Interbike 2014 – Quintana Roo and Litespeed

To say we’re fans of Quintana Roo (and Litespeed) is a bit of an understatement. Our QR CD0.1 test bike is a mainstay of our fleet, and has been with us since the beginning of AG. So it should come as no surprise that we spent quite a bit of time talking with QR about their 2015 lineup. And while the PRSix was the star of the booth, their entry-level Kilo may be the real scene stealer.

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The PRSix

We first shared the PRSix in March with our First Look and have been looking forward to meeting one up close ever since. Interbike was our first opportunity, and we can confirm that it was well worth the wait! The PRSix is designed to be a superbike you can live with – think of it as the Audi R8 of the bike world.  We detailed the numbers in our First Look. And while QR is happy to talk about the PRSix’s aero data—and how it holds its own versus the Shiv and Speed Concept—they would rather talk about weight. After all, the PRSix is 200g lighter than the Shiv. Also, QR likes to point out that, when traveling with your bike, you only need two wrenches to build it (something more than a few AG athletes are going to appreciate).

QR is offering the PRSix in two colors and four builds. The color choices are PRSix Green and PRSix Black, and while both look great, the Green is definitely our preferred choice. The Dura Ace ($7,000) and Ultegra Di2 ($8,500) models come with Profile Design Carbon Aeria cockpits and Reynolds Strike wheelsets. There is also an Ultegra mechanical version with Profile Design Aeria Alloy cockpits and your choice of Shimano RS-11 wheels ($5,000) or Reynolds Strikes ($6,100). All come with an FSA SL-K crankset and ISM Adamo Time Trial saddle.

 

Stay tuned for our in-depth look at the PRSix as we start our long-term review.

The Kilo

The Kilo is Quintana Roo’s performance bargain – a full-carbon build for $2,000, or you can add on a Reynolds Classic Assault wheelset (Shimano RS-11 are stock) for a total of just $3,000. For either price point, you are getting a Shimano 105 groupset combined with a full Profile Design cockpit centered on a T4+ aerobar. Quintana Roo believes this is the perfect bike for those looking to get into triathlon without breaking the bank. We personally love seeing manufacturers take the $2,000 price point seriously. After all, building a quality product at a low price point is a challenge, and we like what QR is doing with the Kilo.

Litespeed

While at QR we also got a chance to check out the LiteSpeed lineup. We currently have a C1 undergoing long-term review, so we were eager to check out any major changes. For 2015 the big change to the C-series is the addition of Reynolds wheels throughout the lineup. The C1R gets 58 aeros, while the C1, Ci2 and C3 all get Reynolds Assaults.

Litespeed was also showing off their new T5 Gravel and T7 Titanium bikes. And while they may not fall under the “aero” category, it was definitely worth checking out. Litespeed made its name with Titanium, and it’s great to see them continuing on in that medium. Make sure to check out the headtube and seat tube badging – Litespeed definitely understands the definition of quality.

 

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