3T have launched an update to their Exploro gravel bike, the Exploro RaceMax.
With aerodynamic features including a tyre-hugging rear wheel cutout and bottle-shielding downtube, 3T's Gerard Vroomen says the new Exploro is the "world's fastest gravel bike".
Announcing the Exploro RaceMax, 3T's Head of Design explains: "Our goal was quite simply to optimize the aerodynamics of a gravel bike to the same level as a road bike.
"While the idea was simple, the execution was very challenging," continues Vroomen. "To lower drag, you need to shield the tires. Which means you need to know exactly how big all these tires are. Hint: It's not what's on the label!"
The quest led Vroomen and team to take hundreds of tyre measurements, resulting in the definition of two key parameters: WAM (Width As Measured) and RAM: (Radius As Measured).
Armed with this data of real-world tyre measurements, Vroomen designed the new frame.
The new Exploro is designed to ride like a road bike, with a lower fork among the refinements. Other key features highlighted by Vroomen include:
- Tight-fitting rear wheel cutout (with mud clearance of course)
- Downtube optimized to re-direct the airflow coming off the front wheel and onto the water bottle
- Narrow headtube with a big steerer inside (it's pretty trick)
- Dozens of small details to eke out every last Watt.
The new Exploro RaceMax frameset will be available as part of two series of bikes: the Exploro RACE series, targeting absolute top speed with 700c wheels and 35-42mm WAM tires, and the Exploro MAX series of "unstoppable gravel machines" with 650b wheels and up to 61mm WAM tires.
Both ranges will start at €4199, equipped with Shimano GRX groupsets.
The new bikes will sit alongside the existing Exploro range, which consists of the Exploro Pro series from €2999 and the lighter, higher-spec Exploro Team series priced from €3799.
Find out more about the new Exploro RaceMax on the 3T website: blog.3t.bike.
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