Litespeed has been handcrafting titanium bike frames of all kinds for many years. Today, the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based brand is entering the trail category and introducing the all-new Pisgah hardtail. With a frame engineered for enhanced strength and designed for aggressive trail riding, Litespeed intends for the Pisgah to “slay any notion of what a titanium hardtail trail bike is capable of.”
Litespeed Pisgah Details
The original Pisgah hardtail was cross-country oriented and launched way back in 2000. Litespeed is located near the Pisgah National Forest, and tells us that, unlike its XC-oriented predecessor, the new version has a DNA inspired by Pisgah’s demanding trails and terrain. Indeed, the area is renowned for its challenging, rocky, and rooty trails.
Frame Design
Hardtail mountain bikes made for aggressive trail riding need to be super tough, and Litespeed says that its “advanced titanium tube shaping and a unique rear-end design built around a Tubular Yoke increase strength and stiffness where it matters most.” With the Pisgah, the brand is introducing Superform X, a stronger titanium tubeset. They say it provides the highest levels of strength while also hitting desired flex and stiffness characteristics with variable wall thicknesses and custom-formed, cold-worked 3D shapes.
Litespeed claims its engineers have also reimagined the traditional hardtail rear end for both strength and performance. The seat tube passes through the ovalized Superform top tube, which they say allowed them to reduce wall thickness by 30% while also increasing the strength of the joint. Allegedly, this design is resistant to the forces of vertical and lateral loads, even before welding.
At the back of the bike, Litespeed says, “the visual star of the show is a new Tubular Titanium Yoke, which significantly widens the seatstay stance.” Without any bends, they claim increased lateral stiffness while maintaining the compliant ride feel that titanium is known for. Additionally, the seatstays’ tapered ends lock into position in the yoke before welding for maximum strength to stand up to the aggressive riding this bike is designed for. The frame has clearance for tires up to 29″ x 2.6″.
Geometry
The Pisgah is designed to be used with a 150mm fork, rolls on 29” wheels front and rear, and has a geometry that reflects its intended use. Overall, the Pisgah’s geometry certainly qualifies as aggressive for a hardtail, and that’s the point. This is apparent in the head tube angle, which increases from 64° on the XS frame to 64.5° on the S, M, and L, and 65° on the XL. Stack heights are also fairly tall, and reach measurements are right in the wheelhouse of “modern standards” with 475mm on a size Large. Chainstay length is 445mm on all sizes, and the sliding dropout upgrade gives riders some room to fine-tune if desired.
UDH Sliding Dropouts
The Pisgah comes with a UDH interface and is designed to work with any drivetrain setup. Riders can also upgrade to Litespeed’s sliding titanium dropouts to fine-tune chainstay length or run a singlespeed setup.
Litespeed Pisgah: Builds, Pricing, Availability
Like Litespeed’s other frames, the Pisgah is handcrafted in Chattanooga, Tennessee, not far from the Pisgah National Forest. Litespeed says it will be available in a singlespeed configuration with the sliding dropout. The base build starts at $6,999 and comes with Shimano XT Di2, a Fox 36 Factory Grip X fork, and Industry Nine 1/1 Sector V2 Alloy wheels.
The Pisgah can also be configured in numerous ways through the brand’s website. Buyers can choose between Satin Ti and Bright Brushed Ti finishes, as well as numerous logo colors for an additional fee. Upgrade options include drivetrain, wheels, fork, tires, dropper, saddle, stem, handlebar, and grips.
The new Pisgah is available to order now. Head to the Litespeed website to learn more or configure yours today.
