This 2018 3T Strada Team LTD frameset was built into a complete bike to explore the virtues of the Shimano Dura-Ace R9170 Di2 shifting system (with 9-32 3T cassette and Ultegra R8050 Rear Derailleur), drivetrain, and disc brakes with the 3T Strada concept of a single ring, aero road, disc brake bicycle. We matched the 41mm Reynolds Assault to the aero design, with 700x28 Continental Grand Prix 4000s II clincher tires, tapped into 3T and PRO for a Di2- ready cockpit kit, Selle Italia for the SLR saddle, and Arundel for supreme bottle control. Employing a Wolftooth option allowed us to convert the R9100 Dura-Ace crankset to a single ring and the e-Thirteen designed 3T Bailout 9-32 cassette makes the system feasible. Overall this is an impressive package, and has helped us expose the virtues of the Strada design and Shimano build options. 3T has established a cutting edge aero, 1x engineering approach to road cycling, and while still a fresh concept, new options are growing up around it, validating the thought process.

Want to learn more about the 3T Strada design? Hopefully we can help. Much has been written and commented on regarding the ascent of 3T Bike. Conceived and guided from a design and engineering perspective by Gerald Vroomen, it is not as if 3T Bike had no foundation. Building a new bike company is a challenge, but as Vroomen has informed the bike and design world, if you can create a "remarkable" product, it will garner it's own attention. Numerous bike and design awards have been the platform for taking 3T to prominence in the cycling media. Vroomen has talked the talk, and walked the the walk.

With the 2018 LTD edition Stealth color 3T Strada Team Frameset you save frame weight (approx. 165g), get improved ride quality and a more active feel over the Strada Pro version. The Strada Team is an impressive design, with it's Arcfoil informed Sqaero tubeset, ground breaking frame optimized for wider, higher volume road tires, disc braking, and a 1x drivetrain. Newer 1x set-ups with special cassette options and proper chainrings deliver the gearing range you need for anything from pure road riding, through the rolling terrain, sprints, and mountains of big stage races, and even a TT. With the Strada Team you get an unmatched, premium grade carbon frameset with truly innovative and forward thinking design and engineering.

To understand the appeal and signature characteristics of the Strada Team frameset design, refer to Vroomen's background with Cervelo and his success with Open Cycles. Pro road race, dominant aero performance and tube innovation experience crossed with genuine versatility of the Open UP designs, combined with pure engineering and a desire to stay innovative. The results? The striking move to a 1x drivetrain aero race capable bike built for larger volume tires- the Strada. This the first such design conceived and engineered from the ground up to be a full capable road race bike with frame and fork tube shapes that blend informed and capable aerodynamics at bike speed. The frameset can be made stiffer, with it's disc brake only design, knowing the large volume tires are the most important source of rider comfort. We know wider tires actually have lower rolling resistance and the lower pressures these tires require more effectively maintain contact to the road, again reducing resistance but also improving grip, handling and stability.

The Strada Team frame and fork were both engineered to optimize airflow with larger volume tires and wider rims. Capable of clearance for 28mm tires (in actual measurement on the rim you use), even tested with 30mm, the Strada is most aerodynamic with minimal space between tire and frame/fork, like a true TT bike, but with all the advantages of the higher volume tire. The review criticism is that this very small gap will result in scratching under the fork crown and frame, but this is easily countered by using slightly smaller tire, gaining clearance, but losing premium efficiency. The trade-off is easily acceptable. The point is you can run tires that give you even a full 28mm and still have enough clearance to reduce risk of scratching. Bikes get ridden. Scratches happen; especially where tires and frames are close companions. You won't be creating structural issues, and the scratches are not all that visible.

The principle of the Sqaero tubeset is built on airflow around the bike a bike racing speeds. That air travels in an arc, so the leading edges of the tubes are shaped in an arc and squared at the rear. The different path and shape of airflow in various sections, such as the fork legs, downtube and seattube mean those arcs are specific to the flow and wider tires. Specific need, such as the issue of the water bottle cage mounts are taken into account. The down tube widens to greater hide the lowest downtube bottle position for race days. Crucial to the airflow from that zone back over the rear wheel is the elimination of the front derailleur in favor to the single ring drivetrain. For comfort 3T expects you to primarily rely on larger volume tires, but the thin Aeroflex rear seatstays offer some flex at impact and work to defeat vibration up from the hub.

The 3T Fundi Flat Mount Disc Brake Fork has more fresh design and technology than many full frames offer. The lower left leg is offset (kinked, in 3T terminology) for the disc mount, and the flat mount itself is intelligently built for both 140 or 160mm rotor/caliper set-ups. The Syntace thru-axle system for a 12/100mm hub is aero and results in great hub/fork stiffness. The carbon lay-up of the entire design is built to manage and counter the force of hub-based disc braking. While overall the frame is reasonably vertically stiff, the extra strength of the fork legs and the tapered 1⅛ - 1¼” steerer tube means the front could feel a little harsher than you's expect. Of course with a 700x28m tire at 75-80 psi you'd never know. The rear dropout of the frame is proprietary for 3T, but also uses a bolt-in style Syntace 12/142mm thru-axle.