Italian brand 3T is known for its forward-thinking approach to drop bar bike design. The Bergamo-based builder can even claim to be the forbear of now well-established trends such as the rise of 1x chainrings on road bikes – having been promoting the system as early as 2017.
You could be forgiven for mistaking its latest gravel release, the Racemax² Italia, for a road bike with the wrong wheelset. But every element of the design has been carefully considered, bringing learnings from its stable of high-performance road bikes into the world of gravel racing to offer improved aerodynamics, carbon manufacturing based in Italy and a whole host of practical touches to keep the pedals turning.
3T offers the Racemax in two different formulations: the Racemax² Italia and the Racemax WPNT. While the frame and builds have some similarities, the Racemax² is the pinnacle of 3T’s gravel racing expertise and incorporates every performance gain available.
Made in Italy
As the name suggests, any 3T bike with the Italia suffix benefits from an Italian-made frameset. This is an initiative 3T restarted back in 2018. The idea was to bring some of its product lines back under the same roof as a way of offering a more artisanal grade of frame fabrication.
The Racemax WPNT frame is made in the Far East, though it does still offer some intriguing possibilities for riders looking for something slightly different. 3T offers custom frame painting which takes place in its Italian painting facility in Montello, Bergamo. That’s what the WPNT (We Paint) suffix denotes and you can have your dream paintjob ready to roll in around 6 weeks.
Both frames have similar geometry, tube shapes and tyre clearance but 3T says because the Racemax² Italia uses Jazz Carbon instead of pre-preg carbon, the finished bikes have distinct ride characteristics.
Jazz Carbon is 3T’s name for the process of filament winding bladder-assisted resin transfer moulding which takes place in 3T’s Italian factory. This precise and labour-intensive process of winding dry carbon allows 3T to create complex tube shapes which would otherwise be impossible. It also contributes to more refined vibration-damping and improves overall ride feel.
Geometry
The remit of the Racemax WPNT is that it should ride like a road bike – just one that happens to chew up gravel while doing so. To that end, 3T has given the frame progressive and speed-focussed geometry. In a size Medium the 566mm stack and the 374mm reach provide enough room for riders to get low, and lock into an aerodynamic position.
The Racemax² is marginally more aggressive with a longer 377mm reach creating room for a longer, lower riding pose. Up front the 71.5 ° head tube angle is a degree steeper than on the WPNT which points towards sharper, quicker steering for the Racemax² making it better suited to those situations that demand quick reactions at high speed.
Realfast aerodynamics and smart tyre measurements
All of these elements feed into what 3T bills as its ‘Realfast’ aerodynamics. Key to this is 3T’s decision to measures its bikes’ tyre clearance using WAM (width as measured) and RAM (radius as measured), rather than stock measurements, to obtain the most accurate and real-world tyre sizing around which to design the bike. According to 3T, every bike design ‘starts with the tyres’.
Consequently, the Racemax² and the Racemax WPNT have different tyre clearances, giving a clear steer on their best use cases.
The Racemax WPNT can achieve its highest speeds rolling on 35-46mm WAM tyres. If you’re really looking for adventure, however, dropping down to a set of 650b rims allows you to roll out on some whopping 61mm rubber. On that kind of tyre, it’s really ready for anything.
The Racemax² is fastest on 41-51mm WAM tyres with a maximum clearance of 51mm, though this is reduced to 48mm on 2x setups.
Alongside generous clearance, both frames incorporate a number of smart aero cues. These include integrated cabling, contoured down tubes to best handle turbulent airflow, narrow head tubes and neat aero cutouts in the seat tube that minimise the gap between tyre and tube.
The clearest aerodynamic benefit that the Racemax² has over the WPNT is the aero ‘nose’ built into the profile of the head tube. In keeping with the brand’s design language, and seen on its Strada Italia aero road bike, 3T says the head tube nose reduces the area of the bike’s leading edge, adding aerodynamic efficiency.
Not only does the Racemax² give you an aerodynamic edge over the Racemax WPNT, but there are smart practical features baked in too.
The taillight system slots beautifully into the seatpost of the Racemax², leaving a smooth, integrated profile. The light itself packs 25 lumens and boasts a runtime of up to 15 hours.
Having quick access to your tools and extras is absolutely vital for gravel riders who are searching for a tubeless plug or a gel mid-race. 3T has considered this too by building integrated storage into the down tube. Industry specialist Fidlock – known for magnetic helmet straps and various locking devices – provides the mini-hook mechanism that decouples the panel from the down tube. Inside, there’s neoprene bag that eliminates rattling and stores your extras safely.
3T has also gone the extra mile with the specced small parts on the Racemax². If you ever look inside the headset, you’ll find oversized CeramicSpeed SLT bearings which are highly regarded for their durability and smooth operation.
Race to the max
The bikes in 3T’s Racemax line are designed first and foremost to be the quickest over rough surfaces, and while the Racemax² shares qualities with its WPNT sibling, it is the most refined iteration of 3T’s gravel-racing vision.
That isn’t to say it sacrifices practicality or comfort either. The frameset is painstakingly produced in Italy with sophisticated fabrication techniques to deliver a highly balanced ride feel. All said and done, there’s very little the Racemax² can’t do.
To find out more about the 3T Racemax² Italia and 3T Racemax WPNT, visit 3t.bike