3T has decided to steer further into the wind with its latest RaceMax2 Italia, treating it to a revised aerodynamic signature that sees a 1.5% reduction in drag over its predecessor thanks to a revamped head tube and down tube, as well as a newly shaped fork, while tire clearance has been increased along with improved cable integration and a larger internal frame storage compartment.
3T also tweaked the RaceMax2 Italia’s geometry a bit, bolstering handling and stability by giving it a steeper 71.5-degree head angle and 74-degree seat angle, along with a lower stack height, a longer reach and a lengthier fork offset, as well as an increased bottom bracket drop and shortened 420mm chain stays that can still accommodate tires upwards of 51mm.
Elsewhere, the RaceMax2 Italia sees further aerodynamic gains via aero-optimized fork drop-outs and a new caliper bolt cover that’s designed to smooth out the fork’s leading edge, while the thru-axle hole on the drive-side has been eliminated altogether.
Additionally, the bike’s wind cheating capabilities are further hastened by 3T’s More stem and Aeroghiaia gravel bar, along with an aero-profile seat tube that now features a more dramatic wheel cutout. Plus, the seat stays have been lowered courtesy of a newly sculpted seat tube junction, as well as a streamlined seat post that incorporates a clip-in rear light.
All things considered, 3T says the RaceMax2 Italia frame weighs in at a claimed 990g, while the fork tips the scales at 380 grams, a 5 grams reduction over the previous design.
“Since 2016, when the first Exploro was released, the second principle has slowly overtaken the first. As gravel evolved from a niche for the few into a global movement, the range of what “gravel” means — and the variety of tires that come with it — expanded enormously. Designing a bike that could truly “do everything” became increasingly challenging, and this is mainly because the tire volume (and its RAM — Radius as Measured) influences bottom bracket height: too high and the bike becomes unstable, too low and pedals hit the ground. So while versatility remains in our DNA, we started designing bikes with a more explicit focus, each meant to shine in a particular way of riding. That shift happened for the Racemax in 2022: before that, the same frame was called Exploro Race in 700c builds and Exploro Max in 650b ones. But when the Ultra arrived, the “one bike for everything” became two — each slightly better than the other at something specific. Today, those two directions are at their best in RaceMax2 Italia, our fastest gravel bike to date,” says 3T.
The RaceMax2 Italia is available as a frameset only for $6,500, or in a number of complete builds that span a Shimano GRX 2x Di2 groupset, to a range-topping Campagnolo Super Record 13 wireless drivetrain, with prices ranging from $11,00 to $14,600.
Lastly, in addition to the standard paint schemes, customers can up the styling quotient using 3T’s Ready-to-Paint program, or its Project X that’s designed to give a glimpse of the frame’s raw carbon construction.
3T
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