While the Litespeed T5g is related to the T5 road bike that’s been around for some time, you’d hardly know it by looking at it. As Litespeed’s interpretation of a modern day gravel bike, the T5g blends the performance of their T5 titanium with big(ger) tire clearance and disc brakes. Compared to their Ti CX bike, the T5g has more of a relaxed geometry better suited to long days on the bike no matter what the road surface. Don’t need clearance for meaty tires but still want the performance of disc brakes? Litespeed is also offering up the T5d, which is a disc brake equipped version of the road focused T5. Together the three bikes provide a titanium option at an attainable price no matter how you want to ride.
Out in the desert Litespeed was also showing off their Pinhoti hard tail which is compatible with multiple wheel sizes. That and their sister company Quintana Roo’s new PR6 Superbike after the break…
Even though the frame shares a lot of similarities with the T5, the T5g is a different beast. Built with clearance for up to 40mm tires, the same cold-worked oversized 3 AL/2.5v titanium tubing that is tapered and shaped and welded up with size specific tubesets in Chattanooga, TN. A 44mm head tube allows for use of a tapered fork, which will not be the 3T fork shown. Instead the T5g will include an in-house fork from Litespeed that will include a 15mm thru axle to match the 142×12 rear thru axle dropouts. Fully fender compatible, the frame is also capable of mounting a rear rack to increase the bike’s versatility.
Sharp eyed readers will notice the new badges machined out of titanium and welded into place – which will become standard practice on all Litepseed Ti bikes. The T5g will use a PF30 bottom bracket as will the other T5 road bikes, and will include the option for external cable routing with internal Di2 routing or simply internal Di2 only, which eliminates the cable stops. T5g frames will retail for $2200 in XS, S, M, L, and XL sizes with the fork selling for $345.
Alongside the T5g will be the T5 disc with a geometry that is slightly more road focused. The T5disc will ship with an in-house road fork with a standard QR, but the rear will be the same thru axle found on the T5g. Pricing on the T5disc will be similar to the T5g with the fork priced slightly less.
Still in the line up, the T5 remains as a endurance or gran fondo oriented road bike with rim brakes and standard QRs front and rear. Compatible with standard cables or internal Di2 routing, the frame is available in 5 frame sizes and retails for $1900.
Still not sure on what wheel size to buy into? The new Litespeed Pinhoti might be the answer. Designed firstly as a 29er, the frame includes Litespeed’s Multi Wheel Compatibility system which uses an eccentric bottom bracket to adjust BB height depending on the wheel size. Even if you don’t plan to change wheel sizes and you’re set on 29, the Pinhoti should provide a dialed ride with a mountain bike specific tubeset and geometry that Geoff Kabush helped to create during his time on Team Maxxis Litespeed.
Fully Shimano XTR Di2 ready, the frame also offers provisions for the new sideswing front derailleur. Built with a 44mm head tube, PF30 bottom bracket and 142×12 rear axle with full titanium dropouts, the Pinhoti will retail for $2600 for the frame.
As part of the same American Bicycle Group, designer extraordinaire Brad DeVaney on hand to walk us through Quintana Roo’s latest super bike, the PR6. In addition to building a extremely aerodynamic bike, the PR6 was also designed with usability in mind which includes bike travel. Considering most triathletes travel to the race with their bike, user serviceability is a big consideration with the latest crop of triathlon specific space ships.
Starting with the cap style stem, the entire bike has been created to be adjusted with a single 4mm allen wrench, and able to be packed in a box without having to mess with the headset adjustment. In spite of that ease of use, the frame still offers 12 stem positions in X and Y planes and an effective 77-83 degree seat tube angle. Attention to useability is visible here as well with their Perfect Position seatpost adjuster which allows you to change the seat tube angle all while keeping the saddle at the same effective angle.
Brad mentioned they could have hidden the front brake, but in their wind tunnel testing the dual pivot Shimano TT brake showed the same aero performance as no brake at all. Because of this they wanted to keep the user-friendly nature of the standard brake for maintenance and for easily adjusting the caliper for different width wheels. The rear brake is the same model, but is tucked under the chainstay.
The Shift + aero design includes the use of their Fixed Aero Downtube which is actually offset to the non drive side of the bike which is designed to focus the airflow away from the drivetrain. Using what they call an evolution of the Kamm tail design, their “Boat Tail” tube shape uses slightly tapered edges on the back of the Kamm tail which supposedly makes it much more stable in cross winds but still very aerodynamic.
Available in 4 builds with prices starting at $5k with race wheels starting at the $6100 price point and is available in 6 sizes .
