2006 Litespeed Sewanee Frame

If you're going to spend this kind of money to get the best XC racing bike that ANYONE has to offer, you deserve to get a little more educated about the product. That's what DSC is here for.

First off, what does “CLR” mean. Contstant Leverage Ratio refers to the course of travel that the rear places upon the shock. This relates partially to wheel path, but depends mostly upon the amounts of compressional force placed upon the rear shock. Is the pressure incremental? Does it ramp up at the end? Is compression experienced at variable rates? Why do I have to increase the air pressure just so that I get the bike to feel great during initial movement? Am I REALLY getting all of the travel out of my frame? These are the questions that Litespeed answers with the CLR designs.

Often times a frame manufacturer approaches Fox, Manitou, Romic or Marzocchi for more than just the rear shock, but also for custom valving. Custom valving is one way to solve compatibility issues between the frame and rear shock. What Litepseed has done on the other hand is extremely unusual. When Litespeed approached Fox, the dialogue went something like this:

Litespeed: We have a great design that we believe surpasses all other full suspension designs in terms of ride quality. Without a doubt, we know that we're going to need the quality of Fox operating in the rear to complete this package, but we were wondering if you guys could help us out with the perfect leverage ratio for this design coupled with the Fox Float RP3 rear shock?
Fox: Wow, frame manufacturers always come to us in order to revalve the shocks to some degree, but we never get a request like this. This is so much better for both of us. Sweet! Here you go, this outta give you the advantage you're looking for.
Litespeed: So does this mean we're picking out curtains together?
Fox: Let's not show too much favoritism. It makes all the others jealous.

• In Litespeed's own words, here's what they've done different:
  “What we've achieved is a suspension system that delivers smooth compression and rebound travel through the entire stroke of the shock. Most rocker and linkage designs have a variable rate that either increases or decreases within the stroke of travel. Designers are then forced to average the variable leverage ratios and valve the shock accordingly. This explains why some designs perform well in the middle of the stroke and don't allow finite tuning at the top or bottom of the travel. Riders are forced to use air pressure adjustments to make the bike work well at the top of the stroke. In most cases this inevitably makes the bottom of the stroke so stiff, that full travel is never really achieved. In theory, a six-inch travel bike may only have five inches of true usable travel. With the CLR linkage you are assured of a full four or five inches of rear wheel travel.”

It used to be, just a few years ago, that a 2” travel full suspension frame was an impossiblity. Now with technological advancements that allow for a wider range of leverage ratios, and having teamed up with Fox Racing Shox, Litespeed has created quite simply an unparalleled design with incredible Titainum craftsmanship that yields an extremely light race bike worthy of World Cup racing. It is light, Ti compliant and its design is perfectly tuned to provide more vital traction and increased pedal efficiency so that get you across the finish line faster with a better ride quality.

Here's a few nice frame photos to pour yourself over.

	LEFT: If you don't stand in AWE of this beautiful creation of a pivot-point, there must be something wrong with you. As always, machining detail reflects the aesthetics of the piece, but in this case it also suggests that there is more than meets the eye here. The over-sized ball bearings provide greater lateral flex than bushings, offer a smoother rolling surface on which the rear triangle hinges, increases bearing life as force is distributed amongst larger bearings (constantly under torque), decreases performance fade and finally, they are easy to service.
RIGHT: What strikes me first in this photo are the cleanly molded lines of the rocker arm. Machining like this can ONLY come from in-house production (an American factory) where design and construction detail achieve artwork status. As is evident, the machining is purposeful not only in saving weight, but is primarily defined by lateral strength and stiffness optimization to ensure that the horizontal forces placed upon the rear triangle DO NOT result in side-loading the shock. Increasing stiffness, which every manufacturer claims to do, dramatically improves the frame's handling and reduces any hints of rear wash out while going into a tight turn over rough terrain at high speeds. Maintain control!
	LEFT: Take a look at the polished finish on the top and down tubes, along with the immaculate welds holding the rear shock mounts securely to the frame. With Titanium, the frame tubes will be less dramatic in diameter and the welds will be less pronounced than over-sized aluminum tubes and welds. Much of this is due to the increased tensile strength provided by Ti over AL.
RIGHT: Have you noticed yet that the bearings are WAY over-sized for smoother action, greater weight distribution under powerful torque and an elongated life? That's a rhetorical question. Every aspect is so well thought out that it becomes obvious to both the trained and untrained eye, and the rear triangle is by no means an exception.