Titanium Mountain
Titanium City Bike
A beautiful composition deserves a coda. A masterful solo deserves an encore...
The original Ghisallo was the lightest production titanium frame ever made and the envy of riders the world over. After stepping off the cycling stage over 15 years ago, the Ghisallo returns for one final performance with a limited run of 20 bikes. Experience Litespeed history aboard one of our greatest creations.
Only 20 Ghisallo frames will be built and each will be individually numbered and include the owner’s initials stamped under the bottom bracket. Every frame will come with a certificate of authenticity with actual measured frame weight.
To maintain the heart and soul of the bike, the new Ghisallo uses the last of the original bespoke 3-piece welded BSA bottom bracket shells created specifically for the Ghisallo in the early 2000s. This is a bike only Litespeed can build, and the custom tooling used to craft these unique bottom brackets has been recycled, meaning this is the end of the Ghisallo line.
Litespeed has constantly pushed the envelope of titanium frame design. In the early 1990s, top Grand Tour racers asked us to build custom ‘climbing day’ frames to help them compete on the hardest mountain stages. These ultralight frames were often rebadged as team bikes, and they evolved and blossomed beneath some the world’s most talented climbers, achieving multiple Tour de France KOM Jersey wins.
Litespeed's ultralight 'climbing day' frames were never intended for the public... at first. When the original Ghisallo debuted, it shocked the world with its incredibly low weight. Some even thought it was too light, but it soon became the ultimate dream bike for elite climbers and weight-conscious riders.
While original Ghisallo frame weighed as low as 770 grams, through experience, testing, and feedback from pro riders, we found the sweet spot for our ultralight rim-brake titanium frames was between 850-890 grams. The new Ghisallo hits this sweet spot perfectly, while continuing the spirit and craftsmanship of the original.
When designing our latest climbing bike, the Coll dels Reis, we looked back at the bike that inspired it—the Ghisallo. To honor our heritage and bring a legend back to life, we used the same Litespeed Superform FW tubing and advanced titanium manufacturing techniques we developed for the Coll dels Reis.
The Ghisallo frame weighs only 871 grams (size M), while improving the stiffness and handling of the original. It’s nearly 80 grams lighter than our flagship Coll dels Reis! We achieved this by staying true to the original with classic rim brakes and quick-release axles.
The original Ghisallo was the lightest climbing bike of its era, so it deserved a great name. We named it in honor of one of the most iconic climbs in cycling. The Ghisallo near Lake Como in Italy is steep and intimidating, and it's often featured in Italy’s biggest races—Il Lombardia and the Giro d'Italia. At the summit is a church honoring La Madonna del Ghisallo, the patron saint of cycling.
According to legend, the Medieval count Ghisallo was attacked by bandits while traveling. He escaped the robbers when he saw an image of the Virgin Mary at a shrine and hid inside. The apparition that saved him became known as La Madonna del Ghisallo. Pope Pius XII declared La Madonna del Ghisallo the patroness of cyclists in 1949 and the church now contains a cycling museum and an eternal flame dedicated to cyclists who have passed away while riding their bikes.
We combine unmatched technical knowledge, decades of experience, and obsessive attention to detail with the most advanced titanium manufacturing methods available to create cutting-edge bikes that no one else can mimic. The Ghisallo is a bike that only Litespeed can build.
We built a frame with modern performance that matches the original Ghisallo’s mind-bending weight. The frame takes weight reduction to the absolute limit with custom-formed titanium tubing and the most advanced manufacturing methods.
The Litespeed Superform FW titanium tubing is cold-worked to create 3D shapes with specific flex characteristics. Every tube is extensively externally butted to shed as much weight as possible without compromising on stiffness or durability.
The Ghisallo is built using the same hand-crafted 3-piece BSA bottom bracket shells we welded for the original bike over 20 years ago. These BBs preserve the heart and soul of the Ghisallo and allow you to pedal a piece of cycling history.
To recreate the riding experience and low weight of the original Ghisallo, rim brakes were the only choice. The Cane Creek eeBrake G4 calipers provide strong stopping power and shed a few grams compared to the disc-brake Coll del Reis climbing bike.
The Ghisallo has to look classic, but it also has to ride as well as any modern bike. The frame is designed to clear modern 28mm wide tires, which means this Ghisallo will roll faster, corner better, and feel more comfortable than the original.
An alpine symphony—the Ghisallo is built specifically for lightweight climbers who live to conquer the highest mountains. Whether spinning up a sustained climb, dancing on the pedals to drop the competition, or railing corners on a high-speed descent, the Ghisallo epitomizes the finest attributes of a titanium climber's bike.
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