Boyd Cycling is best known for their wheel now, but when the company started they were actually called Boyd Bikes. Starting with bike frames, wheels, and accessories, the company eventually matured into the wheel brand we know today and changed their name to Boyd Cycling. Ten years later, Boyd Cycling wondered what if they were to create their dream build bike to complement their wheels?
In a unique development process, Boyd teamed up with Montreal based titanium bike manufacturer T-Lab to come up with two prototypes – one road, one gravel. The two bikes were then put up for a head to head battle on social media to see which one would get the most votes from the Boyd fan base. The winning bike would be headed to production.
The winner of that competition happened to be the R3 road bike, but that doesn’t mean gravel lovers are out of luck. While the R3 road bike will see full production, Boyd decided that they would also make a limited run of the gravel frames to satisfy their need for chunky tires.
Calling it a next generation road bike, the R3 features a titanium frame with clearance for massive 700c x 35mm tires, flat mount disc brakes, and 12mm thru axles. Complete bikes will include build options for either the Altamont alloy wheels or the 36 Road Disc carbon wheels along with a mechanical or electronic drivetrain.
The X3 will be very limited, but Nicole Johnson, Director of Sales said, “We couldn’t possibly say no to someone who wants to own a Boyd / T-Lab gravel bike. Gravel riding has become our passion and both Boyd and I developed our passion for this business from our passion for the bike. Period.”
Based around 650b wheels, the X3 has clearance for up to 51mm wide tires or it will also clear a 700c x 42mm tire. Like the R3, the X3 features internal cable routing, flat mount disc brakes, and 12mm thru axles.
Builds will include either the Altamont Lite alloy wheels or the Jocassee 650b or Pinacle 700c carbon gravel wheels.
Both bikes will be priced at $7,990 for a complete bike with hydraulic brakes, Di2 shifting, and carbon wheels, or $6,490 for a bike with hydraulic brakes, mechanical shifting, and alloy wheels.
