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How is a carbon fibre road bike made? We went behind the scenes at the massive XDS Bikes factory in China to see how carbon road bikes and gravel bikes are made.
The Sea Otter Classic is here and we went there to see what is new in the bike industry in 2026! New bikes and new gear, such a fun time! What is your favorite?
Day one at Sea Otter Classic… and one of the biggest stories here isn’t a new bike — it’s a brand that’s trying to change the entire industry.
X-Lab is here… and this might be the biggest disruption the cycling industry has seen in years.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (BRAIN) — X-Lab is generating considerable attention in the consumer cycling media for its bargain-priced road and gravel models, with the narrative often focusing on the brand's direct-from-the-Chinese-factory cost savings. Less noted is that X-Lab is not quite a direct operation: It's decided to focus on sales through independent bike shops instead of the consumer-direct focus of most new market entrants in recent years.
For the first time, a Chinese brand is bringing a bike to market that’s designed as a US-first gravel bike and is $3,199.
The Chinese manufacturing giant XDS is finally bringing a US-centric gravel bike design straight to local dealers, and the spec sheet is going to terrify Western bike brands.
LOS ANGELES, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- XDS, one of the world’s largest bicycle manufacturers, today announces the global expansion of X-LAB, a vertically integrated performance bicycle platform, to fifteen new markets including the US, Norway, Japan and Australia. The rollout introduces nine models spanning road, gravel, urban, and electric categories, including X-LAB’s first gravel and electric platforms.
The big news today is that XDS is launching a new global bike range under its X-Lab branding. The bikes seem to offer exceptional spec for the money, and they’re covering everything from pro road to commuter ebikes.
If you missed the news, Chinese carbon creators XDS (the same folks behind the XDS-Astana Team) just launched a nine-model entry into the USA market. The line is packed with brand-specific bits, carbon fiber everything, and some enticing pricing. The X-LAB GT8 is the brand’s dedicated carbon gravel bike.