Did someone say aero gravel frame?
We’re into our long distance off-road/gravel/ultracross/adventure riding on drop bar bikes here at Cycletechreview.com, with many of us veterans of the hour long hurt at the local CX league and venturing on longer distance racing and events like the Dirty Reiver. Paul will have his South Downs Way CX Century report up soon I am sure – how’s the wrists, Paul? Now we have news of the new 3T Exploro Aero Gravel Frame.
Internal cables, hoses and seatpost clamp clean up the frame aerodynamically and visually.
We introduced the world of the gravel bikes or ‘Adventure All-Road Bikes’ with a recent review of the steel Niner RLT 9 (Road Less Travelled). Pushing the concept of a gravel bike further and introducing aerodynamic engineering, 3T have recently launched the Exploro Aero Gravel Frame; an apparent first and a concept that is sure to divide opinion. Our North American friends will be very familiar with gravel racing, it’s big and getting bigger. Sponsorship is increasing, and slowly events in the UK and Europe are getting in on the act (see Tortour for a good example). Bikes like the 3T Exploro, the Open U.P and a plethora of other bikes which are just entering the market, are catching up with this demand.
3T are a company with a long history of innovation; founded in Torino in 1961, they began life producing polished-alloy racing handlebars, stems, and seatposts, they were renowned for their fit, light weight, and elegant looks. In 2007 3T became an independent marque and made major new investments in advanced design and engineering for the era of carbon-fiber. Currently under the stewardship of co-owners René Wiertz and Gerard Vroomen and with the introduction of the 3T Exploro, the brand is looking to the future.
3T say “The Exploro is the world’s first gravel frame to consider aerodynamics, something that may sound odd at first but actually has a solid basis in science. After a year of engineering and testing, including tests at the San Diego Low Speed Wind Tunnel, the Exploro is ready to explore the world beyond the paved roads.” It’s a thing of curiosity and at this time feels really niche but I’ve no doubt there’ll be great interest. Gravel racing is becoming a serious phenomenon, especially in the U.S., and individual racers are going to start looking for any possible advantage they can get; that is if the 3T claims about the aero-advantage of this frame are substantiated. Real world gravel racing is a world away from the wind tunnel I would suggest.
‘GRAVELPLUS’ The Exploro is designed to fit road, cross and even mountain bike tires following the GravelPlus standard. And ‘super compact performance gravel geometry’.
A mix of square and tapered shaped tubing delivers strength and stiffness, while airfoil shapes slice through the wind efficiently.
In addition these features include; ‘performance gravel geometry’, internal cabling to keep everything out of the muck and retain the aerodynamics as well as an internal seatpost clamp that keeps the frame looking visually clean, thru-axle and, by the looks of it, very generous mud clearance.
The new 3T Exploro may divide opinion but there’s no denying that it is a head turner.
You’ll find some graphs and data science on the 3T website to complement these features if you’re into that sort of thing. The 3T Exploro is a unique offering and it would be easy to rush to judgement, so until we get a chance to have a play on one we will reserve judgement.
We look forward to finding out more and seeing one in the flesh.