3T likes to imagine a world where your aero bike is also your rough-roads machine. When former Cervelo co-founder Gerard Vroomen has the reins it's possible, and 3T's new Strada takes aero and integration to a few previously unheard-of places.
- SRAM 1x and discs on a Cannondale Synapse for Flanders sportive
- 3T Exploro LTD first ride review
- 3T jumps the gravel gravy train with first-ever bike and two new wheelsets
3T Strada features
- Carbon aero frame
- Fundi aero fork
- 25-30mm tire clearance
- Disc brake only
- Single ring drivetrain only
So long front derailleur
Despite all the aero tube shapes, crazy handlebars and deep profile rims, drivetrains have largely been untouched in the quest of aerodynamics. To maximize this area, 3T's Strada eliminates the front derailleur and associated extra chainring. Doing so decreases air drag, minimizes weight, and increases bike simplicity, Vroomen claims.
With the restraints of a front derailleur gone, the Strada's seat tube has only two jobs: hold the rider up and cover the rear wheel and tire from the wind.
Coming in this fall, Vroomen said 3T will be offering a cassette with a 350 percent range of gears. And like a road cassette, the first five cogs will have one tooth increments.
For further gearing options, 3T suggested swapping out the chainring.
30mm* tires built into an aero package
*Update 11 July 2017: There seems to have been some confusion as to the official tyre clearance for the Strada. 3T now gives 28mm as the official figure, but with the variations in real world tyre sizes and profiles, and the effect of using different rims, nominally larger tyres will fit in some cases. In any case, the Strada has a useful bit of extra tyre clearance compared to a 'traditional' aero bike.
Both tires tuck closely to the frame. Vroomen claims the comfort of a bike is affected mainly by the tires and that "the tires have the biggest factor in vertical compliance."
Vroomen said the wider tires doesn't necessarily slow the bike down since since the frame and fork were designed around bigger widths.
Vroomen also noted that the Strada was designed to be aero at real world speeds, not pro-racing speeds.
Fundi aero fork
The unique tweaks extend to the fork as well. The carbon Fundi fork uses an 1 1/4in tapered steerer but more important is disc only. Being disc only allows the crown to be much lower, since there's no need for a caliper brake mount.
The lower crown presents less frontal area for an aero advantage and also allows the front wheel to be placed very near the down tube for further aerodynamics. Yet, there's room for 30mm tires still.
The legs feature Sqaero tubing and the left leg is asymmetric and features an integrated 140mm disc caliper mount or a 160 flat-mount adaptor.
3T pricing and availability
Pricing was not available for the bike but will be finalized by its July 2017 release. BikeRadar will update when we have information.