in the Litespeed lineup, the Pinhoti III is a lightweight titanium hardtail. It utilizes Litespeed’s strengths in keeping weight low with speed and compliance high and brings it to the trail for the aggressive cross-country racer who likes to climb and push the pace.
- Litespeed Cherohala City: Made for urban riding and commuting, the Cherohala City keeps the lightweight titanium design but is adjusted for the city. Its frame includes a more relaxed and upright geometry with a flat-bar design for mixed-terrain comfort. Its frame focuses on vibration dampening to deal with unforgiving city streets.
- Litespeed Toscano: The Toscano is the lightest titanium gravel bike in the world. It includes a race-ready geometry, excellent stiffness, and the low weight that is typically reserved for Litespeed road bikes. Despite its low weight, the frame handles vibration very well, is durable, and capable of rolling over gravel bike terrain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Litespeed only use titanium?
Does Litespeed make full-suspension mountain bikes?
Currently, Litespeed does not make any bikes with suspension. They have one mountain bike in their lineup, which is the hardtail Pinhoti III.
Can you race Litespeed titanium bikes?
While titanium bikes are not seen in the Grand Tours, they are perfectly fine for racing. Litespeed titanium bikes have won the Tour de France, so they are great for the average road racer today.
Key Takeaways
- Every Litespeed frame is made in America: Because they use titanium, Litespeed is able to manufacture all of their frames in the United States. Each one is hand-crafted in their Chattanooga, Tennessee headquarters.
- Litespeed has an unknown history: In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, many bikes winning UCI races and even the Tour de France were Litespeed titanium bikes branded as other companies’ bikes.
- Check Upway for deals: Upway now carries non-electric bikes, which means that we could have some refurbished Litespeed bikes in stock for excellent prices at any time.
