Originally Posted by chaadster

Interesting cross-shopping brand choices. T-Lab and Litespeed seem to have quite different bike and brand appeal to me, particularly when the cost of a range topping Litespeed Ultimate G is more than $1.2k less for the frameset than a similarly finished T-Lab X3. I guess if you’re indifferent to cost and unaware of, or unconcerened with, some of the issues around features, detailing, and brand appreciation, I can understand the comparison, but I’m more the kind of guy who’d compare, say, a J. Guillem Atalaya to an X3 on the basis of the small brand/boutique builder thing or the Atalaya with the Ultimate G on the basis of price similarity. But this is about you, not me, so let me do my best to answer your question…

I really like my X3 as a gravel bike, and very impressed with how composed on dirt it is. T-Lab has struck a balance of liveliness and responsiveness with stability and comfort, so for me, the bike just does whatever I ask/expect of it with ease. It doesn’t get out of shape ever that I’ve experienced, but my dirt road riding is mostly non-technical, so I certainly cannot speak for all conditions. I do very little trail riding on it, mostly just rolling gravel roads, and it’s very fast and encouraging over that kind of terrain.

It’s gravel composure does come at the expense of sharp pavement manners, I think. I run 35c file tread tires because I probably do about 25% tarmac on my gravel rides, and I’m just kinda a roadie at heart and practice, so I like and appreciate pavement performance. The X3 is fine on pavement, to be sure, but it’s not as slice-n-dice crisp on it as a true road race bike is; I usually feel there’s a bit of wallow in the handling, or maybe it’s an unexpected unresponsiveness to the tiny inputs I’m used to giving a road bike, and I notice it. I’m adapted to it at this point, and I understand that this is designed as a gravel bike and not just a road bike with wider rubber, so I get it and it’s ok. Were I looking for a do-it-all rig or an all-road rig, though, I’d probably go with T-Lab’s R3 Omnium, but I’ve got three other drop bar road bikes each with a specialized role, so it’s all good having a dedicated gravel bike. Plus, the X3 has rack mounts, so it creates the possibility of doing some cool touring or bikepacking stuff which none of the other bikes offer.

So in all, yeah, I’m stoked on the X3 and think it’s great! I have the bead blasted finish with matte paint up front, which is something new for me, but I’ve grown to appreciate it; folks are often uncertain what the material is, thinking at first it may be carbon fiber.