XMCS - 2026 VRT

[ATGNI]

Interesting. What made the XMCS 65/78 noodly at the back, what did you pick that you would pick differently?
And do you have a theory as to why crosswinds is elite / peter / reserve in that order? Rim shape?

On the 65/78 I chose the ultralight hubs and 3.2mm carbon spokes. It wasn't noodly all the time, just specific sprinting into climbs or sharp corners. When I pushed on the rim it moved really easily and from what I could discern, it was at the hub where most of the movement was. I could make the disc touch the pads without too much effort. That translated into the back end feeling quite loose.

But, I'll also caveat that with the fact that I'm 92kg. I sold them on to a lighter rider and he's more than happy with them. It was me getting gram greedy. I'm debating on getting another set of the 65/78 but with either Ti or 3.8mm carbon spokes.

As for the front wheel stability on the wheel sets, I'd put it down to the rim shape and how the tyre interacts with it at certain wind angles. The Reserves are only affected when the wind is coming at a specific angle from the side, a bit more than 45 degrees I'd estimate. And it has to be pretty hard gusts. So it's not that often it happens, but it happens. And it's not ripping the bars from your hands but can surprise you.

I bought the Reserves first and loved them but to be honest they ride pretty dead. One of my favourite rides has a lot of corners and junctions and when you sprint or first start off, the Reserves feel heavy and they are very stiff. So I looked for something the same but lighter. The XMCS 58/65 with Ti spokes jumped out at me. Lighter than the Reserves by a long way and the Ti spokes have that little bit more give in them. It's not a magic carpet ride but when we hit the gravel parts of some rides you can tell then. They ride light too. I love them.

The Drive SL SS58 were an impulse buy (I do that a LOT) when they did a 18% discount with wheel bags (best wheel bags I've had). The front 36mm wide rim intrigued me and the rear hub with the ratchet and hub carrier made as one in Ti. On my first ride with the Drive SL I broke PBs that I'd been hunting for years. There's just something confidence inspiring about them. If I were buying them again though I'd probably go for the carbon spokes for that weight saving and crisper power transfer.

The Drive SL really punch above their price tag, especially when you stack them up against the Reserves that are over 2x the price and over 100g heavier.

Out of all my wheels I'd go for the XMCS first. I think they are more suited to a wider range of tyre sizes, they're lighter and slightly more forgiving which is a big bonus on UK roads.

[TDFdreams]

One odd thing about the XMCS VRT and the XMCS wheels combo is that the VRT frame is asking to be used with 32-35mm tyres to fill that seat tube curl gap whilst the XMCS wheels are aero optimized for 28-30mm tyres.
26IW with 34EW - 28mm tyres ballon up to 32mm and with 34mm external, it fits well. 30mm tyres would work too.

But I wanna use 32mm so I had to go with the Drive SL wheels.
I'm still gonna purchase the XMCS ultralight wheels regardless (reviews good) but for my climbing bike 

Peter if you're reading this, please make a wheel that's aero optimized for 32mm :X

[bezmozeg]

One odd thing about the XMCS VRT and the XMCS wheels combo is that the VRT frame is asking to be used with 32-35mm tyres to fill that seat tube curl gap whilst the XMCS wheels are aero optimized for 28-30mm tyres.
26IW with 34EW - 28mm tyres ballon up to 32mm and with 34mm external, it fits well. 30mm tyres would work too.

But I wanna use 32mm so I had to go with the Drive SL wheels.
I'm still gonna purchase the XMCS ultralight wheels regardless (reviews good) but for my climbing bike 

Peter if you're reading this, please make a wheel that's aero optimized for 32mm :X

You say that the issue is filling up the gap on the rear wheel however the drive SL's are 34EW on the rear as well, identical to the XMCS? The 36EW is only on the front wheel

[TDFdreams]

For the rear wheel/tyre combo 32s are prolly ok for either because the 105% rule doesn't apply.

P.S. desperately waiting for the UCI approval.
Losing patience and might go with Voicevelo Echo or Quick Pro ER:One if not approved in a month or two.

[Dark17]

Are you going to race uci sanctioned events?

[yuph1z]

P.S. desperately waiting for the UCI approval.

Sadly UCI hasn't approved it yet this month. https://assets.ctfassets.net/761l7gh5x5an/7jA9krKzzy3lRXPzlm4uyn/7982d7114b9d62978cb87876ea476535/58780c70-6247-4448-8384-b145fa30aba9.pdf
Will have to see if they update the list again end of the month or we have to wait for next month 

[Bonus79]

For the rear wheel/tyre combo 32s are prolly ok for either because the 105% rule doesn't apply.

P.S. desperately waiting for the UCI approval.
Losing patience and might go with Voicevelo Echo or Quick Pro ER:One if not approved in a month or two.

I don't think I saw the Voicevelo Echo on the list of UCI-approved frames...

[andre_b005]

Hi everyone, I thought I'd share my experience with the VRT after riding it for around 3500 km.

I ordered the frame in mid-July and received it towards the end of August. I built it up straight away using the components from my previous Giant TCR. This is my third purchase from XMCS, and once again I'm very happy with my choice.

A quick overview of the build: the frame is a size M, with a 360×110mm handlebar and an 11v shimano ultegra di2 groupset. I've alternated between two wheelsets: the XMCS T1100 50mm wheels, with a 24mm internal width and 16/18 spokes, fitted with 30mm tyres; and another set of 65mm wheels with 32 mm tyres.

Coming from the TCR, the first thing I noticed was that I felt further forward on the bike. It took a few rides and some small adjustments to get my position right, but once I did, I felt really comfortable.
What stands out most to me is how balanced the VRT feels. It's fast and responsive, but it's also a very comfortable bike to ride. It's the kind of bike that makes me want to push big watts.

The bike also feels smooth and stable on the road. I really enjoy how it handles with the 360mm integrated handlebar: the steering is precise without feeling nervous, and the whole setup gives me confidence. It's easy to place the bike where I want it, and in descents it feels composed, even at higher speeds.
I'm not a heavy rider and i don't have a strong sprint, but compared with other handlebars I've tried, this is definitely the stiffest, with the least noticeable flex.
Whether riding into a headwind or with a tailwind, the bike still feels great to ride. With strong crosswinds, I just find it takes a little more attention, especially when using deep-section wheels around 65mm.

Overall, after these first 3500 km, I'm very satisfied. For me, the VRT offers a great balance of comfort, stability and responsiveness, it's simply a bike I really enjoy riding and i can highly recommend it.

[SpeedySteel]

Has anyone done a fully custom graphic design/custom paintjob with XMCS for the VRT? I was expecting to see more custom designs out in the wild given that it's a higher end frameset but most of the stuff on their social media and review photos from customers have been single color, basic gradients, or just raw carbon matte. I've seen the Gran Turismo custom designs and paint jobs but there has been a lack of VRT custom paintwork. Wondering if fully custom paint is not an option that they offer anymore...

Also haven't spoken/reached out to them yet since I'm not ready to pull the trigger on a purchase but still curious about the level of customization offered.

[TDFdreams]

I wanna love this frame so much, especially after watching Patrick's reviews but what is this seattube 🤮

[Bonus79]

Hi everyone, I thought I'd share my experience with the VRT after riding it for around 3500 km.

I ordered the frame in mid-July and received it towards the end of August. I built it up straight away using the components from my previous Giant TCR. This is my third purchase from XMCS, and once again I'm very happy with my choice.

A quick overview of the build: the frame is a size M, with a 360×110mm handlebar and an 11v shimano ultegra di2 groupset. I've alternated between two wheelsets: the XMCS T1100 50mm wheels, with a 24mm internal width and 16/18 spokes, fitted with 30mm tyres; and another set of 65mm wheels with 32 mm tyres.

Coming from the TCR, the first thing I noticed was that I felt further forward on the bike. It took a few rides and some small adjustments to get my position right, but once I did, I felt really comfortable.
What stands out most to me is how balanced the VRT feels. It's fast and responsive, but it's also a very comfortable bike to ride. It's the kind of bike that makes me want to push big watts.

The bike also feels smooth and stable on the road. I really enjoy how it handles with the 360mm integrated handlebar: the steering is precise without feeling nervous, and the whole setup gives me confidence. It's easy to place the bike where I want it, and in descents it feels composed, even at higher speeds.
I'm not a heavy rider and i don't have a strong sprint, but compared with other handlebars I've tried, this is definitely the stiffest, with the least noticeable flex.
Whether riding into a headwind or with a tailwind, the bike still feels great to ride. With strong crosswinds, I just find it takes a little more attention, especially when using deep-section wheels around 65mm.

Overall, after these first 3500 km, I'm very satisfied. For me, the VRT offers a great balance of comfort, stability and responsiveness, it's simply a bike I really enjoy riding and i can highly recommend it.

Beautiful, well done!

Is the color matte black or matte raw?

Could you post a photo with 65mm wheels?

Thanks