Thought it was time to post a review of my Lynskey R340. In case Lynskey is a name that you are not familiar with, the Lynskey family founded Litespeed Titanium Bicycles in 1986. They sold Litespeed in 1999 and in 2006, formed Lynskey Performance Designs. I like my custom Lynskey Pro Cross so much, when it came time to get a new road bike, it was an easy decision and I called up Lynskey.
I talked to my trusty sales rep, Jack, about what I was looking for. Going in, I was convinced that I was going to get the top of the line R430. I talked to Jack about what I was looking for in my new ride. I wanted something criterium stiff, but all day training comfortable; less than 3 pound frame weight; quick handling, but not twitchy. He said that although he would like to sell me the R430, I had just described the R340 to him. Jack proceeded to explain that they were both top of the line frames, but the R430 uses 6/4 TI which is more time consuming to manufacture and work with; as opposed to the R340 using butted 3/2.5 TI. Jack explained that the 6/4 TI, although a great material, tends to ride a little harsher than a traditional 3/2.5 TI frame. Lynskey shapes and butts the 3/2.5 TI tubing used in the R340 to race tune the ride. Although I was planning to purchase another custom geometry frame, like my Seven Axiom, I ended up going with a stock size medium. I did a lot of careful measurements of the Seven and took into consideration the dislikes I have about the custom Seven geometry and decided that the stock Lynskey size Medium is exactly the same geometry I would come up with if I were designing a custom frame for myself. So, I placed my order and 2 weeks later, the frame was delivered as promised. The welds, the tube shapes and the weight were everything I expected from Lynskey. With my build kit of Campagnolo Record 10-speed, Zipp 404 Clincher wheels, Speedplay X-1 TI pedals, Easton EC90 carbon bar, Easton EC90 Superlight fork, Ritchey WCS stem, Chris King headset, Selcof Carbon seatpost, Fizik Aliante carbon rail saddle and a full complement of titanium replacement bolts; the bike came in at 16.3 pounds (slightly heavier than some of the current ultra-light carbon bikes, but this bike won’t need replaced every time a rock hits it or an unforeseen crash occurs). So far, so good!
I knew from the looks of the massive bi-axial ovalized down tube helix seatstays and oversized force specific chainstays that this thing was going to be stiff. The almost complete absence of flex in the top tube and down tube is proof of the superior knowledge that Lynskey possesses when designing and tuning a titanium frame. There's no twist or give in the frame and that enables you to concentrate all your power to the pedals and that power is mainlined right to the rear wheel. Defining the ride of the R340 is pretty simple. It’s fast; real fast. It thrives when being pushed hard and keeps asking for more of the rider. It’s not a demanding bike, but if you’re willing to put a lot in, it rewards you. Braking hard and late into corners reveals the bikes excellent cornering ability and exiting corners reveals how those shape specific stays amplify any power input into huge forward velocity. Climbing, thanks to the low weight, is effortless. This is a fun bike to ride. It’ll make you twice the rider you actually are, which a lot of bikes aren’t able to boast. The downside is that if you are not fit, you won’t be able to push it to its limits.
All of that classic sought after titanium ride quality is there, but you also get a frame that snaps from corner to corner and there’s no unwanted flex in the rear triangle which can hinder some titanium frames. If you like to be able to feel just the right amount of road underneath the tires, the R340 will be right up your ally. In fact, if you want a classy bike that is as fast as you’ve got legs for, the Lynskey won’t disappoint. I wasn’t expecting to be blown away, but I was. The Lynskey R340 is effortless to ride, it blasts through corners and skates up climbs. You can't help but ride it fast. It is certainly as 'stiff' as they promised but what I liked was the way the rear end held the wheel to the road as if it had traction bars. The head angle and Easton fork combine superbly for quick handling and smooth steering. You would be hard pressed to find a better bike anywhere. Lynskey offers an unconditional lifetime warranty on all their frames which is unusual for a racing bike. For me, the fact that they pride themselves on their ability to make cutting edge frames and stand behind them is a rarity in today’s market. I know that there are a lot of frames to choose from for racing, but I think you will have a hard time finding a better titanium racing 'superbike' for the money. Actually I know you won't find one, I've looked.
