Litespeed has announced the release of the Ultimate G2 gravel bike, which sees a “ground-up redesign” from the previous Ultimate.
Litespeed says it has designed the new bike to accommodate what gravel riders are demanding: “more gears, more tyre, more comfort, more acceleration [and] more speed”.
As a result, Litespeed has introduced new geometry and upped tyre clearance from 700 x 45mm to 700 x 48mm.
The brand says it tested prototypes of the Ultimate G2 on courses including Unbound in Kansas and the Belgian Waffle Ride in San Diego.
Litespeed says the result is “performance titanium gravel riding” for racing and everyday use.
The brand is also using the Ultimate G2 as a platform to launch several new cosmetic options, including a ‘Ceramic Color Coating’.
Pricing starts from $4,950 with Shimano GRX 600 components and there will be a frame-only option for $3,095. UK and international pricing is to be confirmed.
You can configure your own build on Litespeed’s website.
An updated titanium frame
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Litespeed has updated the Ultimate’s frame to create a “gravel bike with the chops for surgical handling during high-paced riding, and a new degree of handling deftness and steering balance”.
The frame uses 3AL / 2.5V cold-worked titanium, which means there’s 3 per cent aluminium and 2.5 per cent vanadium in proportion to the titanium – the standard mix for a bike frame.
Litespeed uses a custom-formed tubeset for the new bike. The brand says it designed, crafted and tested the tubeset in-house, to deliver stiffness in the drivetrain and front end, improve comfort and even introduce some aerodynamic profiling.
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The most notable visual update to the Ultimate G2 is the ‘Interlocked Dropped Seatstays’.
The triple-triangle-esque aesthetic sees the brand adopt a wide seatstay stance and extends them upwards beyond the seat tube. The seatstays meet the top tube a few centimetres in front of the seat tube junction.
Litespeed says this design allows it to achieve “exceptional tyre clearance” without the need for a seatstay bridge.
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The chainstays have also seen some revisions, and the driveside chainstay uses a new CNC-machined titanium yoke. This is said to improve both tyre and necessary chainring clearance.
The head tube and bottom bracket are butted for additional weight savings, according to Litespeed.
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The frame can be run with either a 1x drivetrain or 2x drivetrain, but Litespeed says if you’re running 2x, the front derailleur outer cable will need to be routed externally.
The Ultimate G2 will be available in sizes XS to XL. Litespeed claims the frame weighs 1,430g in a size medium.
Litespeed Ultimate G2 geometry
| Frame | XS | S | M | M/L | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head tube angle (degrees) | 71 | 71 | 71.5 | 71.5 | 72 | 72 |
| Seat tube angle (degrees) | 74.5 | 74 | 73.5 | 73.5 | 73 | 73 |
| Top tube length (mm) | 51.7 | 53.2 | 55.5 | 56.8 | 59 | 61 |
| Head tube length (mm) | 88 | 88 | 116 | 143 | 168 | 205 |
| Seat tube length (mm) | 430 | 445 | 470 | 495 | 520 | 550 |
| Chainstay length (mm) | 425 | 425 | 425 | 425 | 425 | 425 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 999 | 1,009 | 1,024 | 1,037 | 1,051 | 1,073 |
| Reach (mm) | 370 | 380 | 390 | 395 | 405 | 415 |
| Stack (mm) | 370 | 380 | 390 | 395 | 405 | 415 |
Upgrade options
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As is customary with Litespeed bikes, you’re able to tailor the Ultimate G2 to your liking.
The frame comes standard with three bottle mount locations. You can select optional top tube mounts for a bento box or bosses to fit a rear rack, or both.
You can also upgrade from the stock PF30 bottom bracket to a T47.
There are multiple finish options, too. You can select different graphic colours and choose etched or anodised finishes.
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With the Ultimate G2, Litespeed has introduced a new finish option for frame graphics called ‘Ceramic Color Coating’. This option is priced at an additional $495 and is available in Blue Sapphire, Hot Pink and Blue Mint.
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These colourways are matched with a CCC-treated Cane Creek 40 series headset, seat clamp and colour-matched Lizard Skins DSP 2.5mm bar tape.
There are TiDize colour anodisation upgrades available, including new blue, purple and gold upgrade options. These include colour-matched anodised Wolf Tooth headsets and seat clamps.
Customisation extends even further with a range of eight complementary vinyl logo options.
You can choose to upgrade components such as the seatpost and handlebar too.