Scott...W

What should I be paying for a used lightspeed Firenze 2005.
-All ultragra
-About 1000 miles on it.

Stickney

Well, Colorado Cylist was selling a 2005 Firenze frame and fork for 899 https://www.coloradocyclist.com/product/item/LITADWLK

With all ultegra, maybe 1500-ish keeping in mind the other components (wheels, bars, stems, pedals, seatpost, saddle, etc) which could add or subtract from that value.

I would look online at ebay for sure, or other stores like CC cuz you may be able to find a closeout deal for new bike for the same price as this used one.

Good Luck!

damocles1

You shouldn't....

Those things had a near 100 percent failure rate. I personally returned 6 to Litespeed...

Look for something else...

roadfix

What was exactly wrong with the 2005 Firenzes?

damocles1

What part of "failure" didn't you catch?

There's a reason Litespeed quit selling Alu bikes, and this was it.

mtnwalker

Firenze's are Titianium.

damocles1

Sorry, I got it confused with the sh*tty alu bikes they put out. My bad...

Oh, and Ti Litespeeds break with great frequency too...

mtnwalker

But for what reasons? Bad welds or what. I'm concerned because I have an '06 Teramo. I need to know what to look out for. Can you give more details?

dcbikeguy

What a bunch of BS. So what are you, the anti-shill? All you probably have is some anecdotal information - which I am sure you will now spew out. I can't wait.

To the OP - Litespeeds are great bikes. I don't know jack about the firenze though.

Or, who the hell knows, maybe you should consider a Motobecane?

ROJA

How much did the bike retail for new?

punksurfer024

hard to believe you personally returned 6 of them when you didnt even know it was a Ti frame......

ROJA

This may be the best post ever for BF.

damocles1

Hey putzo, I admitted I had the sh*tty alu bike (whatever the red alu with carbon rear was...) confused with the Firenze and I apologize for that confusion. And yes, I personally tore down and put a half dozen of that very frame, broken, into boxes to get sent to Litespeed for replacement. 5 of the 6 broken on the exact same spot...right at the non-drive chainstay and the BB.

As for the Ti bikes, I've seen broken ones well into the double digits. A guy I ride with had a creak that he couldn't chase down. Once I took the r/d off, only then did we find a cracked weld. We've also had several come in with the seattubes cracked just above the f/d. Do a quick search and you'll find stories of broken headtubes, BBs and chainstays. Ti isn't the lifetime material everyone wishes it to be...

MSC

To answer the original question:

I'm not sure on used prices, but new 2004 and 2005 (all Ultegra) Firenzes, like mine, were usually listed at ~$2000. I got my 2004 new in June '05 for $1800. Dollar for dollar, it was a screaming deal compared to what shops in Boston were asking for comparable Ultegra-equipped bikes (Trek, Specialized, Felt, Giant) I tested. I would imagine used these days, with all of the available bikes and deals, that you shouldn't pay more than $1000 or so.

In any case, pay no attention to the ranting here about failed Ti welds on Litespeeds and the poor quality of the bike. Likewise, don't listen to those who will claim "Ti bikes are noodles...buy carbon or steel". The Firenze is a dream to ride - not the stiffest frame in the world, but smooth, responsive, and stiff enough. I've ridden mine heavily for 2 years+ now and - standard component wear aside - it shows no signs of wear. I can't speak for others, but the weld quality on my frame is magnificent and I would buy the Firenze again in a second.

Lastly, you'll find here in BF any number of Litespeed haters claiming 1) that the bikes are overpriced; 2) of poor quality; 3) not as good as Moots, Seven, etc.; 4) all of the above. In other words, all of the criticisms you read here from people who dislike _________ (insert large-scale bike manufacturer X here) for some reason or other. However, if you sift through the posts and find those from actual Litespeed owners (e.g., Viperz and others), you'll find very, very high rates of satisfaction. And with good reason: they're great, well-made bicycles. Chances are, you'll be very pleased, as I have been.

As a side note, how exactly does one break 6 frames in exactly the same place? I've been riding for quite a while and have never heard of this happening, regardless of frame material.

socalrider

I personally have a 99 Litespeed Liege and it is a wonderful ride.. The firenze is 3Al/2.5V titanium and should be pretty solid.. If it really has 1000 miles on it, depending on the wheels it should be around 120--1500 range..

The only Litespeeds I have seen with failures are ones that have been crashed pretty hard..

https://litespeed.com/bikes/2005/firenze.aspx

GP

I saw a new or almost new '05 Firenze go for $1300 last year at a bike swap meet. You can still find the specs at https://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2005/firenze.aspx [didn't see post above mine]

I'm pretty happy with mine. It's got 7100 miles on it and still works.

punksurfer024

putzo???? lol, how can anyone who starts a post with that be taken seriously.......

TheJackMove

I had a 2005 firenze, nice bike, too soft for my taste though so I ended up selling it after about 1000 miles, still in '05. The guy who I sold it to has put a lot more miles on it since then with no problem. If you like the 'feel' of Ti it is a great bike. All I would say is that I got mine when it was near the end of the 2005 season from a not-so-cheap LBS for 1500, and sold it a few months later for 1300. This bike had 105 and FSA wheels, all stock. So hopefully it is not too late, but I think you could easily find this bike for 1000-1200 now, if not cheaper.

GP

I rode for a few miles with some guys last week and one of them was riding one. I was wondering what model it was - I'd forgotten about the aluminum Litespeeds.

roadraccer

That may be true if a fat WeakSuck like you may be on one, of course no material would standup to a heavy pig I'm assuming you are. Doesn’t matter if it’s aluminum, carbon, Magnesium, nickel, stainless steel, or what material you’re on. I have Ti for almost the last ten years, in fact 2 Litespeeds, before going to a Moots and a lot of people in our group have Litespeeds with no problems. So quit running your mouth and blow smoke up someone else’s ass about Ti and Litespeeds!

unhookt

I have an '06 Firenze with full Ultegra and absolutely love it. It's fast and responsive, but I can commute to work on it (approx. 20 miles each way) comfortably. As far as weld quality is concerned, my bike is flawless.

I've never heard of any of the problems described above and I know plenty of Litespeed owners. The criticisms I'm reading here are definitely suspect. If you want to be sure, check out the owner reviews here. 30 reviews from actual owners and an average score of 4.62/5.00. Hmmm.

Bottom line: Litespeed is a premium Ti bike manufacturer with a great reputation. If the price is right, you won't regret it.

popscicle

I have a 2005 Litespeed Firenza with less than 1000 miles for sale. The bike has aero bars and a cyclometer all for $1000.

bigtea

Tell us about its wheels and components.