X-LAB Bikes Have Arrived at 303 Bike Shop

A New Bike Brand for Colorado Riders — and One We’re Pretty Excited About

Every once in a while, a new bike line comes along that gets our attention.

For us, X-LAB is one of those brands.

We recently added X-LAB Bicycles to the lineup at 303 Bike Shop in Wheat Ridge, and our first bikes are starting to arrive.

What caught our attention wasn't simply another new name in the bicycle business. It was what X-LAB is putting into these bikes for the money.

At a time when nearly everything seems to be getting more expensive, X-LAB is taking a different approach: build a genuinely good bicycle, equip it properly, and keep the price within reach of regular riders.

That's something we can get behind.

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So, Who Is X-LAB?

X-LAB is the performance bicycle brand from XDS, a large, established bicycle manufacturer. The current U.S. lineup stretches from the $799 SP3 city/fitness bike through the RS5 and RS7 road platforms and up to the carbon GT8 gravel bike and higher-end performance models.

What interests us most at 303 Bike Shop is the middle of that lineup—the bikes that deliver a surprising amount of performance without requiring someone to spend $5,000, $7,000 or $10,000 to get a great bicycle.

And we've brought in a few of them so you can actually come see and ride them.

X-LAB RS5 — Road Bike...With a Gravel Side

The RS5 might be the sleeper of the lineup.

X-LAB calls it a road bike, and that's absolutely what it is. But it has something that makes it particularly interesting for Colorado: clearance for tires up to 38mm. It uses an X6 aluminum frame with a carbon fork and is currently listed at $1,399.

We decided to have a little fun with ours.

We installed Teravail Rutland 700x38 tubeless-ready tires on an RS5 to show just how far you can push the bike toward the gravel side.

Put fast road tires on it and you've got a road bike.

Put 38mm gravel tires on it and suddenly you've got something capable of handling pavement, crushed gravel, bike paths and plenty of Colorado dirt roads.

One bike. A lot of possibilities.

X-LAB RS7 — Full Carbon Performance Without the Crazy Price

Step up to the RS7 and things get pretty serious.

The RS7 uses a full carbon frame and fork, an integrated carbon cockpit, aero carbon seatpost and carbon wheels. X-LAB offers it with Shimano 105 mechanical or 105 Di2 drivetrains. The mechanical version currently starts at $2,099.

That's the part that originally made us stop and look twice.

This isn't a stripped-down carbon bike where you'll immediately start making a list of components you want to replace. It's designed as a complete performance package.

For somebody who wants a quick road bike for Colorado's paved roads, long weekend rides and faster group rides—but doesn't want the price tag normally associated with a high-spec carbon road bike—the RS7 deserves a look.

X-LAB GT8 — Now We're Talking Colorado Gravel

And then there's the GT8.

This is X-LAB's dedicated carbon gravel platform, and it's probably the bike we're most interested in putting through its paces around Colorado.

The GT8 has a carbon frame and fork, Shimano GRX Di2 drivetrain, Branta carbon gravel wheels, integrated power meter and in-frame storage.

But here's the number that really matters to gravel riders:

55mm maximum tire clearance.

That's huge.

It means you can build the GT8 toward the fast side of gravel or put substantially larger tires underneath it when the terrain gets rough. X-LAB currently prices the complete GT8 at $3,199.

For Colorado—where a ride can go from pavement to smooth gravel to something considerably uglier in a hurry—that versatility makes a lot of sense.

Don't Forget the SP3

The SP3 takes X-LAB in a completely different direction.

It's a flat-bar city/fitness bike, not another drop-bar road bike. X-LAB currently positions it as an approachable city and fitness platform at $799.

That makes the X-LAB lineup interesting to us because we're not limited to selling $3,000+ performance bikes.

There's something for the rider who simply wants a quick, comfortable bike for Denver bike paths, fitness rides and getting around town.

Why 303 Bike Shop Added X-LAB

We're pretty picky about bringing another brand into the shop.

A new logo on the wall doesn't do us—or our customers—much good unless the bikes fill a real need.

X-LAB does.

The value is strong. The specifications make sense. The bikes look fantastic. And the lineup gives us options from an $799 flat-bar bike all the way through serious carbon road and gravel machines.

More importantly, we have the bikes here.

You don't have to stare at pictures and specifications online trying to figure out whether one is right for you.

Come see one.

Throw a leg over it.

Compare the RS5 to the RS7. Check out what we've done with the 38mm tires on the RS5. And as more X-LAB models and sizes arrive, we'll continue building out the selection.

Come Ride an X-LAB

303 Bike Shop
Wheat Ridge, Colorado

We're starting with a few X-LABs now and will be bringing in nearly every size of the SP3, RS5, RS7 and GT8 as we build out the line.

If you've been looking for a new road, gravel or flat-bar bike and X-LAB hasn't been on your radar yet, it probably should be.

Come ride one and see what you think.