Litespeed Bicycles Revamps T5 Gravel Bike

Litespeed’s updated T5 Gravel bike. Sea Otter Classic 2016. © Cyclocross Magazine

We’re taking a quick look at Litespeed Bicycles’ T5 Gravel bike. We saw the T5 Gravel back at Interbike in 2014. At the time, we had some minor issues with the frame’s design, namely tire clearance at the seat and chainstays and the large truss between the stays in front of the post mount disc brake caliper out back.

We’ve actually been on the redesigned T5 Gravel, which now features flat mount disc brake mounts, including on the company’s updated fork option, additional tire clearance created in part by a longer wheelbase and the removal of the aforementioned truss. The design changes create a bike that’s even more user friendly. Litespeed says the new T5 Gravel can accommodate 40c tires “or wider depending on the tire and rim combination used.” That’s good news for those who want to run some of the latest tire offerings. And the loss of the truss saves some weight as well.

More tire clearance than the previous iteration. That’s a good thing. Sea Otter Classic 2016. © Cyclocross Magazine

All of these positive developments are featured in a full review of the Litespeed T5 Gravel that will be in an upcoming print issue of Cyclocross Magazine. For now, we’ll walk you through the stock offering, which we saw again at the Sea Otter Classic.

The T5 Gravel is available as a frame, frameset or complete bike. While there have been a number of changes to the frame, the price stays the same at $2,200 USD for the frame. The flat mount fork option is an additional $420 USD.

It’s no secret that the T5 Gravel is a Titanium frame. It is constructed by hand in the US of 3AI/2.5V Ti using size specific tubes and features a bevy of modern frame standards such as tapered head tube, press fit 30 bottom bracket and a 142×12 rear thru axle. The rear dropouts feature fender and rack mounts, and eyelets on the seatstays are available for an additional charge. The full carbon tapered fork with flat mount disc brake compatibility does not have mounts for a rack or fenders.

Litespeed’s new tapered carbon fork for the T5 Gravel features flat mount disc brake mounts. Sea Otter Classic 2016. © Cyclocross Magazine

The stock build for the complete T5 Gravel features Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 kit, keeping with Litespeed’s performance-oriented ethos for the bike. The Shimano RS685 shift/brake levers are paired with the Shimano’s electronic Ultegra derailleurs and the component maker’s own RS805 hydraulic brakes. Cockpit components come from 3T using the Italian company’s ARX II Pro stem, Ergonova Pro bars and Stylus Team Stealth seatpost, which holds Prologo’s Scratch Pro saddle. The bike rolls on Stan’s ZTR Grail wheels shod in Clement X’Plor MSO 40c tires.

We enjoyed testing the T5 Gravel and seeing the bike again at Sea Otter. Stay tuned for the full review.

More info: litespeed.com