XMCS: 2026 Aero Gravel bike

[svedkoko]

Do we finally know the front chain ring size?

EDIT: I was told it can handle 42 chain ring. Im getting desperate to find something reasonable here in the EU, but either the frames are astronomically expensive or Chinese brands are still catching up. I might get Lauf seigla here to the EU perhaps. Its has plenty of clearance and allows for big chain ring.

What a shame XMCS could not fit bigger chain ring...

[bournejd]

that can't be possible...only 42t. or am i misunderstanding your post...

[rhenders]

Please no. My mountain bike can take a 42t. I really hope that's wrong

[Requiem84]

Our frame is almost on the way... haven't heard about max chain ring size myself actually.

Was planning to build it up with a 44 for Eurobike. Lithmus test... will let you all know when I know.

[tmhbrl]

I would be surprised if it didn't fit larger chainrings than 42t. With DUB wide there should be no problem going 48t or even larger.

[svedkoko]

I had an email from Peter. to be fair, he used wording of "I think its 42t...". So i hope he does not actually know and just guessed it.

[xcelrec]

Our frame is almost on the way... haven't heard about max chain ring size myself actually.

Was planning to build it up with a 44 for Eurobike. Lithmus test... will let you all know when I know.

Any pics before it goes on its way? 

[rolypoly]

42t max ring would kill this bikes opportunity for being considered as a gravel 'racer'.

[zett]

Come on, stop the hyperbole. How fast are you gonna ride? I currently have 40t chainring with 11-42 cassette on my main gravel bike (so definitely not optimized for speed) and I can comfortably ride at speeds over 40 kph with it. With a 42t chainring and XDR cassette with 10t cog I would be able to easily get over 50 kph with pretty normal cadence.

[impmonkey]

I'm not that strong and run a 44t. A lot of guys I ride with run a 46t. Would be pretty sad to max out at 42.

[rolypoly]

Come on, stop the hyperbole. How fast are you gonna ride?

Well i'm trynna be faster than the guy in front of and behind me!!!!!!!!!!

Its not hyperbole, a 42 max chain ring would legitamately rule this bike out for those who wanted to race on a 1x system. I'm not talking about a group ride on the weekend.

Lots of races ive been in has seen me close to topped out on my 48/31 2x.

[jfcb]

For me: 46T for the mountain gravel races, 50T for the flat gravel races with a 10-44T in the back. Sure you can ride flat races with a 44 or 46T, but when it comes to saving watts on the drivetrain, it's about having a straight chainline for most of the riding time. Translating this to frame design: maximum chainring size is part of the 'optimized for performance' aspect.

[cccccccccccccccx]

The, probably, most used cassette will be the 13 speed 10-46. For my gravel races, I don't need anything easier than 1:1, so I run a 46t front. And I'm not actually fit. Give me one more year of training, and I can probably get away with a 50t front ring for 1.09 gearing. It would still be a way easier gearing than the commonly used road 54/40 + 11-34, where the easiest gear available is 1.18.

Tucked in the pack on a false flat downhill or with a serious tailwind, saving watts by not being maximum cross-chained into the 10 tooth chain torturer seems important.

[Alancik123]

Come on, stop the hyperbole. How fast are you gonna ride? I currently have 40t chainring with 11-42 cassette on my main gravel bike (so definitely not optimized for speed) and I can comfortably ride at speeds over 40 kph with it. With a 42t chainring and XDR cassette with 10t cog I would be able to easily get over 50 kph with pretty normal cadence.

Bigger chainring means the chain is more used in the middle which means better chainline, saving some watts & drivetrain wear. I run 46t on gr201 and wouldn't swap it to anything smaller, would get 48 even, but does not fit sadly.

[zett]

Well i'm trynna be faster than the guy in front of and behind me!!!!!!!!!!

Its not hyperbole, a 42 max chain ring would legitamately rule this bike out for those who wanted to race on a 1x system. I'm not talking about a group ride on the weekend.

We're still talking gravel though. Speeds are significantly lower than road, except for descents, and guess what, you hardly need to pedal for those. I agree that it would be nice to have some reserves for larger chainrings, but that this frame is "dead" for race gravel use is still quite the hyperbole.