When I designed my first tri bike (and every one since) I took a look at really good riders and just tried to design the bikes that went underneath them. If that’s your approach then your future designs are predictable. QR’s new X-PR is a case study in the best tech QR can place underneath a rider without changing how that rider rides his or her bike. There are some wild bikes nowadays that really stretch the imagination. Quintana Roo does not make them. What this brand makes is tech that I can predict and do expect, and I find comfort in that because that’s always been my approach.
When I wrote above that Quintana Roo places the “best tech” in this bike, I refer to tech in QR’s flagship V-PR, with its notably big off-side chain stay that accentuates Shift Tech (design features that move the wind away from the frame's drive side) and also fairs the rear brake caliper. Those are the kinds of features that got downstreamed into the X-PR, which is not entirely the V-PR frame. The carbon used in the lay-up is not quite so high-strength (maybe it’s a 30 ton weave instead of 47 ton), and the small parts that seamlessly transition the Profile Design Aeria Hydration to the frame are not identical. But it’s close.
The largest difference between these bikes – besides the price – is the available builds. For example, the V-PR gives you the choice of a Vision TFE Pro aerobar – that full-forearm bar that’s taking over triathlon. Not so the X-PR, which gives you two Profile Design aerobars to choose from: the pretty basic Wing 10a pursuit bar with Sonic 35a extensions; or the more sleek and integrated Aeria Ultimate. Neither of these aerobars have full-forearm extensions, but each is highly adjustable, proven comfortable and ergonomic, and are upgradeable if you decide on an aftermarket bar or extension in the future.
What’s the point of this bike? Why make it? In one sentence: It’s 2 pounds lighter than the PRfive2 Disc and is designed to be a more stable crosswind handler.
The bike comes complete at $5,195, by no means inexpensive, but don’t complain about the price of this bike. This company’s PR4 Disc from sells for just over $3,000 complete, which makes Quintana Roo one of the few premium brands to make a bike at an entry-level price (while $3,000 is also a lot of money, that is entry level now in tri bikes).
Quintana Roo outfits this bike with a popular tri saddle you actually have a chance at liking (Selle Italia Watt), almost-fully-integrated front hydration (customization by both QR and PD mate the Aeria front hydration system to each of QR’s tri frames on which it's spec'd), and the choice of very standard OE road wheels to premium aero wheels. This also is rare and welcome; I don’t like it when I’m forced to buy $2,400 worth of race wheels when I buy a new bike. Maybe I have race wheels. Maybe I want a different race wheel. Sell me the least wheel possible an let me make my own decision on wheels.
The groupsets on this bike are Shimano Ultegra mechanical 11sp or Ultegra Di2 12sp, and the difference between them is just under $2,000: $5,195 mechanical or $7,140 electronic. Let me first give you my reason for splurging for Shimano 8150 and then I’ll give you the counter-argument.
I would take electronic first, over any aero wheel or aerobar upgrade. It’s not that 12th gear, although that’s nice. It’s just the bulletproof shifting of Di2, and the differences between Ultegra and Dura Ace 12sp Di2 are scant. The 8150 drivetrain is new tech. If this is your bike for the next 5 or 8 years, the electronic 12sp platform is what you want to build around.
But there’s an argument for going with the 11sp mechanical Ultegra version of this bike, which is, maybe you want to wait until Ultegra 8150 is a more fully developed group. The Ultegra kit is not entirely Ultegra on either build – both builds feature a mechanical TRP Spyre disc brake system. That brake is fine. I’ve had 2 bikes with this brakeset and, yes, they work and the bike stops. But I just prefer it hydraulic. Also, Shimano is late with its tri-specific 12sp tech. It’s not an entirely wireless system for tri, but I sense that it will eventually be.
The merit to buying the X-PR with the 11sp mechanical groupset is that you can spend $2,000 less, exhale, save up, and then buy better 8150 groupset when enhancements are made to the TT version, which I must assume will eventually come, maybe in a year or two. Wheels for a 12sp system Shiimano use the same Shimano driver body as the 11sp, so, you just slap a new 12sp cassette on your existing 11sp wheels and you’re ready to go.
Then there are the policies and practices that start pre-purchase, which are not specific to this bike, and with QR they’re worth mentioning. First, as an aside and as you know, we offer a curated fit assistance thread here on our Reader Forum for Quintana Roo and several other bike brands. We will help you work through the process of identifying your pad rise and run, and if there is some question about those numbers we’ll help you work through them.
Once you have these numbers – and if you’re confident in them – you can hand these metrics to Quintana Roo and they’ll build the bike exactly to this fit spec. This is Quintana Roo’s Fit Ready program and it’s industry leading. (I don’t know any other bike brand that does this.) QR quietly expanded the Fit Ready service from just the V-PR to all its tri bikes.
QR is also a leading – maybe the largest – current shipper of white glove, boxless bikes to its customers. Imagine. You buy this bike. Some days or weeks later you are handed a bike, complete, built to your precise spec. There is literally nothing to do but put pedals on the bike and ride.
Finally, Quintana Roo will fix any carbon frame you purchased from it at no charge to you. You must deconstruct the bike down to the bare frame, send it in, and QR will send you back your repaired frame. This is a no-fault warranty. Because QR paints in its Chattanooga factory (and it makes its own decals), it can repair the bike and (to some degree) match the paint.
You’ll find an online configurator that will show you what the X-PR will cost depending on how you spec it.
