GRACE THEK'S V-PRi BIKE CHECK: THE FASTEST X-SMALL TRIATHLON BIKE AT KONA
Australian Grace Thek is one of our most promising World Championship rookies this year, with a strong string of results that have kept her near the top of the IRONMAN Pro Series. She secured her spot in Kona after finishing 5th at IRONMAN Texas, then she traveled to QR Headquarters in Chattanooga to pick up the first fully production-ready X-Small V-PRi triathlon bike. With a new triathlon bike built just for her, she's set up to perform:
Building a New X-Small V-PRi
At only 5'0" (152cm) tall, Thek has struggled with bike fit for her entire career and has often been forced to compete on frames designed for riders 4-6 inches taller than her. When she signed with Quintana Roo, our key goal was to give her the best bike to achieve what we believe she's capable of as an athlete.
Together, we developed the first X-Small V-PRi, designed for riders from 4'11"-5'3". For the first time in Thek's career, she's able to race on a bike designed from the ground up to fit her, and it maintains all of the V-PRi's record-breaking aero advantages, including the Shift+ down tube and Leading Edge Absent non-drive chainstay.
Two things I love about this new X-Small frame are the tiny Q-Box and the ultra-deep aero head tube. This new size required us to build an entirely new Q-Box to fit between the seat tube and the rear tire, and personally, I think the way it's tucked between the frame and tire is pure perfection.
The head tube is one of the most important aero surfaces. While we had to reduce the dimensions of the top tube and down tube, we wanted to maintain the surface area of the head tube to keep airflow attached and moving smoothly as long as possible to reduce drag. The result just looks insanely aggressive, and I think Thek may have one of the fastest-looking bikes around, especially since it's painted in one of Quintana Roo's new 2026 colors, Premium Gloss Pro Black, which will shine like a comet in the bright Kona sun.
Thek's V-PRi Build: Don't Mess With Success (Too Much)
Thek has kept her bike setup very similar to what she rode at IRONMAN Texas earlier in the year. This setup has already led to several podiums, so she didn't need to make any huge changes. For Kona, though, she introduced one key upgrade: new aerobars.
Kona will be Thek's first race on the Fast TT Pro-XS Triathlon Mono Aero Bar. These aerobars are based on the Fast TT Pro-X1, but are designed specifically for smaller athletes. Mono aerobars have exploded in popularity, and Fast TT claims their entry is 10.8 watts faster than their 2.0 bars.
The Pro-XS bar is mated to the Quintana Roo Intelligent Integration Cockpit (IIC) with our BTA Bottle System. Instead of traditional bottles, she is running an XLAB Torpedo in her BTA system because she finds it easier to refill on the fly using bottles at aid stations.
Thek runs a full Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset on her V-PRi, but she has swapped out the crankset for a JCOB Short Crankset with 150mm crank arms and standard 53/39t chainrings paired with an 11-30t cassette. Shorter cranks obviously suit Thek, and she has expressed interest in trying even shorter options. For gearing, she considered swapping to a 1x drivetrain, but decided to stick with what she knows. With no built-in power meter option for her cranks, she uses the Favero Assioma power meter pedals.
The Dura-Ace rear derailleur has been upgraded with a CeramicSpeed OSPW RS System, and Thek is also running the upgraded CeramicSpeed Bottom Bracket and Wheel Kit, which can be added to any V-PRi using our custom bike builder.
Generally, she prefers a rear disc wheel, but for Kona, she's opted for the DT Swiss ARC 1100 60 front and 80 rear, with 28mm Continental GP 5000 S TR tires set up tubeless. She's hoping the shallower 60mm front wheel will feel more comfortable in the crosswinds.
The build is finished off with a Selle Italia Watt saddle paired with a Slipstream 3D rear bottle mount.
You can keep up with Grace Thek before, during, and after her first IRONMAN World Championship by following her on Instagram or by following QR, where we'll be tracking her progress with excitement!
