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First Look! 2012 Litespeed L1R BB386EVO Road Bike & Cohutta Titanium 29er Hardtail

2012 Litespeed L1R BB386EVO carbon fiber road bike with new bottom bracket standard
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2012 Litespeed L1R BB386EVO carbon fiber road bike with new bottom bracket standard

Rumored from the outset of BB386EVO’s introduction, Litespeed now has a near-production versions of their new L1R road bike.

Shown above, we’re a bit light on the full frame construction details, but there are some rather unique design cues worth showing alongside the usual frame pics. With a bit more standard looking frame than their Archon, the L1R looks pretty darn good in this matte black design with dark red striping and glossed logo. They wouldn’t let us weigh it because this is a pre-production from, but I will tell you this: It was light.

For the dirt loving crowd, there’s a new titanium 29er hardtail called the Cohutta. Check it all out behind the jump…

2012 Litespeed L1R BB386EVO carbon fiber road bike with new bottom bracket standard

The L1R frame was shown with wiring ports for Di2 and standard cable bosses. As a quick refresher, the BB386EVO standard easily retrofits to any crankset except regular BB30 (PFBB30 works).

2012 Litespeed L1R BB386EVO carbon fiber road bike with new bottom bracket standard 2012 Litespeed L1R BB386EVO carbon fiber road bike with new bottom bracket standard

The downtube is fairly stout, leading into an asymmetric BB shell. Yep, it’s off center – a design cue borrowed from sister triathlon brand Quintana Roo – to put the cranks more centered under the rider and presumably disperse power transfer better. Note the Di2 battery mounts on the driveside chainstay, an interesting position considering other bikes we’ve seen all put it on the non-drive side. Disregard all that…it’s on the non-drive side.

2012 Litespeed L1R BB386EVO carbon fiber road bike with new bottom bracket standard

The QR bikes use the offset drivetrain (18mm to be exact) along with slanted aero tube shapes to divert air away from the drivetrain. That doesn’t look to be the case here exactly, perhaps it’s just more subtle. It’s hard to capture in pixels, but you can see from the shot above, left, that the non-drive BB shell extends further out. At right, the bulge outward from the seat tube is substantial.

2012 Litespeed L1R BB386EVO carbon fiber road bike with new bottom bracket standard

2012 Litespeed Cohutta 29er titanium hardtail mountain bike

The new Cohutta 29er brings some very oversized tubing to the party.

2012 Litespeed Cohutta 29er titanium hardtail mountain bike 2012 Litespeed Cohutta 29er titanium hardtail mountain bike

1.5″ straight headtube combines with a top tube that appears as big or bigger in diameter than the down tube. A slight drop in it’s junction with the seat tube should improve standover clearance.

2012 Litespeed Cohutta 29er titanium hardtail mountain bike 2012 Litespeed Cohutta 29er titanium hardtail mountain bike

Pricing and availability on these isn’t nailed yet.

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David
12 years ago

Super hot bikes. I’ll take one of each please.

Gillis
Gillis
12 years ago

I think you are mistaken. By all accounts it looks like the battery mount is in fact on the non-driveside chainstay.

On side note to the last picture: I wish companies would stop putting their web address on their bikes. I mean really, it looks tacky. And in this day and age, if you see the bike and are interested you’re just going to google the name on the downtube, right?

moz
moz
12 years ago

Here is a material that hasn’t been exploited as needed, titanium, from a company which is expert in it.
Everyone ‘goes’ carbon from the same provider, as far as mtb is concerned.

Robin
Robin
12 years ago

Nice bikes.

Who knew that everyone selling carbon mtb frames were getting the frame the same place, the single manufacturer, the only company in the world making CF mtb frames. Wow. If there were actually facts available that supported such a wildly inaccurate claim, it would be amazing. Alas, as it turns out, such a claim is ridiculous on its face.

Hyperbole, 1
Critical thinking, 0

Sevo
12 years ago

Actually quite a few places you can go carbon with for frames. Obvious sources like Merida and Giant. And not so obvious sources.

Frame looks nice….but in the end, it’s a road frame. Feel like Lightspeed is losing the battle here. They used to stand out as a brand, but now…is it really all that amazing? Or bigger question….amazing enough to switch from whatever carbon frame you are on right now to this? Answer? No.

Gillis
Gillis
12 years ago

@Robin: why the hell do you care so much to make a point of saying that everywhere? Are they cheating the buyer somehow if the frame is made in the same factory as some other brand? Thats what factories do, they make stuff for other companies. Very few companies own their own production plants. Its the way of the world. Its done in Asia, in Europe, and in the US. And just because something is made in the same factory does not mean its the same product. Molds differ, layups differ, the carbon ply differs, etc. No one is doing any swindling here.

Robin
Robin
12 years ago

Well, re-read my post. Then read the idiotic post above it.

Frankly, I think people should buy what they want, no matter where it comes from and no matter what factory its built in. The idea, however, that all CF mtb frames are made in one factory or one country is stupid on its face and points out the stupidity of people posting such claims.

As I said before, I could care less where my frames or bike components are made. Country of origin doesn’t enter my consideration when buying stuff.

Norman
Norman
12 years ago

Yeah disembodied hand guy! Moving up in the world. From track bikes on Craigslist to highend Ti on BikeRumor

moz
moz
12 years ago

Idiotic post, that is a good one. Get a life or at least a wife.

Joshua Murdock
12 years ago

Ok everybody, here is a good article for everyone to read. It is the collective answers to just about every forum post and comment thread pertaining to cycling. It is quite applicable to this argument. I highly recommend reading it.

http://www.surlybikes.com/blog/2514/

Also, the squabbling about bikes, tech, and manufacturers is exactly what these comments are for, but is this really so important and earth-shattering that it’s appropriate to shout out insults and personal degradations from behind the veil of internet anonymity?

And I think it’s a nice looking bike, but find it interesting that Lightspeed is making a carbon bike. Is it good? I don’t know, I haven’t ridden it.

Joshua Murdock
12 years ago

Well, interesting that they’re making ANOTHER carbon bike… Who knows, maybe they’ll be known for both Ti AND Carbon someday.

PIXEL LUST
12 years ago

Does anyone know what handlebars have been used on the road bike? Zipp Service Course?

GMB
GMB
12 years ago

BikeRumor….good opportunity for some investigative journalism. Get your visa’s and show us “behind the scenes”.

Embarrassed
Embarrassed
12 years ago

“Note the Di2 battery mounts on the driveside chainstay…”

Oh no! Tyler, you’ve got to change that article, man. Sorry, buddy.

buddy
buddy
12 years ago

I got to ride the C1R when the demo truck came to the local shop. That bike was incredible. I don’t think that Litespeed has got nearly enough attention for that bike with all the aero road buzz going on. I was pretty bummed it wasn’t in the recent VN article about aero bikes. I really think that bike would stand up to most of the big company aero offerings. As far as the L1R I think it was a bike that had to happen. The only “regular” carbon bike they offered is total crap (the m1). If you are going to commit to high-end carbon you have to offer more than just aero bikes to stay competitive with all of the super light frames that have been released over the last year. The bike has some decent technologies that will make it able to compete with a lot of bikes in the high-end, non aero, super light frames. Seems unfair to judge a bike even before you ever get to sit on it.

steve m
steve m
12 years ago

I hope the Japanese whaling fleet does see the BB area on that carbon frame.

J.E.
12 years ago

Why bother with Carbon, when you’ve got Ti Expertise?

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