Litespeed seems to be fond of making changes to their frames every year or so, in a way like Campagnolo do to their component groups.
I own a 1998 version Litespeed Ultimate frame with a Kestrel fork at a price of $2500 for frame and fork only. This version is an all titanium frame with bladed 6/4 downtube and curved seat stay, and instantly the ride feels very different from my Merlin Extralight. It is much stiffer (without the FD chain rub when standing to climb or sprint), go in a straight line easier, yet absorbs vibrations better. It is also very agile so that I had managed to escape several crashes. Someone even accredited to the stability of the frame when I was able to take back control of the bike when it slipped on a wet road (these things are however difficult to prove because they donot happen too often).
Overall I am very satisfied with it. Later when I also own a Colnago C40 I didnot notice too much difference in the ride so their quality should be about on par. There is however one aspect where the C40 do excel is over the washboard raods when the carbon fibres in the C40 absorbs the vibrations better whereas the springy Ultimate just bounces me up and down. For a single big hit the Ultimate is better due to its ability to flexes more in its rear end. The later models like the one that wins the 2002 green jersey should perform better on washboard roads due to the use of curved carbon seatstays.
Afterall the Ultimate is still my favourite if I could only own one bike because a titanium bike should be more durable than bikes made with other materials. Carbon fibre bikes while also performs very well and are usually lighter are more prone to troubles here and there, like the cable stops detached from the frame (this already happens to a number of C40s in our club), explode on collison, could not be repaired if the derailleur hanger got bent (it is usually aluminium on a carbon bike which at the most could only be bent back once), not good for scratches etc. etc.
BTW I do believe that the best bike in future would be half titanium and half carbon like the new Lemond or the new Seven.
LB
