How Good Is The Cheapest X-LAB Road Bike?
An October 2026 first look at the US$1,399 aluminium X-LAB RS5 in size S with Shimano 105 mechanical, a Branta power-meter crank and 32 mm tyres, covering a weigh-in, sizing, tubeless limits, the one-piece cockpit and routing, and the finish.
CADE Media · 2026-10-04. CADE Media says it was not paid and X-LAB had no say in the video; the bike arrived box-fresh for the review. The description names Garmin as a channel sponsor. Disclosure basis.Takeaways
- Measured0:33CADE weighed the size S RS5 five times without pedals: 9.35 kg, with Shimano 105 mechanical, Branta alloy wheels and 32 mm tyres.
- Fit check1:25The geometry puts the bars a little higher and closer than on a race bike. X-LAB calls it true endurance geometry, but CADE found it not as short or tall as a Specialized Roubaix or Pinarello X.
- Price at publication3:06One model at one price, US$1,399, sold through X-LAB's US offices and dealers at publication, while a European network was still being set up; CADE compared it with Canyon's Endurace AllRoad.
- Ride impression3:40The aluminium frame did not feel harsh on the grippy 32 mm Branta slicks, and 38 mm clearance leaves room for wider tyres. CADE sees it as a training, touring or commuting bike, with rack and mudguard mounts.
- Build note4:06Neither the wheels nor the tyres are tubeless-ready. X-LAB said a future update might add tubeless wheels but did not say whether or when.
- Fit check4:37Five sizes, XS to XL. CADE found no size small enough for many shorter riders: two riders just under average women's height would be uncomfortable on the XS, whose bars would be 4 cm too wide for them.
- Support5:38Unlike X-LAB's top models there is no free component swap. The alloy one-piece cockpit costs US$375 to replace, and its internally routed mechanical cables and hoses make changing it or lowering the stem a costly faff.
- Finish and faults8:57The box-fresh frame had small paint defects around the headset showing the white undercoat; bolts, threads and thru-axles felt high quality. The box included a bottle cage, a light, a torque wrench, tools and a computer mount.