MikeIndy

I thought I was pretty close to going with a Litespeed Ultimate G2 Ti gravel bike. My LBS through me a curve today and offered a really good price on the Seven Evergreen SL. Both bikes being considered have the desired GRX Di2 2x group set. The Litespeed has some options added, Ti seatpost, flared carbon bar 40mm, anodized logo/label and matching accents on seat clamp and steerer. The seven is likely 10-12oz heavier on the frame weight.

Price is so close that its not a factor. It now a matter of best frame/warranty, geometry, etc.

Thoughts on Seven VS Litespeed in a non price decision?

Koyote

I'd buy the Seven, just bc it's less common and more of a boutique brand.

And you could always ask your LBS to switch in the seatpost and handlebar from the Litespeed, if they matter to you.

tdilf

I would say it would come down to ride feel - if you are able to ride both.

MikeIndy

If I get the Seven I'll ultimately get a Ti seatpost and stem for it. I don't have access to ride the LS G2 in advance. The seven I plan to go ride in the next day or so.

In fairness, the G2 is a bit more of a sportier frame and the Evergreen SL is geared toward bike-packing and endurance.
I'm leaning toward the Litespeed as bike-packing is not on my radar and both 'should' be good for endurance and the G@ is a little lighter. I've not been able to locate the geometry on the Seven site. I may have to measure to compare at the LBS.

tdilf

Just based on looks - - S E V E N

Caliwild

I'd personally go with the Seven...

rosefarts

Shocking in those pictures just how much better looking the Seven is. Makes the Litespeed look like an Amazon knockoff. That downtube is hideous.

That said, they are both pretty sweet. Are you sure that there’s 10-12 ounces between frames? Maybe complete bikes but they sure don’t seem like they’d be 300+ grams apart.

Do they both have the same tire clearance? More is better. Pretty much always.

I had really bad luck with the one Litespeed I had. It was an 07 vortex I bought new. The water bottle rivnuts were crooked and loose. Not a big deal but super frustrating for something so spendy. Worse was that this bike had a speed wobble. And I just couldn’t ride it confidently. It was overall a very brand souring experience for me. I sold it less than a year after buying it.

That’s not to say all Litespeeds are like that, but as long as I live, I’ll never forget that experience.

shelbyfv

Aren't they all custom? The shop should be able to give you the geometry if they ordered it on spec. Otherwise you might want to find out how they came by it.

chaadster

While neither of those are particularly interesting to me as brands— I see so many Seven bikes around, I wonder if they don’t use contract manufacturing to kick those things out— I do find the design elements of the Litespeed interesting, moreso than the very basic construction of the Seven.

The tube shaping, machined yoke, and seatstay design make me curious about how those elements impact performance.

Rolla

The Litespud looks like an aluminum GT

chaadster

Yeah, even besides the obvious “triple triangle” element, that Litespeed is punching out Ti that’s so heavily shaped and looks more like aluminum is a testament to their advanced metalworking, a rarity in Ti.

Tube shaping revolutionized cycling first with aluminum, and of course the ability to shape carbon fiber is fundamental to it’s success, so we know tube shapes matter, both to performance and design possibilities. Yeah, a Ti bike can be welded up like we did 30 years ago, with oversized tubes, and ride nicely, but maybe because I’ve BTDT, I prefer bikes which are intellectually stimulating.

MikeIndy

Update, not that anybody cares... But hey, it's a discussion forum.

I went to my LBS to take a short spin on the Seven today. Wow, super nice bike. Finish and welds are fantastic. Bike feels pretty light. SL is only exceeded by the XX edition. The bike is a nice blend of ride comfort and stiffness. For my needs, seems like a great fit. It would see 50% urban pathway/toepath, 30% gravel and 20% road miles.

Having a LBS that I trust (bought 7+ bikes from them) to support the bike and able to test ride... I will choose it over the Litespeed. Now, I just have to decide if I want to add another bike just a month after adding a new carbon road bike (Emonda SLR). - TBD

himespau 

Nice situation to be in.

MikeIndy

Hopefully I didn't come across wrong. The bikes, in general, are so stinking expensive - I enjoy each one I have, or once had. At 55+ I do not play golf, or want to learn, and cycling is my preferred sport hobby. I really enjoy riding with groups and friends, or just solo to relieve stress and have fun. When I was getting the Emonda, the Seven was on the shelf, subliminally planting a seed. I'd sold my only Ti bike back in '20 when it was the ultimate seller's market. Now, I am just deciding if I'm to add one back again.

msu2001la

Wow, I'm not normally one to opine on bike aesthetics, but I'm definitely glad to hear that the OP went with the Seven.

himespau 

I didn't mean to come off as complaining about your tone. I'm just in a situation where my wife doesn't get why I need to have 2 bikes (don't tell her about the other framesets I have waiting to build up).

chaadster

That’s a very good decision basis, IMO. Now to justify the purchase; it is gravel season!

Polaris OBark

Get her (another) one.

Caliwild

Well, I'll play the enabler and tell you to just do it... I think about bikes just as you do. I don't have any other expensive hobbies or vices and don't spend money on clothes, watches, shoes, etc... And, a new bike every once in a while keeps me interested in cycling. Well, at least that's how I justify the money I spend on bikes!

MikeIndy

Update: Well, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Seven. I took it on it’s first proper gravel ride on Friday. First impression, this bike is fantastic! Great ride and awesome build quality. I pulled a spare set of wheels for my Diverge to use on this ride on the chunky Indiana gravel.

Very pleased with this one!

Camilo

Now, there's absouutely nothing wrong with "needing" both a CF and Ti bike. But choosing a Trek Emonda over a Seven? I'm so glad you made up for that mistake

FWIW, I have a "Lynskey" Litespeed (90s) and a new Lynskey GR300 and a new Litespeed Watia in the family. All are excellent, beautifully welded frames which also ride beautifully. But if prices, geometry, componentry, etc. being about the same, I would have done what you did, the Seven just because it's a little more unusual to see around. But I'm surprised the prices on your two options were so close. No Knock on Litespeed, they're really, really nice. But I tend to like somewhat less-popular brands, not that Litespeed is among the Trek, Specialized and Giants of the world. NTTAWWT. Just that they might be the most popular Ti brand?

MikeIndy

The deal on the Seven was significantly below retail, way below. That’s the only reason the prices were so close. I suppose being a frequent shopper at the LBS has benefits!

In Indy, I don’t see too many Ti bikes, of any brand. True story, on my first shakedown ride to test fit and minor adjustments, I came up on a husband and wife riding a pair of Seven road bikes, older rim brake editions. Perhaps its the old you notice what your looking for thing or something like that!

chaadster

Both Litespeed and Seven are among the biggest Ti brands in the country, and probably kick out similar quantities of bikes, which I’d guess at around 3k/year. I dunno, but between them, Lynskey and Moots, that’s the Big 4 here, and while there are scads of smaller Ti builders, those four have to account for 90% of the US market, I’d wager.

I think Litespeed foundered as a brand around ‘08 - ‘11, particularly in terms of pushing carbon fiber bikes through discount outlet Performance Bike, but they have now gotten their DTC sales model figured out and are refocused on Ti and driving on innovation there.

Whereas Litespeed are largely out of LBSs, Seven have an interesting model as bike shops’ go-to luxury brand. I’ve seen in a few shops where there is an in-house fitter who works with Seven to get customers’ their dream bikes. I don’t know what the exact nature of the relationship between the fitter, shop, and Seven is, but it’s a pretty neat market segment which Seven have carved out and occupied for the past 20 years or so, particularly because they did so while the independent LBS was a disappearing entity, so Seven’s move was pretty brilliant, IMO!

Anyway, while they’re each hitting different market segments, they’re both big brands, akin maybe to Cadillac and Mercedes Benz, to use a probably not-too-apt automotive analogy. If one wants scarcity, there are many fine USA domestic builders to chose from.