I've been riding this bike on and off since May, while slowly evolving it into an adventure rig. Finally had some time to take nice photos of my baby in its current state. While mostly a mountain biker, I've wanted to explore the world of gravel for a while, and was drawn to the raw look and tidy welds of Ti. Bought this around the time Lynskey rolled out their all-new lineup, and was fortunate enough to wait only about 6 weeks for it to arrive, despite upgrading my build after the initial order.
"Sia" – so named in a subtle nod to the David Guetta song that made a superstar out of the namesake singer – is an Elysium running GX transmission and Shimano XTR clipless pedals, rolling on 650x47b (in reality those Kendas measure closer to 44mm). I was never big on Lynskey's sharp-edged "helix" downtubes of yore, but this redesign finally made it sexy, so I opted for a clean look as I felt their heavy-handed logos would only obscure and distract from the form. Added the dropper, PDW fenders, and light splashes of color, as well as a stealth stem-mounted mini trail bell from Crane. Already planning more additions in the coming months.
What can I say – this bike has been a riot, and I'm absolutely chuffed with it. Although I got it mainly to enjoy all-weather riding on the paved and fire-roady paths around here that would feel slow & boring on my Epic Evo, I also like nice, punchy climbs, and boy does the Transmission deliver. The nature preserve in these pics has some great dirt-trail climbs that, despite the 40T chainring, I've been straight up crushing compared to my most recent efforts on the XC bike; even some of the mellower downhills are a breeze. And, since I can't just plow through obstacles on this like I can on my mountain bikes, the finesse required to maintain good body position & control means "Sia" has helped me improve my XC riding as well.
TL;DR – if you're thinking about getting a Lynskey, do it. Their customer service may be slow at times, but your patience will be rewarded with a solid bike that feels robust, looks badass and feels essentially like a sports car that you can use for mild off-roading – and what better adventure machine than that? For those of you on a budget, know that the whole build before accessories came out to a huge chunk less than just the frame from higher-end US manufacturers like Sage.
by sticazzi-ragazzi